Quality Bluegill Initiative

[IceHawk]

Really cant wait for some of these Regulations to be put into Place on Some  lakes. Way overdue IMO. Please when these meetings are formed lets all try and make it to some and give some honest quality input. Even if you are against some of the New regulation limit changes  being talked about. We all need to come together and figure out someway to protect our Trophy Panfish. So all of us and future generations can enjoy the future! 

 

[Tom Sawyer]

49 minutes ago, IceHawk said:

Way overdue IMO. 

 

Sadly on some lakes, it's probably to late. The genes that make 10plus inch gills have already left in buckets

I'm actually seeing, and hearing of more pressure then ever on lakes that have been proposed for changed limits. Lakes that were once under the radar, are now a bullseye. 

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[PeachyHans]

This is so important. Most people who love fishing were introduced to it by these beautiful fish and protecting them will keep the hobby alive for generations to come. Who else remembers being a kid and catching monster panfish for the first time?

[Rick G]

About time something is done to help protect this fragile resource! 

One of the systems up for proposal in the coming years is one that is Home water for a few of us here.  Long over due in my opinion  Please show up at the public meetings and show support for this cause.

[eyeguy 54]

Have to agree. Everything 9 and over goes back would be a good start. For a trophy, reproduction time. 

[gimruis]

I'm for this and a reduced bag limit too.  I think Tom may be right though, its probably too late.  Heck, even the number of posters on this website alone during the winter indicates that panfish are being heavily over harvested.  We over harvested big northern pike for way too long, and now that system is broken too.  Its going to take a massive cultural shift from harvesting to catch & release to turn the curve.   Bass and muskies anglers have done it and those populations of large trophy fish in MN right now are the best they've ever been.

Edited April 3, 2020 by gimruis

[Borch]

I know they are looking at reduced limits but In think they're missing the boat if they don't add size restrictions on sunfish.   I've mentioned a few times that every gill over 9" goes back with 1 over 10" as a trophy would make a positive impact. Add this to an10 fish limit and we'd see positive outcomes.   I still cringe when 5 or 10, 10" gills leave the lake every day with the current reduced limits.

[smurfy]

Really hard to talk about a quality bluegill initiative when my favorite gill lake doesn't have any fish in it with the 2 consecutive years of winter kill. I haven't kept an 8 inch gill in that lake since the winter kill a ways ago.

[IceHawk]

Definitely some sort of a slot limit needs to be put in place for sure. Personally fished some lakes before and after limit changes and have seen some good and some bad since they were implemented.  Lindsey lake by Backus was one we fished hard for years and still do to a extent. Since it was put down to a 5 fish limit there's been just about as much pressure as years past before limit changes. Sadly the same guys fish it day after day taking 5 of the biggest fish in the system home with them each day. Basically more pound for your  buck mentality.  Trophy fish have actually became less since the ruling. Pleasant Lake is another near St cloud where another 5 fish ruling was put on.  I lived on this lake for 3 years and fished it religiously for gills during the limit change the size structure I saw wasn't even close to trophy caliber. Maybe now it is I don't fish it anymore maybe some other anglers have found something different if so hope they chime in. Maybe I just didn't know how to fish it  This is one of my concerns and thoughts that really has me thinking will it work everywhere?  guess we will see. We definitely need to try some options because we are already way behind as we know and some have stated !

Edited April 3, 2020 by IceHawk

[Tom Sawyer]

You forgot to mention Carnelian. I have a friend that lives on the far North bay. He has witnessed the utter piss pounding that lake takes each winter. Catching a 10 inch gill in there was never a big deal, sadly it's become another lake in the area with a 5 fish bag limit that has slid way down hill. 

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[dutchboy II]

Regulations without adequate enforcement is pee'ing against the wind. Double the amount of CO's and double the fines for over harvest and start pulling hunting and fishing privileges for poachers.

 

Sometimes things need to hurt if you want change.

[Tom Sawyer]

19 minutes ago, dutchboy II said:

Sometimes things need to hurt if you want change.

Couldn't agree more. The amount of crappies taken out of the Horseshoe Chain, by similar vehicles, along with the groups targeting catfish was insane. 

[CJH]

On 4/3/2020 at 2:41 PM, IceHawk said:

 Since it was put down to a 5 fish limit there's been just about as much pressure as years past before limit changes. Sadly the same guys fish it day after day taking 5 of the biggest fish in the system home with them each day. Basically more pound for your  buck mentality.

And if they aren't eating those fish regularly they are over their possession limit in no time at all.  Lower possession limits at the same time - 20 is just too dang high, and as history has shown us, unsustainable.  

[IceHawk]

Definitely possession limits have to be looked at a little more seriously. A person would be amazed how many of the same guys you see fish the same lake day after day keeping fish. The only positive with the 5 fish limit is they are at least keeping less then they would if the limit was 20 bluegill. If it were 20 they would have a 100 a week versus 25. Sad but true no matter how we all want to look at it. Many fisherman are way over there possession limits, Freezers are full we all know of people who have big fish fry's every year and its definitely not boxed cod there serving  With the lack of CO's out there enforcement is tough even with the TIP hotline. 

[gimruis]

Rules and regs are only as good as how much they're enforced.  And like Dutchboy said, if there aren't enough COs to enforce them, it probably won't make much of a dent.  It will require voluntary cooperation and people will need to understand that going fishing and harvesting something every time is not the goal.  Its often age-generational related too.  I can see it in my own family just about every time we fish together.  My own parents are upset they can't keep a walleye on Mille Lacs when we catch 40 of them, and I'm grateful for the opportunity and success we had bringing dozens of quality fish into the boat.

Edited April 6, 2020 by gimruis

[smurfy]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

Rules and regs are only as good as how much they're enforced.  And like Dutchboy said, if there aren't enough COs to enforce them, it probably won't make much of a dent.  It will require voluntary cooperation and people will need to understand that going fishing and harvesting something every time is not the goal.  Its often age-generational related too.  I can see it in my own family just about every time we fish together.  My own parents are upset they can't keep a walleye on Mille Lacs when catch 40 of them, and I'm grateful for the opportunity and success we had bringing dozens of quality fish into the boat.

my FIL was the same way...he wanted to keep everything. when he fished with me I always threw the first fish back, mainly a pike, and man the would get his goat. butt that was the way he was raised. his dad told him we don't have time......they kept everything. I threw back a lot of sunfish to, he finally gave up arguing with me!!!!!! I told him you cant keep everything you catch.

[monstermoose78]

I do keep fish but I keep gills from 7-8 Inches. I agree a lowered limit and a slot would be huge to save some big gills.

[Kettle]

19 minutes ago, monstermoose78 said:

I do keep fish but I keep gills from 7-8 Inches. I agree a lowered limit and a slot would be huge to save some big gills.

I'd like to see the slot. I fished a decreased bag limit lake a lot thus year and it was a lot of fun, caught a lot of nice fish and out of fishing the lake at least six times I only brought fish home once. Problem is without a slot some people go back day after day and took their 5 fish.