Slot size

[Guest]

Can anyone give me the rundown on the slot size this year? <P>Headin' up the first weekend in March - hopefully the 'eyes and perch will both be bitin'!<P>Thanks, <P>Timmerp

[curt quesnell]

One Walleye/Sauger over 19 1/2 inches. 14<BR>fish Walleye/Sauger limit with not more than<BR>6 being Walleyes.<P>Cant keep any Northerns from 30 to 40 inches.<P>Dont throw the Eel Pout out on the ice unless<BR>you plan to keep em.<P><BR>There<P>------------------<BR>Curt Quesnell<BR>NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

[Jaypo]

....and as we have said before on this site, them 'pout is good eatin!!

[Guest]

They also make a good soccer ball out on the ice if eye's arent' hungry - makes em more tender...

[OZ2ME]

Eel-pout are ugly, but last year we had the resort cook some for us so we could try it and I'll tell you it was excellent.Not real fishy tasting and we dipped it in melted butter.You would be impressed.Try it.<BR>Dan.

[bturck]

Curt: Does the over 19 1/2 include Sauger as well? I thought it only applied to the wallies. I have never caught a Saug over 19 1/2 however. Just curious. Bill

[pmcrawler]

"Only one walleye over 19.5" may be taken daily." (Quote from regulations) Sauger not in slot.

[curt quesnell]

Hummmmmmmmm<P>Good point.<P>It is very rare you get into Saugers that<BR>size, but it could happen.<P>Do what you feel is right. Having 2 fish<BR>over 19 1/2 Walleye OR Sauger would make<BR>me real nervous.<P>Saugeye (the hybreds) will be counted as <BR>WaLLeyes......can you tell the difference?<BR><P>------------------<BR>Curt Quesnell<BR>NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

[widetrack]

A saugeye will have the orange tint to them with blotchy markings, and poka dots on the dorsal fin. They will however have a white tip on their tail.

[lowrox]

I'm told that a true hybrid walleye/sauger is very rare on LOW. In speaking with the DNR if you see black spots on the dorsal fin it will be counted as a sauger. <P>As for two fish over 19.5, good luck finding a suger that big. I did hear of a 19" sauger that was caught out of Rocky Point this year though. Why even keep a fish over 19.5" anyway though, unless it's a wall mounter. I'm still looking for that 30"+ fish myself. Someday........

[Royal Dutchman]

Biggest mistake I see is lots of guys fillet the saugers which makes them count as a walleye. Gut & gill only for transport as a sauger.

[fiskyknut]

Walleyes only have the 19.5 clause. A Sauger that size does happen on the rare occasion. I have also been told by DNR folks that the Saugeye are counted as Sauger. I personally catch quite a few thru the winter that appear to me to be Saugeye.<P>fiskyknut

[widetrack]

I catch a fair number too.<P>Personally I don't find Sauger nearly as palatable as Walleye, and Perch. The flesh is too soft for me. Lots of people swear they can't tell the difference, but I sure can.<p>[This message has been edited by widetrack (edited 02-11-2004).]

[fiskyknut]

Golly WT you'd really like the Saugers out of the Red river, some of these have flesh that reminds me of Jello!<P>Throw MY Perch back please, they are'nt any good in the fryer!!!<P>WT, did you get out to that spot we spoke of? We were out a couple miles west of Twin islands over 29 fow, pretty tough fishing out there that day. How'd you do?<P>Fisky

[widetrack]

Fisky:<P>Perch are my favorite too. I got a 13, and a 14.5 on Saturday, with a bunch of other nice ones too. A couple Eyes around 19, and a couple around 17, with some smaller ones tossed back. Couple of nice pout too, that were supper for the family that night.<P>Fished the rockpile way up North. Rippers group was the only other fisherman for miles on end. The serenity was good.<p>[This message has been edited by widetrack (edited 02-11-2004).]

[fiskyknut]

I'm glad you did well at least. We only got 1 Perch on Saturday that went in the pail. Finished with about 18 eater fish in the bucket for the 5 of us and I let my bud take them all. Sounds like I may be going out tomorrow and I hope to bring home 4 or 5 of those bumblebee looking fish anyways!<P>Lip Ripper eh? He should change his handle to 'tightlipper', don't hear much from him!!!J/K Ripper!!!<P>fiskyknut<p>[This message has been edited by fiskyknut (edited 02-11-2004).]

[widetrack]

Where ever I go, there is Ripper. <P>I can't shake him.<P>Jig, jig, jig...<p>[This message has been edited by widetrack (edited 02-11-2004).]

[jlm]

How about a burbeye, can you keep them if they are over 19.5 inches? LOL! Anyway, I thought that I would mention something. Be sure to leave a tag with the fish you give to your buddies. If he is caught over the possession limit, he will be in trouble. I think you have to leave your name and license number. Others can correct me, I am sure I am not getting it all right. Sooooo, be careful for those of you that might do this. Its a pretty big fine per fish if the DNR is having a bad day!

[Lip RIPPER!]

I'm still around. Don't have much to report. Fished northerns most of the time last weekend with little success. Got one around the 36-37 inch mark and a couple of smaller ones. Fished walleyes in the shallows early and late and it was poor for us. I will be back up there Sunday and Monday though.

[fiskyknut]

Hey Ripper, have you heard anything good coming from the area around that little rockpile you guys call the 'little downrigger reef'???<P>fiskyknut

[Lip RIPPER!]

I have heard nothing. There are people still fishing there though. In late Januuary, the mud off the north side was pretty good but that has seemed to fizzle out. It will only get better though.

[widetrack]

Big red band on the sonar.. no bite.<P>Drat.

[TNT4ME]

Yo norm,<BR>which way did they take your group on sat? Did ya go east or north? Much else caught around ya,we got the house moved on sat, so got some fishing in the aftenoon, kept a few for the fry pan, we could still do cross country once we got off the plowed road but worked up a good bead getting through the first drifts. had alot of fish come through high on the vex but only iced one walleye that was up high, the rest moved on. <BR>later,<BR>tnt

[fiskyknut]

Hi Todd. They took us east, bit past the midway mark between Gull and twin I'd say. About 29fow from the bottom of the ice. They had about 10 or 12 huts out there, amungst a group of 30-35 huts. I spoke with 3 groups of folks after it totally died while waiting for our ride and they did'nt do to hot out there that day either. One group of 4 only put 5 smallish fish in the bucket, and the 2 other groups did about as well as us. I saw one fish high on the sonar thru the entire day and it did'nt hang around long enough for me to get it to bite. Spoke with folks who were out there Thursday and they said they had nonstop action, but Friday and Saturday were dead for them as well.<P>Hopefully get some Perch for supper tomorrow. 1 13 pound Walleye would be okay too!<P>Fisky

[fiskyknut]

Well we'll see what's up out that way tomorrow. Sounds like thats where we're gonna be setup.<P>Big black band on the Zercom....Yaa got him!<P>Yippeee!<P>Fisky