Special regs?

[TomWehler]

Great stuff guys!

The more people, more cabins, more everything syndrom is not going to end anytime soon.
To bad, but progress sort of stinks in that manner, but then it is the American dream to own a lake home or cabin.
Can't fault anyone for that.

Good fishing education is cool, a great idea, but will everyone buy into it.
I did, sounds like all of you did at some point in your lives for various reasons.
Learned long ago from my dad, who had very large hands and feet and was not afraid to use them, that you only should take out what you will use.

Never take more than you need for a few meals, as this will insure that there will always be fish to catch and food to eat.
He died long ago, but most of what he taught me was way ahead of its time and really fits how I do things today.
I'll bet some of you who post here were shown these same lessons at one time or another, be it on fishing itself or on something that can relate to catching and killing fish to eat in moderation?
Maybe had or still have parents that molded you as things changed in the world and you grew with it.
Education is a good thing.
More people who know what is going on in the area the better.
Everyone wins.

Good times mean more people.
Good fishing brings more people, not all of whom feel as most of us do.
More people on this earth with good jobs, more cabins will be built.
More word on the Web about The Big V. More out of State land owners.
More, more , more...
Educating everyone on why it is good to pratice CPR, the better off the north land and the Big V. will be.
Everyone wins.
This is not to say don't keep any fish for dinner, just use good sence when thinking about taking home a 8 LB Walleye for dinner or that SIXTH limit of the Week.

DNR dose a great job, hope people respect that and try to just limit there take home catches.
There is no common sence any more, but good sence should be used when thinking about killing a stringer of fish for the long ride home.

Now for something completly different:
I have an Island, NO Neighboors and my live in guides or Protectors of all that is good in my world, will keep it safe and happy for us the rest of my life!
Unless you drop by with a few snacks, then they will show you there teeth, Lick you to death, then lead you straight to the Grill to share in MY dinner!
LOL
Good post, just really no way to make everyone agree to what is right.
DNR will know best when the time comes and I will do as they tell me.

Here is to good fishing for many, many more years to come on the Range and on the Big V.
Let us all who post here, do our best to educate others on how we feel about the Lake and see what happens.

Forgive these rambling of this mad man as I have little to do on the job today and also not had any ESOX slime on my hands to open this great new year.

Thank you and good day!

T.

www.muskytomsguideservice.com

[vermilionfox]

Good idea Ace!

Gotta keep the Rocko population at healthy levels.
What do you suggest 8-10 inch slot??
By the way in MO rock bass are commonly called goggle-eyes and are a very sought after game fish in the Ozark streams.

As for slot limits, I'm all for them if they are warranted. Aren't they usually reserved for lakes with low natural reproduction?? What is the natural reproduction rate like on Big V? What effect does the stocking rate have on the fish size and their natural reproduction?? Is the lake stocked too much?

I'm not trying to start a controversy with the questions, just trying to find out. Anyone have any info?

------------------
vermilionfox
St. Louis, MO

[David Swenson]

I know you guys want to protect the fishery as do I. I am a strong supporter of catch and release. But I also keep a few once in a blue moon to munch on. Can not beat fresh walleye.

There is no scientific evidence slot limits are needed on Vermilion for walleye or that they would even work. If I seen some hard evidence they would make a substantial difference in the fishery I would be for them. Right now there is only assumptions slot limits would work. Slot limits may do more harm than good. Bring me an arguement based on scientific data (creel census, lake comparison's, water quality, mortality rates, etc.) that supports slots and then I will jump on the wagon. Until then I can not.

I believe there are larger concerns for Vermilion than slot limits at this time. The lake is being over run with development. How many new cabins or homes this year? More and more shorline is lost, more and more septic systems are installed, etc. What about the Rusty Crayfish problem? How about with more and more use other exotics entering the system?

If you fix what may cause slot limits through education and action, is that not a more desirable solution?

David Swenson
http://muskieguide.homestead.com/

P.S. 612'er, I agree that catch and release propaganda is not wise in a fish cleaning house with armed fishermen.

[Guest]

Great posts and lots of ways to look at regs. The fish bowl factor, catch & release, slots, no limits, education, exotics, poachers, too many cabins, pollution, etc. I would think the DNR would have data available about how other states and Canada tackle some of these. Chances are the DNR is still going to go with state wide fishing regs and only give special regs to high profile lakes such as Leech or problem lakes. Yes, Vermilion could be in worse shape but it could be better. Does the DNR really have Vermilion at the top of their radar screen? I don't think so. So we end up with an out dated state wide plan.

Here's some of my views on some of the subjects that were presented in the posts.

FISH BOWL today--Big walleyes , big
northerns? Some but not many.
FISH BOWL 100 years ago--Big walleyes and northers?-probably if we believe what we've heard about the old days. We've seen pictures of big catches of 'eyes and northerns. Can anyone match that today? Probably not.

So the fish bowl has changed over the years because of_____?(fill in the blanks) I'd fill in with too many big fish taken and not enough people practicing catch and release. I think cabins, pollution, exotics are a minor part of fish populations of Vermilion.

Maybe taking small fish doesn't matter as long as they are part of the bag limit set So maybe slots arn't the answer. But, In my opinion, it can't hurt to have a maximum keeper size or at least a "one over" provision. This would protect the spawners and have more bigger fish still swimming instead of on someones plate. Canada has been doing this for years and if any of you have ever gone on a fly-in, you know the fishing can be great.

CATCH & RELEASE and EDUCATION go hand in hand. But, if a guy wants to catch a limit of fish to eat then of course catch and release doesn't work. If we can educate him to NOT keep the bigger ones for the table then catch and release is working again. In my opinion having a max. size limit would just reinforce this for those who have not become educated yet or for those who don't want to become educated but do want to follow the law. For the porches, you can't do anything but have laws in place and try to have enough law enforcement to catch them.

So now we'll have to wait and see what the DNR is going to. No matter what they do, we can still try to educate those who are oblivious to what effects good fishing.

To the Lake

JimFish

[Guest]

I have been coming to Vermilion for ten years and there is no doubt there is a very healthy fishery and it deserves whatever regulations and enforcement are deemed necessary to preserve it. I personally would love to see a mandatory slot limit on walleyes and restrict smallies, pike and muskie to only trophies – or some variation of slots and one over xx”. I do agree that there are still many controversies on the affect slot limits have on fisheries (ref: In-Fisherman articles – Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs). I also want to see everyone be allowed to enjoy a meal or take a trophy as they are legally allowed. I would support anything that is agreed.

I do take the comments on out of state folks to heart, though. I C&R alot of fish and also practice selective harvesting no matter what lake I am on. I know many of the out of staters that I meet do the same and have great respect for LakeV. I also do very well fishing on Vermilion and it is due to many hours with guiding and learning the lake on my own. Vermilion is a huge lake and for most folks who come up for a week (or even for a few years in a row) aren’t the ones pounding most of the fish. My observations are that even when someone does hook into a few (with or w/o a guide), they can’t remember where the spot was or are able to do it again the next day anyway. Most folks only come up for the one year, are lucky to get a meal or two (much less anything to take home), and may never come back. It’s the folks who are nearby that know the lake, can get there during those peak times, and most likely to be catching fish - not the guy who sees the lake one week out of the year.

To turn things around, I am more apt to watch those boats with the MN on the side. Most times when I start laying into some hot fishing, it’s MN boats that start crowding in. I have even braggingly made up a spot where I am catching fish, and sure enough the next day there are three or four MN boats working that spot. So, take a look whose calling the kettle black and trust me there is a lot of MN meat hunting going on. Please, don’t chastise or generalize the out of staters when it comes to taking fish. Education and enforcement applies to everyone.

I also agree that the development on Vermilion and other environmental issues need serious attention.

Good fishing and bent poles,

“F.I.B.” Bob

[guideman]

Hi Bob,
Being a local boy I can tell you, many
lake residents blame everything, on the anglers from out state.

Those are the same people that catch a
limit of fish every day off their dock in the spring. I have seen summer seaon
residents with coolers packed with all
manner of frozen filets. "I can't eat
all that fish in one summer"....

Unfortunately, there are stupid people
in Minnesota as well, although we are
much better looking!

------------------
Ace guide service.
Beautiful Lake Vermilion.
[email protected]
www.aceguideservice.com
(218) 753-2612

[husker4u9899]

Guideman.,

There you go again building up Minnesota residents at the expense of us out of staters. That's how all this got started in the first place. Hope your having a great winter, look forward to coming to Vermilion this summer for the first time. As you know your Governor took the top tier of Counties from Iowa on Jan 1, raised the IQ of both States.