Big Pine/Little Pine slot limit enacted

[fishermatt]

The DNR has enacted a new regulation for Big and Little Pine lakes for the next 10 years where all walleyes between 18 and 26 inches must be immediately released. The new regulation takes effect on May 10th, 2003.
It will be interesting to see what will happen.

[Scoot]

This will have virtually no effect on me as I return everything over about 18" back anyway. I'll occasionally keep a 19" or 20" fish, but pretty rarely. What do others think?
Scoot

[Guest]

I think this MIGHT increase the potential to catch more big fish on these lakes, but I also think that it will become real hard to catch very many 13-17 inchers. Those will get cleaned out like Buffalo wings at a Super Bowl party, and people who like to eat fish will have to go to the grocery store to get a meal. Plus, how will people feel when they catch a 18+ incher that's gut hooked, and they have to throw it back only to watch it float on the surface, dead. The lakeshore owners will be picking up lots of big, dead walleyes now, at least til the big ones are gone too.

[Scoot]

Well... if you wait for a half-minute after the initial bite (as you reported elsewhere), what do you expect besides to gut-hook a fish? Your handle does suggest, though, that you have very different practices regarding keeping fish than I do.

I'm not getting in another debate about limits, C&R, etc. We all have our opinions regarding this matter, but some of us care more for the future of fishing than others.
Scoot

[Guest]

You are exactly correct Scoot. The feelings are getting so mixed around the area that it's actually getting down right mean. People that have fished the lake for years and just hord the fish out by the bucket loads are pissed. They don't realize how well this is going to help this lake become one of the premier walleye lakes with big fish. Big Pine is a great lake for reproduction and this past year the DNR netted it and had a tremendous count in each net. Big Pine can definately handle a slot limit on it. Resort owners will not be pleased at first, but give a few years and when everybody is coming and wanting trophy fish they will be smiling all the way to the bank. People need to realize that we also have to keep in mind our future of fishing as well. If we consistantly rape and destroy the lakes we wont have to worry about any slot limits, we will be worrying about if they are going to have a season or not. I hope the next slot limit goes on OtterTail, this lakes needs the same TLC that the Pines got!

[Guest]

Talk about taking fish out by the bucketloads. I just read a previous post by someone taking home 12 16-20 inchers. When someone is actually able to get lots of fish, they KEEP lots of fish. Catch and release happens at the end of the day whey someone only has 1 or 2 fish and doesn't want to clean them. This kind of regulation is going to be hard to enforce. What about the guy that wants to bring home a meal of fish for his family, and catches 2 19 inchers? He goes home skunked, and both fish will probably die. These lakes have had fantastic fishing before these new regulations were forced down our throat. People that don't know how to catch big fish aren't going to get any of the big ones anyway.

[fishermatt]

This is certainly a controversial issue. Given all of the experimental regulations on other lakes, it was probably a matter of time before we got some around here too. Look at Rainy Lake. The slot has turned that lake into a Phenomenal fishery. Big and Little Pine do have teriffic reproduction capabilities, so they might turn into really good trophy lakes too. I do think this could create more of a "boom and Bust" fishery if there gets to be too many big fish. They could wipe out the prey fish and starve, then we'd have poor fishing until a recovery happened.

[minneman]

Im all for it! I just started realy fishing this lake in the past 2 yrs, my initial thought was, Wow, theres a lot of fish in here, sure there is some dinks but I think we people that use this resorce should aleast be thinking about the future.

look at little mac, I believe it helped that fishery. why would someone not want the opertunity (sp) to catch some nice fish? besides when they are over 18" they are too big to eat anyway in my book, id like to see regs like this on other lakes too. untill prooven it doesnt work, why not!! (ok, there is mille lacs) but think of the pressure it recieves.

I think its a good thing!

[Guest]

Neverfailtoevercatchalimit does not always see the great outcomes of a fabulous fishing lake. Most of these lakes that are fabulous, are due to restrictions that have been placed upon them. Take for instance Mille Lacs, this is the premier lake for catching large walleyes in Minn. This we can pat the backs of our DNR's!

[Paul Rohweller]

Heres my two cents.
I've been in favor of the slot since it was first discussed. It gives the ones that manage to escape being caught (there are alot of them)the chance to grow to maturity. The days of the meathunter is over. Maybe with more bigger walleyes some of the overabundant small perch will disappear and the jumbos will flourish.. Heres what gets me, with the state budget mess and the new laws telling us that we dont have to let the local conservation officer (if there is one) look in our livewells. Who's going to mind the store? It's going to be up to us, the responsible sportsman. Catch and release of the bigger fish is catching on but the real damage is done by the guys who limit in the morning then go out and take another limit in the evening, and do it all summer, I've seen it happen... Catch fish, have fun, and lets sleep easy knowing were doing the right thing. Good fishin!! Paul

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Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[This message has been edited by Paul Rohweller (edited 12-10-2002).]

[Guest]

That's what guides do, not all but some. I know of two guides on a local lake that rape it every day. Then if they are not guiding they are out there catching fish for other people.. Tell me if that is right. But I will have to agree with Paul on the Game Warden situation. I strictly apose not letting the warden check any livewell when he or she wants too. What is the purpose of having conservation officers for? This opens a whole new ballgame for the people that take, take, and take from the lake and nobody is allowed to check them. What is going to be the answer?

[Guest]

lundprov, any person has the right to take a limit of fish every day of the season as long as they don't keep more than 1 limit of fish in their possesion. Get used to this fact. I can understand your being upset by people being at a whole different level of fishing skill. A client that is paying a guide is expecting to get their limit of fish, if they didn't they could go with any average fisherman and get a few. If you could actually catch your limit of fish every day and could get people to pay you to take them, you'd do the same thing. The answer is that it's been this way forever and will always will. There's always a few fishermen that are way better than all the rest. 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. get used to it, cause that's just the way it is. If you're willing to fish as often and work as hard as the guides do, you might get some fish too!
Everyone thinks they're Babe Winkleman this time of year, cause the fish are biting everywhere on everything. Just like June. The real fishermen catch fish all year because they CAN.

[Guest]

i think the slot limit will only improve the fish numbers and their quality. especially a lake like big pine that gets pressured quite a bit. as far as the conservation officer topic- i think the dnr gets what they deserve. what irritates me is that the dealings i've had with them- these guys were unprofessional and just wanted to stick it to the sportsman- not give someone a chance or help them correct a mistake. so let the constitution rule and those of us that abide by the laws don't need to be harrassed!

[Havin' Fun]

neverfailtolimit,
Big misconseption on the fact that in order to guide you need to produce a limit of fish. Better be aware that MOST guides don't limit out everyday and their customers are usually happy without tons of fish. Better let Paul handle this one further since I don't presently guide, but I know that a clients happiness comes from far more than a bundle of fish! It's about education and enjoyment. I think this is something we all should look for in fishing far more than catching!!! This would solve the slot limit problem for good. Good luck to all.

[Jarrod32]

I would second what Hammer 'em said. When I use guide services, it is usually to learn a new lake. A lake like Leech, Mille Lacs (or even Otter Tail) can be kind of daunting. So I hire a guide for a day or two to try to 'learn the lake'. I most certainly don't need a cooler full of fish.

As far as the regs themselves, I'm all for 'em. The only thing that concerns me is that the regs are in effect for 10 years...a lot can change in five years, and I would hope that the DNR would be willing to adjust their regs if need be, as sometimes large bureaucracies don't like to change something that they have already put in place...

[Guest]

Neverfailtotouchafish,
That is interesting that you bring that up and why you would catorgerize yourself in that bracket. Hammer'em bring up another great point to the board. Not all Guides are in it for the "limits are the norm" syndrom. Most, not all but most of the guides are in it to teach the clients about how and where the fish are biting. Techniques plays a big role for the client when he or she is up on vacation and is going to spend one day with the guide and the other four on the water themselves. They need to feel confident enough to go out and do what the guide did in order to be successful without the guide. So some guides are not out there to catch a limit and go home. Some are out there to educate. Another thing as long as you want to get personal, I bet you don't even know many hours I actually spend on the water. I know that you,and this could be a bold statement, can't even hold a candle to the amount of time I spend on the water. Let's put it this way, I only miss a total of ten days on the water from the end of April to fall freese-up. No I'm not bragging, but when you want to compare the time and working on the water I would be willing to bet that I have you beat. I was also wondering if you are a tournament fisherman? and if you are, I was wondering if you fish any OtterTail tourneys? Travel the states to fish tourneys?
Just wondering. See some of us on this board have many qualities of fishing to back them up. Some of us also have resumes that we actually need to update for our sponsors. Don't get me wrong this does not make anybody a better fisherman than anybody else but when you want to start targeting somebody you better have something to back you up.. Which I do! Good luck with your journeys trying to become a successful fisherman, many of us on this board would like you to come back and join us when you actually join the ranks!!

[B mac]

I'd like to throw my 2 cents into the pot as long as everyone else is....by the way, I've enjoyed reading what each of you has added. Lundprov, I especially appreciate your comments as you seem to be a knowledgeable fisherman as well as a conservationist. The latter is something that far too many people overlook. Being successful has nothing to do with bringing HOME a limit in fishing or KILLING a deer while hunting. This is something I've preached to my fellow outdoorsmen for years. I feel that a better sportsman puts more fish back into the lake than he takes home, and he allows more deer to walk by his treestand than he unmercifully blasts with a deer rifle. In addition, being an owner of some lake property in the area, as I'm sure most of you are, I especially take notice to the activities materializing on my lake. And, to be honest, it upsets me all the time to see the actions people who call themselves fisherman do all the time. I see far too many limits leave the lake with walleyes under 12-13 inches. I've also seen guys take their boats out after the morning bite with a limit and then come back in the evening to rape another limit from the lake. All the while, these individuals don't even keep the limits for their own enjoyment; they give the fillets to a friend as they brag about their fishing abilities. I have absolutely no problems with people keeping a limit of fish, but I feel they should at least finish what's in the freezer before stock piling more on top of last year's catch. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to asses a slot limit on every lake before it's too late and the damage is too difficult to reverse.

[Guest]

B Mac,

Amen! You are exactly right, it's great to see that there are other people concerned with what is happening on their area lakes. Way too many people are going out and taking and not realizing what they are doing to the system. Neverfailtofishbefore seems to think that taking a limit from the lake and then taking out another group of clients out is not a problem. Well there is a problem with this, some of these guides are taking limits that I would not even dream of keeping. Many fish are under the 14inch mark and some well over the 20inches. I feel that is not right, yes, if it is dying and it cannot be revived but some of these guides are certainly not going to make their clients throw back a 20inch fish. They need it for their precious brochure picture... These slot limits need to be inforced especially lakes with heavy commercial fishing. Some of these lakes in the OtterTail County have ten guides out on the lake every day. Now I'm not a math teacher but I think that I can do the ballpark figures of how many fish are being taken. Neverfailtosetthehook, I'll help you "It's a lot of fish!"
Now if you still think I'm jealous because YOU think that I can't catch fish, I'm not, just upset with the way people take advantage of our outdoors.

[B mac]

Good call, Scoot. I think you are right on the money with #1 and #2. As in your #2 theory, this is an old school mentality still held by a few too many. I know that my grandfather and my lady friend's grandfather have and always will have that mentality. If they put a fish in the boat, almost no matter how big or small, it's going in the pan...they spend "too much time and money" to be throwing anything back. This way of fishing may have been just fine 10, 15, or 25 years ago, but times have now changed. The popultion (people) in this area increases each year and more and more tourists are coming our way, which is fantastic for the local economy and helps us all receive a higher wage dollar. In addition, we all **** well know the vactioners are going to keep and eat as many fish as possible, so us locals need to do our part of keeping the conservationist attitude and being conservative on the taking home part (especially the ones that are good enough fishermen to catch a limit now and then)! It's nice to know that the vast majority of users on this site have no problem putting back way more fish than they ever take home (as Scoot, Lundprov, and myself have outlined). This also helps knowing that if we share some fishing tips or locations that there won't be someone like neverfailtolimit setting up shop there and taking EVERYTHING home. Good discussion, guys.....

[Scoot]

I put my $.02 earlier and said I didn't want in on this, but I've been following along and can't help myself.
neverfailtolimit is a new member and he/she seems to be doing one of two things- 1) he's trying to get under people's skin by saying things that people who care about fishing and MN will get PO'd at, or 2) he's espousing an old-school attitude that he seems convinced is held by all who fish. If #1 is what he's doing, I suggest we all drop this. If #2 is what he's doing, it's not getting through his thick skull that his attitude is out of date and not held by "everyone", as he thinks it is. The attitude he holds is held by an increasingly small minority. However, a small minority of people who are meat-hogs is too dang many.

Just for the record, there are a whole lot of us who put back hundreds of walleyes each year and get a lot more outta putting them back than keeping them.

My guess is that #1 applies here and I do believe that I'm done commenting on the topic!!!
Scoot
P.S. His name is neverfailtolimit not
neverfailtosetthehook- which tells all I need to know.

[Guest]

A little controversy never hurt anyone! It gets tiring hearing all the embellishment peole do without sharing any actual fishing information, so why not shake things up a bit. To fully understand the issues, one must look at both sides, not just the one we want to see.

[Paul Rohweller]

Heres a question that was probably brought up at the meetings. What is it going to do to the tourist industry on big pine? Heres what I see happening. The people that have been coming for years and years will probably still come.
The people that come to take home a limit for the family might think twice, some will keep coming and some will move on. The ones that move on over time will be replaced with new folks who can enjoy the lake for what it is, catch some fish and be happy. I still think its a good move in the long run. Paul

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Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[SetTheHook]

Here's my perspective as a tourist, I have no idea if it applies to many others.

I live in Iowa and have been to Big Pine Lake three out of the past four years. I usually go for about four days of fishing. We usually keep enough fish for one meal (not many, since it's usually just three of us there) and the rest go back.

I'd be very much in support of a slot limit, especially if it does in fact help the fishery. If the slot seems to pay off in bigger fish, I'd be likely to make it to this lake (and spend money there) more often. A slot would never keep me from going to a lake (went to Mille Lacs more this year than ever before, never kept a single fish).

[Hossienda]

Help! When was this decision announced? I have not been able to find any mention of it. It does not sound all that bad, but I have just not been able to confirm it.

[Guest]

I believe I know the answer but I will ask it anyway. How will this affect the tourneys on Big Pine?

I fish the Barrel O'Fun tourney every year and I am assuming the tourney will have to follow the same rules that apply to lake so all fish in the slot have to go back. Could make for interesting fishing. Tough spot in a tourney when you catch a 25" fish and it can't count. If my assumption in correct, the moral of the story is catch your 6 fish team limit of 17 7/8" fish. Typically the minimum fish size to keep for the tourney is 15", so not a lot of room.

[minneman]

Kirsch,long time no type, I recently had to reformat my pc and Bad me, forgot to backup a few things, could you send me some info Id like to get some new maps, [email protected]. thanks! ted

[Smitty]

Being a visitor to the Pines a couple times per year, I'm supportive of a slot. However, I do wish they had done something like a 15" - 19" "keep" slot rather than the under 18" rule. I generally have a personal rule of 15-20" anyway, so it won't impact me much except narrow the top end a little.
We did catch a lot of 12-14" fish on Big Pine last year (all released) and I'm afraid with the current/proposed reg folks are going to start taking more of the little guys to get a meal.

Just my $.02, but I'll follow whatever rules the DNR sets.

[Paul Rohweller]

bump....

[Jigging Bob]

I think we should follow what the DNR lays down also. They are the pro's. Never hurts to give a DNR officer some ideas of things you don't like or do like though. Then they may bring the ideas up in meetings with there peers and will decide weather or not to change or not.
I am a big catch and release man so of course Take a picture and throw the fish back. If you want a meal go catch sunfish or the little northerns that are way to over populated anyways.
There isen't a lake with millions of walleyes out there. Everytime a lake gets a good amount in it Everybody and there brothers hit them and just rape the walleyes until your lucky to get one once and a while. EVERY LAKE SHOULD HAVE A SLOT LIMIT. I am tired of all the _____holes rapeing our lakes, this is a start of stopping them.

I also agree with whoever said something about the game wardens being sticklers. If I am out everyday and he has checked me a couple times and he knows I follow the rules. Leave me alone for a couple weeks. No reason for it. I always try and follow all the rules.

[Havin' Fun]

Was out there this fall and DID NOT catch a fish smaller than 15". Yeah baby! All those 13" last year are finally coming around.