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Why is everyone keeping these big females when they are clearly full if eggs. Anything over 5 pounds doesn't taste good (arguably anything over 3 from Erie). Replicas look better and last longer. These people bragging about the fishing this year will be the first to complain in a couple years when the 2003 class is fished out and the only person they have to blame is themselves and everyone else who thinks like them (if its legal ill keep it!) sow what you reap "sportsmen"
We agree in some points but Indiana should make a fishery like Erie? What do you mean by that ? Erie is one if the Great Lakes. It is a freak of nature cut by glaciers that is a perfect walleye habitat. Man can't replicate that. Man can only destroy it or help nourish it.
I`m just wondering if in 20 or 30 years I'll see pics of the Erie trips and the likes from this year on the Cabelas or Bass Pro walls and hear people saying "boy, remember when you could catch fish like that?" Basically saying the reason you don't see catches like you do in those black and white photos is because they kept all the big fish and selective harvest wasn't even a though. I wonder what the Erie fishery will be like in 5 years when all these breeders are no longer in the lake. Kids should be taught responsibility not just going fishing and keeping everything you catch. Actually, they should be taught to put the trophies back so their kids have a fishery to enjoy. Being a glutton doesn't apply to just eating.
Webster, barber, tippy are already world class musky waters. I have a friend who catches a couple of 50"+ fish out of there every year. But by nature those are catch and release fish for 99.9% of the people who fish them. But will that give a boost to small businesses? And what does that have to do with anything? We were talking about catch and release and you bring up small businesses. The fact is keeping these big females hurts more than it helps and there is NO reason to keep them. I think it is a healthy debate to have but keep it on point and logical. This isn't "thank you for smoking"
Between me and you, I don't know anyone that catches a couple 50"+ muskies out of those waters "every year". And I know a LOT of guys that fish for them out there. Sorry to get off topic, but that is a bold statement if you're anyone that knows anything about muskie and those waters in general. Not saying they're not in there, because I've seen them. I'm just sayin.
Agree on the big eyes. BS on the multiple 50's.
Lake Erie walleye poplulation is nothing like it used to be. There are still millions, but at last estimates it is below 15 million vs 41 million in the late 80's early 90's. That is 1/3 the number of fish of Erie's hayday. Add to that the spawns since 2003 have been bad to average with no excellent years due to heavy winds, muddy rivers and other factors and the population is not getting any better. Soon those 2003 fish will all be dead. They really need a good spawn this year to push the population back up above the 20 millon fish mark. With the power plants killing off so many fry and YOY fish, I don't know why ohio does not increase the license fee 10 bucks per year and build a hatchery and dump 10-20 million walleye in there every year away from the power plants. The place is an eye factory and has proven it can support 40 million+ walleye. Ohio is gambling on nature being able to rebuild the population and it has not happened since 2003. Another 10 years of bad spawns and the fishery will decline to a point the towns along the lake that thrive from it will crumble. Those 10lb fish have spawned for at least 5 years. They have tried to contribute to the fishery even if nature has decimated the spawning grounds almost yearly for the past 10 years. I would not eat one that size, but would certainly keep one to mount. I have no issue with those that want to keep the fish they catch, as I don't think returning a few 10lb fish are going to make one bit of difference in the overall spawn success out there. Angler harvest is not the issue on Erie. It is bad sring weather and the power plants that are the issue. Like HT said...if Ohio has to, it will start a stocking program to sustain the fishery. If they do, expect a big jump in the license cost to fund it.
since 2003 there has been some great spawns, actually. yes none like the hatch of 03' and yes they have had some bad spawns, its nature, but no way u can sit there and say they have had a decade of bad spawns.
personally, i wouldnt keep anything near 10#. thats not because im worried about the population. it would be because of whats in the fish. with all the stuff allowed to be dumped into the great lakes, how cold they not be contaminated. i would choose to er on the side of caution. especially where my children are concerned!also i dont think hook n line fishermen could even put a dent in that population. you could send a beginner out there with a rod and a rapala and he would catch fish. there are millions, no wait, billions of fish in there.