Found a Couple Decent Crappie

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

I fished for 4 hours, with the primary target species being Crappie. I forgot to change my alarm to the correct day, so I was about 1.5 hrs late to the ice. I was still able to find some decent fish through the day. We're getting closer and closer to the open water season. Only a few ice fishing adventures left for the season!!!

Link to the video:

[gola yona]

Are you gonna tell us where or are you going to keep protecting this invasive species like everyone else is? It should be a legal offense like harboring fugitives. Why should you be so tight lipped about an "invasive species". Unless the IFW put them here for a reason, kind of like the LGmouth bass that the IFW stocked themselves and then claimed someone introduced them illegally.

[rdhammah]

if he tells you one species, you'll know where he catches the other 2 species. LOL

[DowneastPescador]

We should all work together to eradicate these fish.

[woodchip]

Your probably right they taste so good , and its a fish that does not have to be restocked by the state. these self sustaining species  that would help lower fishing license  They fillet and eat so good they should catch them all and ill take care of them.

[NateD]

Introduced to Maine in 1925, good luck eradicating that

[PikeKing23]

LOL.  You guys make me laugh.  90% of the fish you catch are invasive!!!!!

[NateD]

LOL.  You guys make me laugh.  90% of the fish you catch are invasive!!!!!

Or stocked

[zwiggles]

I fished for 4 hours, with the primary target species being Crappie. I forgot to change my alarm to the correct day, so I was about 1.5 hrs late to the ice. I was still able to find some decent fish through the day. We're getting closer and closer to the open water season. Only a few ice fishing adventures left for the season!!!

Link to the video:

Nice video! One of these times you will get into a big ole school of them!

[woodchip]

Throwing back those big ones back will just make to next years fish smaller..

[NateD]

Throwing back those big ones back will just make to next years fish smaller..

No, I could say more, but just....no

[woodchip]

Less bait less growth Ponds that had lots of bait once crappies were introduced  no more trapping bait

[franklin fisher]

Nice video. Those were a few nice Crappie. Good job.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Nice video! One of these times you will get into a big ole school of them!

They were hard to find. Talked with a few other folks and they were struggling as well

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Throwing back those big ones back will just make to next years fish smaller..

Possibly. It gets a lot of pressure and I’ve seen a decrease in numbers over the past couple years, so maybe she’ll spawn and help a little

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Nice video. Those were a few nice Crappie. Good job.

Thanks

[NateD]

Less bait less growth Ponds that had lots of bait once crappies were introduced  no more trapping bait

And you think big fish are the only ones eating the bait? Killing the biggest breeding fish is not how to grow more big fish.

[woodchip]

With Crappies and perch , Hornpout  not keeping all you catch will make them all smaller from lack of food, for example in some farm ponds that they have been put in the ponds go dead from lack of  food and oxygen.  This also happens in other lakes

[NateD]

A farm pond is a lot different than a big lake. So you think if a population of crappie goes unfished they'll just continually get smaller and smaller? This may happen in farm ponds without the forage base to support them, but a big healthy lake has no problem supporting lots of species. I know a guy who may possibly fish a reservoir he isn't supposed to fish that gets zero pressure from any anglers, and all the fish including crappie are gigantic, he catches crappie here on 6 inch swimbaits pushing 18 inches. So your notion that a population of crappie needs anglers killing every fish they catch is ridiculous.

[NateD]

I keep hearing fishermen from the east talking about invasive species.  They mention bluegill and crappies in their conversation.  I believe I also heard yellow perch, as well. Some talk about catching and eating white perch and salmonids, apparently native species, and most seem to love them.  Hearing things like that just makes me kind of wonder, "Why would anyone rather eat white perch instead of yellow and why would they rather eat lake trout and salmon vs. bluegill and crappie?"  We have Lakers, Salmon and white perch here in Michigan and yes people eat them and some actually like them.  But, the majority would rather eat bluegill and crappie vs. an oily salmonid.  Is it that our taste buds are more refined or is it that you folks are just accustomed to eating a much stronger fish, since you haven't had the milder species for as long?   Another question, since the "invasive" species are now there, why would you want to catch them and throw them on the ice, instead of letting them propagate.  Unless, you think they don't taste as good as the salmonids, or think they will overrun them?  We have had both here in Michigan for a very long time and one doesn't appear to have any effect on the other!  Which bids another question, why wouldn't you folks want the best of both worlds?  Scratching head!!!

Have you ever eaten a native brook trout? They are damn good, and they are at risk with the invasive species getting introduced.  You have had them in Michigan coexisting for a very long time, but when something brand new is introduced native species aren't used to the competition and just can't keep up with the voracious panfish. It isn't so much about what tastes the best, it's about what is natural. I can see both sides of the argument but bucket biologists are idiots and no one should ever mess with the natural ecosystem in such a big way.

[9huskies]

I keep hearing fishermen from the east talking about invasive species.  They mention bluegill and crappies in their conversation.  I believe I also heard yellow perch, as well. Some talk about catching and eating white perch and salmonids, apparently native species, and most seem to love them.  Hearing things like that just makes me kind of wonder, "Why would anyone rather eat white perch instead of yellow and why would they rather eat lake trout and salmon vs. bluegill and crappie?"  We have Lakers, Salmon and white perch here in Michigan and yes people eat them and some actually like them.  But, the majority would rather eat bluegill and crappie vs. an oily salmonid.  Is it that our taste buds are more refined or is it that you folks are just accustomed to eating a much stronger fish, since you haven't had the milder species for as long?   Another question, since the "invasive" species are now there, why would you want to catch them and throw them on the ice, instead of letting them propagate.  Unless, you think they don't taste as good as the salmonids, or think they will overrun them?  We have had both here in Michigan for a very long time and one doesn't appear to have any effect on the other!  Which bids another question, why wouldn't you folks want the best of both worlds?  Scratching head!!!

A friend who moved here from Wisconsin says the yellow perch he catches here are not as good eating as what he caught back there. I haven't tried yellow perch from the midwest so I have no opinion. Crappie, northern pike and muskellunge don't belong in any Maine waters. They were illegally introduced and the state encourages anglers to kill every one we catch. Yellow perch, white perch and bass have been illegally stocked in some waters and are considered invasive there. I have a hard time believing that no waters in your part of the country have no invasive species. Your state's fish biologists can anage them any way they see fit.

[woodchip]

Nate you would fit right in as New commissioner  of fisheries for Maine>!!!

[PikeKing23]

The difference is the interpretation of the word "invasive".  In Maine, everything except brook trout and landlocked salmon are "invasive" and they want to kill everything else.  I don't think that a lot of people realize how many species are not native to the waters they fish.  Almost all of our sportfish have been introduced into America from another country.  Carp, Crappie, Pike, Pickerel (common not grass or redfin), brown trout, rainbow trout, bluegill (and all sunfish species except pumpkinseed), yellow perch, channel cat, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass......and yes, even your precious salmon and white perch. 

These are andronomous fish and live in the ocean.  They should only be in our rivers and streams to spawn.  So any white perch or salmon that you catch on in land lakes are introduced (whether naturally or not).  Lets remove all of the non native species of sportfish and see what we are left with:

brook trout
bullhead
pumpkinseed
Grass and redfin pickerel
bowfin (I bet you guys throw these on the ice too right?)
rock bass
I am sure there are some that i am forgetting, but you get the picture.  Minus the bowfin that looks like a pretty pathetic list of options to fish for.  Maybe we should just value the resources that we are lucky enough to have and not pick and choose which fish we think are more valuable than others.  Personally, I think fishing for a 12" trout is insane when there are 42" pike in the same system, but that's just my opinion.  Does that mean that I throw every trout I catch on the ice because it is competing with the fish I like to catch?  No!  I respect all life and value all species.  BTW, in my opinion, if you throw fish on the ice, you are not a sportsman.  Anybody that wastes life does not get what being in nature is all about.

Begin the trolling, lol.

[PikeKing23]

Nate you would fit right in as New commissioner  of fisheries for Maine>!!!

Massachusetts stock pike and tiger muskies in the same waters that they stock trout.  These waters have a great fishery for both species, and some of the biggest pike in the northeast.  There are also regularly caught trophy holdover trout from the same waters.  Seems to be working there just fine.

[NateD]

If they can't keep up with them, how do we have all of them here?  I just don't get your logic.

Brook trout have been here in the northeast for millions of years and have evolved to live in the cleanest water with little competition from warm water species. I don't know anything about the Brook trout in Michigan, your fisheries certainly seem more diverse, but ours seem sensitive to competition and pollution. Should we potentially decimate 1 species just because the others are better eating and more fun to catch?

[zwiggles]

The difference is the interpretation of the word "invasive".  In Maine, everything except brook trout and landlocked salmon are "invasive" and they want to kill everything else.  I don't think that a lot of people realize how many species are not native to the waters they fish.  Almost all of our sportfish have been introduced into America from another country.  Carp, Crappie, Pike, Pickerel (common not grass or redfin), brown trout, rainbow trout, bluegill (and all sunfish species except pumpkinseed), yellow perch, channel cat, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass......and yes, even your precious salmon and white perch. 

These are andronomous fish and live in the ocean.  They should only be in our rivers and streams to spawn.  So any white perch or salmon that you catch on in land lakes are introduced (whether naturally or not).  Lets remove all of the non native species of sportfish and see what we are left with:

brook trout
bullhead
pumpkinseed
Grass and redfin pickerel
bowfin (I bet you guys throw these on the ice too right?)
rock bass
I am sure there are some that i am forgetting, but you get the picture.  Minus the bowfin that looks like a pretty pathetic list of options to fish for.  Maybe we should just value the resources that we are lucky enough to have and not pick and choose which fish we think are more valuable than others.  Personally, I think fishing for a 12" trout is insane when there are 42" pike in the same system, but that's just my opinion.  Does that mean that I throw every trout I catch on the ice because it is competing with the fish I like to catch?  No!  I respect all life and value all species.  BTW, in my opinion, if you throw fish on the ice, you are not a sportsman.  Anybody that wastes life does not get what being in nature is all about.

Begin the trolling, lol.

Land locked salmon are native to several lakes in Maine. It’s pretty much the only place that they existed naturally.

[NateD]

The difference is the interpretation of the word "invasive".  In Maine, everything except brook trout and landlocked salmon are "invasive" and they want to kill everything else.  I don't think that a lot of people realize how many species are not native to the waters they fish.  Almost all of our sportfish have been introduced into America from another country.  Carp, Crappie, Pike, Pickerel (common not grass or redfin), brown trout, rainbow trout, bluegill (and all sunfish species except pumpkinseed), yellow perch, channel cat, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass......and yes, even your precious salmon and white perch. 

These are andronomous fish and live in the ocean.  They should only be in our rivers and streams to spawn.  So any white perch or salmon that you catch on in land lakes are introduced (whether naturally or not).  Lets remove all of the non native species of sportfish and see what we are left with:

brook trout
bullhead
pumpkinseed
Grass and redfin pickerel
bowfin (I bet you guys throw these on the ice too right?)
rock bass
I am sure there are some that i am forgetting, but you get the picture.  Minus the bowfin that looks like a pretty pathetic list of options to fish for.  Maybe we should just value the resources that we are lucky enough to have and not pick and choose which fish we think are more valuable than others.  Personally, I think fishing for a 12" trout is insane when there are 42" pike in the same system, but that's just my opinion.  Does that mean that I throw every trout I catch on the ice because it is competing with the fish I like to catch?  No!  I respect all life and value all species.  BTW, in my opinion, if you throw fish on the ice, you are not a sportsman.  Anybody that wastes life does not get what being in nature is all about.

Begin the trolling, lol.

Crappie, pike, yellow perch, white perch, largemouth, and smallmouth are all native to the US as far as I know, and most were introduced to the northeast over 100 years ago.

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=676

[Linedogg104]

Arctic char are in 14 lakes / ponds in Maine....the only reproducing natural arctic chat population in the lower 48 so why not just kill everything but them and put them in all Maine waters and make it so you can only catch arctic char in fresh water in the state of Maine.......killing fish and wasting them is ridiculous if your all so into killing these fish why not donate them to food banks or homeless shelters and stop being so ignorant and acting like your god's and can control everything

[zwiggles]

"Potentially" is the key word.  Like I said, I'm just glad I don't have to leave the state in order to have bluegill, crappy, yellow perch, bass, catfish, etc. etc. etc. for dinner!  If all I could catch and eat was Salmonids, I would quit fishing and take up knitting.  Since I only eat fish that I catch Well, I might eat fish at a restaurant on occasion, however that is almost as rare as finding a mint condition Indian head penny!  Yes, I do like to catch and release; Lakers, Salmon and Steelhead, but wouldn't even think about stinking up a pan frying them, let alone eating one.  Why would I when I'm blessed with a much tastier variety?

The Aleutian people grow up eating fermented seal, whale, birds and other things that I think most of us from the lower 48 would lose our lunch over. To them it’s a special treat because they grew up eating it.

I would guess that you did not grow up eating salmonoids, but rather panfish. I would also guess a lot of the Maine guys grew up eating those “oily” salmonoids. A lot of what we percieve as “truth” is related to how we were brought up and how we interpreted those things during that time. One mans trash is another mans treasure, kind of thing.

Eating is all well and good, but Maine is the only state in the lower 48 with this kind of fishery. The variety which Maine has is outstanding. Fresh, salt, rivers, remote fishing areas, ice fishing, trolling for game fish on pristine lakes. It’s unique in many ways. Native brookies, char, natural LLS, and land locked smelts. Why in the world would you want to make Maine like every other fishery in the lower 48?

[NateD]

Arctic char are in 14 lakes / ponds in Maine....the only reproducing natural arctic chat population in the lower 48 so why not just kill everything but them and put them in all Maine waters and make it so you can only catch arctic char in fresh water in the state of Maine.......killing fish and wasting them is ridiculous if your all so into killing these fish why not donate them to food banks or homeless shelters and stop being so ignorant and acting like your god's and can control everything

What are you talking about, who said anything about char.

I've killed small pike from a well known lake where they are overpopulated at this point (have caught 30+ in a day), but don't usually do it, and always release bigger ones. Nothing goes to waste in nature, watching packs of eagles happily feeding is a good feeling. Even if the eagles don't get to it, something in the chain will, all the way down to microbes.