LEGAL vs ETHICAL

[VERMONSTER]

 What are peoples views about commercial fishing in VT? I have participated in it and had a good time.
 I even made some money. Not alot though. I have also seen alot of small bodies of water get way over
fished. With todays electronics and superior equiptment it only takes a handfull of guys whom are good
fishermen to take most of the mature fish out of a body of water.
 It is my opinion that we can and do hurt more than we help. We thought the ocean was a limitless
resource and we found out different.
 Its tough because I love to fish every dayand make 300.00 to 500.00 a week selling fish,but what price are we all going to pay down the road? Please give me your input! Good or bad!!

[chocklab07]

I think the perch fishing in Magog has suffered from commercial fishing. When I was a kid it seemed like it was nothing to catch a pail full of good ones. Now it seems you are lucky to get 1\2 a limit of good ones.

[vivlamored]

 commercial fishing su@ks

[andy VT]

my opinion is that there is no way in hell anybody is going to clean out a lake any size with a rod and reel if you think about it the bluegill schools on champlain are sometimes over a mile long all summer how is it possable to hurt that population thats just my opinion

[grasspikerel]

There is now a 50 perch limit on inland lakes and a 25 fish 8" limit on Crappie.  That should help protect smaller waters and  Lake Champlain and lake Memphremagog are so vast that I suspect fisherman don't put a dent in perch populations.  At times, when I fish those lakes the perch fishing is very fast.   I find it easier to catch a 13"+ perch on Magog.  I think the Champlain population is actually very abundant to the point that it may be a bit stunted.

[whitetail05401]

Magog has no problem with perch. I have not been there but I have seen photos of perch from there and not one was under11 inches. You dont see that anymore in the lake. I agree the there are to many perch in the lake no room to grow. And if people want to fish and sell a pale of 6 inch perch let them no one is going to get rich. I have sold a pale or 2 I come across real wormy fish and I dont eat them but im not going to stop fishing so I will sell them. So the most I ever made was $8 did not even cover the bait cost. Maybe some are in it for the$$$$ but they would have to put in some long days to make $30 $40......jim s

[UP jigstick]

Here in Michigan this type of commercial fishing is not allowed. Gill nets are allowed in the Great Lakes, with a commercial license. No commercial fishing on inland waters. I would think it could be detrimental to smaller lakes, but large bodies of water should be able to withstand this type of fishing pressure.
 One poster says it is hard to make $30 to $40 a day and another says he makes $300 to $500 a week. How is one paid for the fish? By the pound? How many pounds would one have to sell to make $500 in a week?

[whitetail05401]

If I remember right it was like $1.10 per pound for 8.5 inches and up and then $.30 per pound under 8.5... not really worth it I think.....jim s

[UP jigstick]

Man, thats gonna be a lot of very heavy pails of perch.

[whitetail05401]

Right . Thats why like I said I will sell them if they are wormy. If they are good hell they go in the frezzer and I will fill that up so I have perch and pike all year long. I dont really fish much in the summer but bass fishing and maybe some pike......jims