IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Montana => Ice Fishing Montana => Topic started by: oldschoolben on Dec 26, 2013, 10:00 AM
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just wondering how many of us do this i have been catchubg and releasing most of my life i keep some to eat but release bigget fish for another day whats your opinions
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If I am not going to eat it... they go back down the hole. I keep only enough trout for a fresh meal... don't like trout once they have been froze. On walleye/northerns/ling/ect. I keep enough eater size fish for a couple nice meals... never caught any hogs worthy of release in that regard--- new to those species of fishing.
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Here in Massachusetts we have many "put & take" ponds where the state stocks them with trout because they cannot sustain a trout population on their own. That means that every fish stocked in that pond is intended to be caught and eaten. Although some fish are released, they cannot reproduce due to the water quality and the other fish species in those ponds.
Generally if I am not going to eat the fish, and the fish hasn't been injured from gut hooking it will be released.
I will release trophy fish (which I have done after taking a photo for my own records) so that someone else will have the chance to catch that same fish.
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I am a firm believer in catch and eat (selective harvest) but also let a fair amount of fish swim away to fight another day!
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I definetly release more than I keep. Typically keep a a dozen or so trout to smoke at the end of the season. I keep perch when I'm craving perch. More often than not they go back. Another thing is I'm always so dog tired when I get back from fishin the last thing I feel like doing is cleaning fish. That keeps a lot of them swimmin.
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i will keep a mess of perch and bring home pike .my wife and kids live to eat fish so j bring enough for a dinner
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I keep if I'm with friends that want to have a fish fry after we get
Home or if I'm in the mood to cook that day and the only
Thing I keep are perch walleye and crappie unless I go somewhere to catch a bunch of big bluegills other than that everything goes back and alot of times when I'm being lazy and don't feel like cutting fish they
Go back too, keeper walleye are the only ones that I would say I always keep
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I keep if I'm with friends that want to have a fish fry after we get
Home or if I'm in the mood to cook that day and the only
Thing I keep are perch walleye and crappie unless I go somewhere to catch a bunch of big bluegills other than that everything goes back and alot of times when I'm being lazy and don't feel like cutting fish they
Go back too, keeper walleye are the only ones that I would say I always keep
ya crappie and walleye along with gills are hard to beat lm getting hungey lol
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Occasionally I will keep a few for a friend but 99% of the time I place them back into the lake for more fun next time.
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For the most part I release keep a few here and there to eat or have smoked
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I'll keep my limit of walleyes if they are 14"-23". Keep all the perch over 9" that I feel like filleting. Once and a while a northern if it happens to be between 4-8lbs. Crappies get kept on occasion. Whether I keep fish or not also depends on the fish in the fishery (population, average size). Kokanee from Georgetown are usually given away for someone to smoke. Most everything else goes back to get bigger.
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I think the quote in my signature says it all..........!!!!!
ON EDIT: The last fish I remember keeping was a nice cutthroat I caught in a mountain lake back in about 1997. The only reason I kept it was to try a BBQ trout recipe that one of my buddies had told me to try out. I remember it being quite tasty, but I prefer to eat salmon or halibut. Through all my years of fishing, I guess I've just learned to appreciate the fact that I'm given the opportunity to catch fish everywhere in this great state & I would just as soon release them so I may catch/release them again another day. Getting out into the great outdoors of Montana is what it's all about to me.....Fishing, catching/releasing fish is just an added bonus!!
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glad to see allot of us release alot of what we catch for another day
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Kept 4 perch for my wife and I, and released most of my catch today.
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Selective harvest- Keep a few smaller fish for the table and release those trophies. IT's all about education-educate those you take fishing and promote C.P.R. fishing (catch photo release).
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for now until I start to catch more I plan to keep most. i usually let the small one go so they can grow big for another day. if I catch a big one I worship it all the way to the frying pan than while eating it I think wow I caught this. on the blackfoot of coarse I let the bigger ones go and it does feel good to watch them swim away. other times when big fish get away im mad but I cant help feel a little good for the fish who almost died but didnt. but that's not the same as catch and release. after I start catching more I will practice more catch and release. but for now id like to fill my smoker.
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I am new to the sport of ice fishing and am completely addicted already lol. however i am an avid fly and spin fisherman as we'll. When it comes to trout i pretty much always put them back. For walleye, perch, pike i will keep them if you can get a reasonable sized fillet. it really depends on the situation for me if you no the populations are healthy and you enjoy eating that particular species why not. nothing is better than consuming something you acquired with your own two hands.
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up at Bynum I have seen people just making piles of small perch and just leave them there.... >:(
WHAT A WASTE! If I see any of you out there doing this I will personally drill holes around you until you fall in. No i do not carry a rescue rope. :whistle:
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Keep some, release some, just depends on how hungry I am.
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If you see people wasting fish call the warden.
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If you see people wasting fish call the warden.
I agree :clap:
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Catch and release is an interesting subject. I personally believe it should be decided on water body and species specific. If you catch and release on an overpopulated piece of water you are helping reduce the average size. Not what most of us want right??? On the other hand if you are fishing a piece of quality trout water that has been invaded by a predator species such as pike or a heavy feeder and breeder like carp then I think you help the sport fishery if you kill every one of the invasive species you catch. The coyotes, birds and other animals will feast on them ... nothing wasted. What I am getting at is that I would like all of us to think twice about catch and release just for the sake of it or just to say we did it and not for a logical reason that improves the quality and quantity of fish for all of us.. your thoughts????
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Catch and release is an interesting subject. I personally believe it should be decided on water body and species specific. If you catch and release on an overpopulated piece of water you are helping reduce the average size. Not what most of us want right??? On the other hand if you are fishing a piece of quality trout water that has been invaded by a predator species such as pike or a heavy feeder and breeder like carp then I think you help the sport fishery if you kill every one of the invasive species you catch. The coyotes, birds and other animals will feast on them ... nothing wasted. What I am getting at is that I would like all of us to think twice about catch and release just for the sake of it or just to say we did it and not for a logical reason that improves the quality and quantity of fish for all of us.. your thoughts????
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Catch and release is an interesting subject. I personally believe it should be decided on water body and species specific. If you catch and release on an overpopulated piece of water you are helping reduce the average size. Not what most of us want right??? On the other hand if you are fishing a piece of quality trout water that has been invaded by a predator species such as pike or a heavy feeder and breeder like carp then I think you help the sport fishery if you kill every one of the invasive species you catch. The coyotes, birds and other animals will feast on them ... nothing wasted. What I am getting at is that I would like all of us to think twice about catch and release just for the sake of it or just to say we did it and not for a logical reason that improves the quality and quantity of fish for all of us.. your thoughts????
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fish I catch are a major part of my diet....as a general rule I let the bigger ones go....seeing fish on the ice is never pleasant..especially when they have their eyes cut out while alive..to tip a jig..when a maggot can achieve similar results....sometimes I even see piles of 7 inch perch on the ice which is insane.....in overpopulated areas a 7 inch perch can eat a large number of 2 inch perch...so by throwing it on the ice...you are actually contributing to the increase of the population.....perch speaking.....if I want a trout in certain areas that have a few diferrent species..i'll keep the brookies(char) and bows and release the cuts....it all depends.....rkymtnfish er is sounds like you have a considerate philosophy.....the guys dumping the perch and such probably are noy going to change....and may even be a little defensive if confronted......I.ve seen kind old grampas..decked out in their plaid wool...leave a pile behind.....I suppose the herons...coyotes and such appreciate it.....I personally would never waste fish...but there are so extreme views on this topic.....most are acting out of what they believe to be the best for the fishery.....a few are just heartless.....educatio n is key....and regs are regs.....it is illegal to waste.....
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Yea don't hesitate to call 1-800-TIP-MONT there really nice. Its the Wanton Waste law. If you kill a game species in the state of Montana you have to utilize that animal or its illegal. Cant stand when people kill for the fun of it.
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i agree about the perch allot of small perch at least thats what i catch lol
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It depends on where I'm at and the size of the fish. Id never eat a trophy and if I did keep one, it would be to mount it. Fort peck I'm less picky about what I keep because of the abundance of good sized fish and the numbers that exist there. Smaller lakes on the other hand that have a few nice ones but mostly dinks I throw most back and keep smaller fish. Sometimes keeping a couple fish can be better for a fishery than throwing everyone back, it all depends on natural recruitment and the size of the body of water. Smaller fish taste better anyways and the big ones are funner to catch, it should be pretty easy to figure out what to do.
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If I'm fishing a stocked lake, I'll keep the pan-sized ones until I have enough for a meal or two, and always release the lunkers and dinks back in. If I'm fishing a stream of "wild" unstocked trout, I'll release anything that isn't hooked badly or on the way out because of me dropping it on a rock or some other dumb thing. Where my fish-n-game money is going to stock fish, I have no problem with keeping dinner. But I think "wild" fish deserve more consideration. That said, I'll eat bass no problem (especially stripers), but I've got a buddy who is from Missouri who believes that they are purely for sport and not for the table. Go figure.
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Fish are a staple in our diet. That being said, we keep limits of walleye. I only keep perch if they are big enough to fillet, which for me is 10 inch and over. Pike, if we keep any will be larger than 4 lb. I've never caught trophy fish, but would like to think I will take a picture and release it when I do. (that 10 lb walleye is coming) I rarely fish for trout anymore, but do hit the creeks a couple times a season and will keep a few for people I know that like them and can't get them on there own. I never waste anything, if I take it, it gets used.....
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I eat a lot of fish. I also release a lot of fish. I know what size tastes best in the various types I fish and I don't keep big ones because honestly they taste gross, especially bigger pike (pike over 8 - 10lbs), but big bass of both types are the same way too. I do use perch eyes because they work better than maggots by a long way but my kids know the rule, if you keep one for the eyes you kill it first and you take it home and eat it, no matter how small it is, you never waste a fish that you want to use a part of. Once we get a few for eyes, we usually only keep ones that are 10" or bigger. I have a ruler on my tackle box that the kids measure against and they know that if it isn't over 10" then back down the hole it goes. Pike and perch are our biggest targets but we also fish smallies, large mouth, trout, and mountain whitefish. We rarely if ever keep any bass, I personally don't keep trout because I hate the taste of trout and the whitefish we keep nearly all of for smoking unless they are too small. I can honestly say, I have never wasted fish nor do I allow my kids to waste them either. I like to see people take pics and release big ones, I dislike waste of any kind, be it fish, water, timber resources etc. but I don't get upset if people don't release what they catch so long as their conduct is legal. I just like to see people enjoying fishing, however they chose to do so.
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I release alot of fish, but when I get the feeling I keep some to eat. I just got a new smoker so I'm going to be releasing alot less trout I know that!
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I only keep what I'm going to eat... Nuff Said
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I eat a lot of fish. I also release a lot of fish. I know what size tastes best in the various types I fish and I don't keep big ones because honestly they taste gross, especially bigger pike (pike over 8 - 10lbs), but big bass of both types are the same way too. I do use perch eyes because they work better than maggots by a long way but my kids know the rule, if you keep one for the eyes you kill it first and you take it home and eat it, no matter how small it is, you never waste a fish that you want to use a part of. Once we get a few for eyes, we usually only keep ones that are 10" or bigger. I have a ruler on my tackle box that the kids measure against and they know that if it isn't over 10" then back down the hole it goes. Pike and perch are our biggest targets but we also fish smallies, large mouth, trout, and mountain whitefish. We rarely if ever keep any bass, I personally don't keep trout because I hate the taste of trout and the whitefish we keep nearly all of for smoking unless they are too small. I can honestly say, I have never wasted fish nor do I allow my kids to waste them either. I like to see people take pics and release big ones, I dislike waste of any kind, be it fish, water, timber resources etc. but I don't get upset if people don't release what they catch so long as their conduct is legal. I just like to see people enjoying fishing, however they chose to do so.
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I only keep what I'm going to eat... Nuff Said
good quote i took used to go fishung with a couple of guys kept every thing they caught no matter how small or big said they did it to have fish in freezer funny thing tho they had fish 5 years old in freezer no longer fish with them
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A lot of people will argue about mounting a real fish compared to getting a replica done.i believe. in selective harvest as well,but i also believe if you catch a true trophy ,why not use the real fish? When you godeer or elk hunting and shoot a trophy you use the real hide and horns.
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The deer or the elk is dead, never to be seen again. Not so if you let a fish go.
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The deer or the elk is dead, never to be seen again. Not so if you let a fish go.
to each their own.main thing is the sportsman or women are following the regs.
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Ya, might as well kill all the trophy fish just cuz the regs say it's legal. Conservation and preservation is up to ALL of us. Setting an example for others to follow should be our main focus, not bonking the biggest and best fish just because the law says it's ok.
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Ya, might as well kill all the trophy fish just cuz the regs say it's legal. Conservation and preservation is up to ALL of us. Setting an example for others to follow should be our main focus, not bonking the biggest and best fish just because the law says it's ok.
who said kill all.i said its alright to keep a big trophy every once in a while. Jeez.
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Not gonna argue, if everyone keeps a trophy once in a while, there won't be any.
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I have no problem keeping a limit of walleyes or perch to feed my wife and I. That being said I do not waste what I keep and stay within the possession limits of the law. I rarely keep trout unless I have enough to run the smoker and they are fairly good size.
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Most fisherman(we are not all on this forum) keep every trophy size fish they catch,thats just the way it is.If that practice wiped out the species they would have been long gone years ago.
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Man I love it when people do anything they can to justify not protecting the resource we love. It may be "the way it is" in places but that doesn't make it right, wether it is legal or not. Nobody said anything about wiping out a species but we are talking about wiping out the biggest most genetically superior specimens. How many 15 pound walleye, 15 pound rainbows, 2 pound perch and 25-30 pound pike you can pull out of any given body of water before they are gone? Tomorrow I more important than today.
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So are you saying you pass on a 400 class elk or 200 class mule deer for somebody else to enjoy? I don't see any difference between that and keeping a big fish.
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So when you shoot that elk or buck, is it still alive? You guys trying to make that comparison, there is nothing to compare. Dead is dead. But I do see how you are only worried about yourself. Why keep a trophy fish if your not going to mount it? Even then a replica looks a 100 times better.
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Keep throwing them back nobody is going to stop you.I follow the regs and keep whatever I want to eat,beyond that its nobody's business what I do with my fish.
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Yup, great attitude. Really promotes the fishery for the next generation. Love the holier than though attitude. I'm guessing your one of those guys that wonders why you can't catch buckets full of giant perch any more.
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My guess is that the number of fish kept, not the size is the problem. I noticed a big difference fishing in canada and here. Walleyes and northern limits are low 2-3 fish a day and you can only keep the bigger ones. Walleye over 20", northern over 22". The lake we were fishing at they gill net commercially as well during the year, and we were catching 30-50 fish a day and and least half were legal size. I don't know what that tells you, but when your average walleye there is around 20 inches, and here at tiber or fresno, or canyon ferry it is 14-16", I think we are doing something wrong. I eat a lot of what I catch, but I'm not going out day after day keeping a 5-10 fish limit of everything every time I go out. I know I can't eat them fast enough to justify it, and fish don't keep as well in the freezer anyway. I was fishing the CF walleye tournament one year, while prefishing I kept 3-4 fish a day and had a couple of fish dinners, but the guys next to me were keeping 20 each day, and they did that for four days straight, I guess they were obeying the limit but come on.
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Wrong again....
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/H3RP3S/perch2013_zps939250f7.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/H3RP3S/media/perch2013_zps939250f7.jpg.html)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/H3RP3S/1554490_693698953995495_622327462_n_zps59873be1.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/H3RP3S/media/1554490_693698953995495_622327462_n_zps59873be1.jpg.html)
thats our keepers from Sat and Sun this last weekend on Canyon ferry,seems the fishery is doing very well.Me and the wife had perch for dinner the last two nights and those big fat jumbos taste great.You make think you are going to change peoples attitudes towards keeping fish by berating and belittling them but all you are doing is making yourself look arrogant.
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Whatever you say HP. Conservation and preservation isn't arrogant, flaunting those pics in that context on the other hand is. I'm curious where the berrating and belittling is though. You obviously are going to do your own thing despite anyone else. Thankfully everyone isn't like that.
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Didn't really mean perch, they are going to survive whatever you do to them. Look at smith lake near kalispell, perch fishing has been the same as it has always been for me over the last 20 years, you just catch 20 pike between every perch instead of the other way around now. I can't imagine how many perch the pike eat all year, but there still seems to be plenty of perch in there. Canyon ferry still has plenty of perch in it despite what anyone else thinks. I don't believe I've seen a tremendous change in any perch fishery I've been to. I went to Frances last year after they denied the perch assault tournament there due to the perch numbers and my group caught over 400 in one day that were all over 10", I bet we kept about 100 of them between the six of us, and my buddy who lives there catches them like that all year when he wants to. They are a forage fish that reproduce, well, like perch do. I don't care if someone keeps 50 perch as long as they're taking them home with them, it's the bigger game fish that suffer when people are keeping that many.
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We have been catching them out of CF like this for 10 years,every year the average size goes UP,I doubt many perch fisherman release jumbos for the good of the fishery.When you yank a fish off the bottom in 50 fow the chances of them surviving a release is minimal.ill keep "flaunting" my fish pics MF,if it offends you all the better.
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Whatever you say HP. Conservation and preservation isn't arrogant, flaunting those pics in that context on the other hand is. I'm curious where the berrating and belittling is though. You obviously are going to do your own thing despite anyone else. Thankfully everyone isn't like that.
Every state has a governing body that sets limits they consider to be needed to insure the future of the fishery ..... as HP said beyond that its nobody's business what anyone does with their fish ...... if you have issues take it up with the DNR, DEC or whatever the governing body is ;)
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Stay Klassy HP:)
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Man I love it when people do anything they can to justify not protecting the resource we love. It may be "the way it is" in places but that doesn't make it right, wether it is legal or not. Nobody said anything about wiping out a species but we are talking about wiping out the biggest most genetically superior specimens. How many 15 pound walleye, 15 pound rainbows, 2 pound perch and 25-30 pound pike you can pull out of any given body of water before they are gone? Tomorrow I more important than today.
These fish you speak of are past their spawning prime anyway, they aren't doing much for the resource anymore. more fish will grow and take their place. Not saying i agree one way or the other. I personnally would do replica mounts but that is only as of recently when i had one done. They do look very realistic. However i can also see how people want the actual fish. Replica mounts are NOT exact and in fact most taxidermists order a premade mold that is CLOSE to actual size from your measurements. point is = to each his own.
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i guess it depends on the lake some fisheries can support good population of big fish i usually let big bass go i dont like to eat trout but i do like perch and walleye and will take homr a mess of fish for me and the family to eat k hav released more than i kept but i dont go fishing to much anymore to far and money tight so i usually keep the perch problem is i have not found them lol
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These fish you speak of are past their spawning prime anyway, they aren't doing much for the resource anymore. more fish will grow and take their place. Not saying i agree one way or the other. I personnally would do replica mounts but that is only as of recently when i had one done. They do look very realistic. However i can also see how people want the actual fish. Replica mounts are NOT exact and in fact most taxidermists order a premade mold that is CLOSE to actual size from your measurements. point is = to each his own.
A little off topic but not really ...... one of the hunting shows had a segment on shooting elephants in Africa. Their statement was that they kill the mean old bast...ds that are no longer reproducing and are in fact hurting the whole herd and it is in the best interest of the species to eliminate them.
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looks like another thread on its way to being locked lol iceshaty might ban me lol
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This is better than going to the movies. I better get some popcorn :cookoo: :cookoo: :cookoo: :cookoo:
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This is better than going to the movies. I better get some popcorn :cookoo: :cookoo: :cookoo: :cookoo:
this isn't so bad th noxon walleye thread blew up it was nuts
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This thread has really blown up...with the growth it definitely got entertaining. FWP sets limits for a reason and if anyone is catching fish, keeping them, and not eating them, aka wasting a resource, then that person needs to rethink what they are doing. If someone wants to catch a bucket full of jumbo perch, all within the legal limit for the water body, more power to them for finding the fish.
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I am certainly not saying I personally know what's best for a fishery but I do question if the people at FWP know what's best. These are the same government agencies that decided wolves would be a great re-introduction and we now see where we are today. I like most of you, will keep a few smaller fish if it's desired for dinner but I always put the big fish back. I always look at as though I enjoyed catching that fish and I hope someday someone else will have that same joy.
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I do question if the people at FWP know what's best. These are government agencies
:o
Now get the popcorn out ;D
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Maybe I should start fishing with out hooks…. you know for the good of the school? On second thought I may have my third fish fry in a week today and eat away my guilt. >:D
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We have been catching them out of CF like this for 10 years,every year the average size goes UP,I doubt many perch fisherman release jumbos for the good of the fishery.When you yank a fish off the bottom in 50 fow the chances of them surviving a release is minimal.ill keep "flaunting" my fish pics MF,if it offends you all the better.
:sick:
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Im having friends over for a perch fry tonight,Im sure they will feel the guilt as well.
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AAAAHAHAHAHA
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NONYA/Icecreep/HolePounder what's next? Should we get a pool going?
NONYA/Icecreep/HolePounder you almost pulled it off you were playing nice and then you posted a pic of your "NAPA KNOW HOW" bucket and now classic NONYA came out. Come on man. My uncle is a psychologist I'll see if he will see you a few hours a week so you can get better. I feel bad for you.
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Do you think you can get me a group rate?Dont feel bad for me,Im catching limits of big perch,shooting mallards in the evening,things are good.If by classic nonya you mean not putting up arrogant plicks who think they are going to tell you how to fish you are correct.Arnt you the same guy that was Pming me from his cell phone trying to figure out where I was fishing the other day?
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I did. But all I asked is if you were the guy in the black frabil flip over. Don't act like your the only NONYA out there catching perch. Does everyone have to post pics of there catch?
I also talked to my uncle he said he will do it for free. Said it seems like you really need some help. Ill pm you his number.
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Nope my best eye this year was about 4lbs.Did you take a pic of yours?Are you responding to posts by going back and modifying your old ones?
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Nope my best eye this year was about 4lbs.Did you take a pic of yours?
Lol 4lbs. Your a stud.
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Well I suppose your right. Good day sir
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MF you should get in on this group rate,maybe he can help you come to terms with your issue.
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Pass
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Cmon ill go with you and we can do some group therapy...
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I
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I usually just throw the perch, sunfish, and crappie on the ice, but will eat anything else usually at any size. If I can find anyone in the Kalispell area who likes to eat perch, sunfish, or crappie I would be more than happy to clean them and deliver them to you
oh dear
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I usually just throw the perch, sunfish, and crappie on the ice, but will eat anything else usually at any size. If I can find anyone in the Kalispell area who likes to eat perch, sunfish, or crappie I would be more than happy to clean them and deliver them to you
Please tell us you're joking... >:(
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Gt, check your personal messages...
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First poster... You're a donut. Just wow.
I let 99.9% of the fish go unless they are hooked badly. And if It's hooked badly then I'll eat it. C&R so others can catch the fish and keep the sport going.
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LOL you thought you had an argument before......
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How is the fishing in CT? what do you guys usually catch over there, also how big in the perch population?
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Oh dear
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How is the fishing in CT? what do you guys usually catch over there, also how big in the perch population?
I go for bass... But there is everything haha, pike, perch, crappies, salmon, lake trout, etc..
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Nice, what type of salmon do you guys have there
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I speak sarcasm fluently, and if it was sarcasm, then I missed it too. :-\
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Here is my take on the subject. I love catching and eating fish and will spend numerous day on the ice fishing perch/trout/salmon/hammerhandles ect... fishing to accomplish both. My passion is catching big fish and I know they are a limited and fragile resource. Example: it takes around 10 years in a fertile lake (up to 20 + in cold infertile) to grow a 40 inch northern (according to many state fish and game depts sutdies I looked at). These fish are the high end of the gene pool, they have survived predation when young, survived disease and competition as young adults, and are the reproductive base for there species in any body of water (not only do the big females produce more eggs but they are heather and have a higher rate of producing viable offspring (also based on studies I've read). Taking numbers of large fish out of a system can weaken the gene pool, reduce reproductive efficency, and in the case of pike can take a decade to replace.
If you don't think selective harvest can produce more and bigger critters, look at the Elkhorn mtns. In the 80s the bull to cow ratio was 1 to 50 with most of them being spikes and reproductive rates were low. Now with selective regs(spike bull or special draw for branch antlered) the average age of a bull harvested there is 6 and a half and scores in the 320+ range and the heard is thriving. Do what you will within the law, but if you want more and bigger fish eat young fish and put the big spawners back. Would be good to see fwp manage a lake or two for trophy fish and see the results....
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Man I am trying my best to stay out of this one but let me just keep it short and sweet….some people….
By the way I think golden trout was being a troll and hoping to keep this thread going for another 5 pages…anytime a C&R post comes up its bound to be a doozie. Let's all just stick to what we know…fishing ;D
MTA
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Yes I was joking guys, you should know that. I know you already know this but Im going to type it down on the form, wasting fish is illegal and will get you a huge fine. We are not talking of a small fine. Everyone needs to keep their fish or let them go. Please dont waste as yes there are many fish in the lake, but think "what if everyone did that"? I myself have had 2 ice fishermen come up to my hut on a lake this year and said we dont eat perch, would you like it? I said hell yeah ill take them and I also recommend everyone on this form does the same thing if you dont want to keep them.
I am curious though Frenchy as to what type of fish and salmon you have down there, are the populations huge? I see your from CT and I would like to expand my fishing experience if there is something new that I can not catch in MT. Please do message when you get the chance
P.s. Good luck to all of you for your fishing season :tipup:
GT :tipup:
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Here is my take on the subject. I love catching and eating fish and will spend numerous day on the ice fishing perch/trout/salmon/hammerhandles ect... fishing to accomplish both. My passion is catching big fish and I know they are a limited and fragile resource. Example: it takes around 10 years in a fertile lake (up to 20 + in cold infertile) to grow a 40 inch northern (according to many state fish and game depts sutdies I looked at). These fish are the high end of the gene pool, they have survived predation when young, survived disease and competition as young adults, and are the reproductive base for there species in any body of water (not only do the big females produce more eggs but they are heather and have a higher rate of producing viable offspring (also based on studies I've read). Taking numbers of large fish out of a system can weaken the gene pool, reduce reproductive efficency, and in the case of pike can take a decade to replace.
If you don't think selective harvest can produce more and bigger critters, look at the Elkhorn mtns. In the 80s the bull to cow ratio was 1 to 50 with most of them being spikes and reproductive rates were low. Now with selective regs(spike bull or special draw for branch antlered) the average age of a bull harvested there is 6 and a half and scores in the 320+ range and the heard is thriving. Do what you will within the law, but if you want more and bigger fish eat young fish and put the big spawners back. Would be good to see fwp manage a lake or two for trophy fish and see the results....
They do,for trout.
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Mtangler, I was just trying to state my position and back it up with. Didn't know there was a limit on how long a post could be, I'll try to keep it shorter in the future ;). Holepounder, they put a limit on the number of larger fish you can keep in Browns lake last year and I caught more big fishe there in the last spring than I ever have, may be working. Most of those reservoir trout do not reproduce naturally so it's kind of a different situation also...