Lowering MT channel catfish limits up for comment

[DLakermovedWest]

DL-I'm not sure if these comments are meant for me,..to ease my mind about FWP.. But I think I should just say that my concerns aren't about FWP intentions, more like their execution. It has happened with elk and it can and probably has happened with fish. I'm not anti-FWP. I believe they do a great job for the most part. Its just that sometimes politics and bureaucrats get involved and things don't always end like they start. I have people that I consider friends working for fish and game. They are good people, they love the state, but we're not signing their checks, we just make deposits into that account. We really don't have much say other than public comment sessions, thats the only point I was trying to make. Sorry if this is off-base, just wanted to clear the air.

Kyle

Not at all, we all should have input and certainly they are not infailable or off base in many cases. (I was working with them just today in regards to a couple fishing acess issues I think they missed the boat on so to speak and they were very open to my opinon and are indeed changing some things.) My point was that they have the well being of our natural resources as a priority rather than personal agendas. Just because as individuals we don't always agree with them does not make them the enemy as some seem to think. I often feel for them standing in front of a public meeting taking such accusations in stride.

Two of my friends are or have been on the Commision in recent years, and believe me they are pulled in several directions by different public and legislative sectors on EVERY issue. In the end they are forced to balance the wants and needs of the public against what is right for the resource. As such none of us can ever be totaly happy with the resulting regs or policies. They do their best and deserve our support, which includes civil input. When I read some of the BS aimed at them (coming out of Billings especially about the YR trout limits recently) it sort of ticks me off.

 Their job is hard enough, let's let them do it rather than micro manage them.

[DLakermovedWest]

no thing personel except im treated like a dummy becase i disagree with the stated opinions on catfish limits i say leave it alone

imagine you have been fishing a certain way for a very long time then someone comes along and tells you u cant do it no more gonna git alittle po'd i bet eh?

like maybe some a-hole thinks that fishing 6 tipups and leaving them out overniogth is hurting fish like big walleye so he makes it so no more tipusp just cause he cried the loudes t about it.  

guys who read a report written 30 yrs ago and think they know how it should be 4 evryomne.  

its not based on any reel science, just the ones cryin about it the loudest and writing the most and the longest letters   its all their own personel opinion not based on jack squat but oh do they know deep down in their hearts thats how it should be just because they think so that pretty much how the comment sessions go whoever cries the loudest and the longest look at the whole wolf debacle if u need proof?

 i happen to know for a fact fwp dilligently monitors the cat pop on the missuri and if somethings going wrong the trained bilogists will see it long b4 anyopen else
pretty soon u'll all find urselves regulated out of things u love to do by guys just like this then maybe u'll all unbderstand

i just read athread by dubble haul on another forum knocking a group of people for wanting to have bison preserve n of ft peck well he may as well be runnning a ctfish preserve the way i see it. he thinks he knows whats best for everyone else just as that group who wants bison knows whats best for everyone else and just as the wolf lovers know whats best for everyone else see the connection?

I'm certainly not questioning your right to an opinon Yeti, but FWP is indeed asking for input including yours as well as considering their biologist's data. Seems to me the thread was pointing out the link for everyone to comment and secondly to discuss the issue a bit.

I understand that you enjoy catching and eating large catfish, fair enough. But if those cats are indeed the spawners and if everyone took 20 large fish each trip, especially as catfishing is becoming a more popular sport, would that not be ruining it for you as well? My only cat fishing was done years ago on the Red River in ND, and there the game department has protected those cats now as their value as game fish has been recognized. Perhaps the FWP folks are just looking to maintain the numbers for you and and yours to enjoy? Avoiding a problem rather than fixing one later? You have a personal stake in the outcome, and as such I would encourage you to comment.

As for the bison and wolf issues, the public at large has a right for their input to be considered along side sportsmen's opinons..and not all sportsmen are against either by any means. We don't all have to agree, but both sides of most issuses these days are guilty of exageration and sky is falling rhetoric saddly. I tend to look to the middle ground of the arguments and often find the truth there. The wolf/elk issue only highlights the need for a balanced aproach to resource management. As you recall we did have a wolf hunting season endorsed by the FWP until some extremest groups sued to stop it. Hopefully we will be able to hunt them again, not to eliminate them but to maintain the balance between elk and predator. The bison are now allowed to roam down to Yankee Jim with the new cattle guard installed, and my wife and I were quite pleased to see a small herd grazing unmolested along 89S this week...and the holding pens empty. Seems to me sportsmen could embrace the bison outside the Park especially if they provide even more hunting opportunies.

Cheers.

[Zoo Angler]

Yeti - No one has told you that you cannot eat large catfish. There is just common knowledge that we all were passing along that they don't taste as good as the smaller ones do. We only want to limit ppl like you from eating 19 more.

No one has treated you like a dummy here either. All anyone has asked of you is to form an intelligent argument(backed by some sort of logic) and to contribute to the forum more than just asking simple questions. I'm still waiting.

And you need to understand that the article, even tho it's 30 years old, is still FACT.

Finally, your bison and wolf comments prove to me that you have no idea what you're talking about. You only mention the issues without any real argument other than you don't feel the same way.  For example, Wolves are in FACT decimating the populations of wild game in some areas and also attacking our ranchers livelihood. This has a huge impact not only on all of the outdoorsmen in MT but also the ppl who want to purchase locally as it drives up the cost to the end consumer. Wolves need to be managed in a way as to not impede on our way of life. Some ppl may see differently but that's how it goes.

I will continue to use logic in my arguments as should you. Until then, this is the last I will post towards you. Good luck and may God have mercy on your soul.

[missoulafish]

Continually removing large, old sportfish (wether they taste good or not) that provide the most to the next generation of fish is non-sustainable, greedy and detrimental to the fishery. End of story, it's not debateable.

[doublehaul]

personal attacks towards I.S. members, Pike, Elk, Wolves, Bison preserves, Tip-ups, disregarding scientific studies, and......drumroll please........CORN!!!!!!  

The original intent of this thread was to share information on one of the issues up for public comment posted by the MTFWP. That issue up for comment is lowering the current MT catfish limits. I would say you may have gotten way, way, way, way, way, way off topic. I don't know what planet you live on, but it can't possibly be in our beloved big sky state. I gave you the benefit of the doubt your first few posts on ice shanty, but now I realize the only thing you are able to type is ranting dribble. I took time out of my busy schedule to start this thread and check back each day hoping you might redeem yourself and actually discuss the topic at hand. You sir, did quite the opposite. I will no longer waste a single second of my life skimming over your garbage.

I for one will be boycotting any future posts you have on this forum and urge the rest of I.S. to also ignore Yeti Milk's future threads, posts, and replies.

I guess I have to say thank you for your feedback. I urge you to write a comment letter as you seem to be very knowledgeable on the various aspects affecting Montana sportsman. Please do not take this personally-you are just not worth my time. If anyone has anything to add on the thread/discussion topic of lowering Montana Catfish Limits please feel free to continue adding replies.


CORN!!!! Need I say more?

[Soulfly]

next thing we'll be regulating corn on the river to  
who cares about those nasty cat fish anyways

[fishinwithbrittanies]

I think everyone should go fishing!!!

[doublehaul]

 

I think everyone should go fishing!!!

[Aaron072]

why doesn't everyone kick back and open a can of corn

[Firetrap]

personal attacks towards I.S. members, Pike, Elk, Wolves, Bison preserves, Tip-ups, disregarding scientific studies, and......drumroll please........CORN!!!!!!  

The original intent of this thread was to share information on one of the issues up for public comment posted by the MTFWP. That issue up for comment is lowering the current MT catfish limits. I would say you may have gotten way, way, way, way, way, way off topic. I don't know what planet you live on, but it can't possibly be in our beloved big sky state. I gave you the benefit of the doubt your first few posts on ice shanty, but now I realize the only thing you are able to type is ranting dribble. I took time out of my busy schedule to start this thread and check back each day hoping you might redeem yourself and actually discuss the topic at hand. You sir, did quite the opposite. I will no longer waste a single second of my life skimming over your garbage.

I for one will be boycotting any future posts you have on this forum and urge the rest of I.S. to also ignore Yeti Milk's future threads, posts, and replies.

I guess I have to say thank you for your feedback. I urge you to write a comment letter as you seem to be very knowledgeable on the various aspects affecting Montana sportsman. Please do not take this personally-you are just not worth my time. If anyone has anything to add on the thread/discussion topic of lowering Montana Catfish Limits please feel free to continue adding replies.


CORN!!!! Need I say more?

A few people on here were up in arms when I pointed this out about a month ago about dis a goofa guy postin unaredable gahbage bout nuthin.  Then he'll say, " oh iah jus a han dycaped" "I uh didn men it." Really? Dem num8berz an leterz is jusa dat cunfusin 2 ur eyez ana stumps pokin dem keyz?

For the uneducated in Yeti speak. This member tends to troll every thread with useless drivel. Then play the woe is me I'm just stupid or handicapped role. Sorry, I've seen some readable posts from him from time to time. It almost looks like he gets bored and drunk and posts here for entertainment to see how people react to his junk posts.

It is too bad this site doesn't have an ignore list.

Getting the boat ready now. See you all next December.

[fishin247]

Shoot. All his posts were deleted. There went my entertainment for the morning. I was waiting to read this thread till I had time to read all the posts in the same sitting. Don't know what all the corn talk is about since his posts are gone, but I say screw the fish, let them eat something other than corn. More corn for me that way. I kind of like corn, especially the creamed variety.

Just out of curiousity, I know that certain areas of the state have more "meat" fisherman than others, at least my own personal observation leads me to think that. I live in Bzm and I think there are less of a percentage of fisherman that keep a limit every time out here, and in other areas in the state the same holds true. While other areas you seem to see more people keeping a limit when they go out. Not trying to sound snobby or anything, just a personal observation. Just out of curiousity, do you cat fisherman see a large percentage of people going after cats keeping their entire catch, up to their limit? Never been cat fishing before, so I'm just curious what you guys are seeing. Its like if you sit at the boat ramp at Holter when the walleye fishing closes for the night. It seems like the majority of people are coming off with a cooler that has fish in it.   Can't tell you if they kept a limit, just that they kept fish. Where as, areas where fly-fishing is the pre-dominant means of fishing, it seems you rarely see people coming to the truck with fish at all. Again, personal obsevation, not an attack on Holter fisherman or a "see fly-fisherman are awesome" statement. Personally waited quite a while to get into fly-fishing after I moved to Bozeman because I thought there were too many snobby fly-fisherman, and my prefered means of fishing is on a boat in a lake.

I like to eat fish, and do keep some from time to time. Let's face it, fresh of any fish tastes better than frozen and you can't eat a limit of fish quick enough not to freeze it.
I believe the more you learn and respect your advisary, the more likely your are to let them go.

[Trophy Hunter]

I'm from Manitoba Canada and am a diehard channel catfisherman!! We have a world class trophy fishery up here thanks to a 4 fish limit (that includes fish in your possesion at home in the freezer) and no cats over 24" can be kept. these regs help sustain a fishery where you can go out catfishing and expect to have a day like this day my uncle and I had AWHILE BACK (pics are from a previous trip obviously this river is still frozen right now  )

My Uncle Blaine and I have been planning all summer to hit up the red for cats so this monday I borrowed my step-dads 16ft lund and we headed out there. He has never fished for big cats out there before so he was in for a treat!!   It rained most of the day but that didn't bother the cats one bit after forgetting the crawlers at home we still managed 6 nice goldeyes on rotten old minnow heads.   With those 6 fresh goldeyes uncle Blaine and I boated 30 nice cats at least 20 over 34" and we caught two surprise walleyes on the goldeyes  8) Here's some of the highlights.

Started off with a couple of sub ma's

next ones a little bigger still not quite what we were looking for...


Then we started to get into some pigs  

You have got to love our regulations catch and release is working for these big cats!!

Then Uncle Blaine got into the action with a 36"er

These fish are well fed!! 38"

Uncle Blaine with a 34.5"

When I saw the head on this tank I thought for sure it was going to go 40" but it was only 39"

I think this one was 35"


Uncle Blaine was having a blast!!



I never get tired of fish like these!!


Down to my last piece of fresh goldeye we were sitting at 29 cats and one 20" walleye my uncle caught When I get a bite I thought it was a small cat  I was wrong it was this fat 25" walleye wiht a chunk missing of it's tail   nice way for my day to end!!  8)

Then Uncle Blaine gets a bite

nice way to end the night number 30

[DLakermovedWest]

"This Monday" ?  Leafy trees and no ice?

The point about the conservation efforts up there are valid though.

[Trophy Hunter]

Re read the first paragraph. I said the pics were from a trip awhile back.  i just copied a post I had put up right after the trip to show what an average day is like up here thanks to the regs. These cats are average size we fish with fresh cutbait goldeyes or mooneyes and suckers are my favorites. 20lbr's are very common and it takes a cat 40" and 30+lbs to get the heart pumping  I could post some more big cats to support lowering the limits just trying to help show that lower limits and size restrictions help the quality of fishing. 

[missoulafish]

Awesome!

[JayHelfrich]

Re read the first paragraph. I said the pics were from a trip awhile back.  i just copied a post I had put up right after the trip to show what an average day is like up here thanks to the regs. These cats are average size we fish with fresh cutbait goldeyes or mooneyes and suckers are my favorites. 20lbr's are very common and it takes a cat 40" and 30+lbs to get the heart pumping  I could post some more big cats to support lowering the limits just trying to help show that lower limits and size restrictions help the quality of fishing. 

Thanks for showing us what we could have if we follow the conservation trail!  Plus you can feed a lot of people with four 23.9 inch cats!

Jay

[DLakermovedWest]

Re read the first paragraph. I said the pics were from a trip awhile back.  i just copied a post I had put up right after the trip to show what an average day is like up here thanks to the regs. These cats are average size we fish with fresh cutbait goldeyes or mooneyes and suckers are my favorites. 20lbr's are very common and it takes a cat 40" and 30+lbs to get the heart pumping  I could post some more big cats to support lowering the limits just trying to help show that lower limits and size restrictions help the quality of fishing. 

Cheers. But I WAS hoping spring had sprung on the tundra. Floods coming then eh?

We used to fish the Red in ND, and the though the cats were never averaging even a few pounds the value of treating them as a game fish was important in raising the average size. That size fish would be like eating a thermometer with the mercury levels in that stream saddly anyway. Nice pictures.

[Firetrap]

Shoot. All his posts were deleted. There went my entertainment for the morning. I was waiting to read this thread till I had time to read all the posts in the same sitting. Don't know what all the corn talk is about since his posts are gone, but I say screw the fish, let them eat something other than corn. More corn for me that way. I kind of like corn, especially the creamed variety.

Just out of curiousity, I know that certain areas of the state have more "meat" fisherman than others, at least my own personal observation leads me to think that. I live in Bzm and I think there are less of a percentage of fisherman that keep a limit every time out here, and in other areas in the state the same holds true. While other areas you seem to see more people keeping a limit when they go out. Not trying to sound snobby or anything, just a personal observation. Just out of curiousity, do you cat fisherman see a large percentage of people going after cats keeping their entire catch, up to their limit? Never been cat fishing before, so I'm just curious what you guys are seeing. Its like if you sit at the boat ramp at Holter when the walleye fishing closes for the night. It seems like the majority of people are coming off with a cooler that has fish in it.   Can't tell you if they kept a limit, just that they kept fish. Where as, areas where fly-fishing is the pre-dominant means of fishing, it seems you rarely see people coming to the truck with fish at all. Again, personal obsevation, not an attack on Holter fisherman or a "see fly-fisherman are awesome" statement. Personally waited quite a while to get into fly-fishing after I moved to Bozeman because I thought there were too many snobby fly-fisherman, and my prefered means of fishing is on a boat in a lake.

I like to eat fish, and do keep some from time to time. Let's face it, fresh of any fish tastes better than frozen and you can't eat a limit of fish quick enough not to freeze it.
I believe the more you learn and respect your advisary, the more likely your are to let them go.

It's ok, you can read the same guys posts when he posts as "Soulfly"

[Mt.Bucket]

Great pics from up in Manitoba. I'm all for lowering the limit on catfish, 10 would be plenty. A slot limit would also help even if they didn't lower the limit. Releasing fish that are at a prime reproducing age is something anglers should be more aware of in my opinion. Generally smaller fish are better eating anyway and contain less pollutants from our lovely lakes and rivers. I've written before on how I feel we all need to work together as fishermen and try and get along, this i feel will be how we will achieve success in preservation of our resources. If anyone needs or wants any help in working on something I'd be glad to help out with anything at all.

Brandon

[RobG]

whatev leeve the limits alone sounds like you don't like seeing guys taking "yur" fish out of the river. i fished the missuri river from great falls to fort poeck for 40 years BIG strecthc of water have no pro\blem finding big cats lots of water no fisherman. whats next you want to outline setlines? maybe we shpould limit catfishing to flies only?

When I lived in Texas we'd catch them pretty regularly on streamers. I'm hoping to try it on the W&S section of the Misery. If the walleye and pike haven't eaten all the catfish by the time I get there of course. 

rg

[YETI_MILK]

It's ok, you can read the same guys posts when he posts as "Soulfly"

lol nice work sherlock but yor wrong. I'm not soulfly and he aint me. i have fished with the young man though and he is a stand up guy. we catch big cats together

[Firetrap]

lol nice work sherlock but yor wrong. I'm not soulfly and he aint me. i have fished with the young man though and he is a stand up guy. we catch big cats together

Wow yeti you posted 2 months later. You must have went somewhere to dry out as your post is somewhat legible. 

[doublehaul]

http://fwpiis.mt.gov/content/getitem.aspx?id=51766

Just thought I'd keep the I.S. members updated.
Here are the proposed changes. All of these changes will be presented to the MT FWP Commission on August 18th! At that time, a final decision will be made.

[Zoo Angler]

Looks good!