Blue lake

[bigeddydynamite]

I was told that the parking lot and about 3/4 of a mile up the road was solid vehicles from all different states. Thank god Nebraskaland magazine printed that big article last year about the crescent refuge! Probably won't be any fish left!

[Eastwesterner]

It's quite alright with me.  With so many fisherman.  It may be better for one new lake to withstand the pressure so our older lakes with smarter older fish can grow em bigger.  Blue got smoked last year too.  With no large predator fish.  Man has to keep the perch under control in there.  Sounds like it will happen.

[pumpnlead]

Does anyone know if the trail road is passable right now? I was up there a week ago and it looked like one day of wind would close it up.

[eepks]

Any size to the perch?

[whitetips]

I was told that the parking lot and about 3/4 of a mile up the road was solid vehicles from all different states. Thank god Nebraskaland magazine printed that big article last year about the crescent refuge! Probably won't be any fish left!

So, we are supposed to invest angler dollars in enhancing fishing and then NOT let anyone know about it?  I can think of a bunch of license-buying anglers who would not be at all happy with that arrangement.

Maybe folks should think about releasing some fish, yes, even yellow perch, instead of going there and filling buckets day after day?

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/category/barbs-and-backlashes//

[whitetips]

It's quite alright with me.  With so many fisherman.  It may be better for one new lake to withstand the pressure so our older lakes with smarter older fish can grow em bigger.  Blue got smoked last year too.  With no large predator fish.  Man has to keep the perch under control in there.  Sounds like it will happen.

Nebraska's sandhill lakes are very productive fisheries and stunting of panfish is hardly ever a problem.  Yes, I am saying there is enough productivity/food to feed all of them small panfish.

However, over-harvest of panfish is a reality.  I have seen way more panfish populations in Nebraska that were over-harvested than I have seen panfish populations that were stunted.  And I can not think of a single sandhill lake that has had stunted panfish.

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/2010/01/stunted/

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/category/barbs-and-backlashes//

[pumpnlead]

Any size to the perch?

Some are nice, but they aren't like they were last year.

[warrior1]

 Yes, I am saying there is enough productivity/food to feed all of them small panfish.


I don't know if this is true about Island there is and has been something wrong with Island for awhile now.

[Scotty]

Definitely not the quality of last year.The absolute pounding this lake has taken is starting to show.

[eepks]

Some are nice, but they aren't like they were last year.

Thanks!

[guthook1]

Give 'em hell Daryl....Just think what Blue would be like without the 4wd requirement.  Dare we suggest special limits - say 10 panfish on those lakes to help maintain a quality sustainable harvest?  Been up there twice and brought back a few (less than 1/2 a limit, prefer fresh fried fish rather than frozen) and can't figure out why I didn't see people out on Crescent, I believe that it got stocked at the same time, its closer to the road and even has a bathroom and boat ramp. 
bestfishes - jim

[Docholiday]

Whitetips has hit the nail on the head people do not know how to use selective harvest. They believe they must go everyday of the week and keep every fish they catch. People do not obey the rules or regulations at all. I have seen 2 wheel drives in there as well as alcholic beverages which are not supposed to be allowed either. I am all for having a good time on the lake but you must first obey the rules and regulations set forth or they will ban us all from going out there. I guess when that happens the lake will recover nicely and they will f*** up another good fishery somewhere else.

Hit em Hard Water Style

Doc

[Sandbilly]

.
Maybe folks should think about releasing some fish, yes, even yellow perch, instead of going there and filling buckets day after day?

BINGO!

Some are nice, but they aren't like they were last year.

I find it amazing that as soon as any lake, especially a small Sandhills Lake, rebounds from a drought or renovation and show signs of life, some folks must decide to  take it upon themselves to feed small villages with fish fillets until exhausting the resource. That's the only thing I can figure because having a family of 6 with 4 growing boys that know how to eat, 12 pan fish is a big meal for us.  Average Nebraska household contains 2.5 people which means a possession limit of panfish should be more than enough fish dinners for over a week if they eat on it everyday.  Don't know, maybe you can tell me what those folks that pull limits of fish day after day do with em all? ? ? ? ? ? 

It makes absolutely no sense at all to me.

dc 



         

 

[eepks]

BINGO!

I find it amazing that as soon as any lake, especially a small Sandhills Lake, rebounds from a drought or renovation and show signs of life, some folks must decide to  take it upon themselves to feed small villages with fish fillets until exhausting the resource. That's the only thing I can figure because having a family of 6 with 4 growing boys that know how to eat, 12 pan fish is a big meal for us.  Average Nebraska household contains 2.5 people which means a possession limit of panfish should be more than enough fish dinners for over a week if they eat on it everyday.  Don't know, maybe you can tell me what those folks that pull limits of fish day after day do with em all? ? ? ? ? ? 

It makes absolutely no sense at all to me.

dc 



       

Maybe they only get out once a month. Most of us work and I am lucky to get out every other weekend. As long as people are keeping the limit, I have no problem with that.

[Sandbilly]

Maybe they only get out once a month. Most of us work and I am lucky to get out every other weekend. As long as people are keeping the limit, I have no problem with that.

I don't have a problem anyone keeping a daily bag, or possession limit for two day fishing as long as they stay within the regs. I do have a huge problem with the folks that pull a limit of fish day after day, week after week. I know guys that fish 4 or 5 day a week and keep a limit every time they can. What in the  world do ya do with all those fish?   

This week I've seen pictures of a bathtub full of pan fish, and I mean full!!!!  No I don't know how many were fishing, but have a good idea.    Also don't know how many pan fish it takes to fill a bathtub,,,,,,,,,,,,but a lot.
Talked to a guy coming off the ice on New Years Eve that had been out on the same lake every day since Dec. 23. He had a limit of fish. Don't know if that was his only limit, but I would be willing to bet on not. Again,,,,if within the regs, I have no problem.

Doc, I agree there are some out there that don't understand the selective harvest philosophy but I tend to lean toward most of them know better, but GREED gets in their road.

dc

 

 

[efrey]

I totally agree with you Don, people that only get the chance to go a couple times a month don't bother me keeping their limits each time, like you said is the guys that go every day and keep their limits each time and also five 90% of the fish away so they don't have to mess with them!!! Burns me

[OrvnI]

Imagine if daily panfish limits were still 30 and possession still 60!!

NGPC (and other states G&F depts) set rules and limits as a compromise to best satisfy anglers and fisheries.   Every angler is entitled to keep their limit from today and tomorrow, so long as once they reach their possession limit they're done with the harvest of that species.

Unfortunately, possession limits may be one law broken more often than....speeding

[eepks]

I don't have a problem anyone keeping a daily bag, or possession limit for two day fishing as long as they stay within the regs. I do have a huge problem with the folks that pull a limit of fish day after day, week after week. I know guys that fish 4 or 5 day a week and keep a limit every time they can. What in the  world do ya do with all those fish?   

This week I've seen pictures of a bathtub full of pan fish, and I mean full!!!!  No I don't know how many were fishing, but have a good idea.    Also don't know how many pan fish it takes to fill a bathtub,,,,,,,,,,,,but a lot.
Talked to a guy coming off the ice on New Years Eve that had been out on the same lake every day since Dec. 23. He had a limit of fish. Don't know if that was his only limit, but I would be willing to bet on not. Again,,,,if within the regs, I have no problem.

Doc, I agree there are some out there that don't understand the selective harvest philosophy but I tend to lean toward most of them know better, but GREED gets in their road.

dc

 

 

You said it yourself..if they stay in the regs. Then they can, day in and day out, take what they want. I don't see why this is an issue. You might not like it, and I might not like it, but they are within their rights to do it.

[ryno]

Every time I witness a sandhill lake get rapped once it has quality fish makes me sick!  I for one stick to a 10 fish limit and make anybody with adhere to it...after I have my POSSESSION limit I stop icing them.  For me I love the sport of chasing, finding, catching and releasing...I also adhere to a 9" max on gills.  I absolutely love catching 9"+ gills and try to help their efforts to get there.  I feel there needs to be a slot too. All panfish statewide, after all we do it on other species.  I know it won't stop every idiot out there but it would help.  I would even be in favor of a couple trophy only lakes like other states do.  I know it would require more funding and/or resources for the G & P but when a lake gets hot...i.e. Blue...the state puts lake specific limits/slots in effect immediately.  I know other states are proactive this way to save their fisheries from over harvest.  I guess my idea of generating some monies to help the cause would be a separate permit to fish the refuges and WMA's...he!! I don't care if there is a separate hardwater license that would be purchased.  Might as well...this state and others have sevaral stamps that are needed what's another if it is to help the this sport we all obviously love so much!!

[Sandbilly]

You said it yourself..if they stay in the regs. Then they can, day in and day out, take what they want. I don't see why this is an issue. You might not like it, and I might not like it, but they are within their rights to do it.

Sorry, sometimes I can get a little carried away with a rant.  ryno and others on here have watched some of the same lakes I have get get whacked to the extreme. You are right, as long as they are within the regs, I have no issue.

Problem is I don't believe these people were within limit regs, nor do I believe these acts are isolated incidents carried out by only a few people.

Daily Bag Limit – The number of fish harvested from midnight to the following midnight
taken by all legal methods combined. No person may possess more than one day’s bag
limit of fish while on the water or actively fishing.

Possession Limit – The total number of fish that a person may possess in portable coolers,
home freezers, registered in his/her name in a commercial cold storage locker, or in any
way under their control. Fish or aquatic animals placed in public storage or transferred
must be labeled with the owner’s name, address, phone number, date of birth, signature,
date taken, species and numbers, and the name of recipient, if transferred.

Can I prove there weren't 40 guys fishing to fill the bathtub with pan fish. No. And I can't prove the guy fishing the same lake 8 days straight was giving his daily bag limit of fish to half the town. One thing I do know is when fish go home in buckets their not coming back.

Unfortunately, possession limits may be one law broken more often than....speeding

Probably not a truer statement.              .ps welcome to the board.

Thing is we are our own stewards of this resources. Each and everyone of us has the capability to change the dynamics of a fishery by our actions. With unlimited funding I'm sure the G&P would love to manage each body of water in the state separately but that ain't happening so it's up to us. Good, bad, or otherwise.           

dc

 

[Olpapa]

Both Sandbilly & Ryno have valid points. I hate to say this too loudly because I'm still fishing the hard water. I remember when I began my first fishing trips from southwestern Nebraska to the refuge lakes at Valentine. We would leave at 2:00 in the morning, in those days the roads were single lane black top or the good old cow trail that went through every ranch's front yard. We would fish, get our limits only to turn around and head back home at 7:00 to 8:00 pm. In those days we had the limits of 15 poles/tip-ups...HOWEVER, we rarely saw anyone. If you got stuck, you best have everything in your truck you need to get out yourself because odds were...you were the only one there. Yes, we had limits too...yes, I always followed the rules and would not hesitate to turn someone in if I saw violations. Now to the point(s) made in this blog...things have changed, and they've changed a lot since those days in the 1960's and early 1970's. We have taken the numbers of ice'rs from a rare few up to hundreds/thousands of fishermen/women. We've only in the last decade and a half began reducing limits, altering limits or setting specific limits per lake as needed. However, that is generally done 'after the fact' or once too much pressure has already eliminated those trophy fish we all seem to target. I have no reason to doubt we have some of the best biologists working for us, we just need what they need most, more funding to do what they need done and maybe lowering the limits even more. I know I've seen some anglers catch fish, that fish might extend slightly out of each side of their hand when they unhook it...do they release it unharmed? Not all, some throw them into their coolers and keep whatever they catch. Some pickle them some I have no idea what they do but they don't turn them loose. That kind of fishing needs more control no different than going 8 consecutive days and taking limits every day because they're giving them to everyone in town. If they follow the rules...they are entitled like you and me to catch their legal limit(s).

That being said, maybe we need lower panfish limits and maybe size/slot limits need to be imposed too. I for one love to eat fish...I too love to catch and release because I don't go just to KEEP fish, I love to catch, photo and release them for someone else to enjoy. Remember my earlier comments, we have literally a hundred times more fishing pressure today than we ever had in my earlier years. Those rules NEED to be altered as needed to help offset any additional pressure encountered from more fishing pressure. Again, everyone should be entitled to their catch...we just need to find that happy medium so everyone has what they want with our limited resources. Yes, maybe we need a new lifetime ice stamp...I know I'd buy one.

[ICatchLilFishy]

I have to agree completely with Sandbilly. Also the selective harvest philosophy is very young its stages with a lot of the people that I have talk to about it. 90% of people are almost horrified that I have let the fish go that I have. Many of them assume that you have to keep all the big fish you catch, because why else would you be fishing. Taking a limit of good eater size fish is great, but if you are going only for the meat how much more meat will you really get from keeping 15 10+inch gills than from the 8 or 9 inchers.  It is a lot healthier for the lake to have the wide range of sizes and year classes of fish in the food chain of a lake as well. It all comes down to trying to keep the great fisheries around for future generations, by being good stewards to the lakes and rivers we love to visit.

[Tic addict]

Ive heard it all, seen it all, and experienced it all, the idiots want to ruin it let em, the meet hunters want to keep em all let em, just keep your spots to urself and keep your secrets to your selves and all will be fine, and nobody will even know, If you know what im sayin
(THERES A PLACE IN THE WORLD FOR EVERYONE WHEN ITS ALL SAID AND DONE, SOME WILL BE WHERE THE FOOD SUPPLY LASTS FOR AWHILE, OTHERS WILL BE WHERE THE FOOD SUPPLY LASTS A LIFETIME , YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO GROW IT TO KNOW IT AND YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, THE OTHER GUY HE WILL BE HUNGRY !!!!!!!!!)  I WILL NEVER GO HUNGRY!!!!!!! Just my 2 cents

[icefishingcowboy]

I agree with olpapa on maybe we need to have some rules changed like slots or smaller bag limits. I am not a fan of it but we have to realize that not only more people are fishing but we have improved our fishing techniques. You look out there any more you see light power augers, vexilars, GPS, and so on. What it boils down to is with all our new gadgets and things we have became better fishers and great fish finders. No offense to the G&P, but with all of that i don't be leave the G&P will be able to keep up with all this technology it is moving to fast and they can only do so much. 

I think we are the ones who will have to change, I mean i have a little boy and another one on the way and i would love to be able to take them up and go catch nice fish some day. I can see how catching a 10"+ gill a guy can get tunnel vision and can see it on a wall or in the skillet but they have to remember that there are future fisherman coming up.

[Tic addict]

I have little boys to and thats all i stress to them is you keep it you eat it and only enough to eat in one setting , you release everything else unless you catch anything big enough to put on the wall!!!!! 

[bigeddydynamite]

Ive heard it all, seen it all, and experienced it all, the idiots want to ruin it let em, the meet hunters want to keep em all let em, just keep your spots to urself and keep your secrets to your selves and all will be fine, and nobody will even know, If you know what im sayin

My thinking exactly!

[Tic addict]

Ive been thinking every fisherman is entitled to keep a limit of pan fish which is only 15 now Thank God , But its the storries i here that guys goin and keeping limits for six days in a row    maybe we should have the limit at 10 that would make for a more selective harvist of size of fish that a guy would want to keep to eat . I have three growing boys that love to fish and eat fish if the limit was ten a peice we would have plenty to eat , in fact im going to take it upon our selves to make our limit only 10 a peice after all its just a limit like a speed limit wheight limit etc.... good fishing to you all 

[Tic addict]

Oh and remember there are possession limits maybe if these guys flappin there gums about this need a visit from the warden ill do my part to let the warden know the names of these people when i hear about it, you all do the same and we can hopefully weed these meat hunters out!

[fishinfanatic1]

POSESSION LIMITS ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE IN MY OPPINION, IVE NEVER HEARD OF A CO RANDOMLY STOPPING BY A LICENSED ANGLERS HOME WANTING TO CHECK THE FREEZER. IF I HAVE 20 CRAPPIE/GILL FILLETS AT HOME I NEVER KEEP ANY. ONCE THEIR GONE I KEEP SOME MORE. THEM 20 FILLETS LAST ME OVER 2 WEEKS EASY AND SOMETIMES LONGER. I EAT MORE CATFISH THAN ANYTHING AND 2 4-5LB CATS LAST ME A MONTH ON AVERAGE....I GET TICKED OFF TOO WACHING GUYS TAKE LIMITS EVERY TIME OUT AND REALLY TICKED WHEN I SEE GUYS TAKE MORE THAN THEIR LIMIT!!!

[frozen1]

I love the conversation going on here. I would love to see the daily bag limits of pan-fish reduced again. As responsible anglers, we must educate children to take it upon themselves to take less fish and stick to the rules. Unfortunately, I think it's to late to educate some of the seasoned fishermen. They have been taught to keep as many fish as possible. I think it's a sense of pride to get that picture of a pile of fish. I think some people just can't leave a lake without saying "I caught my limit." The biggest problem we have is not the anglers that fish occasionally, it's the anglers that fish more than once a week and fill their freezers.