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Post by Bwoods11 on Mar 6, 2017 11:13:15 GMT -6
What is your opinion on walleye limits in MN? Right now the walleye limit is (6) statewide. Some lakes allow just (4).
The DNR is considering lowering the walleye limit and I am all for it. Reason, I think higher limits hurt the population. On my lake (Minnewaska) 8000 acres--- the walleye bite pretty good in the fall and it is not uncommon for hundreds of walleyes to be kept on any given day. Yes it is a big lake, but do we really need to keep six fish every day? Ice fisherman often camp on the best spots all winter and take plenty.
I am not a MN DNR fan, but I agree with them on this. ND, SD and many of the bigger MN lakes have (4) fish limits. I would strongly support lowering the walleye limit to (4) with (6) in possession, or even (3) with (6) in possession.
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Post by kabic on Mar 6, 2017 11:18:49 GMT -6
The possession limit thing always confused me a little.
What really is the difference in fisherman 1 that catch 6, eats them, and then catches 6 more versus fisherman 2 that catches 12 fish over the same time period, but maybe wants to save them for a small fish fry at his house with family and friends.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Mar 6, 2017 11:47:44 GMT -6
The possession limit thing always confused me a little. What really is the difference in fisherman 1 that catch 6, eats them, and then catches 6 more versus fisherman 2 that catches 12 fish over the same time period, but maybe wants to save them for a small fish fry at his house with family and friends. Good point, but walleyes not kept are there for the future. So lets say Tom has a "hot" bite one day and catches 6 walleye, that is 6 gone from the lake. If the limit is 4 (it would be 4 fish gone from the lake). Then next day the bite quits, still four fish removed from the lake, instead of six. Is four not enough? Ontario has (4)fish limits, and many anglers buy the cheaper license which allows you to keep (2) |
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Post by biglakebass on Mar 6, 2017 11:52:48 GMT -6
What I cant believe is pike limits are 3.... Absurd.
Pike should be 6 and Walleye should be 3. Its completely ass backwards.
I can go catch a limit of pike on pretty much any lake I fish. Good luck getting a limit of walleyes on 1 out of 10 trips. Most lakes central MN and south, good luck catching a walleye.
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Post by kabic on Mar 6, 2017 12:02:06 GMT -6
The possession limit thing always confused me a little. What really is the difference in fisherman 1 that catch 6, eats them, and then catches 6 more versus fisherman 2 that catches 12 fish over the same time period, but maybe wants to save them for a small fish fry at his house with family and friends. Good point, but walleyes not kept are there for the future. So lets say Tom has a "hot" bite one day and catches 6 walleye, that is 6 gone from the lake. If the limit is 4 (it would be 4 fish gone from the lake). Then next day the bite quits, still four fish removed from the lake, instead of six. Is four not enough? Ontario has (4)fish limits, and many anglers buy the cheaper license which allows you to keep (2) I totally get the catch limit, like it said I just the possession limit that gets me. I guess it helps to insure they are going to use and not just sitting at the bottom of someones chest freezer. Otherwise the only thing I think of is its a tool to catch poachers but someone who over catch will do that regardless. |
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Post by sd51555 on Mar 6, 2017 18:33:16 GMT -6
It's a cultural problem. There might as well be no limit. Conservationists are already taking less, hogs will always take more. A new excuse I'm hearing more and more as the hoards travel further to find fish (because their local lakes are shot) is, "I'm not driving all the way out here and only keeping 4 fish." "I didn't spend $35,000 on a house and gear to only get to keep 4 fish."
I've been after a few folks at the legislature for special enforcement on some lakes that see ten thousand houses in a weekend, much like they do saturation patrols for drinking and driving. It went nowhere. The state is rolling in dedicated funds for the outdoors, and they can't seem to find the money to pay for ten extra COs to patrol Upper red for the first three weekends of driveable ice.
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Post by mnfish on Mar 6, 2017 18:46:49 GMT -6
A little math from the geek engineer
Limit of 4- 16" walleyes @1.5lbs each = 6lbs of fish
Current state limits:
Limit of 10 Black crappies @1/2 lb each = 5lbs of fish
Limit of 15 Bluegills @1/3 lb each = 5lbs of fish
The reproductive and growth rates of a bluegill or black crappie are way higher than that of a walleye. I might contend a limit of 4 is still too high.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Mar 6, 2017 18:46:57 GMT -6
I hear Red Lake got hammered this winter. My lake used to be fairly good in the winter. This year I think we caught 12-13 keeper walleyes, which equals slow...Some guys hardly had any bites.
Just too much pressure, plus you hear if guys keeping the newly stocked fish (10-12 inchers) that the Lake Association stocks in the fall.
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