DARK HOUSE SPEAR FISHING IN ND?

[Backwater Eddy]

DARK HOUSE SPEAR FISHING IN ND

Amendment 3 to the 2000-2002 Fishing Proclamation. Dark house spearing shall be legal from December 1 through February 28 of each fishing year.

Personally I think this is a big mistake!

WHY?

Spearing is indiscriminate in nature and Leeds to trophy fish depletion in a very short time. This is why it was removed from the books years ago, and the same is true now.

I feel this is a very poor idea NDG&F!

Backwater Eddy.........><,,>

[Marken]

I totally agree with you. The sturgeon population in Winnebago has taken a big hit the last few years. The mature females are rapidly being taken out of the system and now the DNR is trying to save them.

Can you imagine how much damage 30,000 licensed spearer's can do in what is now a two day season? (was originaly 16 days) How many big fish can you take before you realize it's not really a good thing to do?

[SS]

Eddy
Think of all those big Northerns in Sakakawea and the upper end of Oahe that everyone enjoys angling for in the Winter,and in the Spring at ice out. There is no doubt in my mind some big fish are going to be taken out of the system.

[Backwater Eddy]

I cringe just thinking of it!

On those bays and tributary creeks the slaughter may be far worse then nets can produce.

Bad Deal!

Nope, not good!

[Pitts]

Eddy to make ya feel better and offer my sympathys I have met spearing individuals that were just trophy hunters. Looking for that 28 to 35 lb pike for a mounter.
Ya have to look at it as the same as people who deer hunt for trophys only and meat hunters.
The big diff is there are only daily limits not seasonal limits.
I hear ya about spearers being able to take a lot of the big fish from a body of water which is why I think there should be tags issued for fish over 5 lbs and 1 tag must be in possesion at all times in case you misjudge your size. Maybe 2 or 3 tags per season.
Spearing is a really exciting way to take a trophy as much as bowhunting is for mammals. It also has it's rewards as I have had a mink and muskrat pop up in the hole and seen 10 lb walleyes and 30 lb muskies and got to play with them in the hole to see there reaction to a lure.
I do realize there are individuals that take every fish big or small that they can get and I don't care for that either and nothings going to stop these people from catching the same fish by hook and line and keeping it also.
My .02


Pitts

[Backwater Eddy]

I see your point and agree with the trophy hunter theory if only (1) tag was all you get period. Deer hunters do not get (2) tags just in case they accidentally shoot bambie do they?

But consider this once, what is to say you can not decoy in a big pike then angle for it? This is a greater challenge then just sticking the fish with a spear by far. If dark houses were allowed for this I would have no quorums about it. Much more of a sportsmen's challenge and twice the fun.


I never could understand the law as it stands in MN concerning spearing? You can not have a decoy in to lure up a fish, then angle for it instead of a spear it, if you have a spear in the house no rods allowed, what kind of bizarre reasoning is this? This type of harvest plan offers 0 chance of a C&R and guaranties 100% chance of mortality.

Dumb deal #2. (IMHO)

The new ND G&F law for spear fishing reads that "NO" nonresidents can spear "IF" his home state does not allow the same rights to out of state anglers. Now that is another way to stir the pot in a already nervous time with nonresident hunting and fishing issues in this region.

This whole issue has me worked up because it appears to be a step backwards in thinking, not forewords.

Hay if your state and sportsman allow it, cool, that is your choice, but for me it should not be part of the ND angling system.

This I fear will once again reintroduce the phrase "Remember when" to our fishing jargon in a time when these are the good old days.


Backwater Eddy......><, ,>

[Gumbo]

BE, in Utah I have email addresses for the DWR officials in my state. Can you email or otherwise contact them to ask why? Maybe they did it to help meet some management objective unknown to the public. If you're a member of some fishing clubs or guide associations, the voice of many is more persuasive than a single voice.

[Backwater Eddy]

A very good idea!

The NDG&F regional advisory meetings are near, I will most likely be able to voice my opinions and ask a few questions then.

I have had several emails from fellow anglers on this new law, both for and against.I would say the court is still out on the overall opinion of Joe and Jane angler.

Most think it will not effect the population of pike in a negative manner, maybe so, maybe not, but I would like to hear why this was pushed through this year and by whom, from the powers that be.

Maybe I worry to much, maybe not?

Backwater Eddy......><, ,>

[BIG B]

Backwater Eddy, I'm not from your state so my opinion can be ignored if so desired. However I must agree with you, I love to catch Pike! I love to eat Pike! ( and I don't feel a bit guilty about it). But I don't like to eat big Pike, I like to photograph them and let them go. Unfortunatley it's tough to let a speared Pike go. On the other hand when spearing, since the fish can be seen I guess you can choose not to take a fish anytime you wish, just watch & let em be. But thats tough for anyone to do! Just one guy's opinion......B

[WAeyes]

It may not have a big impact on the total population of all the Pike in the lake. But, I think you and I and a few others know better when it comes to the population of trophy size Pike in the lake for now and in the near future. How can it NOT have a negative impact on the bigger fish? Go gettum BE, I think your initial reaction is right on!

[Ristorapper]

Right on BE. I'm personally staying off any lake that allows spearing. The last thing I want to do is drop a tire into one of the holes carved out for spearing from the night before.

And furthermore, I can't understand why anyone would want a pike any bigger than say 5-6 pounds anyway other than maybe one for the wall. I personally am looking for one maybe over 45-48" and have no intentions of taking it to a taxidermist with a bunch of spear holes in it.

I did not see any lakes that I fish on the list for legalized spearing which makes me happy but that will not keep me quiet at the local G & F meetings.

come on ice!!

BW(ND) Go SIOUX FOOTBALL!!

[fishere]

sounds like you boys have a problem alright. In Alberta spearing of any kind for pike was outlawed a couple of years ago. it used to be allowed by skin divers or through a hole in the ice. we now have a minimum 25" size limit on pike, and the limit is three per day and in posession. that means if ya have one at home in the freezer you can only catch two when angling that day,or if ya have zero at home you can catch three today. I definately agree with leaving the big ones for "seed" . don't forget to mark your big holes in the ice before you head home.

[THE BAIT SHOP GUY]

I can't understand how everyone gets all bent out of shape over indians spearing walleyes in the spring but don't think twice about going out and spearing pike through the ice! It makes me sick and wish the Michigan DNR would ban it. I fish for anything with fins but pike are my favorite all round gamefish. To this day I have still not pulled a pike over 40 inches through the ice. It makes me want to pull whats left of my hair out when some spearer tells me about the 45 inch "fence post" he stuck, had enough meat for 3 dinners! For what it's worth, we haven't sold spears at the shops since I've been there. It's not much but it's all I can do.

CHRIS WAHL
www.baydenoc.com/bayviewsports

[Peluso]

Sorry, but I disagree with most of these posts above, I am also friends with some of those above so I am not trying to start anything here. I just have a few things to think about before everyone goes crazy thinking about it. I have my doubts that a lot of people are going to go out spearing in ND. I am sure you will see a few but lets face it, it is a lot of work and I don't think many will go through the trouble to do it. I also disagree that it is going to hurt the resource. I have a handfull of friends that work for the ND Game and fish and they all say the same thing. The lakes in ND have plenty of Pike in them for both spearing and angling. In fact they claim most of the lakes are victim of too many pike and they hope people will thin them out a bit. As for Sakakawea being hurt by spearing? Come on, think about how big this Lake is. Do you actually think that even an 1/8th of the big Pike even see a Lure? No way! Spearing is such a short season and time is limited with both days and light. Don't waste your time sweating about this one. If anything we should be worried about the over harvest of walleyes on Sakakawea. Anglers are still going to catch a bunch of these fish when the ice goes out each spring. Good fishing and don't forget to shoot the puck. Mike Peluso #999

[Backwater Eddy]

I am only expressing my reservations to this new law as a concerned angler and not blasting the NDG&F in any way.

I also have confidence the NDG&F will closely study the creel harvest of spear fisherman. With that data in hand and if they see a concern they will certainly act in our best interest.

[Badfish]

I have to agree with Mike. I live, and spear, in Minnesota and I am one of very few people my age that do it. I am 34 and can only name about 3 other guys who spear, and one of them is my wife's cousin. Spearing is a sport that is enjoyed by a relatively small portion of the fishing community, and most of them are middle-aged and older. Here in Minnesota it is a dying sport.

Spearfishermen are also limited by a couple of things anglers aren't, like time of day (you have to have enough light to see into the hole), depth (can't spear effectively in over 12-14 feet of water), season (you can't get out at first ice because you have to have a house), and mobility (it is a lot of work to make a whole and set up a house).

I will be the first to admit that a spearfisherman can take some very large fish that an angler might not have had a chance to catch, but IMHO, it is a small number in the overall scheme of things.

I do understand where you may be concerned, but I don't see spearing making a big impact. Just my thoughts.

Badfish

[DanL]

I do think the spearing of pike is something to be concerned about. While talking with resort owners in Minnesota that I stayed with the number one concern of all of these owners was the spearing of pike. They were of the opinion that spearers took quite a few large pike every year.

[Bad Taste in Mouth]

As far as I'm concerned it should be a dead sport, same as netting. Three people on the whole lake doing it huh? I don't believe that 1 IODA. Might as well open up rifle season on them too! Do your quoted difficulties really compare with trying to catch one in ice cold water with fishing line and a hook?