Dudes Keepin Small Muskies

[Phishin]

So, this past weekend, my brothers and I are in my boat fishing on Webster and the fishing is really slow because they're all spawning. Anyhow, we see this guy catch a fish really close to us and we see him hold it up for photos and we congratulate him from about 150 feet away. It was approx. a 38" fish.

When the dude is done with his photos, he throws the fish in his livewell!! It's a legal fish, but it upset me. He was obviously musky fishing...he and his partner were throwing Magnum Bulldawg with Zebco's!! However, I wanted to say something to the guy...like, "We musky nuts practice CPR, you ought to throw that fish back" but I knew if I did and he didn't put the fish back in the water, there would be a confrontation and with three Hulberts in the boat already, the end of that arguement would of probably resulted with some kind
of intervention from the DNR or cops. So as bad as my meat-head brother wanted me to head over to his rig, I didn't.

Do any of you ever confront people when they harvest fish like this?? What have you found to be the best tactic. I don't want to have to smack someone upside their head, so how do you get your message across and not offend anyone.

Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert
Hulbert Bros. Muskies
slhulbert@yahoo.com

[Phatphish]

Phishin:

I don't know any of the regulations in Indiana. What is the bag limit for muskies down there? Also, did he continue to fish after he threw it in the livewell? If the limit is (1) musky per day and he continued to fish for muskies, wouldn't that be poaching? Just a thought.

[RoyC]

Steve,

As long as he is fishing legally, and nothing you saw indicated otherwise, I wouldn't see this as any of my business if I were in your shoes. I suppose that you could "legally" go over and potentially start a "discussion" on your views of fish conservation vs. his, but I don't think that most people on a lake are "fishing" for other peoples opinions. How would you like it if someone from PETA pulled up to your boat while you are fishing and started chewing you out for "torturing" fish? I give you credit for avoiding this potential conflict, because to do otherwise would make you no better than PETA activists.

I agree with your views about CPR, but your argument is with the DNR and your state legislators, not with a law-abiding fisherman. I believe that provoking legal fisherman over this issue is morally and ethically wrong, and actually counterproductive to the cause anyway.

Let's pick our battles wisely!

[Marc Thorpe]

Steve,not much you can do but better than belittleling the guy.
Take the time out and introduce him to Muskies Inc,or explain the benefits of releasing such a fish.I would not hamper him too strong.
If he is in his legal right.You canot go illegaly getting your point across.Subtle good persuasive and educated process go's alot further.

I understand what you feel,a nice female gave some good photage for a release film we did localy last year.Her contribution to our educative cause was she was caught by an angler who kept her.I happen to be there and witness this.I congrats the man and did not ruin his moment.I also mentioned the benefits and whats I had previously done with this particular fish and he mentioned its the biggest fish he ever caugth.What can you do but support the person,but educate subltly the benefits for the next occasion he might fish muskies.
That would be my aproach,take it for what its worth


Just saw RoyC reply,very good,must be taken into consideration.
marc

[tomcat]

PHatPhish, there we 2 guys in the boat, and we did continue to keep an eye on them to monitor any more catches they might get. we sat there for about 10 minutes thinking of a tactful way to approach this boat, but like steve said, we didn't approach them. I know there are other bodies of water that guides or guide coolitions "police" when poeple hook up, but i wasn't for sure how to exactly approach these guys w/o something very negative happening. so, one guy has his limit in the boat, what if he catches another and tries to fill his partners bag limit w/ another one he caught? i guess i could keep the DNR's # on speed dial on my cell phone. I was thinking of going over there and asking to see the fish next to the ruler (to make sure it was at least 36 inches), or going over there and educating them on catch and release. If anyone has any experience monitoring or policing there lakes or rivers, let me know. If a guy keeps one in the boat, is he still allowed to fish for musky's w/ the intention of releasing it, or does he have to put his rod away??? Hey musky nuts, some imput would great be appreciated. my email address is: muskietoe@hotmail.com if you don't want to put a post on this public forum. thanks in advance.
keep it reel
tomcat

[RoyC]

If I were fishing on a public lake, and some private citizen came over and wanted to "check" me to see if I was fishing legally, I would be quite irked. Therefore, I would never consider doing that to someone else.

Your intentions on this are quite good, but I still think that you should focus on changing the existing laws, not the people that are obeying them.

Perhaps you should take a tactic like this. Motor over to the other guys and say "hey nice fish, are you going to release it?". He replies "nope, we're going to keep it, it's a legal". You reply, kind of small for mounting isn't it?". He says "no, we eat ones this size." You say, "why don't you throw it back so it will grow bigger and we can all enjoy catching it again." If he resists, offer to buy him dinner or a beer to discuss the finer points of CPR and Muskies Inc. If he still resists, politely say have a nice day and leave. But please only take this tactic if you are certain that you won't lose your cool under any circustances.

[Phishin]

RoyC, you do make a point that is hard for me to accept, but I get it. However, it's a lot easier to talk to some of these guys who keep fish and talk them into releasing them than it is to change laws. I know for a fact that there are some highly respected musky guides on this board and others who have no problem pulling up to your rig when you're hooked up and making sure you're not having any problems with releasing the fish (ie, inhaled bucktail, lure caught in the net, don't have the right releasing equipment, etc.).

We do have a ton of muskies in Webster....but I have a hard time with watching someone kill that fish. It's the fact that I saw the dude slam her into the bottom of his boat and I didn't do anything that upsets me.

Does anyone out there know the Indiana fishing laws on keeping a muskies and being able to keep fishing?? Can you still fish or do you have to call it quits for the days??

Women get beat up by their husbands everyday and the atrocity of this act never crosses my mind on any given day, but if I ever saw a dude wacking his woman, I'm gonna go over there and wack him. I saw a dude kill that fish right in front of me...and it still upsets me.

Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[boro]

Hi,

Unfortunately you are going to have to get used to it. The word is out and there are a ton of new guys wanting to catch these fish. With all of the articles and stellar reports around can you blame them?

I saw a few newbies last weekend too. Armed with spinning reels, 10# mono, no leaders, no release tools. These guys do not think the way you and I do about c&r yet.

I think the best place to do the talking is at the boat ramp, while casually talking. Most of these people do not know what they are going to do after they hook the fish. They haven't thought that far ahead. Musky are fairly new to Indiana. There is a lot of angler education needed.

I agree with the posts above that say don't get mad at these guys it will not help. Actually it will probably hurt.

Invite them to the MI meeting, offer advise, but don't piss them off. These fishermen are future Musky fanatics and allies if treated properly.

Also, remember there are always going to be meat hunters out there. There is nothing any of us can do about that.


My .02,
Brian

P.S. I was the lucky guy fishing with Slamr.

[RoyC]

Steve,

As I hope you have gathered from my previous posts on this topic, I am a non-confrontational kind of guy, so I am not really trying to start an argument here. But I have to question some of your thinking. Comparing a fisherman's treatment of muskies to wife-beating doesn't seem appropriate to me. I would prefer to see him release the fish too, but mainly to maintain the fishery. "Unnecessary" cruelty to any animal seems bad, but I have to admit that I wouldn't get too emotional about seeing someone drop a musky, especially considering that he recently hooked it in the mouth, fought it to near exhaustion, ripped the hooks back out, deprived it of oxygen just to take a picture, then dropped it into the livewell instead of releasing it? When you imply that this person is comparable to a wife-beater, you leave yourself and the rest of us wide open to the PETA-minded people who consider all acts of fishing to be cruel and inhumane. Do you really believe that what you do to muskies is not cruel in the same sense as what you are accusing this person of doing. To me, your actions are about the same, just to a slightly lesser degree.

To put this another way, I am definitely against wife beating, but I have no problems with catching northerns, fileting them, and eating them. From a resource point-of-view, I feel that killing a musky is a shame. But from a cruelty point-of-view, it feels much more like killing a northern than beating a wife.

Please take this post in the spirit intended. I am just trying to explain my feelings on this issue in an attempt to understand yours.

[RoyC]

I think Brian is right on the money with his suggestions. Perhaps another idea would be for your local MI chapter to put up a sign at the boat launch (with appropriate approvals of course) that explains the benefits of CPR and invites fisherman to their local meetings to learn how to catch more fish (and release them).

The reason that I am sympathetic to these newcomers is that I was one of them in 1985. I took up musky fishing because I wanted to catch the biggest thing in the lake. If I caught a legal fish, I was gonna keep it, both to mount and eat. I even started with a Zebco.

Luckily I didn't catch any at first. Since it was obvious that I didn't know how to catch musky, I joined MI in the hopes that their magazine would give me some pointers. I think that it did make me a better fisherman, but more importantly, it exposed me to the concept of CPR and its benefits. Soon, I decide that I would only keep my first fish in the 40's and only to mount it. Luckily I never caught one that big. Then I moved my personal criteria up to the 50's for a trophy mount. Today, I still have never kept a musky but I am not a true CPR'er in principle. If I catch a world record it is going right on the wall, and I may even taste the meat!

So give these guys a break. Some will come around with the right encouragement. Ignore the others unless they are truly doing something illegal. Don't give them reason to call CPR'ers a bunch of elitests or fanatics.

[Phishin]

Well, maybe the wife-beating thing was a little too far, but it got my point across, and that being....it doesn't upset me if someone keeps a musky because to me, there's a problem with the regulations here in Indiana (ie, I think they ought to raise the size limit). However, seeing someone kill a fish infront of me really upset me. I feel like I should of said something (something non-aggressive and polite) rather than nothing. I am just kind of struggling with my decision to let that guy keep his fish without saying a word. That's it.

I kind of grew up with the mentality that some instances in life require you to know where you are and who you're with because people might lash back at you. For example: You don't act like a drunk A-hole on someone's golf course or you might get hit upside the head with a 4-iron....you don't go out and buy a shot-gun for the first time, go deer hunting, and be an idiot (like not safe with a gun, trespass on someone's property) or you could get wacked for it. You also need to know that you're fishing for muskies, which are protected with great vigor and the guys out there that are hard-core, help to stock that lake full of fish, so the least thing you can do is, put them back if you happen to catch one, because that's what the guys who know what they're doing do. When you go musky fishing on Webster, you're on a lake filled with hard-core guys. That's the environment you just entered into. Those guys don't own the lake, but they make it what it is today and they'll protect it. Joe Schmoe has every right to be on Webster (just like everyone has the right to walk onto a public golf course or have a deer hunting license), but the boys that have been there awhile will always have an influence on the activity and behavior of newbies that are enjoying the resource in question.

I grew up with that influence in my life. Anyone can stop anyone from doing anything. I also grew up knowing that personal interactions are best and that if all else fails, pain is a ##### of a deterent. I'm not saying that I would ever attack anyone--no way, but this is my perspective as a human being, and I just feel like I kind of took the coward way out when I should of said something.

Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert
Hulbert Bros. Muskies
Put 'em back...especially on the lake I fish.

[Phishin]

Hey Spicoli...why don't you sign in as a user. Who are you?? Or are you one of those cowards too??0 At least email me. I'm a pretty civil person. I may be a little fanatic...but only because I care about our state's fishery. slhulbert@yahoo.com I'd love to hear from you.
Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[RoyC]

Steve,

That's a good honest response. I hope that if I ever meet you and/or your brothers in person, it is when doing something we all agree on, like musky fishing ;-)

Roy

[Phishin]

Hey Brian!
Why were you the "lucky" guy with SLAMR?? Did you tear into some that day??
Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[Phishin]

Hey Brian,
Why were you the "lucky" guy with slamr?? Did you rip into some fish that day?? We had several lazy followers, but nothing was snappin' on our lines for the most part.
Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[Gambler]

I think that either MI or one of the lure companies could publish a brochure on C&R for Muskies. Explain the need for C&R, that the fish probably was caught several times before and if released will be caught several more times at a larger size. Also explain the handling of the fish for photo & release and the tools required for a safe release, and how to use them.

Hard core C&R Muskie fishermen then could simply hand this brochure to the greenhorns, and use it as a conversation starter on C&R. You wont convert everyone but I'd say such a tool would make a significant impact.

[Phishin]

Hey Jeff S.

What's wrong with engaging someone on the water if they aren't breaking the law....what does breaking the law have anything to do with going over to someone and speaking with them??? I really don't understand the link.

Second, there are many new guys out there musky fishing and most of them love to see people help them if they're having problems. I've had nothing but positive experiences when I talk to people on the water. If I see a guy hooked up and the fish in the net, I always ask them if they need any help if it looks like they are struggling to release a fish. Maybe they need some bolt cutters or a pair of pliers....maybe it's their first time getting on in the net.

Musky fishing is a community of people out there on any given lake. Helping eachother out and talking to newbies is fun. It's part of the sport.

But my question remains, who are you Jeff S.?? Your tactfullness in your reference to having $hit for brains made it obvious that you take offense to people like me, meaning you probably kill muskies yourself.

This post was never about people killing muskies, only asking for advice on how to engage someone about releasing a fish they just slammed in their livewell and the guilt I feel for not confronting this person. It was not condemning in any way.

Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[Tom B]

I thought that the Hoosier Muskie MI chapter was already putting C&R signs at the landings.... actually, I thought that they put up kiosks at all the landings that talked about release tools, proper equipment, C&R, etc... or was that Ohio. I do know that there are some chapters east of Chicago that are doing this. May be a good a idea for more chapters to do.


Tom B

[MuskieJ]

Yup, Yup, Yup. :)

Later

Jim

[Bradrock]

It’s NONE of your business if someone decides to keep a musky. It’s there right to do so and is perfectly legal. With a lake that has as many muskies as Webster it's not surprising that it attracts a few meant hunters. Fishing for muskies on Webster is like bass fishing on most lakes. Why go catch a few bass to eat when you go catch a 15 pounder for dinner just as easy? The lakes were stocked with money from my license purchase and that’s how I choose to fish. DON”T PREACH YOUR ELITIST VIEWS TO ME! How and why I fish are up to me and nobody else. I bet you’re one of those PETA member just trying to get a rise out of us fishermen. Perhaps you should look within for answers to your problems.

[Mepps Guy]

I understand your passion Phishin,but i think Spicoli might be refering to your attitiude towards violence. Just because someone doesnt agree with you or listen to you and they are within the law, you dont have the right to beat the person up.I was fishing the other day and saw some people keeping some nice female bass full of eggs and it bothered me a lot but no one was breaking the law so i couldnt do anything about it.

[Musk rat]

Maybe they didn`t intend to keep it just leave it in the well for a while which probably isn`t necesary this time of year but not everyone knows that.

[ToddM]

No doubt the size limit is way to low on that lake considering the potential. I seen the spinning gear too out there and even though I am new to the lake (have known about it for quite some time) there are some pretty green mothers out there fishing for them.

It can be frustrating to see small fish kept and/or grossly mishandled.

[fishpoop]

Todd: In reference to your signature line, What do you think about the other 6 seconds? LOL:)

Good topic! One that I have thought about a lot. In fact I got some heat over it at my last M.I. meeting. I agree with RoyC. He makes some excellent points. If legally caught then it's the fishermans right to do with as he/she will. But the answer is education and not confrontation. Remember, if your a member of Muskies Inc, when you approach someone you represent the organization and whatever transpires during your discussion will reflect on M.I. Let's try get get these people to attend a meeting and get involved. So the next fish they catch goes back.

[Phishin]

In reference to someone else's post....Yes, there are signs/kiosks at the landings showing you what a musky is, what you need to help you release the fish, and of course, telling people of the 36" size limit and the importance of catch and release.

Never did I say that I was going to "confront" anyone....meaning, I was going to be violent and/or harass anyone. I think the better term was to "engage" them, meaning just float up to their boat and have a brief conversation on catch and release. I don't understand why that is so out of line.

Are people that macho that while their fishing, they couldn't stand someone coming up to them and giving them their opinions/advice?? I know there are a lot of jerks out on the water...people that if you say "hello, good morning" to them, they never say a word and give you a jerk-off look. Is that who you guys are (Braddock, RoyC, and who ever doesn't agree with this post)??

Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[Jim McCullough]

Steve,

I don't think it is very fair to ask if people who disagree with you are "jerk-offs". You asked for their opinion, and they gave it. They shouldn't have to put up with being called names.

[RoyC]

Steve,

I appreciate it when someone wants to be personable on the lake, as long as they don't needlessly interrupt me when I am fishing a good spot. But in general, I don't want them to stop just to give me their uninvited views, especially if they think that mine are different and they want to change me. To me, that is the same as religious groups ringing my door bell, telemarketers calling me on the phone, etc. If I decided for whatever reason that I want to keep a legal fish, I wouldn't want someone bothering me about it. I am a grown-up, I know the law, and I assume that everyone else does, so I don't push my views on them uninvited. That's what message boards are for ;-)

I believe that passive means of encouraging CPR are great and effective. Actively pushing it on others is counter-productive in my opinion. Makes us look like PETA and other extreme groups.

[Jeff M]

Jim M.....that's because anyone can call names and bash hiding behind a keyboard. I bet it's not like that in person, especially when he is alone.

[bowfin]

Is it just me, or does this Hubert Cat have no clue?????

[Phishin]

Hey Jim,
I didn't call anyone a jerk-off. At least I didn't mean to. I was referring to unfriendly dudes on the water as being jerk-offs...people who never say hello or even recognize that you greeted them on the water.

Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[Phish Freak]

Steve,
You stated that you were taught that you can make people to anything you want them to do and if all else fails then pain is the only answer.

To me its sounds like you are a violent person. A lot of people are opposed to muskie's as it is and it doesnt help if muskie fisherman start going out on the water and start policing other fisherman.If you see the law is being broken use your cell phone and have your DNR do thier job. Thats what Game Wardens are are paid to do.

You did keep your cool about the situation but how would you have reacted if they did break the law? Would have taken things into your own hands?

The problem is not the guys who kept the fish its the regulations that allow them to keep the fish. Yes its hard to get regulations changed but look at guys like Jason Schillinger who are working thier butts off to get size limits changed . Not only is he fighting his DNR but also other muskie groups who are opposed to higher size limtis. Since you have this great passion for muskies then why dont you and your Chapter of Muskies Inc. try to get the size increased. The awesome guys in the Colorado chapter of Muskies Inc. got the size increased for tigermuskies.

[Jim McCullough]

> I know there are a lot of jerks out
>on the water...people that if you say "hello, good morning"
>to them, they never say a word and give you a jerk-off look.
> Is that who you guys are (Braddock, RoyC, and who ever
>doesn't agree with this post)??
>
>Peace Out.
>Steve Hulbert


Steve,

I'm not going to play a game of semantics. Whether you intended it to be or not, the above quote is an insult to the people you mentioned and will not be tolerated. Keep it clean or this thread will be out of here.

[Phish Freak]

How can anyone slam RoyC. He has stated is point of view better that anyone on this post. RoyC is a true gentleman. Steve re-read Roy's post and learn something from them.

[Tom Filipowicz]

When I'm out on the water I don't appreciate someone else out there playing a radio, but I don't motor over to them to try to "educate" them. When I see someone using a PinPoint system, I don't attempt to "educate" them about the concept of pushing the envelope regarding the definition of sport. I don't do that for two reasons: one, because they're not doing anything illegal, unethical or immoral, and secondly because "education" has nothing to do with it. The definition of educate means to expose to the truth. There is no innate "truth" regarding either of the above examples, nor is catch & release an extrinsic truth. These issues are simply matters of personal values that have nothing to do with right or wrong, good or evil, true of false. Incidentally, the commonly recognized method for trying to get someone to adopt your personal values is called propaganda, not education.

There is one unalterable and self-sustaining truth I can think of. If you're not happy with something I'm doing in my boat, it's best you don't approach me. The "truth" it is could get ugly................................dude.

Tom Filipowicz

[Phishin]

Hey RoyC...I never meant to call you or anyone a jerk-off in this thread. It was just remark to snobby people that we all run into on the water.

Tom Filipowicz....are you saying that you would make the situation "get ugly" if I ran up to your boat while you were on the water?? Are you some kind of tough guy...you better be. If I pulled up to your boat, you'd keep your butt planted in your seat. I'm 26, 6'2" and 290 lbs....so I doubt that you'd have the balls to get squirley with me.

You're already getting upset because I say people like you keep fish and I don't like it and you get defensive.

Why are there so many of you post here that are so defensive. I have approx. 15 emails in my inbox, and 4 or 5 of them are from frequently published big-time musky guys all saying that they agree with me and that there will always be guys who keep fish and there is little I can do about it.

It's just too bad that the dudes who agree with me don't want to on this board because it might tarnish their image...and I totally agree. I say things that other people are afraid to, and some of those people you guy look up to as being musky greats, and they don't want to loose that.
Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[your choice]

it was legal thats it no question about it some fish must be kept to weed some out if you like putting them back thats great i do too but if someone catches a legal fish it is there choice to keep it same as with bass and and other species

[Ramses scribe]

Let me refresh your memory. Let's go back about 3+ years to the MHM board. The topic was the same..... people keeping fish. At that time the Hulbert brothers were universally condemned for calling people "morons" and "retards", and threatening to "bash heads". The parents of retarded children were expressing their outrage at your demeaning posts. Others were referring to you as thugs and maniacs. If I recall correctly, even Bill Gardner, the Author of Time on the Water, said that your posts were morally repugnant.

In response to that outpouring, one of you posted an apology, following which the Hulbert brothers seemed to disappear for a time, which disappointed exactly no one. Now here we are 3+ years later, and the only thing that's changed is a different message board. Doesn't that tell you anything?
Tom Filipowicz

Ps...At 62 I'm long past the young guy tough talk, but I will say that I'm still in pretty good shape, and during my miltary days my mos was small arms instruction and close quarter combat. I don't think I'd mind at all the oportunity to "exchange opinions" with you.

[RoyC]

Steve,

Oddly enough, I didn't take your comment as an insult, and I did read it as you intended. In response to your point about people ignoring you, I would have to admit that depending on the specific situation, I might be intimidated by you on the lake, and may try to ignore you, especially if you come off as strong in person as you do on this board. This is not meant as an insult to you either, it is just that sometimes some of us tend to be a bit leary of strangers, especially us 5'-5" guys ;-)

Truth is, I think I would get a kick out of sitting down with you over a beer and discussing musky fishing.

Any chance that you are a Boilermaker, Hoosier, or Fightin' Irish? I am an orange-blooded Illini, so we might have an inherent conflict after all ;-(

To those of you who defended me above--thanks, I appreciate it! And don't be too hard on Steve for his passion, that is a good thing to have--most of the time.

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

Well I was going to stay out of this one,but I guess I might as well voice my opinion.The Fishery that I spend most of my time on,the Niagara River is a totaly Natural Reproduction Fishery.We have no stocking at all and must rely on good recruitment from new year classes.Some years you loose that recruitment due to changeing weather patterns and other natural things.The growth rate is very slow even though Muskies can get very fat and even over 50 lbs here.A 50" fish can be over 20 years old.So things here are much more different then a Put and Take Fishery where populations are controled by stocking.When you loose fish here by natural causes or by someone keeping their fish,they are gone,and replacing them doesn't happen unless you get a good year class coming up.So here on the Niagara River we try to educate people about total catch & release,most that fish here have total catch & release mentality as well.We have worked hard to get our size limits up to protect our Muskies as well,soon the Upper Niagara River will be 48" and Lake Erie will be 54".In the past we have been vocal to people that are handling the fish improper,some get all worked up and voice their opinion in anger and I think that does more damage then good.But I also don't think it is wrong to voice your opinion to a person that is handling a fish improper,just try to do it in a low key educating way,give them the reasons why they should not keep a fish or handle it out of the water to long.I for one run Catch & Release Only Charters that is my own personal choice.Now as far as Webster goes I have no information or data on stocking or if spawning even takes place.But if you have a large number of Muskies being taken before they get to 50" and above,how many will actualy ever get there at all.Yes,it is every persons right to keep a legal fish if they have the license and the regulations permit them to do so,but it is also your right if you care about your Fishery and the fish that are there to be vocal about catch & release as well.Remember your Fishery is what you make of it,it could be great or it could be poor,how it ends up being is up to everyone who fishes there! Capt. Larry

[Phishin]

Hey RoyC. I'm glad you weren't offended by my post and thanks for the encouragement on my "enthusiasm."
I didn't go to any of those schools...I went to a little private college in Indiana called DePauw. You ought to come to Webster sometime and I'd love to take you out and show you the lake. I hope you take me up on that offer, I think we'd have a great time on the water and put some fish in the boat.

Tom...you're right for the most part. We did get upset at people killing fish a few years ago. But it had nothing to do with you. We were concerned about people's musky websites that showed multiple pictures of people holding dead fish....posing with fish in their basements, in front of the fireplace, in a parking lots, etc. We thought it was a bad idea to show the public that it's cool to catch 36-42" fish and keep 'em. We thought that these guides that have such website should show pictures of people holding fish in their boats and showing release pictures too. This sport was really starting to boom three years ago and a lot of new guys started musky fishing then and it was a critical time to have an impact on a large number of people. We brought up one guide's name that had a website we thought could promote more catch and release. It was probably the wrong thing to do, but I felt that it wasn't out-of-line.

The whole name bashing thing started to happen when people who eat muskies got really defensive at our posts and started calling us elitists and maniacs. We are, and I won't deny it, and my passion for catch and release will keep on. But we're a lot different in age...and you ol' timers have that old time mentality....and that backwards mentality will change when you dudes start dying off. There's a lot of people like you Tom in Wisconsin...and I'm assuming by your attitude, that you're a WI guy yourself.

If there wasn't guys like the Hulbers out there, guys who kill dozen of muskies a year go un-checked...we just keep it balenced. It's always easier to ride the fence.

Peace Out.
Steve Hulbert

[Phishin]

Capt. Larry Jones....thanks for your post. I know it probably took a little courage to post on this thread, but thanks. Right on.

Steve Hulbert

[Phish Freak]

What it sounds like is that Steve can do what ever he wants whenever he wants and thats way it should be ,but when a guy like Tom doesnt want people like a Steve to bother him then thats not ok and and Tom gets threatened.

Steve! Understand this, anyone can get up in his or her boat if you approach them. Its not your world and you dont make the rules.

Toms is not the macho sounding tough guy, its YOU! AND WHO CARES IF YOUR 6'2 FT 290LBS.It sounds like you could lose a few pounds

[Phish Freak]

I think most people on this post are all for C&R. What i dont like is the violent threatning attitide that you have towards people who dont see things your way.

Like i said if you have a great passion for muskies then why dont you spend your time and energy getting a size increase through your DNR. It can be done! It has been done before!

[Jim McCullough]

Well, well...I take my kid to preschool, come back, and lookee what's developed. It looks like I should have made room for a few of you at my kids school. When a level headed guy like Tom Filipowicz, who I have tons of respect for, is forced to get his hackles up, this thread has just about run it's course.

Steve- You and I have gone round and round in the past. I thought we came to an understanding about threatening people, but I see it was only an understanding on my part. This will NOT take place on this board. If you do not understand that, then you will not post here anymore. You have good topics and intelligent things to say. You just need to learn to police your temper. I haven't figured out yet if you stir up trouble on purpose, or if you honestly have no clue what you are doing. I think you are smart, so I have to think that it is the former. If you DON'T understand, I ask you to honestly take a look at one thing. Probably over 50% of the time you guys post, a ##### storm develops. That alone should tell you that it is you, and not them. I usually choose to handle something like this in a private email, but we have been there and done that. You also have belittled and threatened numerous people in this thread, so I feel I need to post this for them to see. I cannot state this any clearer-DO NOT THREATEN PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD AGAIN OR YOU WILL BE BANNED.