View Full Version : TROPHY PIKE(MINNESOTA)
WHAT NEXT?
02-27-2002, 06:54 PM
WELL,WHAT DOES EVERYONE THINK ABOUT THE ARTICLE ON THE BACK OF THE STAR TRIBUNE TODAY? ARE THE DNR JUST MAKING WORK FOR THEMSELVES SO THEY DONT LOSE THEY'RE ALLOTED BUDGET? WHAT WILL THIS DO FOR WALLEYE FISHING IN LAKES LIKE MILLE LACS AND CASS LAKE? WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?
Bad Finger
02-27-2002, 07:07 PM
If this is the story you refer to, I think it is a good thing on certain lakes. Mille Lacs and Cass may be good choices.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/531/1703345.html
Sounds like a good idea to me!
phoenix
02-27-2002, 07:19 PM
big or small pike will effect walleye compitition for food ect. when the pike are big there are not as many of them and they are just as likly to eat a small pike as a walleye most mn lakes that have big pike millacs vermillion rainy all have good walleye numbers the only excepion I can think of is red lake and I know it was not pike that wrecked that fishery
wiseguy
02-27-2002, 07:34 PM
Do spears come with a measuring stick on them, now?
;-)
This is long overdue! Stunted pike populations have been known to poorly effect overall fish populations. This includes walleye and panfish populations.
Tom B
02-28-2002, 02:26 AM
I would think that if you polled fisherman from Minnesota and asked them who has caught a pike longer than 40-inches (from a Minnesota lake) and who has caught a muskie longer than 50-inches, that you would see more people raise their hands for the 50-inch muskie. Big pike are rare, rare creatures and anything the DNR can do to protect them is OK by me.
At about 32-inches pike transition from perch as main prey to larger prey and one of their favorite targets are small pike. Experimental regs on Big Birch and Swan Lakes in Stearns county are showing that if you want to get rid of hammer handles, protect big pike, they will take care of the hammer handles.
Tom B
Tom B
02-28-2002, 02:28 AM
If you ever have the chance to talk to Jim Lillienthal, the fisheries guy from Little Falls, do it. I have never met someone more passionate about growing big pike and who knows more about the damage small pike can do to a body of water.
Tom B
moreyes
02-28-2002, 04:38 AM
I think it is a great idea, again long overdue.
moreyes
Grampa_Joe
02-28-2002, 04:59 AM
I will more likely mean a ban on spearing on those lakes and that's just fine by me.
Joe Carlson
From what I have read and heard from DNR officials in NW MN the lakes which have larger northerns also host larger walleye.
Captain Carl
02-28-2002, 07:03 AM
Lake Winni used to have great walleye and huge pike. Now just great walleye. I don't see any reason to keep a pike over 6 lbs. If you want one for the wall get a replica. I would pray that the DNR would establish a slot for pike state wide. We should have one for walleye state wide. I can't believ there isn't a slot on Leech!! I know that it would be hard for the spear fishermen to know exactly the size of pike below them. I spear quite a bit and never stick anything over 6 lbs. Just my opinion. I love to catch fish, espically big ones and let them go. I'll keep a few "eater" ones for the pan.
nubbinbuck
02-28-2002, 07:37 AM
I personally was pleased to read that article. Slot limits on several lakes in WI have shown to greatly help the population. Lake Geneva used to pump out huge pike, then the quaality went down in the 80's. I do know that quality of the fishery has improved since instituting their slots.
Keith/MN
02-28-2002, 11:08 AM
Wish the DNR had done this long ago.
I make a trip up to NW Manitoba every summer just to fish for big northerns. There's nothing that compares to the electric charge you feel when a truely big pike hits your lure.
The evidence points to the importance of having big northerns to control the population of hammer handles.
And as for the people who enjoy spearing, they can certainly tell the difference between a big northern and a smaller hammerhandle. Let the big ones go.
wiseguy
02-28-2002, 06:20 PM
No spearing is ok.
But, do you think that will apply to EVERYbody? ;-)
WHAT NEXT
02-28-2002, 07:05 PM
WOW,I HAVE LEARNED A LOT BY READING THIS INFO. I HAVE LOOKED AT DNR STATS B4 FOR SOME LAKES AND I HAVE DRAWN THE CONCLUSION THAT THE LAKES WITH LOTS OF PIKE DONT HAVE MUCH IN THE LINE OF WALLEYES AND VISA VERSA. BUT IF SO MANY OF YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.... IT MUST BE!
Keith/MN
03-01-2002, 12:33 PM
Bigger Pike doesn't equate to 'more' pike. Quite the opposite.
Bigger, quality northerns will keep down the population of hammerhandles. The hamerhandles are competing with the larger walleyes for the perch and other food forage.
Big northerns may still eat a walleye or two, but they will also eat a lot of smaller northerns.
Mille Lacs Guy
03-01-2002, 12:51 PM
I am glad to hear you say good things about Jim, he is one of my fishing partners and good friends. He is very respected within the DNR ranks about Pike and all fisheries issues. He is also very knowledgeable on walleye slot limits and stocking as well. The numbers speak for themselves on Big Birch and Swan.