Sharing your fishing wealth. Good idea?

[Walleye Express]

O.K. Guy's.
Heres a good subject that could probably get out of hand if allowed to. But that's not my intention.

We've all chimed in about our feelings on poachers, over limits, snagging big spawners during spring and the other resource wastes that go on. Everybody, or at least the majority find this to be a waste, unethical and gives the legitiment sportsman a black eye. How about the guy who thinks he's the neighborhood walleye supplier? The guy who keeps his limit just about everytime because Tom, Bob and Steve down the road, will take what he don't need.

These are guys who get these extra fish, and on the same page, do not contribute or put back one single thing to the resource. They don't buy a fishing license, boat, motor, rods, reels, bait, nothing. They probably wouldn't waste the time to go to any local or state meetings, or chime in by vote to make sure that that particular resource is preserved or inhanced in their area.

Yet, is the guy who keeps taking his limits, giving them away, when he himself don't need them, doing anybody a service or mis-service by doing so. Or is he actually doing the same thing (Sneaky Pete) is doing by taking over his limit or packing his freezer with more fish fillets than he'll ever use?

[Jim Ordway]

The reality is, if one is not doing anything illegal, he is entitled to take whatever game he chooses. If operating within the law, so be it. On a personal note, I have always believed in harvesting that which I will eat. As an example, I don't hunt white fronted geese because I don't eat them... My personal preference. If I were to see someone clearly poaching, depending on the situation, I would either suggest to them to release to excess or speed dial DNR. All of my fishing co-horts find overbaggers and wasters of games to be slobs. I follow your point of potential abuse of the resource, but harvesting within legal means is tough to challenge.
Take care,

[Bob J pool 12]

That almost sounds like a Mississippi River Guide.I have mixed feelings on this subject.I can really see no difference.GUIDE a great way to make a liveing. Get paid to fish everyday, and show others how to do it.If your good all your customers will bring home a limit everyday, that's alot of harvested fish.I know a hand full of these river guides,it does not bother me.But I know alot of fisherman that just seeing a guide makes there blood boil.But on the other hand they like to fish and take there friends and keep limits also.I also know people that fish everyday, keep everything from a 12in. sauger to a 8# walleye.But these people are retired, and share the fish with all the senior citizens that can't fish anymore.It's a stand off I guess.I myself will give some fillets to family members.Do I fill there freezer's NO.There are poachers out on the waters. If I seen any I would turn them in, in a heartbeat.Everyone has to go by there own rules on keeping fish.This is just my view's of 40 years of river fishing.Sure it has to be with in the laws of the state you are fishing in.

[Walleye Express]

Good answers Bob and Jim.
And Jim, even though the guides on your river system are taking limits for their customers, their customers have bought a license and probably spent lots of money locally in the host towns they are visiting. And again it's not my intention to start some crap on this subject. I was just wondering about everybodies thoughts on this matter. My own neighbor seems to greet me at the door even before my own wife everytime I get home from fishing. He always seems to be watching as I pull out with my boat and is in the yard before the boat is off the trailer when I return.

And always gives me the (Oh Man!, I would have taken them) everytime I tell him how many we caught and released. He really flipped when I got back from Erie recently. "I'll take all you can get" he tells me. This is the same guy with a 19 foot crestliner he bought almost new and is now in it's 4th year of rotting with no cover on it in his back yard. "Why don't you do some fishing yourself" I ask. "Ain't got the time Dan", he says. Ya, right.

My policy has always been, that I never give away game or fish that I have caught or killed. I always tell those that want some of my bounty, they are welcome to come with me next time I go, but that you shouldn't take and not put back. And that the fees and taxes we pay go for the preservation of these and other conservation activities, and by them buying lic. and gas and paying launch etc. they are making a contibution.

Ahhh, but what about the guides that take a limit and then give it to their guests (who are also taking a limit)? I don't mind guides at all, but there are some guides on Mille Lacs that advocate always taking a limit, then take one themselves and give it to the clients at the end of the day. I don't like it, but they don't seem to be breaking the law.

As far as giving fish away... there are plenty of older folks in our neighborhood that go absolutely ape nuts for a meal of fish. For them, I do what I can. I think if someone is kind of the neighborhood fish market, that is streching it.

Tom B

[eyechsr]

This is a good question that really makes one think, my first thoughts were that giving away fish is commercial fishing without a lisc. and is no better then the gill netters that everyone hates now adays, but then you added the old folks issue, this I am also guilty of myself and well continue I guess as these folks really get joy from a couple filets.
I never freeze any fish and never keep more then two fish per outing, even if I plan giving one to my parents or older neighbors, also since I fish so many tournaments I really don't get to fish alot were I could keep any.

[WALLEYE DREAMING]

Dan I have been guilty of giving fish away mostly to family but I do take care of my old buddy across the street from time to time. I love to see his face light up when I give him A couple. As for the spending money part I have done my share of that but never ever do I take over my limit I also release big hogs if I have fish in the freezer. Once in a while I will have a fish fry for the guys at work if they are doing a good job. I never thought I was being unethical by doing this...Jimmy

My mother in law called yesterday and I think it's the example that irritates most of us (and I would bet that none of us are guilty of.) A neighbor of theirs dropped off a limit of sunnies before noon, went back out, dropped off a limit of sunnies at another neighbors, so my brother in law and father in law went our to do some fishing with him. He caught 2 more limits and gave those away. 4 limits in one day. I called the DNR and the CO is going to go out to the lake and keep an eye on him.

THAT to me, is unethical. Even my mother in law, who REALLY liked the fish, thought the guy was being awfully greedy.

That all said, I still don't have a problem with someone feeding a neighbor some fish every now and again. Especially older folks that can't get out and fish and you know that they really miss it.


Tom B

[j9f]

What really pisses me off are the guys who sell their fillets. Trust me, you would be suprised at how often it happens. I live on Erie and won't share any info with the folks I know that sell their fillets. There are a lot of fish on erie which creates quite the black market when perch and walleye each sell for $10+ per pound locally.

I've probably opened a huge can of worms here, but it is unfortunate that this occurs.

As for me, I keep most of my fish. In fact we are having a little get together this afternoon to fry up the last pack of fillets. I certainly give fillets to people who can't get out on the boat with me, you should see my 83 year old grandma when I give her 4 fillets. Everyone else that I would consider fishing with knows they have an open invite to reel their own in and they can get their share that way.

All and all, I'm not as concerned with the folks that give a few fillets away every year as those that are selling them. In most cases the people giving them away are completely within the law. There is a whole other group out there who are really abusing our resources.