Do you think ice fishing is damaging open water fishing?

[Cobber]

I'm in southern Minnesota and the local lakes has always been good for crappy and blue gill fishing. This open water season I haven't caught a keeper size fish yet. I release most of the fish I catch and keep engough for a couple of meals a year. I talked to many of the local cabin owners and they have all told me this past winter there was heavy fishing pressure all winter. With all the new tech I feel more fish are being taken. The days of sitting on a five gallon bucket, drilling the hole by hand and putting on your coveralls is over. Yes I do have tech on my boat but not the live view or 360 type.

[Wallychowder]

Originally Posted by Cobber

I'm in southern Minnesota and the local lakes has always been good for crappy and blue gill fishing. This open water season I haven't caught a keeper size fish yet. I release most of the fish I catch and keep engough for a couple of meals a year. I talked to many of the local cabin owners and they have all told me this past winter there was heavy fishing pressure all winter. With all the new tech I feel more fish are being taken. The days of sitting on a five gallon bucket, drilling the hole by hand and putting on your coveralls is over. Yes I do have tech on my boat but not the live view or 360 type.

Its sure in the hel* isn't helping !!!!!

[Huntindave]

Do you think ice fishing is damaging open water fishing?

Do you think open water fishing is damaging ice fishing?

[Wallychowder]

Originally Posted by Huntindave

Do you think ice fishing is damaging open water fishing?

Do you think open water fishing is damaging ice fishing?

[IMG class=inlineimg]https://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif[/IMG]

I would venture to say there both damaging each other with this pandemic in effect ! Everybody and their cousins are out and about 🤔

[Fin Bender]

Originally Posted by Cobber

The days of sitting on a five gallon bucket, drilling the hole by hand and putting on your coveralls is over.

Yep, the only thing more archaic is that the state of MN is still allowing people to catch and keep 50 panfish per day (sunfish 20, perch 20, and crappie 10 = combined 50). Yikes, that seems like a lot.

[kzoofisher]

I don’t know but the question really should be, is recreational fishing hurting the fish? Obviously, some studies need to be done but there’s no question that limits get set based on expected harvest. If the old models of harvest that had both hard and soft water seasons shorter, and maybe didn’t account for technological changes that increase effective time on the water, are out of line than they need to be changed. Again, I don’t know that is the case. I do fully support studies to find out if it is the case.


If year round pressure is up AND it’s hurting resources there’s a lot of options for dealing with it that don’t single out a particular group of fishermen. But until we know there’s a problem I think pointing fingers or speculation about which changes are best/most likely/fairest is counterproductive.

Fishing is hurting fishing. The fact that so many people view a day on the water as a meal opportunity puts extreme pressure on populations. Even more so when open season coincides with the spawn and so many fish take pre-spawn fish home to fry.

Dead fish don't spawn and make more fish...take a few but leave the rest.

[Wallychowder]

Originally Posted by welll

Fishing is hurting fishing. The fact that so many people view a day on the water as a meal opportunity puts extreme pressure on populations. Even more so when open season coincides with the spawn and so many fish take pre-spawn fish home to fry.

Dead fish don't spawn and make more fish...take a few but leave the rest.

It doesn't help that a 16oz. Wagyu ribeye is $198.00 No wonder why they don't want a fresh fish meal ?

[Wallychowder]

Originally Posted by Wallychowder

It doesn't help that a 16oz. Wagyu ribeye is $198.00 No wonder why they don't want a fresh fish meal ?

Sorry i meant no wonder they WANT a fresh fish meal ?

[mcbreth]

People keeping everything they catch every day is hurting the fishery in all seasons.