Do you prefer fishing for fewer bigger fish or more smaller fish?

[Rufous Potoo]

This used to be a question the SDGFP asked during creel surveys. 5 15" fish or 3 18" fish or 1 20" fish. I'm a 3 18" fish guy with walleye. Pike, I will take 1 big one over smaller ones. Perch, please don't keep the dinks. So much work for potato chips. 10" or bigger only please.

I don't mind shooting does. I don't eat horns or balls.

[Suzuki]

I prefer action. I also like panfishing the most.

[Gary Korsgaden]

Call it strange I go "fishing to go fishing" recalling a Canadian fishing trip with the late Dave Speral . After catching several hundred walleyes, we looked at each other and commented this is pretty boring. These days keep a couple for a fresh meal. Numbers are not important to me but I get excited fishing on new water. Typical for someone that has fished since a kid, evolution of sorts.

[gbin]

Originally Posted by Gary Korsgaden

Call it strange I go "fishing to go fishing" recalling a Canadian fishing trip with the late Dave Speral . After catching several hundred walleyes, we looked at each other and commented this is pretty boring. These days keep a couple for a fresh meal. Numbers are not important to me but I get excited fishing on new water. Typical for someone that has fished since a kid, evolution of sorts.

An excellent point. I'll take exploring and learning to fish a new lake over catching fewer bigger fish OR more smaller fish. (But all other things being equal, I'd rather put that effort into a lake that has bigger fish even if they're fewer in number and the learning curve is accordingly steeper. )

Gerry

[Dbars19]

I fish inland ohio lakes more than Erie. And the lakes are so bad that any fish is good. Im going to fish the Ohio river more next year.