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Rules Question about Muskie and OOD


Cudz

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THere is an article on page 57 with regards to fall smallie fishing. Good enough read and it continues onto page 58. Now here is where I am a bit confused. I thought you were not allowed to keep or transport muskie under 54". Is there a rule that you can keep them in the livewell to brind them "back to life"? I don't really care, I was just curious. On page 58 of this month's OOD It talks about the finish to their day. I will quote the article

 

"a boat idles up alonside us. "I've got a 44-inch muskie," says the angler. "DO you think you guys could take my picture?"

"You've come to the right place," I say, grabbing my camera and stepping into the 16-foot aluminum.

Josh, from Sudbry, hoists athe handsome specimen from his livewell for a few shots before sliding the great fish back into the water."

 

There is also a pic of Josh and his muskie. Is it ok to put the muskie in the livewell? Are the rules different up near Sault Ste Marie? I am glad the fish was released just a bit confused. I have seen on some shows where they keep muskie in a super oxyginated bag for some time (up to an hour) to make sure it is healthy and can be released. I think that was on LSC.

This is a fishing hunting mag so I am sure they know what is legal and what is not. Again, not trying to stir, just wondering if what was talked about in the pages was on the up and up.

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Yep, depends on the zone. I believe the kawarthas is 36 or something. Its 48 where i normally fish.

 

I generally hate the practice of keeping fish in livewells for later release anyway. Its very popular amongst bass fisherman.....i bet the fish suffer a higher mortality rate than if they were just released when/where caught. Stress of the livewell, and then relocation can't be harmless to them.

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Yep, depends on the zone. I believe the kawarthas is 36 or something. Its 48 where i normally fish.

 

I generally hate the practice of keeping fish in livewells for later release anyway. Its very popular amongst bass fisherman.....i bet the fish suffer a higher mortality rate than if they were just released when/where caught. Stress of the livewell, and then relocation can't be harmless to them.

A guide on Lake St Clair uses a portable oxyginated livewell to revive the Muskie and reports great success with this method

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If the CO comes by, you just tell him its your trained Muskie.

 

Watch, when I put him in the lake and let him go...he comes back......

now that's a good one... :thumbsup_anim:

 

I would hazard a guess that GOOD livewell isn't going to hurt the fish at all but improve the odds of its survival if it was a long fight to land the fish.

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A guide on Lake St Clair uses a portable oxyginated livewell to revive the Muskie and reports great success with this method

 

Do fish not get stressed in livewells?

 

Do they not get stressed when moved from one location to another? I assume that they would?

 

Add that to the stress of being caught (and likely held up for a picture) and you have a stressed fish. Stressed fish may not die right away (ie. you don't see them go belly up when you let them go) but they are far more prone to infection etc. Ever see a stressed fish in a fish tank at home? They get sick.

 

That said, i don't have any data to back this up....just an opinion.

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I read the same article yesterday Cudz and wondered the same thing.

According to the regs as far as I can see FMZ 10 has a minimum of 36 inches.

Thus the angler has done nothing illegal. Not knowing how long it was in the livewell and/or if he had travelled any distance with it I offer no further opinion. :D

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Guest steel'n'esox

If you are fishing for species other than muskie, but are fortunate enough to catch one, chances are its already stressed from been caught on tackle not designed for muskie if a camera is not in the boat let the fish go immediately and consider your muskie a bonus, if you have a camera take a release shot they look better anyway

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I will say that the live bags work well for sure this fish was over 48" and had a big girth it was very tired and I would think it would not have made it unless my friend Rick who runs CanAm Charter did not have the live bag and the proper aerator and oxygen pump he uses the aerator to run the water and the pump goes into the fishes mouth to keep the Oxygen going over the gills it was amazing how much that fish came back to life then swam away very strong.

 

The Old School way he would take care of tired fish

30.jpg

 

Now the New school ways makes it alot better in the fall LOL

IMG_6112.jpg

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