OOS Muskies being kept!

[chilli]

There are Out Of Season musky being kept in the Upper Niagara River by ignorant anglers. They just really don't know the difference between musky and pike. I have begun a collection on Denis' board to replace the "Know the Difference" sign across from his store.

 

I was told by Muskies Canada that the orriginal sign didn't have a U.V. protective coating and now they are completely bleached. The cost of a new sign is between $50 and $70 dollars. I was told $70 was unlikely but prices change.

 

Please if your in the Fort Erie area, drop into Denis' store and offer to donate. Right now with 3 guys we're looking at $23.33 for the first sign. If you want to help, please check out this thread http://www.fishinniagara.com/phpBB2/viewto...php?p=4361#4361 and PM me here if you don't have an account on the fishin niagara board. Give Denis your donation in an envelope with your name and phone number on it. If the cost is less we'll designate funds to the next sign or donate the extra to Muskies Canada.

 

These signs are at boat launches down the river which just happen to be in strategic shore angling locations. There have been a few arguments already this year but the signs weren't available for proof. The musky numbers in the Upper Niagara are a concern right now and the muskies seen kept so far this year have all been under the minimum size. Yes MNR should be called immediately but that is little help for a musky in a trunk already.

 

Thanks

Dan

Hopefully Muskies Inc won't mind me borrowing this image without permission.

[Rizzo]

yup,l saw the exact same thing there 2 or 3 summers ago. Tried to tell the guy it was a musky that he was keeping but he swore up and down he had a pike (he was wrong). Was about a 38 inch fish, so too small to be a legal keeper.

[Guest Trophymuskie]

That is sad, maybe if you contacted your local Muskies Canada chapter they can supply the store a new sign. I know there are a lot of them floating around and many chapters have plans on installing them before the sport fishing season starts.

[GbayGiant]

That is sad. Last year a guy fishing beside me on Georgian bay tried to keep a musky that was like around 45" (limmit is 54"), I seen him reel it in and knew it was way to small, I had to argue with him and threaten to call the police on my cell phone before he finally let it go. He was all mad at me like I was the idiot. Some guys have no clue.

 

I wonder how many guys are doing this ? I've herd stories of guys killing them to, because they think they eat all the Walleyes and Bass.

[douG]

Shoal carp.

 

And I apologize to the carp.

[FinS]

if you see it again call the local Mnr

and dont say anything to the anglers

the ministry like these kind of things

if you cant tell the difference between a pike and musky then you shouldnt be fishing

[danc]

The cost of a new sign is between $50 and $70 dollars.

 

Geez. A new sharpie and a pack of paper should cost about 5 bucks or so. You could make 1000 signs with those tools.

[Marko]

If people dont know the difference between a pike and a musky they really shouldnt be trying to catch it.

[chilli]

Our local Muskies Canada chapter does want to replace these signs. I am proposing to buy them for Muskies Canada. It would be a charitable donation and hopefully speed up the replacement.

 

As for not knowing the difference, you gotta start somewhere. I'd like to see more people enjoying our sport but doing it informed. I don't think people shouldn't be able to fish if they don't know it all. There's allot to learn and not all of us had angling Parents.. Tourists don't know either but want to enjoy fishing the big River. i just want to make sure they know the difference before they hit the water.

 

Doug, that was awfull. The people killing muskies because they think they just eat sport fish is just another example of ignorance. We've got a problem here in the Upper with sensless killing of muskies. Bounce em off the bow release I've been told. Why would you want to harm our fishery that you enjoy? I've got Muskies Canada coming to our club in Fort Erie to educate us in October. Read up, there's really allot to learn. Too many closed minded anglers don't help our cause.

 

Thanks for all your replies.

Dan

[muskymatt]

Ignorance is no excuse.

[Dutch]

It is up to the angler to know the difference. Ignorance to the regs is no excuse. Next time it happens and you see it, call the tips line with a license plate number and description.

 

Encourage the person to stay around until the MNR show up or have his picture taken with the fish.

[majorlifts]

Those hybrid tiger musky are freekin sweet lookin!!! They are so cool to see live in person. I caught one that was a half tiger if you can believe that. It was little.

 

How could ya mistake a muskie for a pike come on.

[charlied]

Well if my car starts in the morning I will head to Denis's shop and drop some money off!

[chilli]

Well Denis is closed on Mondays so I'll cut it off on Tuesday the 17th.

 

Thank you to anyone who helps.

Dan

[Puckhead]

Doug, that was awfull. The people killing muskies because they think they just eat sport fish is just another example of ignorance. We've got a problem here in the Upper with sensless killing of muskies. Bounce em off the bow release I've been told. Why would you want to harm our fishery that you enjoy? I've got Muskies Canada coming to our club in Fort Erie to educate us in October. Read up, there's really allot to learn. Too many closed minded anglers don't help our cause.

 

Easy there big fella - I'm pretty sure Doug was joking around...

[Puckhead]

To add to this, doing a little research on the body of water you're going to fish will quickly allieviate any confusion - and no, ignorance isn't an excuse.

[charlied]

heard a guy today at the shop say " why save the muskies, all they do is eat the walleye and bass". i have only fished for Musky once in my life and barely ever fish for walleye, I do fish bass thou and I thought that this statement the guy made was horrible and could not believe another angler would think this way. I dropped off money to Denis and I am all for trying to stop this from happening any further. Way to go Chilli.....I commend you on these efforts and the other many things you do in the Niagara region for our precious fishery and conservation down here! I tip my hat!!!!

[chilli]

Thanks for the kind words Charlie

 

As for Doug I don't really know you guys and that kind of talk like Charlie said is the norm here so I appologise if I didn't reckognise the humour. Imagine that. A musky fishery like the Upper Niagara and the common attitude around here is an ignorant (kill em all) one.

 

Go to the Odyssey tomorrow and learn a little. Ask questions and find out how much of an impact these fish have on our sport fish. You just might find out they are important.

 

Dan

[Pigeontroller]

Funny how the Walleye fishermen always blame Muskie for eating all the Walleye! Its the Walleye fishermen that eat all the Walleye!!!

 

 

Muskie and Walleye have been swimming together in Ontario waters for...What? Hundreds of thousands of years, millions probably. And the Walleye population have been consistant till only recently...Food for thought, no pun intended.

[Greencoachdog]

Musky... Pike... what's the difference? They're all the same when they hit the frying pan!

[GbayGiant]

Funny how the Walleye fishermen always blame Muskie for eating all the Walleye! Its the Walleye fishermen that eat all the Walleye!!!

 

So true.

 

My guess would be 2% muskies eating walleye and 98% walleye fisherman, and bass are over populated now anyway, I can't keep the things of my hook. Why ? because most fisherman release bass.

 

An interesting interview with Pete Maina I listened to, he said the 10 biggest muskies that a Toronto taxidermy did all had channel catfish in them.

 

Pete radio interview

[Daplumma]

Shoal Carp.....my favorite mmmmmm.I have found the best bait for them is a 10 of 12 inch walleye fished under a bobber over a weed bed adjacent to deep water.

Joe

[GbayGiant]

You trying to stir the pot Joe ?

[Roy]

Hey, it's fishing, give it a break. Guys are salivating all winter thinking that they can perhaps land a muskie large enough to post to the board. You have 7/0 hooks on there then wonder if the resource is OK. My daddy used to say, "either crap or get off the pot". If you want to fish, fine...if you don't want to fish, put what you have in the classified. I'm sorry, that's how I feel.

[chilli]

I can see your lips moving but can't hear what the heck your saying

When Musky are in season I fully intend to target one. Maybe 2 if it fights real good. Right now the season is closed. When the pike are done their thing the musky will try to do the same thing. They can't do it if some honky thinks he's making it a nice pike dinner.

 

All I'm saying is they are out of season, their numbers are dropping and they are getting mixed up with the more plentifull pike. Lets fix the sun bleached signs and educate the ignorant. This is one small step in protecting the resource.

 

Fish for Musky? Of coarse!

Allow people to kill them because they don't know any better?

Hell no I wish those kind of people would stick to gobies.

 

Dan