mike rousseau Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Good morning everyone... Just wanted to throw this out there... PLEASE... Be very selective IF you are going to harvest fish on any of the openers this year... Or the following 2-3 weeks for that matter... I know we are at least a month behind in regards to temps here... It has been a long... Cold... Flooded spring and spawns are VERY late... We have all year to get fat eating fish and "stocking the freezer"... Give them a bit of respect this year to "do the deed" and try catch and release as much as possible (I know I'm dying for fresh walleye) until spawns are done... I know for most this is common sense... For others if this helps you release a few fish you otherwise wouldn't have then great... And if your gunna fry some fish up.. Try keeping smaller males... There's usually many males for each female... This is just a personal opinion here... To each their own as long as it's legal...
BillM Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 It's too bad common sense isn't all that common. Here comes the slaughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And people are going to wonder why in 3-4 years the fishing sucks.
outllaw Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 guys here are selective. most don't keep walleyes over 21 inches. they toss back the big stuff.
lookinforwalleye Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Ya it could be a tough year for the spawn, I know on my home lake it will in all likelihood be a mass slaughter, lots of meat guys at Layzee acres unfortunately!!!
bigugli Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Ya it could be a tough year for the spawn, I know on my home lake it will in all likelihood be a mass slaughter, lots of meat guys at Layzee acres unfortunately!!! It's a slaughter on Dalrymple every year. How anyone expects a stocking of 4-5000 fingerlings, a few years back, to make a difference is beyond me.
jimmer Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Ya it could be a tough year for the spawn, I know on my home lake it will in all likelihood be a mass slaughter, lots of meat guys at Layzee acres unfortunately!!! They're already out in the little open water that is between upper and lower. I know they are looking for crappie, but they must be hungry.LOL
manitoubass2 Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Great post mike! Opener here is going to be rediculous by the looks of it. Can't wait to here everyone hollering over the 10lbers they'll be catching(sarcasm). I rarely keep any walleye anyhow, and when i do their 14-17".
outllaw Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 being here in Windsor,fishing the Detroit river,theres walleyes. most local guys really don't want spawning sows. the smaller the sweeter meat.. plus its always a great excuse to get back out again after a fish fry. I do know northof here on small lakes/rivers its crucial on selective harvest. great post.
aero_ball Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Great post Mike. I fish for bass mostly but I share the same worry regarding opening for various species. Last thing I want to see is these beauties getting disturbed (or worse yet, taken away) while doing their thing (or when guarding the spawn for that matter). Like Bill said, "too bad common sense isn't all that common". And many times those who complaint about declining fisheries are the ones who trashed them. So Mike, I'm all for "give them a bit of respect this year to 'do the deed'". Maybe going after the (relatively) early spawners who's already left the nest could be an option.
pairofgreenhorns Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Great post and couldn't agree more!!! I know I'll be doing my part. I try to live by the motto of not freezing any fish. I keep only what I will eat for that day. plus fresh food is the way to go IMO.
crappieperchhunter Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 I do my part every year. Been years since I ate a walleye. I'll be chasing crappies and gills
Headhunter Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Now I definately see the merits in your post and couldn't agree with you more... that said, I guess that logic doesn't come into play when it comes to trout and their yearly trek up the ditches. HH
Paulus Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Now I definately see the merits in your post and couldn't agree with you more... that said, I guess that logic doesn't come into play when it comes to trout and their yearly trek up the ditches. HH Really? That's news to me... I have nooooo idea what you're talking about... (<--sarcasm)
big guy Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 I think we would all be surprised at the % of the population that is currently, or that has already spawned. Yes it is a late spring, but fish will spawn due to the running water and will also spawn under the ice in some cases.
Tim Mills Posted April 22, 2014 Report Posted April 22, 2014 Great post and couldn't agree more!!! I know I'll be doing my part. I try to live by the motto of not freezing any fish. I keep only what I will eat for that day. plus fresh food is the way to go IMO. agree
Maverick Posted April 23, 2014 Report Posted April 23, 2014 If only they could make opener flexible, in warmer years, have it early and in a year like this, have it a week or 2 later. Only in a perfect world! I'll do my part...
Gnote Posted April 23, 2014 Report Posted April 23, 2014 I rarely eat fish, but i have encouraged those around me to let some of those big crappie go but nobody listens I hope the ones i get are smart enough not to bite again lol.
Joeytier Posted April 23, 2014 Report Posted April 23, 2014 Great post. I'm lucky and have a bunch of stocked lakes around me so May around here means stocking up on rainbow and splake!! I haven't had fresh trout in probably 3 weeks so i'm getting anxious!! Especially since ice out will likely be 1st week of may at the absolute earliest. I harvest a lot of Ott. Riv walleyes but my stretch is sanctuary until mid-June so they are safe
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