Video of a "sportsman" dragging a trophy Musky to his truck

[Fisherman]

How come the steelheaders aren't giving support, or the bass anglers and carpers. Select few think some species are special, some people are too. If it's legal, quit bellyaching.

[Terry]

so a rich man should not eat muskie but a poor man can..

still not buying it

 

any person can eat any legal fish

 

we are all entitled to our options, but as a fishing community I don't think we should be insulting someone enjoying the sport legally in what ever manner he wants as long as it is legal ........

[bigugli]

Oh My! Some one has dared to eat the sacred cow/muskie/pig/trout/whatever.

 

Same argument, only a different season and species.

[lew]

I killed and ate the 1st musky I ever caught 40 odd years ago and had the skin mounted and still have the mount hanging in my garage after many many years.

 

That's just the way things were done back in the day.

 

I've never been one to kill things and I wish now I'd never killed that pretty 45 incher but what's done is done and there's nothing I can do about it now.

 

I've caught & released about a bazillion muskies since then and have never intentionally killed another one, but if someone wants to keep them, it's perfectly legal as many have already said here.

 

Edited December 13, 2014 by lew

[crappieperchhunter]

Yep.... my step father can't even comprehend why we spend hours out fishing and then let them go. Fishing was "invented" as a food source.

Same with my Mom. She just doesn't get all the effort....and tackle...I've put into carp fishing...just to let them all go.

[Steve]

Same with my Mom. She just doesn't get all the effort....and tackle...I've put into carp fishing...

 

Don't worry man, half the fishing population agrees with your mother.

[crappieperchhunter]

 

Don't worry man, half the fishing population agrees with your mother.

LOL...thx for that.

 

She loves fish. I can't think of anyone who appreciates it more when I stop over with a bag of fillets. But fishing to let them all go just baffles her..lol.

[SuperDave]

Unfortunately, some muskie fishermen develop a holier than thou attitude. Probably due to the endless amount of time and money they invest in catching a trophy muskie. I am one of them. However, if its legal for someone to possess a trophy fish of any species, then so be it. Most educated fishermen know a trophy fish is a very old fish, and should be released. What irks folks is those of us not yet lucky enough to catch a trophy of such size after years of chasing them, only to see someone catch "that fish" and harvest it.

Now imo Lake St. Clair is a different case. The muskie population has exploded and you have to think that some "culling" can't hurt. That big fish i'm sure will be quickly replaced by another. I only began to experience this muskie fishery this year. Had a great time this fall and caught plenty of 40" plus fish. I don't really see it causing a problem when LEGAL size fish get taken. As long as the regulations are followed.

Now places like the French River or West Arm, are a different story. A lot less muskies so harvesting would definitely hurt. I was shocked many years ago when I stayed at a lodge on the West Arm. They pulled out all their pics for us to look at, I guess to pump us up for muskie fishing. I could not believe the number of photos of big muskie taken from the dock or actually frozen from being in the freezer. A guy standing there holding a frozen 45" muskie, and the lodge owner says " oh ya that's so and so, he comes up here for 2 weeks every year". Now that's concerning.

[esoxansteel]

I killed and ate the 1st musky I ever caught 40 odd years ago and had the skin mounted and still have the mount hanging in my garage after many many years.

 

That's just the way things were done back in the day.

 

I've never been one to kill things and I wish now I'd never killed that pretty 45 incher but what's done is done and there's nothing I can do about it now.

 

I've caught & released about a bazillion muskies since then and have never intentionally killed another one, but if someone wants to keep them, it's perfectly legal as many have already said here.

 

 

 

That is one good looking retro musky mount for 40 years old Lew, usually they were filled with plaster, and had rippled skin etc, but that one looks like she would stand the test of time, and likely still looks good today in your garage.

Thought you were John Boy Walton there for a minute, not sure if he fished skis or not. No wonder Diane had the hots for for a dapper looking young lad like you.

[BillM]

It's too bad people aren't 'outraged' when loads of fat hen steelhead are roped up and dragged along the bank all day.. Would people feel better if that was a pike instead?

[lew]

 

No wonder Diane had the hots for for a dapper looking young lad like you.

 

I still tell her the same thing to this day Steve

[Cookslav]

What a wonderfull fishery we'd have if we released every fish...but c'mon life with out shore lunch?

Oh the humanity...

 

I can't condem the practice of keeping a fish as I've kept many brookies, and ejnoyed every bite with out guilt.

Where I can say Musky is not somthing I would want to taste, and I don't mount my trophies I can't condem a fellow angler

For simply keeping a different species that is hardly on any endangered or at risk list.

That to me is a bit hypocritical for my liking....

 

Now if you were talking about specific lakes and rivers that might need a hand rebuilding...then I'd agree with the OP completely

But suggesting a general 0 catch limit for the province is a bit overkill.

[Reelpro]

The In-Fisherman Boys had it right decades ago.

 

Promote "Selective Harvest"

 

I teach all my clients that Ontario freshwater fish are some of the healthiest and tastiest table fare that there is anywhere.

 

Yet they should always select the smaller specimens of whatever species they are catching to eat - as long as they are legal according to the Ontario Fishing Regulations - and release the larger ones.

 

In almost all species the larger fish are the prime spawners and if released provide the best hopes for a sustainable resource.

 

"Selective Harvest " - a responsible way to enjoy one of Canada's greatest natural resources and ensure it's health for future generations.

 

Kinda hard for the PETAS to argue with as well.

[Terry]

well actually P3TA believes you should keep everything you catch

if you release a fish it means you tortured an animal for sport and that is worst then catching a fish to eat

their words not mine

[misfish]

well actually P3TA believes you should keep everything you catch

if you release a fish it means you tortured an animal for sport and that is worst then catching a fish to eat

their words not mine

 

So what are they saying?

 

Sell all our rods,reels tackle and boats?

 

 

 

YA, like thats going to happen.

 

All this over a musky. LOL

 

I cant remember how many fish I have caught and released. Same goes with how many I have kept and ate and shared with others.

 

It,s time.

 

 

I think.

 

[mattybculp]

I personally would not keep a ski over 50 inches for two reasons. #1. I have no desire to eat them. #2. I practice a live release on trophy fish of all species. (Especially all muskie). If I'm going to keep a couple fish I'm not going to choose a fish in the trophy category, I prefer a little younger and smaller. I have found for walleye that I enjoyed a walleye in that 19 inch range. I have eaten larger eyes in different zones and just noticed the mid range age fish just taste a little better. I would prefer a 2 1/2 pound bass to a 5 lbs but that's just my opinion. Although it is not the way I choose to harvest fish, and I would never do it, it is legal and at the end of the day, and can be a tough one to debate when you know you can't win, the law is the law. But I never like to see trophy muskie killed ( if your feeding your family then you do what you have to do ) but I unfortunately have seen instances where the fish was killed to be brought in for show and tell and ended up being fertilizer, I thought this day in age technology and cameras would cut down on that. But I'm a CPR guy on muskie, but I have to respect his right to keep his fish if he is doing so within the regs.

[SmokestackLightnin]

Well I've eaten a muskie and I would never do it again. Is it just me or does anyone else think the guy who made the video is in the wrong. He is breaking the distracted driving law in Ontario by making the video while driving. I am pretty sure he's using a phone.

Edited December 13, 2014 by SmokestackLightnin

[limeyangler]

 

It's funny, I actually sat with an old Native friend just this afternoon who's point of view is, there should be no such thing as catch and release fishing at all. It harms fish for no good reason, gives them "infections" and is a pointless waste of time. He certainly doesn't agree with "sport"fishing and when I brought up tournament fishing to joke, he nearly got up and walked away. "Terrible thing the White ego," he said.

 

He's obviously in a minority as well.

 

 

I would have set him straight for insulting the "white" side of my family and walked away myself.

[c10]

Interesting points here. I suppose my main question would be availability of the species - if there is enough of a constantly reproducing population (natural, stocked or both) to sustain the pressures of a harvest, then its really not wrong to take your legal limit and not waste the fish without damaging the ecosystems. I do tend to get upset when I see trophies in the guts bucket up north or guys pulling out a stringer full of kawartha 5 pound eyes or pictures of 150 jumbos in a cleaning hut. I eat fish don't get me wrong, I just think it is interesting to see other people who have totally contrary views to mine, but in many cases neither side is truly morally wrong if the ecosystem isn’t being abused/ balanced and properly reproducing. I personally think our first concern should always be ensuring that there will be a fishery for the nest generation to selectively harvest a healthy reproductive population, i mean we can all sit here and argue that it was his legal right to take the fish, sure, but just because you could chop down the whole forest doesn't mean you should lol

The way I see it this video isn't a legal way to catch fish as he is breaking a bunch of traffic laws in the process lol just my two cents.

[ch312]

It's too bad people aren't 'outraged' when loads of fat hen steelhead are roped up and dragged along the bank all day.. Would people feel better if that was a pike instead?

 

It's too bad people aren't 'outraged' when loads of fat salmon are roped up and dragged along the bank by steelheaders looking for free roe...

[c10]

"It's too bad people aren't 'outraged' when loads of fat salmon are roped up and dragged along the bank by steelheaders looking for free roe... ;)"

I can't tell you how upset I feel when I see a 10lbs brown trout gutted laying by Bronte Creek or somewhere, they take the eggs and leave the meat, like what? . That should outrage anyone who fishes, I've heard of guys in cambridge throwing 5lbs eyes on the bank to rot because they areeating the guys trout flies, seriously? But whenever I saw somehting to them i'm a member of P3TA or just a liberal activist fool. Really!? Why am I being vilified for being concerned with the fisheries future? lol, I understand it is their right to 'keep' the fish, but seriously, its okay to keep any fish as long as our faulty regs say its okay? lol - may be why so many of our pressured lakes are in decline.
sorry for the rant(s) guys and gals

Edited December 13, 2014 by c10

[Spiel]

I'm a steelheader and wouldn't you know it, they taste great.

My children and I enjoy fresh steelhead over most any fish but the ones on the plate are "selectively harvested."

 

We haven't tasted Musky yet but hey, there's still time.....LOL

[lew]

 

We haven't tasted Musky yet but hey, there's still time.....LOL

 

It doesn't taste like chicken Chris

Edited December 13, 2014 by lew

[misfish]

As long as theres chips and malt splash,it,s all good Lew.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Brian B

[manitoubass2]

next up for me is to eat a musky lol?

 

I dont even know what you can keep in zone 5? I thinks its like 47" or over too keep one???