Limits on pan fish and limiting out

[manitoubass2]

People used to keep a trunk full of perch 20 years ago on Simcoe. It was disgusting and a recipe for trouble. I'm glad they put limits for perch on Simcoe. I think populations can be hurt on any size body of water if they are abused.

I would agree. At least to some extent its possible and plausable.

 

I for one was shocked when cormorants decimated many species on Rainy Lake in such a short time frame.

 

Its a large body of water too and the damage was done very quickly.

 

Quite shocking really.

 

But that being said lakes all have their own ecosystem and manage differently.

 

Pretty tricky to scientifically analyze with so many factors in play.

 

Thats why I like the "play it safe" type methods, because we never really have a full understanding, so treading lightly is often the best solution.

 

Not to say it will happen, but a new disease or something similar could be introduced and change things quickly, or slowly over time.

 

No waterbody has infinite biological sustainability on the levels we expect or are used too.

[crappieperchhunter]

Any water body can be effected by over harvest. Perch fishing on Simcoe which is still really good....isn't what it was 30 years ago when I first started fishing it. I think it would be in far worse shape if the limits had not been put into effect.

[OhioFisherman]

The only times I have encountered " Stunting " is on small bodies of water that have a population far in excess of the available food supply, couple of farm ponds just loaded with silver dollar sized bluegills as a kid come to mind and a few beaver ponds similarly loaded with 4" brookies that attack anything that hits the water like pirranhas. Thinning the herd in both cases would increase the quality of the fish.

 

My area is loaded with farm ponds, I have seen some loaded with silver dollar sized crappie and bluegill, on those ponds the crappie and bluegill seem to take the place of minnows as the source of food for bass. I like to see a pond with some 8-12 inch golden shiners in it, a breeding stock of baitfish that get too big for some of the other fish to eat.