Quality sunfish initiative

[Lee Borgersen]

 Quality sunfish initiative

  .......
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/sunfish/index.html
   

[Leech~~]

Quality sunfish initiative

  .......
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/sunfish/index.html
   

I'm starting to realize that the problem with fish population reduction isn't from advancements in technology like Livescope and such.   

The real threat to fish populations is---Retired folks!      

[glenn57]

Quality sunfish initiative

  .......
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/sunfish/index.html
   

I'm starting to realize that the problem with fish population reduction isn't from advancements in technology like Livescope and such.   

The real threat to fish populations is---Retired folks!      

[mike89]

Quality sunfish initiative

  .......
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/sunfish/index.html
   

I'm starting to realize that the problem with fish population reduction isn't from advancements in technology like Livescope and such.   

The real threat to fish populations is---Retired folks!      

so when you retire shortly what are you going to be doing??   

[glenn57]

Quality sunfish initiative

  .......
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/sunfish/index.html
   

I'm starting to realize that the problem with fish population reduction isn't from advancements in technology like Livescope and such.   

The real threat to fish populations is---Retired folks!      

so when you retire shortly what are you going to be doing??   

i was going to ask him that too, but its my turn to be nice to Leech day!!!!!!!   i think he is a rough fish (walleye) guy......so he says!!!!!!!!

[glenn57]

so Jerry Carlson had an article in the st cloud times about this also, he mentions 2 lakes in the area, Carnelian by kimball and Pleasant by Rockville, st cloud. not sure which one he said it was actually helping, not so much on the other.

that got me to thinking.......what about the reverse???? getting most the stunted sunfish out of the system????/ i know each and every lake is a different beast, but i'm going to use the cabin lake for an example. we used to get some really nice sunfish out of there. i'm sure Merc can attest to that.

then for the first time since we owned it, it had a severe winter kill. the sunfish where far and few between. then we had millions of them, there wasnt a spot on the lake within reason you couldnt go and fill a fish basket full of them little buggers. we slowly began keeping them, granted taking more then normal for a meal....but. they started to get bigger........and the biggest ones we threw back keeping the smaller ones that had some meat to it.

now with the 2 latest winter kills we are back to starting over!!!!!! so why not take a lake with stunted sunfish and get them out so some can grow bigger instead of leaving ALL them little ones in there??????????

until this last time it had winter kill they started to get respectable in size.   

[merc]

Wow Glenn, I have to agree with everything you said. There is a lake close to me at home that they lowered the limit to five and I fished it this week and it was non stop catching but not one close to keeping size. It has been like this for the last 15 years.  What the DNR is thinking on some lakes I have no idea. The lakes they have the lower limit on by the cabin I agree with so far.   

[glenn57]

Wow Glenn, I have to agree with everything you said. There is a lake close to me at home that they lowered the limit to five and I fished it this week and it was non stop catching but not one close to keeping size. It has been like this for the last 15 years.  What the DNR is thinking on some lakes I have no idea. The lakes they have the lower limit on by the cabin I agree with so far.   

good thing I was sitting when I read you agreed with me!!!🙄

I found a nice sunfish lake but I want to find a few more up there. The search is on and I've been doing some investigating.

So far as I read none of the lakes I fish sunfish have restrictions.

The pike regulations are the cats meow. I go threw alot of smoked and pickled pike. Kinda a bummer when ya release a nice 25 incher though.

[merc]

I was shocked I agreed with you too.     

[snow1]

Near my home,we have a dandy semi private 120 acrer lake with two deep holes 30fow that was subject to winter kill lake is loaded with dandy sunfish/crappies huge bass and now hybrid muskies,residents (only 6 house on the lake chip in for two aireators during winter months,over the years two avid resident fishermen stocked the lake with these muskies and walleyes as the panfish started to stunt,years later one rez had the dnr come out and survey the lake fish population,hybrid muskies donot reproduce dnr claimed the walleye population don't show signs of reproducing either,average size of walleyes are mid 20's to low 30's,muskies up to 50"s these days,panfish larger than average these days,gills and hybreds up to 12"s,crappies up to 14's,dang muskies are relentless hitting 2-3lb bass at the boat...wakes a guy up.

My PB bass from this lake is 24.5"s/8.2lbs released,state record bass at the time was 8.6lbs,seen larger bass over the years but dead,one measureed 27"s up on shore,no sign it had been caught,but guessing that bass was pushing 10lbs,alot to be said about managing our native fish species with predator species such as muskies

[Gunner55]

  Curious to see if the 20-30 Mennonites show up over at the resort this year now. All I ever see them fishing for is panfish & I'm sure they keep everything they catch. Be tougher to get all they want now with the 5 fish daily limit.

[mike89]

that would put the hurts on the amish around here too... 

[Gunner55]

  Mostly Mennonites down home, so....................

[Dotch]

I still wonder what became of those IA guys who used to come up in their Winnebago's and fish bullheads at the Morristown Dam? 

Seriously tho, it really does seem to make a difference especially on some of these small lakes to put some predator fish in the equation when they are lacking. St. Olaf Lake is an example. When I first moved here it was full of half-cigar sized perch. They were a constant nuisance. It had been stocked with walleye once upon a time that had run their course and every once in a great while someone would catch a nice crappie. In 1998 the DNR put some northern pike in it. That took care of the perch along with increasing the panfish supply. It's still not great due to its small size and possibly heavier winter fishing pressure but there are some large nords in it that not many target due to a 30" minimum slot. 

[Gunner55]

We had special regs here on pike long before the new statewide regs were installed. I had to look it up but in 2007 we went to a keep 9, 22-26", with 2 over plan. It took some time, mainly because most didn't want/know how to clean them right IMO, but I believe that the size has finally begun to improve in the last 3-5 years. Now most of the state is actually keep 10, 22-26", with 2 >26".

[KEN W]

Yeah.....learning to take out the y bones keeps people from keeping them.

[glenn57]

Yeah.....learning to take out the y bones keeps people from keeping them.

doing that on a fish less than 25 inches is a waste of time.,., IMO. Not sure why people are so afraid to pick bones out of fish.

[KEN W]

Why pick them out when it is easy to let your knife do the job.

KIDS don't like to pick pike Y-bones out.

[Gunner55]

  Neither do I!!      I'm retired & have lots of time , besides, I'd rather take the time to take 'em out than have somebody choke    on some bones from a fish I cleaned. Besides, it's easy & doesn't take that long.

[LPS]

I will eat nords once I get the Y bones out.  The other option is to not eat them.

[Gunner55]

I even take the pin bones out of all the fish I clean. Some of what I give away is eaten by little kids & I don't want them to be afraid to eat it.

[KEN W]

Yup....I take those out also. Also takes out the lateral line on large fish. That is what tastes fishy.

[Steve-o]

Speaking of quality sunfish...

Watch: Anglers Find a Live Fish Inside a Northern Pike

Go watch the video. 

[mike89]

they like to eat!!!   cool video!!   

[Leech~~]

Speaking of quality sunfish...

Watch: Anglers Find a Live Fish Inside a Northern Pike

Go watch the video. 

Hope they took some initiative and released it to become a Quality sunfish?     

[Jerkbiat]

Neat video