Report On Both Swan And Beaver 4/5

[Jeremy Rasnick]

Caught 4 Keeper Walleye in Swan above the Casey bridge this AM. Water is getting pretty clear and will probably be awesome this afternoon for whites. We packed up went to Beaver in persuit of whites and ended up catching 11. Among the eleven were some very nice sows....all good fish and no dinks. Also caught about 10 gar and landed about 5. I hooked one that would go close to 5 Feet long. When you think you have ran out of water on beaver keep going up till you find the fish. We were about a mile above the tea tables.

Beaver was still very dingy.........I would say tomorrow will be the day to be out. The females we cleaned were still chalked full of eggs....dispite of some rumors that the females have dropped their eggs isn't completely true....there are still several.

White Sliders were the bait of choice for the whites and a little bit of everything for the walleye.....shad raps, slider, swimming minnow and possibly a gitzit, i can't remember.

Good luck

[Project Healing Waters]

I know it's legal and that's your right, but I just cringe when I read things like "...the females we cleaned were still full of eggs..." I've got nothing against keeping white bass. I've done it all my life. But I won't keep a female pre-spawn. And I just WISH more folks would do the same. A little delayed gratification can really pay off in the near future with fish like white bass. And...as of yet...none of us are starving to death.

But thanks for the informative report. I do appreciate it and I'm all for anyone who is out having a good time legally. So please don't take this the wrong way. Just food for thought...one man's opinion. And I'll defend your RIGHT to do what you did until the laws change. So I am NOT saying you were WRONG.

[pt1]

Sounds to me like you're one of those that if you could, you would make all fishing catch and release. No, we're not starving, but I happen to enjoy eating all of the varities of species in our lakes and waterways around here. I'm one that thinks that we already have too many restrictions on fishing and keeping what you can catch as it is. I do respect your opinion however because everybody is entitled to their own. I think not saying anything at all would be a better choice. You really wouldn't like me; because if it's legal; I keep it no matter what. I have a wife and three boys and we all love to eat fish and can't afford to pay store price for catfish and trout fillets; and I just can't go the cheap ocean fish and tilapea.

[Phil Lilley]

It would be great if everyone who is catching alot of nice whites, sows in particular, would release ONE sow with eggs as seed. Just think what that would do for the spawn. Not to say that fish would survive the next guy if she's caught.

But we've discussed this with trout, walleye, smallmouth and now white bass in this water forum and others and there's always going to be differing opinions. Some are more passionate about it on both sides. What we all have to agree on is to nail the poachers who take all they can catch during the heat of the run and stick them in 3 freezers at home, letting half of them burn before they're eaten.

PS- I know Jeremy and I bet you a $100 he and his dad did release a sow or two.

[Sam]

I've been releasing big white bass sows for years, even before bringing the good white bass runs back was an issue.

I guess I've been spoiled by too many good crappie filets. I'll keep white bass up to about 14", but over that they're pretty strong-tasting to me, even if you "trim the red off", soak them in salt water, etc. The big ones are sure fun to catch, though.

[pt1]

Each to his own opinion.

[2bfishn]

I've been releasing big white bass sows for years, even before bringing the good white bass runs back was an issue.

I guess I've been spoiled by too many good crappie filets. I'll keep white bass up to about 14", but over that they're pretty strong-tasting to me, even if you "trim the red off", soak them in salt water, etc. The big ones are sure fun to catch, though.

Sam you bring up an interesting issue..... you been spoiled by too many good crappie filets.....Hmmmm do you keep crappie that are full of eggs?

I am not really pointing this at you. There just always seems to be someone very vocal about spawning fish of there faviorite species and many of those think nothing at all about keeping fish of another species that are spawning.

The main thing to remember here is to enjoy the time on the water and not let someone else who is within there legal rights upset us and ruin a good spring fishing trip. Once again Sam the comment was not pointed at you. You just left the perfect opening

[Project Healing Waters]

Sam you bring up an interesting issue..... you been spoiled by too many good crappie filets.....Hmmmm do you keep crappie that are full of eggs?

I am not really pointing this at you. There just always seems to be someone very vocal about spawning fish of there faviorite species and many of those think nothing at all about keeping fish of another species that are spawning.

The main thing to remember here is to enjoy the time on the water and not let someone else who is within there legal rights upset us and ruin a good spring fishing trip. Once again Sam the comment was not pointed at you. You just left the perfect opening

Actually, that's a good point. I don't keep females full of eggs of ANY species, nor do I intentionally shoot hen ducks. But that's my personal choice. It is perfectly legal and ethical NOT to use voluntary restraint with regard to bag and possession limits. But I am far from a C&R purist. I've probably kept and eaten as many fish as anybody reading this. I don't keep smallmouth at all. I will keep small white bass males if I'm getting into a bunch of them. I don't keep largemouth bass at all. I never keep a wild trout. And I don't keep female pan fish if they're full of eggs. Why? In the hopes that Y'ALL get to have more of the same fun I'm having "next time." And...as I said before...I'll defend EVERYONE'S right to fish legally and never denigrate any angler/hunter for a legal harvest. And NOBODY upsets me when I'm fishing. I'll move before I allow that to happen. But that doesn't mean I won't walk up and confront someone for game violations. I just won't get upset about it. There's a right way and a wrong way to deal with such things.

Side Note: How any literate person could read that and come up with "...you sound like you think nobody should ever keep any fish..." is baffling to me. I guess we went to different kinds of schools.

And, yes, Phil...even releasing ONE pre-spawn female per day of fishing would be a step in the right direction and no skin off of anyone's nose. But good luck getting the participation you mentioned: everyone.

And I agree with you that the FIRST order of business for the responsible angler is to help the game wardens by dropping a dime on the worst offenders of the LAWS regarding creel and possession limits. That's why I have them programmed into my phone, as I know many others do too. And I'm glad guys like you are out there keeping a similar eye on what's going on around you.

[Phil Lilley]

And NOBODY upsets me when I'm fishing.

Are you sure - never? :) :)

[watermen]

Biologically there is no difference removing a female from the population in june, august,November or April, She still will not spawn the following spawning season. Since most larger specimens of all fish species are female, removing large fish form the population removes the spawning recruitment. Game departments and the nmfs base their harvest and possesion limits on TAC (total allowable catch) capacities for given bodies of water.State agencies in most places have adopted slot limits for harvest guidelines to protect their spawning recruitment, there is now a question as to female fecundity as they age, hence the usual one trophy allowance. Even catch and release has a pretty high mortality,some species higher than others. Playing with your food and catching fish after fish is still detrimental to fish populations,Don't rationalize read the studies that are out there and then decide and quite baiting each other it diminishes the sport and the fun. Poachers need to be hammered period.