Crawler Season

[crappiefisherman]

speakin of being a devils advocate.I dont keep short fish period,,,,,,,,but,,,,,,,,,whats worse to a fishery, one boat perhaps the same boat with 3 fisherman that keep the legal size and number of fish perhaps 5 trips a week , 40 or so times a year, compared to a boat thats used perhaps 10 or less times a year that keeps said short fish?The laws are the laws , but dont blame fishery problems on such limited variables

[gonefishin]

Gonefishin,

I'm sure Capt. Don does have better eyes than you do when it comes to legal and illegal fish as he does it every day. Even with that a mistake can be made however, I've never seen or heard of DNR running someone off a spot. A livewell check is perfectly legal and if you have short fish you receive a ticket, summons, and or a fine but as long as you have a legal fishing license you can keep on fishing.

I am sure they are. My eyes aren't very good. I know because I have seen people who can tell exactly how long a fish is and what it weights from 50 yards and more. Makes me envious.

[jcoberley]

Most of the time all I catch is short fish!!!!! Thats why I go for gills

[DeadHead]

Guys great comments on poachers but one of the most abused fish around is the walleye. People love to eat them and think that every one they catch should meet their fate on a fillet board. Bass are much more prev. around these local lakes than walleye yet every walleye that people catch they keep. I love to fish and enjoy catching a variety of fish we should all work together to preserve our outdoors. Conservation is an important issue and everyone should do their part whether its walleye, crappie, or bass any type of over harvesting can devastate a fishery.

Glad you brought Walleye up Ryan... I fish for about anything but coming from the North, have always enjoyed fishing AND eating Walleye LEGALLY. Many, many Bass fisherman will preach about Bass conservation as though it's a religion and never THINK about eating one but let a Walleye cross their path and BOOM.....! Release to the grease.... I've both heard and seen this many times. What is the difference? It really steams me when I see/hear this hypocritical two faced arguments...

[powerdive]

As long as people are within their legal limits, they should never be hassled. After that it becomes simply a moral issue. Too many people have adopted the narrow view that the bass is a gamefish ONLY, and that C&R is the only acceptable practice. Fact is, to many people bass are (and always have been) table fare. Give the tourney biz its due, they have brought the benefits of selective harvest and C&R to the fore--and there's no doubt that they have had a positive impact on the fishery. But total C&R is an extreme view, and it is NOT what the law supports.

Yes, the guides depend upon this self-renewing resource for their living, and so it's to their advantage to TEACH, to lead by example and to enlighten through their experience. However, they have no right to say that a license holder fishing for bass with live bait and keeping a limit for the table is doing anything wrong.

Meanwhile, I happen to believe that if you're fishing a tourney and catch a fish of another species, it should NOT go in your livewell. But the law doesn't state that. Until it does, I have no business trying to force my views upon you.

[jcoberley]

LOL: I tryed to join a bass tourney and they would not allow me because I only use a canoe and it didn't have a motor or live well I guess a live basket wasn't good enough. I have never tryed again! So where is the bluegill tourney being held and when?

[vonreed]

Also what's the difference in someone fishing on their own catching fish to keep and being with a guide who preaches catch and release, but when the guide's getting paid to guide for someone who wants to keep some fish? It seems pretty hypocritical to me.

[jcoberley]

Morals and Greed I would say!

[CMAC]

Did this post start off as a fishing report?

I would like to hear more about crawler fishing, tips and tatics, not keeping bass.

[jcoberley]

Did this post start off as a fishing report?

I would like to hear more about crawler fishing, tips and tatics, not keeping bass.

LOL Nice thought and I agree. Sorry for putting in my 2 cents!

I have found night crawlers are the best bait day in and day out! I guess one might say I show up with a box of worms and my old real with a new pole and have a blast. One never know whats biting but worms always catch something!