Research paper

[Jim Uran]

Hey, I've got a research paper due by the end of the semester in my Comp 2 class. What are some fishy related subjects or topics I can do on an 8-12 pg paper?!?!? 

[blue_healer_guy]

I would say some hot topics out there now are, Musky stocking debate, the recovery of red lake or the debacle at mille lacs.

[leech~~]

4 minutes ago, blue_healer_guy said:

I would say some hot topics out there now are, Musky stocking debate, the recovery of red lake or the debacle at mille lacs.

I was going to suggest something along those same lines but I know Jim is Native American and it could be a hard subject to write on?

[Mistermojo]

How about the pros and cons of implementing a state-wide walleye slot limit similar to Ontario's?

[Paradice]

Write about the evolution and expansion of fish catching technology and fishing access and how limits have evolved or failed to evolve to address the sustainability of the resource.   Broader utilization of flashers, better fish houses, gps, cell phones, internet forums and how those technologies can lead to higher catch rates and extreme harvest on lakes. 

Edited February 5, 2016 by Paradice

[Mid-Lake Rock]

Jim:

Good to see you back.  I remember seeing your photos of nice bluegills and your daughter with a big smile after catching nice gills.  I suggest a paper about protecting big panfish for future generations.  You can hit on:

1. Catch and release.

2. Responsible and sustainable harvest.

3. Special regulations (lakes with a five gill limit).  

There is research available and I would also try to set up a meeting with an area fishing manager from the DNR.  

I think it is important to have a topic where the audience has an idea of your topic.  Many people (your professor may be included) won't have any idea about electronics, Red Lake, Mille Lacs, etc.  I don't think those are bad topics, however a lot of people have caught a bluegill or crappie.

Good luck!

[delcecchi]

I recall writing a paper about the then current issue of transistors vrs tubes for audio amplifiers in my freshman english class.   Prof clearly didn't have a clue...  Said I should have defined my terms...  I said like which ones?   He said,  like this "impedance" you keep talking about.  

[leechlake]

Mid Lake and Del nailed it- pick a subject the person reading your paper knows something about and that you want to write about also.  That can be difficult.  One of my last classes at the old U of MN was a Women's Studies course requirement and my buddy and I took it together.  I'm not kidding you when I tell you the title was "Lesbians in Film"

Prof was on that team and I had to write a paper at the end of the course.  I wrote it for my audience and not for me and got an A.  As much as it stinks to have to do that generally it works better.

[RebelSS]

How about...writing about the evolution of ice fishing....with pics...on how ice fishing has evolved, especially due to the electronic/mechanized aspects of it....?

Edited February 5, 2016 by RebelSS

[bturck]

Red Lake and its comeback could still be a good subject even though Jim you are Native American.  The Red Lake band was very instrumental in its recovery.  The reason for the collapse does not have to land on any one cause.  It happened and those are factual results.  I think it would be very interesting reading.

[magic_minnow]

I wrote a paper on invasive species.  I focused on the displacement of native mussels on the MN river.

[bturck]

Red Lake and its comeback could still be a good subject even though Jim you are Native American.  The Red Lake band was very instrumental in its recovery.  The reason for the collapse does not have to land on any one cause.  It happened and those are factual results.  I think it would be very interesting reading.

[jBohmer]

I speak with a lot of people all over the country and internationally at my job.  When I tell them I was ice fishing many of them are shocked and the questions start flying at me even from people who have no interest in fishing.  Something about driving out on frozen water and fishing through a hole in the ice seems to really intrigue people especially the people that live in the tropics or southern US (they tend to think I am crazy).  Maybe if your paper is focused to people who know nothing about ice fishing  you can capture their interest and then expand on how technology has impacted fishing in the last 10-15 years.  Good luck with the paper and the fishing!   

[busse3775]

There has to be a ton of information out there on invasive species and what we can do to manage this issue, so I would think that would be easy to make 8 pages. Otherwise could discuss how technology has evolutionized the sport of fishing, such as using different types of sonars and GPS units.

[nofishfisherman]

Some of the ideas others have given are good ideas but if the point of the paper is research and write on a topic some of the proposed topics might be a little broad to adequately cover in 8-12 pages.  I'm guessing the prof is going to be looking for detailed research that really picks a topic apart and gives a good detailed report, too broad of a topic and that can't be done in 8-12 pages.  For instance, invasive species is a good topic but perhaps focus on one particular invasive species such as the zebra mussel, or maybe focus on the impacts invasives are having on one particular lake.  The trick there is finding enough data on that one lake.  

Another idea is to write about ice safety.  You could talk about the thickness of ice needed for different modes of travel, how quickly ice forms at various temps, the impact that an insulating layer of snow may have, potential factors that can cause weak spots, etc.  I'm sure you know most of the information so it would just be a matter of researching the documentation for citation purposes.  I think you could probably talk directly to some people at the DNR that would be happy to give you some specific numbers/stats on the topic.  That could give you some bonus points with the proof as I'm sure most students will do their research on the internet or in the library and not go and directly interview an expert on the topic. 

Also I'm not sure that the OP being Native American has really anything to do with the ability or desire to write about Red Lake or Mille Lacs.  Every topic has many different perspectives and can be approached from any angle.  Its up to the writer to determine how they want to approach a topic and I could see there being an interesting perspective taken on it.

Edited February 5, 2016 by nofishfisherman

[Jim Uran]

13 hours ago, leech~~ said:

I was going to suggest something along those same lines but I know Jim is Native American and it could be a hard subject to write on?

It would honestly be an easy subject to write on, something taking both sides into play. 

My professor is open minded and is a fan of my dumb fishing papers so far, lol. I'm 3/4's of the way through a classification and division paper on fish habitat. It's due in a few hours so I'm sitting here at work typing it up!!

[th64]

Spearing

 

[jmd1]

I wrote paper some time ago on the Mexican Grey Wolf recovery in AZ/NM.  Clearly the prof was pro wolf and i got dinged for it.  If you know you can get the required pages, required references, and think you can get enough information to make it a "research" paper, you should have a great subject.  Good luck.

[Neighbor_guy]

How about the idea of multi zone pike management. 

[Cooter]

Effects of runoff from headwaters of the miss and tribs down to salt water

Use of license sales revenue