DISGUSTED at the access Friday afternoon

[Alagnak]

also for those that keep for food. PLEASE THATS B.S. WE ALL KNOW THAT WHOLE LINE IS A CROCK OF SH*T WHEN IT COMES TO BIG FISH.

No doubt. Everyone who fishes or hunts a lot knows that the money we spend doing it, traveling, gear, bait, and all that puts fish and game at a VERY high price per pound. It doesn't take a math freak to figure that out. If a guy needs food that bad then he would stay home and just each steak, lobster, or halibut every night. Much cheaper than catching your own.

[fishdale]

I saw a family pulling in about a half dozen NICE Cats.

.

2hounds - What kind of cats and how big where they? When I reed half dozen nice size cats I envision channels that are 5- 8 lbs. Some of the serious flathead guys may think of 20 lb flat heads.

[Slowhand]

No it's not against the law, its just against common sense.

Well said Alagnak. I might though have to empty threat you if/when I get bigger fish to pry that Y-out pike and alaska salmon from you

[OIF_Veteran_21B]

Had a guy who thought he wrote the laws come and try pulling a walleye off of my stringer to release. That cost him a new cellphone that got wet when he went for an involuntary swim. He did manage to release another angler's walleye downstream. That stunt cost him a ticket for harassment.

Even though you may disagree with people keeping certain larger legal fish, that doesn't give you the right to force you beliefs on that person. Doing so definitely doesn't allow you to be classified as a sportsman. You're no better than a rotten poacher if you act that way!

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

lol was thinking something along those lines myself. Do have a thing for "whatever- you can take your pick." Could I pick a tasty 20 dollar bill and a slab of walleye

[tonkapat]

Why anyone would actually eat a cat out of the minnesota or mississippi is beyond me. Fun to catch but would rather starve than eat one. The only good thing about the idiots that keep the big ones is that they are usually not very good anglers and total harvest by each individualis low. How about a slot like All catfish from 20" and up must be immediately released. Hopefully the guy eats that 40 lber everynight and gets an overload of that great river pollution. good luck

[Alagnak]

Had a guy who thought he wrote the laws come and try pulling a walleye off of my stringer to release. That cost him a new cellphone that got wet when he went for an involuntary swim. He did manage to release another angler's walleye downstream. That stunt cost him a ticket for harassment.

Even though you may disagree with people keeping certain larger legal fish, that doesn't give you the right to force you beliefs on that person. Doing so definitely doesn't allow you to be classified as a sportsman. You're no better than a rotten poacher if you act that way!

Not sure if your comment is for me or not. I agree with you in regards to not forcing beliefs on a person, especially with physical force. Thats why I simply write it in a public forum in which you just forced yourself to read, I didn't force anything. Common sense can't be forced or taught, it must come from experience. Keep reading.

[gooseby10ga]

Wow, I will be the first to say I wouldn't appreciate some one telling me what to do. The thing is I have three young boys that I am am teaching there are better ways to put a meal of fish on the table, then to keep anything that comes into my boat or ice house. Everyone is entilled to keep those fish but that does help those young anglers that may/will have a much harder time finding a trophy to CPR. I honestly can say my boys are going to know the difference meal fair and a photo for bragging rights, and for that I am vary proud of myself and them. Thanks for reading my post.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

I don't want people getting me wrong. You do have every right to keep your fish you caught while they are in legal size. Wouldn't truly take anyone's fish from them. I just have a very hard time seeing a cat of that size being taking for someone to butcher it up. When you know that they could've kept the other smaller fish that had came into the boat. What makes me even more irritable is that they knowingly are taking it right before spawn.

And yes my son will know when and when not to take a fish.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Man oh man I really hope this fishery is doing better than I think otherwise we are in for a surprise years from now when nobody can catch a 40+ lb Flathead anymore. I can think of 15,291 (number of lakes in MN) reasons why you might wanna go catch some smaller fish out of a clean lake than take a trophy Flathead out of the river systems. I would appreciate being able to take my kids out sometime to be able to have the experience of their life hauling in and releasing a big Flathead.

[Whisker Warrior]

I believe there are two types of Anglers out there....One is a fisherman and the other is a catcherman....The catcherman only goes out to put a product(fish) on their table and gets either [PoorWordUsage] or inpatient when he/she is not catching...a fisherman is one who justs likes to be on the water for the hunt not neccessarily the end product(fish)...Catching a fish to the fisherman is a bonus compared to the joys of being on the water and taking in surroundings and sharing those moments with the ones that are important to them...maybe this applies maybe it doesn't...but i'm thinking those who keep big fish strictly for food are the catcherman...

[DTro]

While people may see it as preaching, I see it as responsibility. If I'm going to log on here and help folks out in catching a fish or two, at the same time I'm also going to insist that you put a little thought into taking a big fish to eat.

That's all, just put a little thought into it.

I would never bluntly tell you what to do. You have every right to kill that fish, but then again I have every right to suggest reasons why it might be better to let it swim.

Totally agree with Alagnak that the guys throwing them in the trunks are also the first guys to complain why they can't catch them as easy anymore.

These aren't sunfish were talking about....

[fishdale]

Hopefully the guy eats that 40 lber everynight and gets an overload of that great river pollution. good luck

Wow - Wishing a fellow human to get sick over a fish he kept that is harsh. Well at least you wish him good look for what ever treatment he needs for the River pollution overload.

Educate - Yes

Chastise - No

[DTro]

I guess the one positive thing here in MN is that our laws are pretty restrictive when it comes to these cats (5 in possession, 1 over 24” and no more than 2 can be flatheads). Compared to other states, we are way ahead of the curve.

So any one of these scenarios is against the law.

More than 5 cats in possession

2 or more cats over 24”

3 or more flatheads in possession

Unfortunately, without enforcement the law is only as good as the paper it is printed on.

[Surreal Deal]

I guess the one positive thing here in MN is that our laws are pretty restrictive when it comes to these cats (5 in possession, 1 over 24” and no more than 2 can be flatheads). Compared to other states, we are way ahead of the curve.

So any one of these scenarios is against the law.

More than 5 cats in possession

2 or more cats over 24”

3 or more flatheads in possession

Unfortunately, without enforcement the law is only as good as the paper it is printed on.

[Gordie]

I never told those guys that they couldn't keep that fish I meerly stated that those big girls should be released to spawn.

I do not tell anyone what they can keep or what they can't.

The laws for fish and game are put in place to protect fish as well as letting people still keep fish for the table. the laws that are in place for catfish I think are good ones and has contributed to the good fish population that we are seeing now.

The sport of catfishing is growing at a very fast pace and I think that most guys are C and R guys but still think that the laws should be tightend up a bit to help preserve this truly magnificent sportfish.

Now if this had been a Muskey in the bottom of that boat where do you think this would have gone?

[Surreal Deal]

The sport of catfishing is growing at a very fast pace and I think that most guys are C and R guys but still think that the laws should be tightend up a bit to help preserve this truly magnificent sportfish.

Now if this had been a Muskey in the bottom of that boat where do you think this would have gone?

I think that may be part of the stereotyping that we see in fishing - A lot of people don't consider catfish to be sport fish at all, but rather rough fish that nobody will miss.

Not everyone is concerned with preserving fisheries, etc., and to some people a 40-45 pound fish is a fish of a lifetime. The original post doesn't indicate what they had in mind for the fish. It may very well be that they wanted to keep it for a mount. While I won't agree with what they did, as long as they didn't violate their possession limit I guess they deserve the benefit of the doubt that maybe they don't make a habit of keeping every single lunker that they catch.

[ikatcher]

i'm just trying to remember all this, we can't keep musky's, we cant keep largemouth bass, we can't keep smallmouth bass, we can only keep walleyes between 15-17 inches. crappies have to be 8-10 inches long sunfish shoud be 6-8 inches long. we cant shoot bucks unless they are 4 pts to a side and now we have a problem with catfish. boy i'm i glad i started catch and release in the 80's and quit hunting in the 90's. my head is spinning!

[ikatcher]

by the way could someone please tell me how big a northern i can keep?

[DTro]

Whatever the law says. Same as every other fish.

[Gordie]

by the way could someone please tell me how big a northern i can keep?

fyi only one over 30 inches let your head spin some more.

[ec30_06]

I think I am going to start eating muskies. They are at least stocked so the DNR will replace what I take. They don't spawn in this part of the state anyway.

[bobbymalone]

I think I am going to do what I think is right, meaning 99% CPR and 1% selective harvest and try not to worry too much about what other people are doing as long as they are doing it legally.

Hopefully this metro catfish study can lead to more stringent regulations to protect these fish.

Just be glad that the average meat hunter doesn't have the know how or patience to chase after the big cats. Also most of the meat head meat hunters I know don't even know there are non-walleye fish in this state.

[CFHunter]

I agree with the catch and release guys on here, taking a huge flathead fish isn't right. I would like to see a new law that puts a size limit on what can be kept, like no flat over 30". If anyone asks if I keep the big flatheads I catch I always tell them I would rather grab a fish sandwich at McDonalds. I don't even keep walleyes that I catch on the river. It is the challenge and sport that we go for in hopes that we catch as big of fish as possible. It is depressing to hear about any catfish of size taken out of the river. Thanks to technology we have the digital camera. People can't deny a picture unless the batteries die and you can't take one. This is why most people have camera phones as a backup. Take a pic, it will last a lifetime.

[ikatcher]

i know what the law is! i just want to know what people like you think so i don't have something in my livewell that you dont find acceptable. if you read my post carefully you would see that i am into c&r. but what i'm not into is telling you or anyone else what they want to throw into their frying pan as long as its legal, period. and unless you are wearing a badge you will never see whats in my livewell. practice c&r if you like and toss out your opinion on sites like this but to confront someone on the water is just asking for trouble.