DNR's persepective on trout streams.

[Jim W]

At this years Trout Day, Steve Klotz from the Lanesboro Fisheries office gave some good insight on past, present and future status of streams in SE MN.

First, a lot of streams were effected by the hard winter, some are dried up in stretches, freezing down. If we don't see a lot of rain this Spring/summer, both the streams and trout will suffer dearly.

SOme interesting statistics they have gathered and shared with us. (please, anyone else at trout day who can add to this info PLEASE do so).

Fisherman surveyed, 75% practice some form of catch and release and 60% practice it regularly. 15-20% of all trout fisherman surveyed were fly-fisherman only. The largest majority were bait fisherman then spin fisherman.

He reported that when creating regs etc, someone will always lose out. EIther it's there favorite waters they have been fishing for 20 years, or they method of fishing isn't of interest to them.
So it isn't easy to make policy for SE MN trout streams.

For example, Camp creek has the 12-16 inch slot on it. This was installed in hope to create a stream with larger trout. Steve reported in the last several years they have witnessed a decrease in large trout.

So what might seem a simple sollution at first, generally isn't, when all natural environmental factors come to play.

The fisheries folk are working hard for our streams! It just isn't an easy task!

Anyone else at trout day want to add?
(Sorry abut the typo in the subject title)

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 04-28-2003).]

[TSTEPHENS]

JIM W. DID YOU ASK STEVE KLOTZ ABOUT USING MINNOWS? I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE TROUT DAY, AND I WAS CURIOUS ON WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[Jim W]

Yes we did!

IT IS LEGAL TO USE MINNOWS IN TROUT STREAMS!

Jim W

[TSTEPHENS]

THE DNR SUCK HERE IN MINNESOTA, HOW CAN ONE DNR OFFICAL SAY YOU CAN'T AND ANOTHER SAYS YOU CAN. THE DNR GUY I TALK TO TOLD ME THAT THE WORDING IN THE REG'S WAS WRONG AND HE'D GET IT FIXED.
I THINK I WILL INTRODUCE THIS STEVE WITH JASON.
THANKS JIM W.

HOPE YOUR FISHING HAS BEEN GOOD.

IT DON'T LOOK REAL GOOD FOR THESE RIVERS WITHOUT WATER, I HOPE THE DNR ARE REALLY CONCERNED?

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[Jim W]

The whole deal on minnows, not for trout, is specifically for stream trout lakes. However, I understand your frustration!!!

Yes, they are EXTREMELY concerned with the streams this year. Some are "running dry" etc. Plus, this could really hurt large trout in SE MN streams. No habitat, no fish!

I don't think blaming or stating the "DNR sucks" is going to change the beaucracy of state funded orginizations and the "interesting communication practices" that are spawned from such orginizations.

Yes, they should be on the same page, but when you are dealing with environmental ambiguities to begin with, it can't make their lives/jobs any better.

We need to be on their side, not against them.
:my pennies worth

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[TSTEPHENS]

YA I'M HELPING OUT BY DOING A CREEL SURVEY OF MY OWN FOR THEM ON THE VERMILLION.
THEY DON'T SUCK,
I JUST THINK I COULD HAVE AVOIDED ALL THE CONTROVERSY ON THIS WEB SITE IF I WOULD HAVE TALKED TO THE RIGHT DNR OFFICIAL. SO IT SEEMS.
HERE'S TO HOPING WE GET SOME RAIN.
THANKS AGAIN.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[troutman72]

trout days was great a must if your into fishing.

correct me if im wrong jim but i understood that if you have more trout that are 9 to 13 inches you will have less trout in the 13 to 16 class because of food presure on the big trout after spawning. even worse if it turns out to be a dry year (like this year). sounds like no matter what the dnr dose it all depends on mother nature to give us big trout.( not sayying CR would not help the numbers of trout). maybe we have to give up numbers in areas to get bigger fish.

cpr [email protected]

[Pig_sticka]

i wish i had more time to be at all the get togethers.
nobody believed me that the minnows were legal
nobody likes me on here anyway dont get much credit
caught near 20 trout in wisconsin saturday, very nice day also. nothin like watching a nice trout chase after the rapala and swipe a few times, then finally smack the daylights out of it.

[Nels]

Can someone lead me to the "Minnow" thread?
I can't find it.

Thanks,
Nels

[Renneberg]

Look in the Vermillion River thread. I think it started on page three.

I had a great day fishing in wisconsin on Sunday too. Took my brother-in-law trout fishing for his third time ever. We caught lots trout in the 10 to 18 inch range. Most of been close to 40 fish caught that day.

Jim I think you covered everything he said.

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"Study to be quite"

[sloopjont]

Hey Pig-sticka! You're appreciated! I love ya man!

Most people knew the rules for minnows: On streams they're ok, on trout lakes they're not. TSTEPHENS just received some bad information (and the regs could be made clearer).
The minnows don't cause the problems in the streams that they do in the trout lakes. Minnows that get away and survive from fisherman using them, or stupidly throwing the minnows left in their bucket in the lake, can have populations establish in those lakes and harm the trout lakes. Often the DNR has gone through great trouble and expense to get rid of all the other fish in the lake to make it more suitable for trout. Using minnows in those stream trout lakes is destructive. It doesn't cause the same problems in streams.

Good Fishing guys!

[TSTEPHENS]

Hey pig_sticka when you work your rapala are you throwing up stream or down stream? Do you find that one way to retrieve it is better than the other?
Do you lose many on rapala's due to the fight or are they always on?

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[Jim W]

Stephens,

Rapalas need to be worked in a couple key ways.

First, a consistent retrieve with equal wobble.

Remember, the rap is replicating the flash of typical stream forage such as shiners and chubs. Generally mirroring a wounded fish.

If you feel like the retrieve isn't smooth or that it is staggered(for me) confidence drops. Confidence is a must when using raps.

With a steady "reel in", try either a sporadic jerk(sometimes hard and exagerated) or a jerk and stop(completely stopping) while reeling in!!

More often than not, the trout reacts to the flash or jerk of the rap. Most often hitting on the stop! Remember, fish don't want to use up more energy to feed than necessary!

Lastly,

Please crimp your barbs on raps! If a fish throws you off, I guess he won that time, but you will usually win the battle win a trout slams a rap!

Keep the rods bendin'!!

Jim W

[TSTEPHENS]

THANKS JIM.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[Renneberg]

Pig-sticka,

Two thing you may want to try next time you are trout fishing and the trout are flashing behind the lure.

1. Change color.
2. Change the size.

I believe the reason they are flashing at the lure and not hitting it is because they like the action of the lure, but not the color or the size. Most often the color.

Just last weekend when I was fishing with my brother-in-law we had a slow start. We caught a few on just about every color I had, but the best lure turned out to be a blue, size 5 rapala. Once we figured out what color and size they wanted, we quickly started catching lots of trout between 10-18 inches. We only fished half the day but caught 40+ trout.

Here's a tip for everyone that fishes with a size 11 rapala.
Those of you that fish with the size 11 rapala's for trout often, know that the front hook will often tangled with the middle hook, and when you hook a small trout with the 11 you often get the middle hook in the trout's eye.

Taking the middle hook out puts a end to both of these problems. And it won't cost you any fish, in fact; it will help you catch more trout since the front one will never be tangled.

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"Study to be quite"

[deadeye]

I also have had that happen alot. I found when you really burn through you get more fish to nail it. This doesn't always work but it helps a lot of the time. ><>
deadeye

[Pig_sticka]

i actually use the rapala with a crazy crazy action. slow retrive with alot of short jerks, immatating a dyin minnow.
i catch probably 25% i see, because most the trout swipe a few times and dont catch it. and fishing a stream you dont have long till they trout sees you.
i usually am casting upstream, but in still areas it doesn't matter. working the rap along the current can be good right when it passes a boulder.
i usually dont lose a fish too often once i get it on though. and i do crimp all my barbs, helps for a quicker release.
stick with other methods during the bright day. they usually dont like chasing the baits as much and they are alittle more spooky.

Is it illegal to catch bats on rapalas? it was pretty awesome when my friend showed me that all you have to do is toss a bait in the air at dusk and the bats try and hit it. we didn't snag one but it was a cool site to see.

[TSTEPHENS]

THANKS PIG, I USE RAPS TO LOCATE BIG FISH THEN GO BACK AT THEM WITH FLIES. IT'S QUITE AWESOME KNOW THAT A BIG FISH IS THERE AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS MAKE THE RIGHT PRESENTATION. IF I DON'T BREAK MY TIPET I RARELY LOSE ANY ON FLIES, BUT THEY CERTAINLY DON'T CHASE A FLY LIKE THEY DO A RAP.
IN WISCONSIN YOU CAN FISH ALL NIGHT LONG AND YOU CAN CATCH A BAT A NIGHT. IT SUCKS TRYING TO GET THEM OFF THAT FAVORITE FLY.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"