Proposed Trout Regulation Changes for MN & WI

[tharreld]

Kids and worms and trout go together like beer and brats and football. .....I love Brett Favre!

[Driftless]

tell you right now this worm thang ain't gonna happen.

worms are seen with disdain too widely by the c/r crowd.

[Scudly]

Quote:

Much of this is talk at this point, but efforts are being made to simplify the regulations.

Back to the topic at heart, what specific changes might TU propose to simplify the regulations? You mention extending the season, opening all streams to pre-season. Any other ideas kicked around?

[tharreld]

I can't speak for TU but, TU isn't a fishing club. TU is a conservation group. Their goal is to conserve, protect and restore North Americas cold water fisheries and watersheds. That said; TU's goal isn't to simplify the regulations.

[Driftless]

simplify the regulations?

not gonna happen.

Will get even more complicated guaranteed.

[Arctic]

Minnesota's trout regs are already reasonably simple. My 13 year old, who has been almost exclusively a spin-angler since he learned how to cast, easily understands them, and if he has any questions CAN READ THE SIGNS at the stream.

Arctic aka Cutthroat

[Driftless]

hopefully this new proposed extended season in WI is not oked. It will basically tell at least one third of the trout anglers to stay home if the regs are fashioned the way I have heard they are leaning.

[Scudly]

Quote:

Minnesota's trout regs are already reasonably simple. My 13 year old, who has been almost exclusively a spin-angler since he learned how to cast, easily understands them, and if he has any questions CAN READ THE SIGNS at the stream.

Arctic aka Cutthroat

Welcome Gordon! Good to see you on the board. Impressive is it not? Lots of good hunting discussions going on too. Getting ready for your hunt this weekend, right?

[mark p]

The trout regulations certainly aren't the only ones that have been getting more complicated. Bass, muskies, walleyes, even panfish have all seen special regulations on individual waters. Heck didn't they just pass special panfish regs for the reservoirs around Rochester? I believe most people supported those regs.

[Scudly]

Bag limit of five trout in Wisconsin would be nice. A ton of trout and minimal fishing pressure. Minnesota, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan all have a standard five trout bag limit.

There have been two proposals in recent years to change to a bag of five fish 7" or larger. Both passed with flying colors in the April meetings by locals. Both were squashed by Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) Trout Committee. And then there was the Dave Ladd proposal to allow 16 and under kids to use live bait that got squashed by the Trout Committee.

[tharreld]

Mark, Ive read your post several times and I don't understand what you are trying to say. Now granted it's Friday evening and I've had a couple of beers. You talk about the Wisconsin regs. I'm still on the Minnesota board, right?

[blackdog1101]

There have been two proposals in recent years to change toa bag of five five 7" or larger. Both passed with flying colors in the April meetings by locals. Both were squashed by Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) Trout Committee. And then there was the Dave Ladd proposal to allow 16 and under kids to use live bait that got squashed by the Trout Committee.

That's why WI should get rid of the WCC. Let the decisions be made by real fisheries biologists, not bar room biologists or political committees.

[Scudly]

Regarding wardens objecting to 16 and under using bait and harvesting trout in no-kill ares, it would be no different than 16 and under using bait and harvesting trout in regular fishing areas. Their parents or adult companions can help them catch trout and might even catch trout and give them to the kids. I don't believe wardens get heartburn over these practices so why should they get heartburn if it happens in no-kill areas?

Personally I think MN has been a few steps ahead of WI in the right direction to begin with. From 1975-1995 WI used to allow bait anglers to harvest trout in January - April and it was very popular. This was canceled and in 1996 or 1997 and the new March and April no-kill season was established and bait anglers got the royal screwing. Now bait anglers are not allowed to even fish the pre-season. At least MN allows bait anglers to fish pre-season however TU members here are telling me they would like to see artificial only for MN pre-season as well as any extension of the season through Oct. Personally I'd fight against removal of bait for pre-season. But MN is already artificial C&R only Sept 15 so keep it that way if you want to extend. Trout are undergoing metamorphosis in the fall getting ready to spawn and they are "mushy" anyway and not worth eating.

If any season extensions are considered, why not extend earlier rather than later? We know stomping on redds January or later is nonsense. Close to zero impact. Plus so many trout river in the Driftless are underfished that most have population numbers as high as C&R areas.

[Magneto]

We know stomping on redds January or later is nonsense. Close to zero impact.

That isn't necessarily true. Eggs usually hatch about a month after they are deposited and fertilized in mounds of stream-bed gravel. However, cold temperatures can delay the hatch for as long as an additional month. Newly hatched fry stay in the gravel and live off their attached egg sac until it is totally consumed. This usually takes four to six weeks. They then swim up and out of the gravel as fully formed fish. So lets say the trout don't do their thing until late Oct. or early Nov. and we have a cold winter, there may still be eggs or fry well into Jan. or even Feb.

[Driftless]

Mark,

regulations will not get simpler. Just look at all hunting and fishing regulations? Have you seen any get simplified in the last 5 years?

[Scudly]

MN pre-season opens January 1 and would not have been passed in the first place if there is strong evidence to suggest fishermen are stomping on eggs

or developing fry. If there is evidence eggs or fry are being harmed I would think TU would know about this and be against it. My understanding is MNTU is promoting the idea of opening the pre-season to ALL streams (if not greatly expanding the current pre-season stream list). Likely the biggest mortality factor silt from runoff.

As for expanding through October I don't care for the idea. This year an early spawn was observed due to cold weather. Let trout do their thing preparing for spawning. Expanding into October is going to [PoorWordUsage] off more landowners that hunt. Many do not want fisherman walking around putting human scent around scaring off big bucks.

Just my opinions, what do I know?

 

[tharreld]

You seem to have an agenda against TU and the MN DNR. Best way to make changes is to get involved. Attend a Twin Cities Trout Unlimited meeting. Next meeting is 11.24.2009, 6:30 at The REI store in Richfield. Guest speaker will be Steve Kinsella, editor of TROUT (TU magazine).

Expanding into October is going to [PoorWordUsage] off more landowners that hunt. Many do not want fisherman walking around putting human scent around scaring off big bucks.

I doubt thats a big concern but I would be sure to wear orange that time of year.

[blackdog1101]

the new March and April no-kill season was established and bait anglers got the royal screwing. Now bait anglers are not allowed to even fish the pre-season.

You've made statements like this in other threads, but have never really answered my question, so I'll ask again and hopefully you can respond: What is preventing these anglers from using artifical baits or lures during the early season or on 'artificials only' streams? Is there some reason they can't use artificials, or is it simply that they prefer to use bait and are unwilling to change? Or is there another reason I am not thinking about? Thanks

[Bug Ugly]

Exactly. There is nothing preventing them from going on these streams, I mean how hard is it to chuck out a panther martin anyway? Heck, it's 10x easier than fly fishing.

My guess is the 19 and under crowd is heavily influenced in their decision to use bait by what their parents and grandparents use. My sons use whatever I tie on their line.

[Driftless]

please try to put the shoe on the other foot.

Scenario:

WDNR decided that flies were not allowed in early season.

How loud would the outcry be?

Does the shoe fit or isn't it your style?