Northern Pike Special Regs or Protected Slots

[delcecchi]

20-22 inch pike are the best eaters. If you have trouble cleaning a fish that size you need more practice.A sharp knife does wonders, sharpen every time you use it with a whet stone. Anything over 23 gets thrown back in my boat. Keep those overpopulated small fish and let the bigger ones get big.

Surely you are kidding. They might be ok for pickling or grinding up into fish cakes, but if you take out the y bones there isn't much left. And I've been catching northerns for a lot of years. The ontario slot of 27+ would be better for me. But it is what it is, and I deal with it.

I throw back everything over 24 and most under.

[delcecchi]

Six small pike? Limit is three where I fish, I am pretty sure.

[ESOXGEEK]

I think you all should consider yourselves lucky that your state wants to protect any of these wonderful fish. Here in the crappy run state of Colo. as of this year there is NO LIMIT or size restriction statewide !!The DisasterOfWildlife here even tells people to just throw fish on the bank instead of releasing them. I fight hard by trying to talk to as many people as I can and educate them, too many out here believe the myth of pike being a kill em all predator that will eat everything in the lake. Hell, there is even a proposal to go in and poison a lake to remove pike and I have personally seen fish over 30 pounds caught and released there!! The lower elevation lakes out here are ideal for Northerns, but the state thinks we should have trout in every mud puddle. I could rant for hours about how mis managed this state is

[mrklean]

ha California is the same way when i talk fishing with people if i say pike they say all they do is ruin lakes and kill all the trout

[JPenny]

Esoxgeek, I wish you all the best in your fight to protect pike in Colorado. If the officials there are considering poisoning a lake to rid it of pike, they ought to contact officials in California. The Cali's tried that many times, at the expense of taxpayers, to the tune of multi millions of dollars, with no intended results. It was a nearly complete failure. They would be a lot better off trying to protect those pike and promoting a trophy fishery. Think of all the millions of dollars crossing the Canadian border each year by Americans in search of big pike. Some of that could be spent here!

[ESOXGEEK]

Esoxgeek, I wish you all the best in your fight to protect pike in Colorado. If the officials there are considering poisoning a lake to rid it of pike, they ought to contact officials in California. The Cali's tried that many times, at the expense of taxpayers, to the tune of multi millions of dollars, with no intended results. It was a nearly complete failure. They would be a lot better off trying to protect those pike and promoting a trophy fishery. Think of all the millions of dollars crossing the Canadian border each year by Americans in search of big pike. Some of that could be spent here!

The people making the decisions out here are clueless as to what a trophy is. They have turned this state into a place of put and take trout waters spending millions on fish that will never breed and rarely last more than a couple seasons.

We have true trophy potential here, I know of 4 fish over 40" in the last 2 weeks being landed and fortunately all but one were released. I will spend more time on the docks preaching than fishing! If I can educate one or two people a month it is progress. I have even started trying to work on some of the state employees and now have one guy who seems to get IT ! The serious pike folks here know all about lake Davis in Cali and we have tried to bring that up in meetings and at every opportunity with the DOW.

All hope is not lost, just this week the owner of the tackle company I work for was asked to participate in our Sportsman's Advisory Committee, a group made up of hunters, farmers, ranchers and fishers that decide what rules should be passed along to the government for voting. If he can secure this position, we will take the fight to the state from the inside, and just maybe open an eye or 2 to the possibilities that the magnificent ESOX LUCIOUS can present !!

[Spike76]

It all comes down to what size you think a trophy is. My 10 year old grandson might think that a 5 pounder is a trophy. My grandson don't even want to spear this year for fear he will make a mistake and spear one in the slot. Thanks alot slot limits, winter used to be fun.

[cbrooks]

There's about 10,000 other lakes that don't have a slot...you can spear on those without worrying about the slot limit

[JPenny]

Esoxgeek, There's more than one way to skin a cat. I know the legislative warriors in Minnesota have recruited concerned folks from out of state to write the proper authorities about issues like this. If you'll gather the names of officials who can make a difference, I for one would be happy to contact them and give them my 2 cents worth of opinion.

[mrklean]

would be nice to see the updated list of special reg lakes

[smallie_hawgin]

would be nice to see the updated list of special reg lakes

Will a map work??

[mrklean]

that is nice thanks

[smallie_hawgin]

An interesting tidbit for those out there doubting if protected slot regulations have the ability to be effective....

From a recent survey on Fish Trap Lake.

Quote:

The lake survey gill net results have also displayed an improvement in the northern pike size structure. Before the regulation implementation in 2003, pike exceeding 24 inches comprised 15% (n=7 of 47) of the 2002 catch and 14% (n=10 of 71) of the 1998 catch. The 2010 lake survey, however, which had a record northern pike catch of 145 fish (12.1/GN), had 21% (n=31) of the fish more than 24 inches in length. The 2010 gill net catch also had the greatest number of pike exceeding 30 inches (n=10; 7%) of the eight gill net catches dating back to 1980.

[OnAFly]

But it doesn't work exactly the same on every single lake so therefor they must not work

[tolle141]

There's about 10,000 other lakes that don't have a slot...you can spear on those without worrying about the slot limit

Yeah. That arbitrary cap of 100 lakes is kind of ridiculous, considering how many lakes this state has. Think about it. 1% of the lakes in the state can have experimental regulations for growing trophy fish.

Maybe while we're at it, let's cap the number of lakes spearers can be on at 1%....

[Jameson]

...Think about it. 1% of the lakes in the state can have experimental regulations for growing trophy fish.

[smallie_hawgin]

Jameson...

The only flaw in your suggestion... You can still spear and angle on any of the lakes with special or experimental regs... Period! You choose to go elsewhere. Admittedly, if I was spearing, I would be very cautious on lakes with regs... But as an angler, I love the regs. Some of the survey reults of spearing groups even suggest they actually liked to spear on the regs lakes, because they know they have a good chance of seeing a bigger pike... Just sayin..

[RK]

Very good point Smallie_hawgin, and one that seems to go right past at least some out there.

One other point about the acreage...two of the largest lakes with regs are Mille Lacs and Lake of the Woods. Both are somewhat special cases. On Mille Lacs, part of the pike management strategy is in place to control harvest to keep it under the quota for the year when taken in combination with the by catch from netting under the 1837 treaty. Lake of the Woods is managed jointly with the Canadians, and our regs match theirs, which is why LoTWs is 30" to 40" rather than one of the "toolbox" slots.

Those two combined are 470,000 acres. Set those aside, and the percentage acre-wise drops by quite a ways.

[Shawn Kellett]

Stop being logical to an group that only acts on emotion RK!

Wanna hit the river this weekend?

[Gordie]

Some of the survey reults of spearing groups even suggest they actually liked to spear on the regs lakes, because they know they have a good chance of seeing a bigger pike... Just sayin..

This must be the logic that some groups dont want us to see.

[Spike76]

Why do they only have surveys with their groups? I've been spearing since about 1960, and I've never been surveyed. Why do a few of you need help finding big fish. The experimental slots are wrong. Why not experiment with the people who like to catch and release, to see how many more fish die than are speared each year. I want a meal of fish, not three little ones. A 24, a 28, and a 26 incher would be fine, not a 21, a 22, and a 23 incher. Try guessing their length when they come in fast and grab your decoy. Try guessing at over 36 inches. Each lake is for everyone and not just the catch and release people, but if you need help getting large pike, ask a spearfisherman, or close the lake for pike until you get desired size.

[smallie_hawgin]

Why do they only have surveys with their groups? I've been spearing since about 1960, and I've never been surveyed. Why do a few of you need help finding big fish. The experimental slots are wrong. Why not experiment with the people who like to catch and release, to see how many more fish die than are speared each year. I want a meal of fish, not three little ones. A 24, a 28, and a 26 incher would be fine, not a 21, a 22, and a 23 incher. Try guessing their length when they come in fast and grab your decoy. Try guessing at over 36 inches. Each lake is for everyone and not just the catch and release people, but if you need help getting large pike, ask a spearfisherman, or close the lake for pike until you get desired size.

Spike.... Really? If you have ever thought of the word sustainability or conservation, you would really not be asking that question, or making the statements you are about harvesting larger fish.

Fish populations are finite, not unlimited. Research has shown that it takes a long time to grow big fish. Period. If every lake had regulations removed, no larger fish would be available. There are many other folks out there that would like the opportunity to catch larger pike in the state. Despite what you believe about catch and release, if they go back, they have about a 90% chance of surviving. And yes, this has been studied as well.

The production on most waters for age 5 and older fish equates to 1/10th of a pound per acre, per year!!! If you remove a large fish, the lake's size and overall productivity will limit the amount of potential for larger fish to be available....

I fully understand the complexities of judging fish size in the water... Undeniable. But, nobody is forcing you to spear on that regulated lake. You made that choice. Even in the areas around the state where we have several regulated lakes... There are plenty of other lakes in the area without them.

The surveys are sent out to random participants, by the way (to be statistically valid). If you are curious about the one I mentioned.. Check Little Falls DNR mail out survey study

I will say it's nice to know we have such forward thinking individuals out there trying to "take care" of the resource(sarcasm). If we want our sons, grandsons and daughters to be able to do the same as us.... We need to think a little more than about "me". Just saying...

[Spike76]

S.H.,The me is you, incase you can't figure it out. When your grandkids live on a lake that has slots for those who can't catch big fish, when I've always been able to get a meal in this lake, why should they have to go to another lake? The slots are there because of you, not me. Be satisfied with 25 or 28 inch pike, they are the good eaters. The regs with one over 30 is plenty for all of Minnesota. Fish are for eating and not experimenting with. With 10 to 15 percent of released fish dying, I would say that is many more then are speared each year. Plus I would guess most of the bigger ones are the ones dying. I don't run from lake to lake fishing for big fish, I go to one lake and fish for a meal. When the conservation is experimenting for 10 or 12 years, those years are lost to those who are getting up in years or are just starting to fish. Grandpa, don't throw it back, it's my first nice fish. We have to throw it back because that big boat over there wants bigger fish.

[OnAFly]

Maybe you should consider teaching your grandson that if he wants to continue to catch those big fish he should release those big fish.

So it's unfair to have any lakes that have slots to improve the size structure because YOU want to spear you see? That's the right attitude . You imply other people are selfish for wanting to catch bigger fish, and say things like, "We have to throw it back because that big boat over there wants bigger fish." Your attitude is what is wrong with this situation. Keep that in mind when you're fishing with your grandson and what you are teaching him.

[Spike76]

I teach my grandkids how to fillet the pike, not how to throw them back. If you want to throw them back go ahead, but I will eat the pike. The experimental slots should be voluntary, then if so many wanted them they would work without limiting the ones who want a meal. Read the signs at the public access landings, they suggest to throw back pike over 24 inches. Spearers don't spear every pike they see and they don't just spear big ones. A 26 incher and above is a big one to me, I don't need over 36 inches. I say I and me because it's my opinion, and I think the majority of people fish for food. It's pretty stupid to let the fish get big and full of mercury, and die of old age because of experiments. I think they were put in the lakes for food, and not for experimenting with.