What's the Point?!?

[Muskiefool]

Your not wrong dtro but your not right either LOL Muskies should be C&R there's really no reasonable reason to keep fish that are by all means inedible and managed purely as a trophy species(If you read that sentence and left out parts of it to confuse non trophy species with trophy species please re-read). The lakes that are sustained entirely through stocking would be great candidates for interrupting the spawning process since successful spawning is not a reality, in those lakes a early season makes allot of sense.

In lakes sustained by natural reproduction or supplemental stocking; its not fiscally responsible to interrupt the spawning process intentionally, as we've all seen it happens unintentionally but so do skid-marks in a guys shorts.

Problem being then is the number of stocked lakes without natural reproduction. We need more to make this type of situation work.

[PropsterII]

You're right Dtro, you just don't get it.

[DTro]

Be careful what you ask for, next thing you know you'll be required to fish on odd days and only when the water temp is 70 or below.

[brad coin]

I can understand if you have a place on a muskie lake and want to fish pike but if your going to a lake to fish pike why not target a non muskie lake early on,,,theres a shortage of pike water in Minn????? there are Pike in north shore brook trout streams try to find water that dosent have pike, If you turned on your kitchen tap and a pike came out would you be that shocked!!!!!! Muskies are managed by the DNR has a 'TROPHY" species that means more protective even over protective regs,,, to the original post a guy throwing muskie lures on Indy IS targheting muskies there are plenty of other pike options in the metro

[SmellEsox]

I think anyone that is seriously defending people fishing large lures and figure-8ing on a lake like Indy are probably the people that do it also. No angler who knows what he/she is doing (and I find it hard to believe someone who doesn't know will be throwing large lures and figure-8ing) goes to the lake with one of the highest concentrations of muskies and this netting result of pike to fish just for northern.

Northern Pike Trap net 0.17 N/A 1.77 N/A

2 other popular musky lakes I fish for panfish/drive by/walk around that I see boats figure-8ing have similar pike netting results

Northern Pike Trap net 0.09 N/A

Northern Pike Gill net 0.8 1.5 - 7.3

I refuse to believe anyone would choose these lakes to truly fish for pike as not only are there hundreds of better lakes close by but you would be hard pressed to find worse lakes (that have pike).

And it is difficult getting a hold of COs. I have yet to be successful when calling TIP and have pretty much given that up and just approach the anglers similar to how others have already described.

I'm not a straight shooter, I've been known to cast a crappie minnow at a bass in the spring or flip a sinko towards a tiger I see while bass fishing (I believe tigers should be open year round but another topic), I just hate when people blatantly lie to me...don't insult to my intelligence

Zelmsdawg

And

Just an FYI, and I don't pretend to know the size structure of pike in some of the lakes you are talking about, but many of our lakes in central MN with low gillnet catches have the largest pike in our area. They are lakes where big muskie baits might make sense. Just sayin'.

[kapp]

2 solutions,

no pike fishing for pike on Muskie lakes until Muskie season opens

( there must some politician that could get a bill amendement)

or open muskies earlier in the metro

( an early season muskie stamp would be needed)

[shortfatguy]

Delaying pike opener until musky season opens is a selfish idea. Some people like to fish pike and dont care less about musky. If this is the approach you want to take then I say stop stocking musky in any lake that has pike in it. Not everyone is a musky fisherman.

[Quackaddict9]

Delaying pike opener until musky season opens is a selfish idea. Some people like to fish pike and dont care less about musky. If this is the approach you want to take then I say stop stocking musky in any lake that has pike in it. Not everyone is a musky fisherman.

eh...? almost every lake in MN has pike in it. I say we net the pike out in 1/2 of the lakes and stock muskies in it. Not everyone is a pike fisherman. I mean that would be dumb.

[shortfatguy]

The pike were always there.

[shortfatguy]

The point I am trying to get at, is that it is plain stupid to close pike fishing just because someone might catch a musky while pike fishing. Who really cares if they are caught so long as the fish arnt mistreated and are released. We dont all fish for the same species,in the same way, for the same reason. Some fish to get a meal. Others catch and release only. Some go after trophy fish, while others are happy with any fish. Trying to make others do what you think is right is selfish. The resource is there for all to enjoy in the way they see fit so long as it is within the law. We as fisherman and hunters have enough people trying to put an end to what we love without killing it from the inside. Fishing with big lures for pike is not against the law. There is also no law saying you must immediatly pull the lure from the water once it reaches the boat.

I dont know this particular lake, and agree it is quite probable that the people were targeting musky. But would you feel the same way if they were using sucker minnows under a bobber?

[kapp]

the solution of delaying pike opener was not to penalize pike fishermen, it is a way to take away the cover of one who is muskie fishing out of season. i know this most likely will not fly that is why there is a joke in perenthesis

under it. but i would support an early opener in the metro.

greg kappes

[rymcneil]

Omg people! who gives a [PoorWordUsage]!

[CaptainMusky]

Omg people! who gives a [PoorWordUsage]!

Are you suggesting that we shouldnt be concerned with people who are not being lawful? Or looking for ways to cheat the system?

Personally I dont think any changes to the openers should be made with the exception of possibly changing the tiger musky season on lakes solely stocked with tigers, but doing so just adds complexity to what the Conservation Officers already have to do.

I have a problem with people who think they can just knowingly break the rules and use some "technicality" to justify what they are doing. I guess some people have morals and ethics while others think the lakes and their resources are there solely for their enjoyment and consumption.

If the rules are there for one, they are there for all. If not, why bother even having them? And the rules are not any good if there is no one enforcing them.

[RumRiverRat]

Omg people! who gives a [PoorWordUsage]!

Musky fishing is Serious Business!

Continuous Catch and Release for all species is the answer.

Use the current seasons for those that want to keep fish.

[Stringerless!]

+ 1 RRR !