Selective Harvest

[Rosalita]

For twenty years, my parents owned a cabin on Red Lake. We caught limit after limit, week after week, year after year. Limiting out was a way of life as was large community fish fry’s and sending limits home with visitors. We contributed to the lake’s demise as much as the netting did. From this experience I developed the “meat hog” mentality from my father, and it took a long time for me to rid myself of that mindset. In fairness to him, he developed the practice from a time when Northern Minnesota residents heavily relied on wild fish and game more for putting food on the table. Times have changed; many people have not. Please do not misread me; I have nothing against people who keep smaller fish of most species to eat and people who keep a trophy (whatever they consider a trophy) to mount. Selective Harvest is key to any body of water to ensure years of harvesting eaters and providing truly trophy opportunities. I will focus on walleyes in support of establishing selective harvest in Minnesota and instilling it in those doubters.

I have fished both Rainy and Kabetogama Lakes a couple of times throughout the spring and summer. Both are grand testaments to the merits of selective harvest. I believe one can harvest walleyes below seventeen inches on Rainy and from thirteen to seventeen on Kab. Of course, both lakes allow a trophy fish for when the wall hanger surfaces. The beauty of a mandatory selective harvest system is that one can catch eaters for food and catch decent fish all summer long.

Voluntary selective harvest anglers are made not born. The spawn production statistics for walleyes in their twenties (inches) should be evidence enough as to why they should be turned back regardless of the size of the lake. I hold no ill will to anyone who keeps a large fish they intend on hanging on the wall, and the angler in accordance with rules can only determine that magic length or weight him or herself.

Another aspect of this argument is the eating quality of the fish. When a walleye gets over three pounds, let’s face it; the meat is more tough and chewy, not light and flaky. Also, the pollution level in older fish is higher.

Finally, peer (buddy) pressure helps develop selective harvest anglers. If it is a well-known and respected practice in the area, others will start to honor it. I find it very fulfilling to tell others of turning back a decent fish. Selective harvest anglers believe others when they are told of a decent fish release. Resort owners and area guides can help with this mindset as well; although, it is much more difficult to tell paying customers what ideally should be kept and released. We no longer have to drag a huge stringer into the bar or fish house to gain respect. A camera captures a moment forever as well for those fish that make you wonder if you want to dish out several hundred dollars for a mount. Many people are also turning to replicas to capture memories while preserving the chance to take that fish again some day or to preserve her genetics. Praising people and especially children when they release quality fish will help as much as anything to ensure quality fishing for future generations. People need to know that one does not need to keep a limit to catch a limit. Before my primary fishing partner and I approach any lake or river, we discuss what we would like to keep. Believe me, it is not some deep conversation; rather, we are honest about the amount of fish we want to clean or eat.

Do not misunderstand me. I will keep limits if I need them or want fish in the freezer. I just do not keep everything and everything. However, if I am fishing all day long and only catch one huge walleye not large enough for the wall, the fish will slide back into the water after a quick picture. I would rather eat hotdogs in that situation.

These are just my 100 cents.

[Mike Walerak]

I agree, we need to protect our future. Selective harvest is one tool that can be used by everyone to improve the quality of fishing for generations to come.
mw

[wallyH]

In last month's Walleye Insider magazine there was a study where they counted the eggs of Walleye by size. A 15 inch walleye contained about 50,000 eggs. A 30 incher contained 500,000. That's alot of little walleyes in that big pig.

Wally H

[musky1]

I agree also. In my boat or fish house I keep 14" to 19" eyes if I need a meal.I also release the monster eyes because next time
I catch it maybe it will be 31" or 32"

[musky hunter]

I agree with selective harvest, nice post. I did a little research and intervied a Wisconsin DNR researcher about the ethics of trophy fishing and the impact on large walleyes a couple of years ago. While I personally believe in releasing all trophy fish in favor of the graphinte mount, the 30" walleye may not be a prime spawner any more, so keeping a lifetime catch will not make much difference in a system if you cannot release it live. But I'm sure in agreement with keeping the smaller ones for the eats!

[IFallsRon]

I haven't kept a fish in over 15 years.

[fish4ed]

I agree with selective harvest. One thing about a wallhanger fish, though - you don't have to kill the fish. Take a picture, get good measurements of length and girth, and you can get a nice replica mount. I recently caught a 29" walleye that you couldn't span around the middle with both hands - measured her quick, a couple of quick photos, and right back she went. Now your kids can catch her babies!

[LocalGuide]

My selective harvest is from 16" to 20" and a trophy over 30".
Now I dont keep all my fish I catch from 16" to 20" but I do keep some for a meal.

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And keep those hooks sharp!

[musky hunter]

Times are changing. The mindset of anglers has slowly been changing as success stories make believers out of skeptics. I wouldn't come down too hard on any pro or magazine that did not subscribe to CPR in the past. It's what they do from now on that counts. But any fish magazine or show that is promoting meat fishing or keeping hogs is fair game for some adverse press for sure!

[radke22]

Has anyone read or seen the older In-fisherman books or magazines. They have pictures with stringers full of fish well over 8-9lbs,yet now they preach C&R?

[Ozzy169]

Very well said!!, I have been praticing SH for several years now. 14"-18" only with 3-4 fish being a limit. I do it on all of the water I fish, Even when I take "clients", I'm God in my boat and my rules stick!!

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Puff-Puff-Pass

[The Grebe]

When I was a kid, getting as many fish as you could, was the name of the game...my dad used to bring wash tubs full of fish home...I know, because I was the one that had to clean them! Bullheads, northerns, sucker, rockbass, walleyes, perch, big, small, you name it. I can still point out the different scars on my hands from cleaning fish when I was a lad. Scale em, (Even Perch and walleyes!) gut em, cut em into chunks and that was your fish...no filleting! I guess the idea was that fish were cheap food and easy to get? Potatoes, fish and bread and you were good to go! It was a different time, families were larger, operational cost were alot less...what with gas being maybe 10 or 15 cents a gallon, it made sense. Now, a pound of fillets from any kind of fish, outside of the city limits, will set you back double the cost of a good Porterhouse! I believe that the "limiting out" thing, and keeping the big old nasty tasting brood fish, are something thats handed down and also an ego thing...it might even go deeper, the "hunter/gatherer" thing? Be that what it may, with todays advantages, GPS, locators, Aqua views, the computer, etc. selective harvest will probably be the only thing that will save any type of quality fishing, for future generations. Keep a few to eat, if you are into that, and let the rest go.