Sunfish Harvest Limits

[Guest]

I Finally got the chance to fish one of minnesotas experimental harvest limit lakes this week. Wow what a great time!
The special regs only allow you to keep 5 sunfish per person 2 eyes and 10 perch and all bass must be immediatly released.
You had to work a little to get them but my boys and I caught about a dozen sunnys, half were at or a little longer than 9 inches. The rest were all at least 8.
Then you would hear one of our ultra-lights
dragg just screaming.... I could not believe the size of these bass!! What a riot to catch! and they were plentifull!
We even got into some real nice perch that I have never seen come out of a tiny lake like this. ( some were mille lacs size )
We kept just enough for a tasty meal --well below what we could of kept, even with the low limits. It was one of the best times weve ever had fishing.
I personally dont freeze any fish --just enough for a meal and thats good.
Isnt 5 sunfish or 2 walleyes enough of a meal for one person? If the quality of fishing on regular lakes is effected this
much by meat hogs or freezer stockers why in the world doesnt the D.N.R put these kind of limits on many more of the lakes in minnesota , I think there are enough lakes to go around for everyone. some with the special limits and some without.
If anyone knows where I can get more info on this subject ( besides d.n.r HSOforum of course ) I would appreciate it. Pete

[SpikeRoberts]

Pete,
You make a great point. By lowering the limits and imposing protected slots, fish are allowed to get larger and then you only need a small number of fish to make a meal PLUS you get the added bonus of the thrill of catching larger fish. Too bad so many people oppose the limits and the slots.

DNR fisheries biologist Paul Radomski has been a proponent of the type of management you describe. He has his own HSOforum at:

http://www.homepage.mac.com/radomski

[Guest]

Another idea, which everyone here follows, is to release the bigger fish and harvest the smaller ones.

PCG

[Guest]

Hey Thanks Spike I will check it out.
Crappie guide , yes I will release bigger walleye and eat the smaller ones.
But with sunfish?--In most all of the lakes I fish I never get a chance to release the really nice,big ones because they are not there. That is my point. The quality of fish just isnt there.
Even if you practice keeping the smaller ones
who in the world really needs 30 fish? It just seems the 30 fish limit is outdated in todays fishing.
I dont know how good you are with a fillet knife but myself, anything smaller than 8 inches is pretty tough to clean and be worth it.
and you have to admit --how many lakes can you name were you can go panfishing and throw back the bigger sunfish and keep five to ten 8 to 9 inch fish for dinner?
Not any lakes with the 30 fish limit,no matter how many people keep the small ones.

[Guest]

Pete_S,

Try White Bear, west of the bridge to island. There's some really nice size Sunnies there. Also try Little Lake in Chisago, every where. Take all you want, less pests for me.

Good fishing and thank you for taking the Sunnies..