Couldn't believe what I was hearing

[WRD]

Last week I was asked to throw horseshoes in a neighboring town and during the match heard a guy telling another how to make musky steaks on the grill. Dumb founded I questioned the guy to make sure I heard him right and his wife was right there and said they're good you should try them. Well at this time my blood was heating up and all I could say was I believe in catch and release and hope to never kill a musky and had to walk away. I realize as long as it's a legal fish people have the right to do what they want with it, but doesn't mean I agree. Has anyone else found themselves in this position and how did you deal with it?

[Deet]

At the boat landing on Friday, I was talking to this nice old timer. He asked if I was fishing muskies, which I was. So he said, "Make sure to keep every one of those sons of b*tches that you catch, get 'em out of there."

What's really sad is I know he's been fishing the lake for years and years. I wonder how many he's kept - big, little, in between...

I just told him I like to take a picture and let them go to catch again later.

[reinhard1]

rather than dealing with one particular species, i normaly talk about the importance of haveing large predators in any body of water. Musky fisherman are a dedicated bunch with great catch and release ethics in my opinion. same with bass fishermen as a rule. i personaly release all large predators and believe that is the way to go. good luck.

[10,000 Casts]

A guy like that probably catches 1 every 3 years.. imo If he wants to eat it, it's his choice.. When I've had a guy say that in the past I just say, yuck, that fish is probably 15 years old, I can't imagine how aweful that would taste.

All the time, I get asked, why in the world are you wasting your time fishing for a fish you don't want to eat.. some people don't get it and never will..

[thatoneguy]

Muskie is delicious, no question about it. I haven't kept either of the two I've caught - and won't ever keep one - but I wouldn't hesitate for a second to eat it if someone offered it to me.

The last one I had was baked with cajun seasoning, and it was some of the best fish I've ever had. My wife, who doesn't like fish nearly as much as I do, agreed wholeheartedly.

[Nick Kuhn]

I remember the day I caught my PB I talked to another guy who said "you should have kept it, they're eating all my crappies!" In the time it took our boat to trolling motor around him I watched him catch 3 crappies...

[TurnUpTheFishing]

It really is sad and the worst part is those old timers are so set in their ways I dont know if you could say anything to change their mind. I ran into one ice fishing on Bald Eagle one year. My buddy and I still joke about him to this day, he was kooked. I seriously doubt these types catch many 'skis but it is unfortunate that when they do they probably do kill them.

I guess the best we can do is inform them the best we can when we hear this kind of stuff.

If someone offered me muskie I wouldnt eat it. Id explain to them how old/special a fish like that is and explain to them its just as easy to catch some pike, 'eyes, panfish, heck its hard for me to say it, but even, gulp... bass Not to put 'skis on a pedestal, I think all big trophy fish deserve special treatment from panfish on up.

[goblueM]

down here in Virginia there are a hefty contingent of rednecks that keep every single musky, even below the 42" minimum. I see pics hanging in gas stations all the time. Just a different world.

Down here, they eat smallmouth bass though, not walleyes - it seems musky are a very opportunistic and adaptable species, and will only eat the most popular gamefish in a given body of water

[jeffreyd]

Now here is the thought of the day. Without me coming to this message board day after day, and reading about these fish, i would have never known the history nor the feelings about keeping vs cr. While i will admit to keeping a few eyes and pike along with pan fish, we ate the fish each day that we caught them. However my wife who has never eaten pike or walleye wanted me to bring some home. So i kept two walleye and two pike frozen and shipped to az for us to share. My take was minimal compared to what i read and saw while i was on leech. Today however, if i had the chance to muskie fish, it would be for cr only. Thanks to the folks on this board my knowledge has grown.

[Musky hunter 82]

I've seen some muskies out on Deer lake by Grand Rapids that had their bellies cut by someone, I was told that the local Tournament bass fishermen do that so they quit eatting all of the bass. Crazy I would never do that to anything, just kill it and let it lay. What good is that really going to do????

[smeese]

These rumors always float around.....Muskie bring bad blood for some reason.....if they are not eating someones fish they are breaking lines and taking lures. There was a Shed on the shoreline of a more southern lake where someone had been cutting their heads off and putting them up on their shed no matter what size every time they caught one off their dock. Not sure for the reason behind it but either way it is out of line and unethical. These type are usually convinced or have convinced themselves they are doing something good for the lake by doing so.

[JBar]

I've eaten smoked muskie since I can remember. I'm a young man stuck in my way's I guess.

[Kettle]

Breaking the law is one thing and so is wanton waste, agree with the post form 10,000 casts, these individuals probably don't catch many. There are some people who do keep and eat everything they catch, it maybe is the old way of thinking. The fiance is from a large family and they eat everything! They seem quite confused that I let everything go, I maybe eat fish about three times a year. Normally all in the winter. I normally spear a total of 5 pike a year, and pickle them, and I like the 3 pounders and pass on anything larger and normally a good meal of blugills in the spring time. I am not a musky fisherman but it boils my blood to see someone eat a 22" plus wallleye. I feel the pain. Best way to handle the situation is to let it go, if they know it bothers you they will progress with the conversation.

Kettle

[AaronM]

Last week I was asked to throw horseshoes in a neighboring town and during the match heard a guy telling another how to make musky steaks on the grill. Dumb founded I questioned the guy to make sure I heard him right and his wife was right there and said they're good you should try them. Well at this time my blood was heating up and all I could say was I believe in catch and release and hope to never kill a musky and had to walk away. I realize as long as it's a legal fish people have the right to do what they want with it, but doesn't mean I agree. Has anyone else found themselves in this position and how did you deal with it?

How can you get upset when it's legal for him to do so? I love to fish muskie, but regulations are in place for a reason. Just because you love to fish fish for them doesn't trump his/her love to eat them. By the way, I CPR all my fish, don't bring them in the boat, and advocate that as much as possible. However, I refuse to get upset about someone doing something legal and within their God-given right. If it really bothers you, write your DNR and state representation.

[Nick Kuhn]

Fishingfrenzy; at this point in time the regulations are set up to make the point that muskies are not eating fish. It may technically be legal, but it is not in the spirit of the regulations to eat them. Does anyone go fishing on 28" minimum 1 fish bag walleye lakes to catch walleyes for the table?

[Scoot]

...some people don't get it and never will..

Amen!

[10,000 Casts]

With a statewide 48" min, the amount of Muskies being eaten whether legal or illigal is probably so small I doubt it will have an effect.

And for the guys that think they are so delicious, if you catch as many as most seasoned Muskie fisherman do (not many) and put in as much time, effort and money as they do, (somehow I doubt it) you are getting SCREWED.. Go catch a Carp or Sucker and smoke it or Cajun season it, you will be way farther ahead in the long run.

[cbrooks]

Good point 10k. I would also like to see a min raised to atleast 50"or 54" even.

[Shawn Kellett]

Down here, they eat smallmouth bass though, not walleyes - it seems musky are a very opportunistic and adaptable species, and will only eat the most popular gamefish in a given body of water

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is quite possibly the most funny subtle comment I've ever read here!

[WRD]

Fishingfrenzy,

This person indicated that he doesn't practice C&R which lead me to believe legal length or not it was getting cooked and this was the part that got me a little hot. As posted in my original message I realize people have the right to do what they want with a legal fish.

[rugbymn]

Do you guys feel the same about tigers?

I was just in the Burnsville Shell station getting bait a few minutes ago and there was a picture of a kid with a huge tiger muskie on the wall there. I asked the guy about it and he said the kid gave it to some old timer sitting next to him who wanted to eat it.

At first I was kind of p'd off but then I realized that tigers don't reproduce and for it to have been as big as it was (probably mid 40 inches), it was probably at the end of its life anyway.

[AaronM]

Fishingfrenzy,

This person indicated that he doesn't practice C&R which lead me to believe legal length or not it was getting cooked and this was the part that got me a little hot. As posted in my original message I realize people have the right to do what they want with a legal fish.

[Igor Drackenwolf]

I catch and release almost always, with a few exceptions. Usually will put a limit of crappies and a limit of walleyes in the freezer each year, and catch and release most of the rest of the time. I fish a lot - probably somewhere between 50 & 75 days a year in the boat at least part of the day. So I throw back an awful lot of fish to be harvested another day.

That said, I don't like catch-and-release snobbery. Fish are a natural resource, managed for sport and consumption. If the population was in danger, the DNR would change the regulation. As it is, the DNR allows for the catch and harvesting of Muskies for their meat, or for trophy purposes. If someone wants to keep one, that's their business. I'll throw mine back. That's my business.

[mainbutter]

Down here, they eat smallmouth bass though, not walleyes - it seems musky are a very opportunistic and adaptable species, and will only eat the most popular gamefish in a given body of water

lol..

However, I HAVE seen a Musky t-bone a SMB I was trying to sight-fish (and failing).

[Musky_Madness]

With a statewide 48" min, the amount of Muskies being eaten whether legal or illigal is probably so small I doubt it will have an effect.

And for the guys that think they are so delicious, if you catch as many as most seasoned Muskie fisherman do (not many) and put in as much time, effort and money as they do, (somehow I doubt it) you are getting SCREWED.. Go catch a Carp or Sucker and smoke it or Cajun season it, you will be way farther ahead in the long run.

With the way my summer's been, you might as well be buying Lobster every night and still be money ahead!