Question on regs...

[Schollmeier]

As for the OP. That's a tough one. Someone without a camera, would have no idea the Walleye was down there in the same situation - so they'd catch it and release it to be legal. With a camera you'd be treading the grey waters of if you were trying to catch it by leaving your bait in the water or not. Ultimately, you'd have to be honest with yourself on what you were trying to do. I think laws should be more conrete than that but that's just my opinion.

If I fished with a camera I'd keep the bait away from the walleye and wait for some legal (and probably more interesting to catch).

As much as I like arguing, I think I'm done playing. It is a mighty rare day that I target a species that isn't open all year anyway. The only impact for me would be more Sturgeon fishing. But with stacks of other interesting species out there I have no problem keeping busy in the (very long) off season.

[DTro]

Like I said, I’m very likely in the minority with my beliefs. I tell you what, I’d quit banging the drum if people wouldn’t need to ask the same darn questions year after year after year. Our DNR does an outstanding job maintaining our fabulous fishery here, but at the same time has a tendency of micromanaging to the point of making things harder than they need to be.

Fish have quite the knack of adapting to changes and C&R has proven time and time again that it works. Sure there are quandaries we run into like near RedWing where folks are yanking 13” eyeballs and saugers out of 30’ of water and tossing em back in. Those fish are most likely a casualty. Guess what though, that fishery is open year round and we keep seeing positive results year after year after year. The only slopes and valleys we see in the fishing quality seems to be related to Mother Nature and not Man. Spawning walleyes are legally targeted in many places right now, none of which has proven to show a collapse of the fishery where it happens. The Rainy River is a prime example.

Do I want to see spawning walleyes pooled up in a shallow stream being yanked out over and over again? No of course not, (although, they ARE just walleyes. LOL ) but the DNR is well aware of these historical spawning areas and there could easily be boundaries set up. No different than what happens now with late spawning fish. They shut down areas, they don’t close the season.

I find it funny that Bass were brought up because it seems to me that it is quite common that the largest of promoted contests ran by B.A.S.S, FLW, etc go out of their way to tell us about how in certain weeks the guys are pulling fish off of beds. So it’s ok for them but not the weekend warriors?

Sorry, this has gotten way off topic from the original question…..But I’m still waiting to hear from someone who’s been fined for targeting a fish out of season that didn’t have any in possession. If a guy really wanted to get into legalities, he could make a valid point right now (with the immediate release verbiage in the regs) that it’s legal to fish for anything anytime as long as you release it.

Ethical? Probably not. Legal? Probably

I can tell you this, very few people would pull their jig away from a trophy walleye on the camera because they were perch fishing. But because of the camera, that fish was targeted 100%. So is it more wrong than if that fish came in on a flasher?

It’s silly, it really is.

[fiskyknut]

Rainy river a prime example?? The LOTW and the Rainy river are indeed closed to Walleye fishing every spring from mid April to about mid May so the fish can spawn unmolested.

[DTro]

Ok, Fisky touche’

But it’s a prime example of migrating (read spawning) fish legally being targeted. Should we not molest them on their way?

Thousands of people pilgrimage there each spring to catch big fat female eyeballs full of eggs. Do they not? And the DNR has strict rules in place to release the vast majority of them.

Guess what….. It works

[pulleye16]

OMG...It's like 2.5 months for walleyes and pike. I think you can survive. As for bass-well you have to wait and extra few weeks. If it's that important, go fish somewhere else.

Part of the fun is having an opener. The one thing I've noticed as that everyone needs/wants everything right now. No patients anymore.

What happens when you gut hook a fish?

[fiskyknut]

Yep it works.

I'd bet a guy could really windmill BIG females if he sat on the Upper Sault Honeyhole the first week of May. Kind of a fish in a barrel thing there at that time eh!!!

Hows about them Sturgeonfish... Should we molest them thru late April and early May as they migrate up the Rainy on their way to the spawning tribs?

C and R on Flatties in the winter still open?

[DTro]

Like I said, I support C&R for All species year round.

[river rat316]

First off lets get something straight, I DO NOT target out of season fish, and I do stand behind the DNR on just about everything they do. The seasons are not set by the DNR, neither are most of the regs, they are set in place by a legislative body that has no idea what its doing. If you would actually sit down and talk to most DNR fisheries people most don't agree with the way the seasons are now set either. The opener is their to make money and tradition, period end of story. Everyone goes out on the opener making it a huge money maker for the state, resorts, and everyone in the industry. Allowing a C&R season would not change this, it also wouldn't change the fisheries imho, close the sensitive spawning habitats, and enforce those areas heavily.

And also Smallies are not a invasive species, they are native to the Mississippi River Basin, and would eventually spread to every area they are in right now anyway. If you want to get into invasive species talk look at your fabled walleye, they have been introduced to thousands of lakes in this state where they have no business being, they can't reproduce in most of these lakes and take signifigant time and money to keep a fishable population going in 75% of the lakes they have been introduced to.

[reinhard1]

here is my answer to the original question. basicly targeting fish out of season. last year i spent nearly a day contacting DNR enforcment officials [office type] and 3 or 4 CO's. one one duty at the time. they know if your intentionaly fishing for fish not in season. if i recall correctly, they warn first, unless they actualy see you keep a fish and not return it as quickly as possible. if you have any questions call your local CO. i waited two days last year for a response because they are busy with emergency calls and investigations and general calls. you can leave a messege and they will get back to you.

i have cought many fish out of season and returned them all. so to the first poster, just fish as you normaly fish for what your after and in season and dont worry about what you see in the camera. if you do catch something not in season just release it. a warden will not give you a ticket unless you keep it. good luck.

[rugbymn]

OMG...It's like 2.5 months for walleyes and pike. I think you can survive. As for bass-well you have to wait and extra few weeks. If it's that important, go fish somewhere else.

Part of the fun is having an opener.

Us muskie guys have to wait 6 months! (Muskie closed yesterday and doesn't open until the first weekend in June) And I agree, the half of the year that we're not able to target them makes the 6 months that we can target them that much more fun.

[muskE]

+1

[muskE]

And also Smallies are not a invasive species, they are native to the Mississippi River Basin, and would eventually spread to every area they are in right now anyway. If you want to get into invasive species talk look at your fabled walleye, they have been introduced to thousands of lakes in this state where they have no business being, they can't reproduce in most of these lakes and take signifigant time and money to keep a fishable population going in 75% of the lakes they have been introduced to.

Asian Carp with barnacled zebra muscle necklaces for everyone.

Festivus for the restofus!

[JakeJ_Mn]

When we purchase our fishing licenses - we are paying for the priviledge of fishing in our great state. If for some reason people think the regs should be changed, there are many public forum oppurtunities to voice your opinions to the DNR. Calling or writing your state reprentatives is also your right. To purposely target a fish out of season is wrong imo, but we all catch them some of the time. I may not like all the regs in place, but follow them to a T and expect others to do so as well.

[CrappieNight]

As a matter of debate, slots are implemented to protect "breeder" walleyes and they have proven to be successful. I've never intentionally targeted a fish during its closed season, yet I disagree that if I CPR a slot fish I am somehow damaging the fishery.

Granted, I don't have the factual data to prove it, I don't think the mortality rate increases in April as opposed to catching and releasing a pig slot female in October.

Buoy lines and posted closings of spawning areas will stop the honest fishermen but nothing will stop the guys who don't care for the laws in the first place.

[Stick in Mud]

Boy, look what I stirred up?!? I certainly didn't mean to get into this contentious of an issue, but I suppose I should've figured it might come to this if I posted the question. I just thought that the issue of knowing what species was going to be biting would be an interesting topic of discussion.

And yes, in many ways it's a moot point because almost no one would actually reel in their line if they had an out-of-season walleye sniffing it. But maybe some would, and the question of legality seems iffy. But apparently ALL questions of legality are iffy in this regard.

[BizzityB]

I look at it this way....

There are laws for a reason and everyone wants to break the laws or bend them in some way, and if anyone tells me they have never bent a law or broke one it's a lie. I have fished for crappie and caught walleye they were released and that is someone who is following the law. What's sad is there are too many people who break the law so the DNR will try to micromanage to catch them which make all of the law abiding people get frustrated.

I like to fish and if the DNR wants to regulate the times that I fish then fine!

I am not going to complain about it, I look at it as a challenge!

I like to research lakes, watch weather patterns, pressure's, use new technology to see if my research and brain actually put me on fish....but the way technology is advancing and people are complaining soon it will be so easy to walk on a body of water, connect a little finder, pinpoint on a map where the biggest fish you will ever catch are, drop a line down and catch it.

Where is the fun going! Where is the Challenge! I want to spend a weekend drilling a hundred holes moving to find the fish, creating and setting up my ice shack in the time slot allowed doing it in for the adventure not to say I broke the law to catch this fish! And maybe one day catch the biggest fish I have ever caught and know it was because I worked hard to find it...Or just got lucky, but it wasn't because the DNR extended the time period so I can fish during the spawning time.

Just my Two Cents!

[reinhard1]

i realy dont think this topic has gotten that contentious. should have been there last year on this topic. look, there are always going to be some who dont follow the rules. most anglers follow the rules. all i can say is go out there and enjoy what you love to do. when walleye season closes and your on the flats on mille lacs fishing for perch and catch a walley just enjoy the moment and release the fish. who hasn't caught a fish that was not in season by accident and not on purpose? the CO's understand this very well.

as long as people release fish that are not in season, there is no issue. it happens all the time. they dont have nets under the ice or on open water to seperate legal fish from fish not in season. so everyone, just go out there have some fun and follow the laws that are there and life is good. i think most of us will. good luck.

[Stick in Mud]

Yeah, I must've missed the brouhaha last year...Maybe I shouldn't've opened my mouth.

[deadeye]

TO the OP...

It doesn't really matter whats down there. Its not like you can make the fish bite. If they do bite you let them go and move on. It wouldn't be any different if you didn't have a camera. You let the not-targeted fish go and keep going. End of story.

[Stick in Mud]

I agree, deadeye. The question was essentially "academic," even though I know (or lots on this site know) that, in reality, no CO is going to give me a ticket for catching a walleye that I immediately release after catching...apparently even if I KNOW that I'm catching an out-of-season fish. I mean, it seems clear....if I purposefully catch a fish that's out of season, it seems clear that it's illegal, even though I might not actually get a ticket for it. I was just curious about what others thought about this (what I find to be an) interesting situation regarding the law.