Pike Fishing at its best

[Guest]

Hey all
Just thought I'd show you pics from this Springs catch up at Lake of the Woods.

http://nluchau.bravepages.com/1.html

Enjoy,
Watchman_63

[Brian Jones]

Does the law below not apply where you were fishing on Lake of the Woods?

Northern Pike
All northern pike from 30 through 40 inches must immediately be released and only one northern pike over 40 inches may be possessed. The possession limit for northern pike is 3, and the regulation applies to Lake of the Woods, the Rainy River and the Warroad, Winter Road and Baudette Rivers. There is no closed season for northern pike on Lake of the Woods or the Rainy River. The effects of this experimental regulation are being monitored, and the regulation will be reviewed in 2005.

[Guest]

His web page stated that he was fishing March 2003 in Minnesota. I hope those fish weren't over 30". They looked fairly large to me.

[MJR]

Those are some big pike, some friends of mine go to lotw in the spring and one of them uses duck decoy rope for line. Not sure about the size restriction thing. He calls his car the res runner so they may have difft regs.

[Guest]

Brian, CD,

I am 100 % aware of the regulations.
I know you can't keep any pike between 30 - 40 inches. Anything under 30 and over 40 is A-OK. Note we had 5 people with ice fishing too. It's not lawful to take a picture of a Trophy if you can't keep him. As you can see in one of my Albums - we are releasing them.

We kept 2 over 40 inches
My biggest at 41 inches - going on the wall.

Watchman_63

[This message has been edited by watchman_63 (edited 07-17-2003).]

[Steve Foss]

It's not legal to take pictures of a fish if you can't keep it?

That's a judgement call for a C.O. The regs state that such fish must be returned to the water immediately, but it's a rare C.O. that would ticket you for a quick shot or two before putting the big girls back, especially if someone's got a camera ready as soon as the hooks are out of the fish.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 07-17-2003).]

[Guest]

stfcatfish,

I dont know why Brian and CD were all uptight about everything. I mean yes in the webpage it does show some fish we caught between 30 - 40 inches we took pictures of but it doesn't mean we kept them. Remember CPR (Catch, Picture, Release) anything over 40 is yours and can be shown on your wall if thats what you want to do with it.

Maybe they think I am a poacher now. But I can tell you this, all fish caught between 30-40 inches were taken a picture of and then released to fight again.

Watchman_63

[Brian Jones]

Watchman_63,

I have never fished on Lake of the Woods and was simply asking a question. You can't learn if you don't ask.

Maybe I am bad at judging the size of fish in photos but it looked like some of the ones you have displayed in the large group photo were between 30-40 inches.

[Steve Foss]

Hey Brian:

I guess the point is that, even if the fish were within the protected slot, it's not really a problem if you snap a quick (and I mean quick) pic before releasing the fish.

As long as it's healthy and green, that is. If it takes a lot to get hooks out or if the fish is exhausted, I'd bypass the camera in exchange for reviving the fish, and anyway, pics of reviving a fish in the water send a better message than holding up a fish.

------------------
"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Guest]

Brian,

What are you using to measure them with on the screen?

No, Actually they are of legal size to keep.

Sorry I kind of flew off the handle about all this.

Remember CPR
Watchman_63

[Brian Jones]

Steve,

Of course I agree with snapping photos and letting fish go. My clients all get a photo of there big fish and back in the lake they go. I was referring to the picture that has about 13 pike lined up on the ice, some of them stretch the length of two braud shoulder men and I just thought they looked like they fell in the slot. I was wrong and am very happy about it.

Watchman_63,

Being your fish are all legal I am curious as to what the size range was on them? They are some really nice looking fish! Also wandering if you would share your tactics...bait and presentation, I would like to give whatever you were doing a try on my home waters.

Thanks
Brian

[Guest]

Brian,

It's all alright. Yes indeed we fell into the Honey hole now for the second year. The key thing is to catch them right after the spawn. We were catching them in the shallows about 6-9 feet. We were using tip-ups with a large 7 inch sucker or dead smelly smelt. Late March Early April is the time to go.

Watchman_63