Catch and release fish out of season??

[Slob_Samurai]

Maybe he was competing in the Minnesota Bowfin Club's annual bowfin tourny.

Runs from ice out till June 15th on all mn waters.

http://mnbowfinclub.blogspot.com/p/annual-tournament.html

Bowfin's like spinnerbaits crankbaits, and plastics so how will a CO respond to that?

[Stick in Mud]

Yeah, Dtro (and others), I understand the frustration with the frequency that this issue comes up. But I understand why it does....and I'm sure you do, too. there's nothing worse than KNOWING the bass (or whatever species) are biting and not being able to fish for them....and then watching people out there targeting them (and catching them).

Until your proposal becomes reality--or something like it, we'll all have to deal with this issue each and every year.

[reinhard1]

and this issue will come up every year until a reasonable law is set up. if such a law ever get's finalized [catch and release all year outside of normal seasons] it should apply to all species. until then i intend to uphold the law as it is. i catch bass for example with panfish gear this time of the year [not intentional] so heavy gear is not needed or should be used until the season is open. i would not oppose a catch and release prior to season, i would not have a problem with it, but until then i would hope people follow fishing ethics and regulations. good luck.

[Gordie]

The CO's can only do it with our help and I have made that call several time and it's disturbing when they call you back from them saying they couldn't respond fast enough because the person you called about was already gone.

At least I know I did my part in the fight against it and that is exactly what the CO told me.

It tough when they have to cover such a expansive area and try to cover it all at the same time ,yea I know it's impossible but that's when they need our help the most like with every little detail that you can think of. The smallest of details may help in the aid of finding these people.

I know that the DNR can ticket you for targeting fish that are out of season happened on little Elk Lake a few years back guys were pitchin jigs (big jigs) tipped with fatheads and catching walleyes. They were releasing them but the CO gave them a ticket for targeting a out of season fish.

The only reason I know this is I used to work with one of the guys that got the ticket. He did admit fault.and paid the fine but he never did tell me what the fine was.

[Nick Kuhn]

North Dakota doesn't close their seasons for walleyes and pike and they seem to be doing just fine. I can't honestly see how catch and release could be very harmful.

Minnesota has far more fishing pressure per acre of water even with the closed seasons included, that is how NoDak does it...

[pikestabber]

Just curious...is it illegal to "snag" rough fish like carp and suckers?

Just to clarify so you guys don't get in trouble, it is never legal to snag a fish in MN...even during the open spearing season for rough fish (May 1st onward) you still cannot legally snag fish, and any fish accidentally snagged must be returned to the water, rough fish and game fish alike. From May 1st through the end of the season (through last Sunday in February), you can spear, dip net, etc., but not snag or handfish/noodle. COs up here stay pretty busy in April writing tickets for sucker snagging at dams, etc.

[Hoffer]

Thanks Pikestabber for the clarification...I didnt know what the rules were on that. When we did this it was over 35 years ago. The suckers would come in thick in the shallows. It was literally a early Spring tradition - and a lot of fun. I wonder why all other kinds of methods for taking fish are OK...but not "snagging"?

[itchmesir]

Minnesota has far more fishing pressure per acre of water even with the closed seasons included, that is how NoDak does it...

658,000 compared to 5.3mil.. just to give you an idea of how many more people live in minnesota than nodak... I also heard the other day with the amount of money that goes into minnesota fisheries that roughly each fish in minnesota costs roughly around $400.. Seems unbelievable.. but seeing as just between trout and walleye stocking/management the DNR spends around $4.5mil yearly.. it seems to be a good estimate

[ted4887]

I also heard the other day with the amount of money that goes into minnesota fisheries that roughly each fish in minnesota costs roughly around $400.

That number was for Superior chromers I believe.

[itchmesir]

ah gotcha... I bet though it could be roughly estimated across the board though... last year the dnr spent $2.4m on 2.2m trout that were stocked.. how many of those stockers actually make it? or how many walleye fry actually make it out of the $3m+ walleye stocking program.. unfortunately I don't have numbers for pike/muskie.. sturgeon.. bass.. etc..

[JediTrav]

658,000 compared to 5.3mil.. just to give you an idea of how many more people live in minnesota than nodak... I also heard the other day with the amount of money that goes into minnesota fisheries that roughly each fish in minnesota costs roughly around $400.. Seems unbelievable.. but seeing as just between trout and walleye stocking/management the DNR spends around $4.5mil yearly.. it seems to be a good estimate

Okay but North Dakota has like 10 lakes and we have a few more than that.

[traveler]

Thanks Pikestabber for the clarification...I didnt know what the rules were on that. When we did this it was over 35 years ago. The suckers would come in thick in the shallows. It was literally a early Spring tradition - and a lot of fun. I wonder why all other kinds of methods for taking fish are OK...but not "snagging"?

Same here...we haven't done it since we were kids...easily 35-40 years ago! But I did think snagging became legal May 1 ... oh well:)Ya learn something every day.

[flyfisher03]

Sounds like mixed reults on here from calling the TIP line...what a shock! It's the guvernment for cripes sake, what did you expect??

TIP is actually a not for profit organization and does not receive any money from the DNR or state.

http://www.turninpoachers.org/index.cfm?display=what&sub=b

[FrankTheTank]

In regards to why not have full-time C&R vs. a closed season.... The closed seasons are for one purpose; allow the game fish species an opportunity to spawn without interference from man. Have you watched videos of walleyes filling up the shallows during the spawn or seen the numbers of giant walleyes heading into the river to spawn from the lakes? It would be walleye suicide to allow us to fish for them during those times. Fish stress very easily when spawning since the spawn itself creates a lot of stress. I've seen studies in the south where when you catch a bass that is guarding a nest it more often than not won't return to the nest. I've seen Northerns caught by accident during the early, closed season, and watched them spill out all of their eggs when they are boated. Muskies spawn late hence the late season for them.

It's reason like this and more that each game fish species has it's own specific closed season and why the fish should not be targeted.

I used to go to a cabin on a small, 100 acre remote/semi-private lake that used to have tremendous bass fishing. Almost a 3rd of the lake was a backwater marsh area that in spring before the weeds grew in was 3-feet deep with all dark-bottom. We would crappie fish in this area and the it was tough to keep the bass off the line. However, once word got out, every day there were multiple bass-boats in that area trowing top-water baits and hammering the bass. I did call TIP multiple times but due to the remote location this was a lake that we would see the DNR maybe once every few years. After a few years of this the bass numbers (or at least catch rate) seemed to be way down as well as the average size we caught dramatically decreased. Yes, there could have been other factors as well but the changes seemed to coincide with that spring pressure on spawning bass.

[creepworm]

If anyone has ever taken a fisheries class (I have taken 2 so by no means an expert) they flat out teach you that there is no scientific reason for closed seasons. It is purely a cultural thing. There has never been a study that has linked smaller populations with spring harvest by anglers.

If you need proof, look at Pool 4, arguably the most pressured body of water in MN in the month of April. Still is in great shape as far as numbers and size. The Rainy is open to walllye harvest when the spawning fish are making their runs to their spawning grounds, still great fishing. Lake Waubay in NE SoDak, extremely high pressure from Minnesotans and South Dakotans in the spring, still great fishing.

It does not really make sense that year-round fishing wouldnt harm the fish species, but it has never been proven too in a study and there are many examples that prove it does not.

[pikestabber]

Thanks Pikestabber for the clarification...I didnt know what the rules were on that. When we did this it was over 35 years ago. The suckers would come in thick in the shallows. It was literally a early Spring tradition - and a lot of fun. I wonder why all other kinds of methods for taking fish are OK...but not "snagging"?

I hear ya...we did a bunch of snagging when I was a kid, too. To me, I didn't see the harm in it, save for guys that would use it as an excuse to target other species. Maybe that's why they made it illegal across the board, but that doesn't explain why snagging is singled out over other means of taking fish that can just as easily allow one to target pike, 'eyes, etc. Either you intend to break the law or you don't...

[KidMoe]

I'd have to agree with Reinhard, until the law changes it is still a matter of intent. Just like the group i saw using hair jigs and minnows, to fish for catfish.... Yep i buy that one. But there is no way to prove they are there to target closed species.

[Stick500]

I fish in WI, MN and IA and IA is the only state that allows snagging for roughfish (year round, too!)

I asked a WI CO once why snagging for roughs wasn't allowed and he said it's primarily a safety thing, rather than a concern about an accidental hookup with a game fish- when those big trebles with heavy weights on big, stiff poles come loose they shoot back to shore like they were shot out of slingshot!

I was just down in IA this month snagging some mooneyes and shad for bait- lots of fun and the only person in danger was me and I know to always keep my pole off to the side when I'm hooked up!

My guess (well, more my hope) is that IF the bighead carp get up here to MN, and IF they get stacked up below dams, the DNR may figure out some way to allow snagging (with safety tip programs) cause that's the only way we're gonna be able to get those buggers (heck, I'll be ready to eat 'em too if they turn out to have low toxin levels, which is what I understand is the case with filter feeders).

[PierBridge]

Quote:

I would still like to see a fully prosecuted case in which there are no fish in possession and the judge finds you guilty.

It happens all the time in Law enforcement!

Judge or prosecutor: "Officer what did you observe? Officer: I observed the perp "insert what ever you want, stop sign violation, semi-fore infraction, targeting an out of season fish" .

Judge: "Perp did you do that"

Perp: "NOPE"

Not that it matters at this point the judge will side with Law-enforcement and rightfully so:

Judge "is that or was that a Dare Devil tied to your line and were you catching multiple out of season fish like the OFFICERS swearn statement reflects?

Perp: "No sir"

Judge "I find the defendant guilty here is your fine sir"

I know you are looking for actual case precedent, i'm sure it has happened, but it doesn't happen enough with the warnings given and like you stated the difficulty of actually observing them violate the law.

[DTro]

That is still not proving intent. Unless the CO is a mind reader...

[RumRiverRat]

Not that it matters at this point the judge will side with Law-enforcement and rightfully so

This statement is Bizarre.

Apparently everything a LEO says is true and cannot be questioned.

[Nick Kuhn]

That is still not proving intent. Unless the CO is a mind reader...

If they are following a good tip from the TIP line they usually do not directly approach the angler. They will observe that particular angler for quite some time and build evidence for a case before approaching the angler. They do not treat TIPs the same way they do a run of the mill license check. Anglers intentionally targeting fish out of season will incriminate themselves at some point in time; and it's only at that point in time that the CO will approach them. If instead he finds this guy catching and keeping white bass (or some other perfectly legal activity), the CO may never approach the angler at all.

[MorningStorm]

Well as for the snagging goes up here in bemidji the suckers run hard threw the rivers its always been a pass time for adults, college students, and kids while we wait for the ice to leave the lakes. But like you said I dont know if its legal to "snag" them. we always just use a big gumball jig with a twister tail and drag it across the bottom. I have seen the CO at the most popular local spot numerous times he just checks licenses and send us on our way. even though we target suckers there is the occasional walleye that gets snagged and thats a little hairy. let alone i dont like catching spawning walleyes thats just not right. Next time i see the CO down there I will talk to him about it. The sucker run is approaching fast

[flyfisher03]

The new regs for 2012 state

• It is unlawful to take a fish by snagging or noodling (taking fish by hand). page 10

And this one has been in the books for a while

• You may not intentionally fish for any species during its closed season.

[DTro]

Well, the law clearly states that I can catch a fish that is out of season, unhook it, take a picture and immediately release it.

So just what is the cutoff for the number of fish per day I can do that with anyways? If I'm drifting down the river casting the shoreline for white bass and keep catching walleyes, there is not much I can do. But to an observer it would sure look like I was targeting walleyes. Same can be said for pike/muskies and catfish/sturgeon.