56 inch minimum?

[Bob Schultz]

OH and as a Big V. cabin owner--No problem at all with the 56 limit!

[brad coin]

JackPine

I help organize speakers for the twin cities chapter of MI,,,thats a VERY impressive track record for tigers,,would you be interested in doing a Tiger seminatr at one of our montly meetings we do pay our speakers

[delcecchi]

You might search jackpine's posts in other forums to check him out.

[10,000 Casts]

JackPineGuy, could you post some pics? I would love to see some of these monsters.

[MuskieJunkie]

You might search jackpine's posts in other forums to check him out.

I was just getting ready to type the same thing. Pay no attention to the 100+ 45" comment.

[JackPineGuy]

I must say humbly and without any intent to discredit or disrespect the author of this statement---but I have never read or seen anything that related to Musky fishing that blew me away like the statement---I have probably caught 100 or more tiger Musky's over 45 inches---Im paraphrasing....

But if thats true----that is just an unbelievable accomplishment--totally mind blowing--considering growing up a a great tiger lake- fishing hard--lots of nice fish over 40--but the biggest tiger 44 inches in my boat.

LOL to me---it would be harder to catch a 100 tiger Musky's over 45 than to do what Jordan did and win 6 NBA titles---just saying---if JP has really accomplished this---I say he is the new MJ of Musky fishing---

Am I missing something here?????

LoL

[JackPineGuy]

i dont mind a 56 inch limit either but why wouldent you just fight ta get them closed all together. why waste time with a 56 inch limit then 3 years later go for full closure and hafta fight 2 battles.Just Bizzare... As for my tiger feats if u only knew. Ive been at it for tigers from the beginning. A friend and I got a dozen tiger muskies last summer in two days, about 6 hours of fishing each day with sum freaky weather. all these fish were post 40 inches.

[CaptainMusky]

How about some pics of those tigers? They are beautiful fish.

Im only interested in the 100 over 45 though so keep the small ones to yourself.

In regards to closing it altogether. I believe the intent of the 56 is that it would allow for the state record to be broken if one so chose to do it upon catching one.

Making it catch and release only would basically lock the record books.

Which, is fine by me, but it would be cool to see it go out I guess, even though there have been a few fish likely to surpass that in the last 10 years or so anyway that were released.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Making it catch and release only would basically lock the record books.

The Muskie record has already been broken a number of times and they all released the fish so imo lock it up.

[CaptainMusky]

The Muskie record has already been broken a number of times and they all released the fish so imo lock it up.

Entitled to your opinion, but there will be someone that wants all the fame and notoreity that goes with it. Records are made to be broken.

I wouldnt do it personally, sounds like neither would you, but I think making it completely catch and release would add other issues and controversay.

I said it earlier where the antis would say, since you arent harvesting any fish, STOCK LESS. It would happen.

56" is essentially making it catch and release anyway. And its possible that a fish below 56" would break the state record too so that arbitrary number is just that, arbitrary.

[JacobG]

without question there have been fish that were sub 56" that would push or break the 50lb mark. And I also agree that 56 would basically make MN catch and release since there are so very few fish caught every year that would surpass that mark. I think I read somewhere that approximately 98% of all muskies were released, and that was when the length limit was 40" now that its 48" that number has not changed. Dont recall where I read this, muskie inc, mndnr???? dont recall but what that statistic does show is that regardless of size limit we as muskie fisherman are releasing fish, and thats fantastic

[Musky Buck]

I'd really ? the accuracy of the 98% in this sense, us musky people yes, what about the hundreds of incidental catches or whatever, I think some of it is hear say sorta, none of us truly know the truth, only the ones you fish with know the actual truth. Just saying, I way concur about the 56", Mike Hulbert got his personal best last season and wouldn't be a keeper with a 56" regulation so 57"+ ers are very few and very far between, he only boated was it over 500 fish last season and 400+ was it in his article the season before, pro-guide, now full time guide, = has never caught a legal in MN if the 56" goes into effect in a way. Anyway with the intense pressure of the sport nowaday I'm way in favor of 56" or whatever 70" because so much mortality is happening, ask people with lakeshore around our especially smaller stocked waters.

[CaptainMusky]

Anyway with the intense pressure of the sport nowaday I'm way in favor of 56" or whatever 70" because so much mortality is happening, ask people with lakeshore around our especially smaller stocked waters.

You would likely see an INCREASE in mortality if the limits are increased. Why? Because a 50" fish that couldnt swim away after the battle today, could be kept for someone's wall. With a 56" minimum its a floater. Either way its a dead fish and that happens, but reality is a higher minimum wont lead to lower mortality, I think it would probably increase it.

[Shawn Kellett]

but reality is a higher minimum wont lead to lower mortality, I think it would probably increase it.

How could mandated C&R INCREASE mortality?

[bemidjibasser]

I'm not sure I understand how that would work either... The vast majority of muskies caught are already being released, so increasing the minimum size fish that could be kept would increase mortality? That doesn't make sense to me...just saying.

[Jameson]

...How could mandated C&R INCREASE mortality?

I'm not saying it would....but if someone catches and keeps a fish at 9:00 am then they can't keep fishing all day. If they kept fishing all day they would then be able to foul hook multiple fish with the chance of killing more of them.

But really, it is a stretch. Especially with how few are kept the way it is now.

[10,000 Casts]

I'm confused. Are you saying that if the person could keep the fish they would do so and leave the lake because it's their 1 in possession? But if it's C&R, they would put it back and foul hook more fish and kill them? That is a stretch. The avg Muskie fisherman has very few multiple fish days and from what I see the avg Muskie fisherman maybe kills one fish every few years.

I honestly don't know of a Muskie that's been mounted in the last couple years as everyone I knows prefers replicas. But I agree with MuskyBuck in that it's the incidental catches that are where most the mounts are coming from.

Another real problem that I see are the local lakeshore owners that still think that Muskies have ruined their walleye population. I have about 100 clients that have places on Vermilion and a few of them are under the opnion that every muskie should be killed. Sad but it's still out there.. My argument is always the same, I ask them what are the best walleye lakes in the state right now, Vermilion, Leech, Winni, Mille Lacs, they all have good Muskie populations.

Also for the guys saying that "you may know what is good for your family but you don't know what is good for mine?" Sure I agree with that but I still want to know why you PERSONALLY would want to keep a musky? Is it a rights issue? Do u want the table fare? Do you want a mount? Are you afraid that all esox will go to C&R so it will kill the sport of spearing? Honestly, I'm curious.

[CaptainMusky]

How could mandated C&R INCREASE mortality?

Read my post more closely you will see what I was saying. Mortality = dead. If "lakeshore" owners are complaining about mortality its most likely from seeing floaters right?

If a person cant keep a 50" musky that is going to die due to the battle, but cannot mount the fish because its under 56" that fish will be a floater. Get it?

Either way its a dead fish so its not necessarily increasing the number of dead fish, just "floaters".

I dont think you will effectively reduce mortality by increasing the size limit. You may reduce the number of fish that leave the lake to be mounted, but you wont reduce the number that die for delayed mortality. Which is what I was responding to the person proposing a 70" limit.

[Gordie]

Ok I understand you guys want a minimum size limit of 56" for muskies which pretty much makes it a Catch and Release sport and I'm ok with that, now since it would be that way their should be NO problem opening up the winter season for muskies as a catch and release only fish. There would be no worries of harvest and isnt that what you guys are really worried about?

Just some food for thought or should I say fish for thought.

[Yooperguy]

Why is it only the spearers are the only ones who complain that the muskie season closes in December? It is very consistent with our neighboring States and Canada.

[Gordie]

Why is it only the spearers are the only ones who complain that the muskie season closes in December? It is very consistent with our neighboring States and Canada.

Who's complaining and Why don't you read my post again I was asking a legitimate question and you answering a question with a complaint.

[Shawn Kellett]

Gordie, the MDAA is whinning up a storm at the closed season as well as the new higher proposed limit. They think "MN should be like Michigan. It works for them!" An officer said that to us.

[RawHog]

I enjoy shooting s*** and throwing spears and drinking beers just as much as the next guy but honestly spearing is the dumbest way to fish and should be outlawed. I hate spearers, I know many of them spear other species illegally. Even spearing a pike is wrong. Pike are treated like a rough fish and it chaps my silly-me that big ones are hard to come across consistently unless you make a long trip. Every pike over 4lbs either gets speared or caught and filleted. Spearing shouldnt be allowed, especially for sturgeon, but it doesn't matter the species at all.. The holes in the ice are dangerous, too. I had a friend and his 4 yr old daughter fall in a spearing hole on josephine in Roseville in feb. of 2012. I waited all year til I saw spearers in the same area to beat some sense into them. Let me just put it this way they DONT SPEAR ON JOSEPHINE ANYMORE.. no one was harmed.. im not CRAZY but this is the internet so I dont care how i sound.

In conclusion, all fish should have slot regulations. No one should be able to spear unless it's carp or invasives and Muskies should have a 56" minimum.

WORLD PEACE

[Capt. Quicksteel]

Could this thread get any LAMER?!?! Back and forth slamming each other and now openly admitting illegally harassing people who are fishing legally?! No wonder nobody can stand us musky fishermen!

[JPenny]

10,000 casts, I am the one who stated, "you may know what is good for your situation, but you have no clue what is good for my family". But this was not about me keeping any muskies. I would never intentionally kill a muskie and am in favor of the 56" limit. If you'll read back further in the posts, you'll see why I made this statement.