Mille Lacs Pike...Not Surprising

[ANYFISH2]

I am really in no position to call b.s.. But only 375 northerns where kept by anglers all winter? No way! 30 of those were kept in Vineland bay the first sat in march.

[delcecchi]

I am really in no position to call b.s.. But only 375 northerns where kept by anglers all winter? No way! 30 of those were kept in Vineland bay the first sat in march.

tell it to the DNR. It is their data.

[tolle141]

That is one way to look at it derbier122x....

Or you could look at the number of pike killed by all methods where open water and tribal make up 62% of all pike killed according to these results.

I guess you could always ban darkhouse spearing then the individuals who do choose to harvest large pike will be counted in the anglers group instead of the darkhouse spearing group.... I don't think that will do much to help the resource though... since mother nature really don't care how the fish are killed.

Maybe you could just take everyone's fishing licence away for all methods if they choose to harvest northern pike?

Couple of questions for you Merk:

1. What's the ratio of open water anglers and ice anglers?

2. What's the catch-to-kill ratio for open water anglers? I'm sure you can come to some reasonable calculation there if you haven't already.

I don't think people would get so hung-up on spearing if they didn't feel spearers were taking a disproportionate share of larger pike. CPR ethic is stronger nowadays, and people want to catch trophy fish. The difference is that with angling, releasing that big pike is an option.

At the end of the day, a lot of people have to make a choice to get a pike to trophy size. When that pike is removed from the system, that hard work goes with it.

[Jameson]

...CPR ethic is stronger nowadays, and people want to catch trophy fish. The difference is that with angling, releasing that big pike is an option.

At the end of the day, a lot of people have to make a choice to get a pike to trophy size. When that pike is removed from the system, that hard work goes with it.

CPR equals Catch Photo Release, correct? The difference with spearing is that photographing that big pike without accidentally killing it is an option.

As far as catching a trophy fish and keeping it for a trophy, that would require killing the fish no matter the method of catching it. Unless we are talking replica's, and those don't require even catching the fish, just make up some dimensions with a pic and you got a replica.

[Cooter]

I fish a small lake that is clear and shallow and kicks out some dandy pike, mostly in winter on tip ups. No doubt hook and line angling removes some adult fish each year but there is NO way this lake would survive if it was open to spearing even one winter. I sight fish panfish, often with a shiner or sucker down and watch those pike cruise by with little or no interest the vast majority of the time - those same fish would be easy pickings with a spear. A handfull of spearers would decimate that lake in a few weeks. Sorry but its only common sense and i'm sick of the talk, not saying spearing should be banned outright but i've had enough with defense of the obvious.

[delcecchi]

CPR equals Catch Photo Release, correct? The difference with spearing is that photographing that big pike without accidentally killing it is an option.

As far as catching a trophy fish and keeping it for a trophy, that would require killing the fish no matter the method of catching it. Unless we are talking replica's, and those don't require even catching the fish, just make up some dimensions with a pic and you got a replica.

All those spearers rushed to Mille Lacs and Cass so they could spear a couple of 24 inchers and watch the big mommas swim buy, or so we have been told. They must think we fell off the turnip truck yesterday.

[tolle141]

CPR equals Catch Photo Release, correct? The difference with spearing is that photographing that big pike without accidentally killing it is an option.

As far as catching a trophy fish and keeping it for a trophy, that would require killing the fish no matter the method of catching it. Unless we are talking replica's, and those don't require even catching the fish, just make up some dimensions with a pic and you got a replica.

Taking photos of big pike wouldn't be called spearing now would it?

Trophies - we are talking replicas. There's zero sense in getting a skin mount nowadays given the quality and longevity of replicas. The price delta has closed to being irrelevant as well.

[Cooter]

Assume ave pike spearer is like a deer meat hunter.  10 counties in mn have not been shooting any bucks smaller than 120 inches and there are lots of big bucks.  Pike spearer dismisses counties overpopulated with deer next to home to travel and hunt the 10 because they want to harvest does for meat........ya sure.