Fifty dollar tag to fish Muskies

[muskybuck]

I witnessed a pretty disgusting thing yesterday on the Holcombe Flowage in WI. My Grandson and I were fishing a row of docks about 7am for bass when we heard some splashing behind us and noticed a pretty good fight going on a few docks back between a man and a Muskie. When the fish was finally brought in (40+inches)it was dragged over the rocks on shore up onto the grass. After at least 5 minutes of flopping in the grass they got the hook out and after a couple more minutes of picture taking they put it back in the water. I am guessing it was a Sucker rig of some sort. We watched for another five minutes as the guy walked back down three different times in the water and would move the fish back and forth thinking he could bring it back to life. I wonder if a fifty dollar stamp for the right to fish Muskie would have stopped this or not. It might have.

[RuKiddingMe]

Probably not, because their excuse for using the suck rig would have been they were fishing for pike. Unfortunately there would really be no way to enforce Musky fishing with a stamp. Even though it’s clearly obvious when someone is fishing for Musky vs. fishing for Pike, the offender would say they are Pike fishing and the CO’s would have no way to prove otherwise. The only way a stamp would be somewhat effective would be for catch-and-keep Musky fisherman, just a way to keep them honest on the daily limit, IF they ever got checked in the first place.

I’d be all for a $50 donation at the beginning of each season IF and ONLY IF that money was to be used for giving back to the resource, and that’s not likely to happen, odds are it would go to MN’s stellar Welfare Program.

[Hwood]

I do not think it would do any good. Still won't keep a ski from bitting on a worm.

[bigbritt]

i see that kind of thing in WI a lot. saw the same dump on the chip in june, two old fellas with a single hook sucker rig. let the poor thing flop on the bottom of the boat for quite a while also. They tried for a long time to "revive" it. It was dead as soon as it took the sucker. I really think sucker rigs should be made illegal, with the exception of a properly used quick strike that uses only trebles. even then some folks dont know how to use those right.

[esox addict]

I think that a muskie stamp would be a good thing to have. Even though it wouldn't stop bass fisherman from catching a ski every once in a while, those accidental catches would have to be released. I always hate to see some old lady fishing off a dock with a forty incher on the stringer going home to the frying pan. I think that a stamp would help out with the fish getting put back in the water. But who says the fish is going to live. I think that some anglers don't know how to release fish properly. I was out fishing once and there was a couple of walleye guys who I could tell had a big muskie on, I asked them if they needed a hand with a net but they said they were fine. A couple minutes later I see them pull out a gaff. Thank God the thing broke the line before they could get a gaff in it. I would definitely support a muskie stamp but I also think that angler education is very important.

[ZOKU]

*nod*

I'm definitely thinking angler education is equally important.

[MuskyBrian]

Stamp is basically impossible, Trout stamps are easier to regulate because often the areas/locations they are fished are locations that only contain trout. There's no way you can regulate what species a person is fishing for with pike/bass/walleye/ski's in the same water. PLUS, we spend enough money on gear and trips and liscenses as is.

The unfortunate bottom line is there are morons out there who have little common sense, and it hard to educate those who have zero interest in learning/changing their ways. Plus, every so often someone who fits this bill does land a fish but 9 times out of 10 they don't possess the proper skills to even land one. I hate to see it too but we are powerless...

[muskybuck]

I think there are quite a few, probably like this guy I watched who are targeting Muskies with heavy line, leaders and suckers that might not do this if they had to fork out the $50. I do not believe that he was targeting Northerns on this well know Muskie water. Proving it of course is another matter. This guy pulled that Muskie up on the shore with his line. He might have lost a 50 incher that way but the fish still would have died. Studies show cutting the line and leaving the hook in side a fish will eventually kill it. He was however armed well enough to drag a 40"+ fish onto shore with no problem.

[Cooter]

Hey Muskybuck - you're no longer in Rice Lake I'm assuming from my supernatural powers of deduction?

[muskybuck]

Cooter,

I have me a little shack up there on the Holcombe Flowage and live in Onalaska.

[Cooter]

Muskybuck - Any nice fish out of the flowage this year? I know the Chipp flowage was kicking out some dandies earlier this year in June. Also know Wissota has produced a 49.5 and a 47 for Muskie Inc members this year. I'm still trying to break past the 30" mark this year

[muskybuck]

I do not know for sure. I'll have to ask around next time I get up there.