MN Bullhead lenght up date from the DNR

[I Da Man]

I received this excerpt from one of the great folks at the MN DNR tonight about our quest for the use and transportation of longer bullheads in MN.

"I am currently meeting

with the Commissioner to go over rule language and get his approval to

move ahead. At this point in time, we have not made it to the bullhead

rules, but I hope to in the next meeting scheduled for January 24.

Pending no unforseen obstacles, we are still on track for implementing

the change in 2007....."

Although I don't like to count my bullheads before they're hooked, this has been the most positive communictions from the DNR that I've heard.

"Pending no unforseen obstacles..."

I hate those unforseen obstacles!

[Dennis Steele]

Can we purchase our 2007 fishing license early?

Then we could start using those huge bullheads come this spring!

[Guest]

I thought bullheads only grew to 7" long?

I cant see why they wont change it. There was nothing to contest it when they reviewed it.. and a few people in favor of it. As I Da man once said.. It seemed that nobody really cares.

Im sure the average angler isnt going to mind us pulling a few bullheads of all lengths out of the lakes/streams, and the flathead fishermen will enjoy having a proper size bait they dont have to pay $2.50 each that die in 5 minutes in the 75 degree water.

[DTro]

I think it is a no brainer, I don't think it would generally mean that I would use bigger bait, rather it would just make sorting the ones I catch much easier.

I do know of a 40+ that ate a 5 inch dead sucker minnow and a 50+ that ate a 4 inch bullhead , so the bigger bullie doesn't always mean bigger fish

[hanson]

And Fisher Dave has a handful of monsters that took "cutbait" last summer as well.

But there was that 1 that lit up the night.

[I Da Man]

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rather it would just make sorting the ones I catch much easier.

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That would be one benifit. I think Jimmy the James River guide summed it up as he cut off a 3"x 4" chunk of shad for blue catfishing....it keeps the smaller ones away.

I know, I know...I've seen the one pound flat wolfing a 7 in bullhead too!

I'll rephrase, it keeps the sensible smaller ones away!

[Guest]

I think I got most of my flatheads last summer once we hit mid July on Cut bait.

Early in the season the suckers worked. After that it was big fiesty bullheads or you were going to watch the person next to you catch fish.

Who was it this summer that got the little flathead (2 pounds?) on a fat 7" bully? The flathead wasnt even hooked, but it was stuck by all 3 barbels(fins) and it took a pliers to get it off the bullhead. I think it was Manny(Blacksportsman).

And careful there hanson.. dont be sheding any light on my secrets!

[I Da Man]

I'm telling you! Fisher Dave is going to be on the cover of In-Fisherman with a patent on Syvainia Suckers.

Can I still fish with you when your Big Time!

[Guest]

And who said fish cant make facial expressions?

[I Da Man]

From the MN DNR....

"Here's a quick idea of what we are proposing:

Harvest with dip nets and angling.

10 inches as Max.

**100 fish limit - counts towards the current bullhead limit (Means you could only have 100 bullheads total between 7-10 inches).

No transport of live bullheads north of state Highway 210.

Can't transport live bullheads into MN form boarder states unles have proper commercial licenses."

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100 fish limit - counts towards the current bullhead limit (Means you could only have 100 bullheads total between 7-10 inches).

Remember, we are talking about LIVE TRANSPORT here.

So "MY" reading on this is I can have 288 bullheads under 7 inches...PLUS the 100 fish limit...but I can only transport the ones under 10 inches home live.

THANK YOU DNR! (if it goes through in '07 )

[DTro]

Could they tack on an extra line clause under the radar

[Ralph Wiggum]

Maybe we could paper clip that to the back of the bullhead length and they'd pass it

[hanson]

Just like opening up ANWR to oil drilling.

[rushing]

Small bullies can catch large fish but 2 of the largest fish I know that were caught by friends this past summer 45lb and a 47lb were both on good size bullies.

[I Da Man]

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Maybe we could paper clip that to the back of the bullhead length and they'd pass it

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Now that's funny right there!

Personally I think it would be easier to attach it to some pork barrel spending bill.

Rushing, many large fish have been caught on small bullheads or other bait. IMO there are two benefits to this change. 1) smaller flats won't eat it...(although I've seen some pretty darn small flats (try) to eat some pretty darn big bullies!) and 2) when we net them we don't have to take so long to sort them. I don't think I've ever seen a bh bigger than 9 inches from the area I net....and if there would be, it sure would stand out in the crowd.

Last I heard, Dirk's hands were still healing from sorting bhs from last spring.

[DTro]

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Maybe we could paper clip that to the back of the bullhead length and they'd pass it

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Now that's funny right there!

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Now I could be wrong, but I was told one time that the 2 line rule for ice was tacked on to a totally seperate bill (spending bill or something). So it's not out of question.

[rushing]

Around here its often hard to find bullheads small enough. I personally like the medium sized myself. They are much livlier and easier to cast. As far as keeping the smaller ones away, I dunno them flatties often have eyes bigger than their stomaches, but bigger bullies will keep those pesky walleys and sheephead away. Yes I said sheephead. We had a monster sheephead try to take a bully and it had it wedged tight in its mouth. I have no idea what it was thinking cuz if we didnt pull it out it would've died.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Sheepshead on a bullhead? Now that would be a sight to see!

[icehousebob]

What do they do with catmen caught using too large a bullheads? I can just see it in a jail cell where the guys are comparing crimes,

"I robbed and armored car and whupped two guards.

" I beat up four Vikings players in a bar fight.

" I used a seven inch bullhead for bait." I hope they have seperate cells for fishermen.

[DTro]

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Sheepshead on a bullhead? Now that would be a sight to see!

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Yep, I've caught one on a bullhead, and it was quite a large bullhead.