Fishing before opener!?

[TV BOY]

I know that one can fish for panfish right now. However I have never been successful trolling for sunnies. I have seen numerous boats this weekend trolling , drifting with rods. Also some questionable casting.

From what I understand, even if you c&r, you can't fish for game fish correct? I need some validation before picking up a phone...

[Master Guide]

It is illegal to purposfully fish for a species out of season, eithere c and r or not. You can however, catch them unintentionally while fishing for other species in season, but the out of season fish must be released immediatly.

Example: If you go to the Red Lake River Mouth in Washkish, and have a crappie minnow on, you will catch walleyes. Just throw them back.

Funny thing though, you would never think of catching a walleye in its spawning grounds while fishing crappie eh?

Yet, people continue to do so every day. LOL!

[maxx rpm]

I do troll for crappies although it is a little early for that yet. Probably not what those people were up to, but there are a lot of techniques for fishing. Anyone fishing out of seasons should have their casting arm removed.

[Mr. Pike1]

The law is you can not intentionally target fish out of season. While tossing small jigs and minnows for crappie you will get pike, bass, the occassion walleye. However, as long you are not targeting the out of season species you are fine.

I was on one of my favorite West metro lakes yesterday and there is a boat with like 6 people on it tossing for bass and pike. They were hootin and hollaring as they landed fish out of season. For a moment I was angry but decided I did want to let it ruin my day.

I have over time realized you can not legislate integrity or intellegance. These people either had no integrity or were just plain stupid.

[eyepatrol]

There are many different ways to fish for pannies, and casting small cranks or trolling a lindy rig with a crappie minnow are certainly a couple. I have read reports of guys using these techniques in southcentral mn and have been getting 'gills and crappies using those techniques. Certainly there is the possibility of catching an 'eye and it happens, but if they're targeting crappies, like up on URL or any other lake, you can't blame them for catching an 'eye or bass or pike. I myself had a 1/32oz stub grub on today with a bobber trying to find crappies and ended up catching some bass. I wasn't targeting them, but I just have no control over what eats my jig/plastic.

However, if the people had husky jerks on, fishing sucker minnows, throwing bucktails or casting walleye sized cranks, I certainly would be suspicious.

[delmuts]

i drifting or troll for panfish is a great way to fish in the summer time, but never had much lot this time of year.

[slick814]

Yup, there's lots of ways to catch fish that you aren't trying to catch... it happens to everyone.

BUT... if someone is obviously trying to catch something out of season, or keeping fish out of season, don't hesitate to call TIP or your local C.O./DNR office. They'll make the determination whether the person(s) were fishing illegally, legally, or whatever, and handle the situation as it needs to be handled.

[riverrat56]

Drifted jigs on flats all day yesterday for Crappies, along with 20 other boats, day before that I was tossing countdowns for crappies and sunnies up againsts rocks where they were feeding on minnows, both worked very well for the intended purpose and both times I was fishing for legal fish even though at times I did catch a few bass a pike and lost a walleye.

[Bobb-o]

but what do you consider a walleye-sized crank? one of my favorite lures for big bluegills is a jointed shad rap, which most would consider a walleye crank.

[Swimmer]

Trolling 1 inch countdowns is a very effective way to target Crappies and Bluegills...especialy this time of the year. It is also a good way to avoid the tangle factor, baiting, ect. with kids or with the disabled (who can't cast). If I started catching a majority of eyes or norts with this method instead of panfish, I wouldn't use it.

[harvey lee]

As stated above,there are many ways to catch panfish and in the process you will catch other fish.It happens.I was fishing last week with a 1/32oz jig with a 1"micro shad and caught a eye and a bass and lost one day I believe another gamefish.

I try to use bait that is without a doubt a panfish bait and feel that a CO will not have any problem that.The larger or more questionable the bait,the bigger the problem you might incounter with the CO's.