Belle Plaine Contest

[DTro]

Word on the street is that the big fish I caught earlier this week won the contest. Same size and same location.

Sounds like it was brought in to weigh, and then returned to where it came from.

I applaud the effort and am glad to say the beast is still swimming in its lair.

[aanderud]

I love stories of re-catches. It makes the C&R argument just that much stronger. A river this small with a population center this large within short driving distance means we NEED to C&R. My buddy at work doesn't get it. He says "my friend in Iowa keeps their flatheads and they still have plenty to catch". Well, in Iowa there's probably 1/10 the human population density along the mississippi that there is along this 50 mile stretch of the MN river between 'kato and minneapolis. Plus, the mississippi in IA is what, 5-10x the size of the MN river. That gives a solid 50-100x the fish per fisherman ratio. I pulled these numbers out of my rear, but it's got to be a huge difference, whatever the real numbers are.

When I saw that the winner was 51.9 lbs I figured it was probably the same fish. I wish the DNR would implement a tagging program or at least let us implement one. Tagging equipmnt is pretty cheap, hosting a HSOforum with a database isn't bad. I don't know, the only bad argument I've seen is that it would allow people to see WHERE the big fish are and potentially be dangerous to the population. However, it doesn't seem out of line to me to say maybe they only allow the length/girth/weight/date/time or something like that to be kept in the database. This would give people an indication of how many times a fish is re-caught, which would open eyes to how cool C&R is.

[rushing]

If Iowa has an never ending supply of flats to catch why is it that a lot of Iowan anglers come up to the MN River to fish? Their game laws have put a big dent into their fishery.

[aanderud]

That's a good point. I'm not saying they have enough fish to keep anything they catch (I wouldn't know, I don't live there). I was just trying to say that even if they are still happy with their fishery after keeping everything they catch, that doesn't mean the MN river can support it. All bodies of water are not created equal - the population density and water size make a huge difference.

If you see the same fish caught many times, it goes without saying that if the fish was kept, the river would be a lesser quality fishery.

[Lowblazah]

My neighbor and his buddy caught this hog friday eve. These two normally keep their catch, but after explaining to them that a fish of that size deserves nothing more than to be put back in the water, they finally agreed. Especially after the 1000 he won with it. Anyway I do give the two credit for the careful handling and preparation they used in keeping her alive.

Anyway..Dtro...here is the fish...does it look like yours? Sorry it isn't a little more clear.

[hanson]

Quote:

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These two normally keep their catch, but after explaining to them that a fish of that size deserves nothing more than to be put back in the water, they finally agreed.

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Its all about education! Good job!

I would have explained to them it might make them some more money if they catch it again next year.

[Larry FlatCaster]

Way to go Drew! Nice work on CPR.....passing it on.

[DTro]

hmm, I really think that is a different fish. Unless it got some battlewounds after I caught it. I see some things on that fish that weren't on mine:

[crazyice]

I agree, I think that the coloration is even a little different. Nice to know that there are two giants like that swimming! I am sure there are more than that for sure, but atleast there is evidence of these two.

[Kyle B]

I seen the fish in person and I don't think they are the same fish. The head on the BP tourney fish didn't look to be as big as darren's fish. It did have more wounds on it than darrens also, but I could be wrong?

[Lowblazah]

Quote:

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The head on the BP tourney fish didn't look to be as big as darren's fish. It did have more wounds on it than darrens also, but I could be wrong?

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Nope I think you're right...one of them watched Darrens vid tonight and had mentioned their fish was a lot more scarred up.

[ogrejce]

This was the first cat fishing/river fisshing contest I have done and I learned a few things....next year bring a better tent, our got destroyed. Jet motered boats can go through a bout anything, or really shallow water. Charge your battery a little more so you dont get stuck shore fishing by 1 am. I did get one good fish from shore and had a great time. I found out just how good a pillow feels after being up for 30 hours strait. Ps did anybody find are cigars and front boat light at the jordan launch?

[Lowblazah]

Was there two boats in your group? I think we launched at the same time. (I was the guy with the musky stickers on my boat.) We saw them sitting there and then motored down to try and tell you but you all seemed distracted. As we were motoring back up stream past the landing the guy that launched right after us (with the long pony tail) picked them up and threw them in his boat

[Rainman]

Lowblazah, Is that Dan in the picture with the winning cat? What is your neighbors name? Its not Ole is it?

[Lowblazah]

yeah thats danny...John B is my neighbor.