northern pike limit!!

[bgreen82]

From Ron Schara out of the star trib. "More sweaty ramblings: Isn't it odd that Minnesotans may only keep three northern pike, which are overabundant in water everywhere, while this fall, state hunters will be allowed to shoot six ducks, which aren't overabundant anywhere (except in the minds of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)."

what do you guys think of this? why not increase the limit on pike. they are good eats if you can deal with the y-bones and wouldnt it help to possibly increase average sizes?

[Grant Pearson]

I would agree to that. I do know some people that don't fish for them that would like their numbers decreased. I would like to definitely see their size increase. I know there are some lakes in MN that you have no choice to keep pike, no matter what size they are in order to help the pop. control and help increase size. If you were caught throwing one back on one of the lakes (there's only a handful in the state), you would actually get a fine.

[Black_Bay]

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I would agree to that. I do know some people that don't fish for them that would like their numbers decreased. I would like to definitely see their size increase. I know there are some lakes in MN that you have no choice to keep pike, no matter what size they are in order to help the pop. control and help increase size. If you were caught throwing one back on one of the lakes (there's only a handful in the state), you would actually get a fine.

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There are no lakes that you will get a fine for releasing pike in Minnesota. Where did you see this?

[Grant Pearson]

I saw it in outdoor news either last year or the year before. it might have changed, but that's just something that I've noticed. Also, I do know that there are lakes with special 6 pike limits to help with the harvest.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

The problem is not just too many pike its too many small pike. Lots of people dont keep the little ones they keep the 25" plus fish. I dont think there are many people out there taking a limit of small pike and that is what would help.

Ive heard that the dnr once tried dumpsites for small northerns in lakes that were over run with them. But even then the harvest was not enough to change the population density of the small fish.

Thats why its so important to practice selective harvest on all species because once thier is a problem its so hard to reverse it.

[Grant Pearson]

I agree

[Nick Kuhn]

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The problem is not just too many pike its too many small pike. Lots of people dont keep the little ones they keep the 25" plus fish. I dont think there are many people out there taking a limit of small pike and that is what would help.

Ive heard that the dnr once tried dumpsites for small northerns in lakes that were over run with them. But even then the harvest was not enough to change the population density of the small fish.

Thats why its so important to practice selective harvest on all species because once thier is a problem its so hard to reverse it.

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I completely agree. There are very few lakes where pike will become stunted. Not all will grow trophies but 36" should be achievable. However most anglers keep the 24-32 inchers, and in heavily pressured waters only a small percentage reach quality sizes. There will always be more small pike than large ones. The difference is in slot protected or similarly regulated lakes you can expect as many as 15-25% of the pike to be larger than 30" whereas on unprotected lakes the number may be less than 5%.

I've noted in NW Wisconsin when the Pike regulations were stricter there were much easier to catch. Back then the bass regulations were pretty loose and bass were tough to come by. Since then they've tightened up bass regulations and loosened pike regulations. I've seen a complete flip-flop. Bass are easy to come by in numbers now and 5 lbs are caught pretty regularly. Pike however are difficult to come by now, and 30 inch plus fish are very tough to come by. The creel clerk at our cabin reports the largest caught by anyone this year was 27 1/2", not very impressive. Bass are being caught at an impressive rate, while not a single legal walleye has been pulled from the lake (increased bass numbers have basically eliminated the previous stocking success).

[setterguy]

I don't know if you would get a fine but there are lakes that ask you to keep your limit of pike. A lake I fish Muskies in has a sign at the access.

[steffanf]

Would that lake be F. Lake?

-Gregg B.

[Nick Kuhn]

Lac Courte Oreilles is one like that, not so much because there are too many pike, but because the increased number of pike have taken over prime muskie spawning ground and muskie numbers have dropped.

[Scott M]

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There are no lakes that you will get a fine for releasing pike in Minnesota. Where did you see this?

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You wouldn't get a fine, but you aren't supposed to release pike if you catch them in designated trout lakes.

It's a slippery slope changing pike regs. It'd be good to see how experimental regulations works, like the 9 fish bag limit on Bowstring. Some lakes with few pike and little spawnign habitat couldn't take the additional pressure. Other overpopulated lakes that have stunting issues might get some relief. But a one-size-fits-all statewide bag limit change could have undesirable effects. I would tinker with slots on a favorite lake before I would ask for a statewide bag change.

[Sonicrunch]

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From Ron Schara out of the star trib. "More sweaty ramblings: Isn't it odd that Minnesotans may only keep three northern pike, which are overabundant in water everywhere, while this fall, state hunters will be allowed to shoot six ducks, which aren't overabundant anywhere (except in the minds of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)."

what do you guys think of this? why not increase the limit on pike. they are good eats if you can deal with the y-bones and wouldnt it help to possibly increase average sizes?

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Apples to oranges unless the duck season is as long as the pike season.

With the way you stated the argument, you imply Minnesotans only keep 3 northerns in a year.

[Sonicrunch]

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The problem is not just too many pike its too many small pike. Lots of people dont keep the little ones they keep the 25" plus fish. I dont think there are many people out there taking a limit of small pike and that is what would help.

Ive heard that the dnr once tried dumpsites for small northerns in lakes that were over run with them. But even then the harvest was not enough to change the population density of the small fish.

Thats why its so important to practice selective harvest on all species because once thier is a problem its so hard to reverse it.

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This is what I find the most disturbing. The best eating pike are the little ones. Who eats 25"+ pike?

I would be all for a size harvest limit on pike. Look at how sweet Lake Sallie by Detroit lakes is.

[lotsofish]

There is a size limit on pike, 1 over 30" right? I would be in favor of lowering it 1 over 24". If you're fishing for food, those 18-22" 2-3 pounders are tough to beat and the ones over 24" go back in the water to keep the sunfish populations in check.

About raising the limits, I'm not sure about that. I don't have any scientific facts, but my gut feeling is one of the reasons we have so many lakes in the metro area with stunted panfish populations is because there are too many pike and bass being kept to keep their numbers down. I can see possibly raising the limits on lakes outstate, but only with a lower slot limit. I don't think we need people taking more predatory fish out of the smaller metro lakes.

[andrew chadwick]

that is the best idea I have heard in this whole tread. kudos to you!

[TRZ]

The slot on many lakes 24-36 inch protected is the best bet it works great on many lakes Mille lacs, rush to name a few. i wish it was more widespread.

[Nick Kuhn]

http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/pages/reports/final/polk_largonlake.pdf

Evaluation of a 32" minimum for Northern by the Wisconsin DNR. Only problem is the lake was also stocked at the same time with pike so results are not exclusively the result of the minimum length.

[Keith_MN]

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There is a size limit on pike, 1 over 30" right? I would be in favor of lowering it 1 over 24".

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Unfortunately, this wouldn't sit very well with the folks who like to spear in the winter time. I've actually been asked to sign petitions eliminating the 'one over 30 inches' regulation. The poor lowly northern gets no respect.

[fishuhalik]

Everyone has an opinion, mind if I share mine? I believe it would be a great idea to increase the limit on pike under 24" to 5, 24-28 you can keep 2, and reduce the size on the 1 over 30" to 1 over 28". If you have a couple of boats that know how to target nice pike and are keeping 6 30" pike a day per boat, it don't take long and they're gone, at least in the smaller lakes. How's that sound?