Killing vs release of fish

[Uncle Grump]

I'd like to hear your opions on the issue of killing fish - in this case - via spearing vs catch and release, or even catch and kill.

Last weekend, while visiting relatives, the subject of a rumored "very large" northern came up - it was seen by a spearer in a nearby lake. My father-in-law spears, and has done so for years. Unfortuneately, he has somewhat a "live off the land" mentality - the lake "owes" him. In the past, he's taken multiple 10#+ fish a year, sometimes in a week.

As carefully as I could, I suggested that a fish which makes it past 10# is a breeder, and should not be speared - its where the next generation will come from, and that the odds of a single egg maturing in to a 10#+ fish are extremely long - so why kill it? SWMBO chose that moment to add a timely comment - "the bigs ones don't taste as good anyway".

If a fish of that type is released unharmed - we still have the resource. If caught and killed - I'd like to hope it's cause someone wants it for the wall - but a spear really eliminates that possibility.

I myself speared once - years ago. I'll also admit to having killed some fish which really should have been relesed - so I'm not blameless.

I'm also wondering about the whole spearing tradition/practice. With the increased pressure on the resource (northerns and even fish in general), is spearing something whose time has come (to end).

If there are folks out there that spear - I'd like to hear your opinions too.

Thanks

UG

[Pig_sticka]

the only thing is you can choose what you spear. maybe just look at the beuaty of the fish and let them swim if your not going to be using the fish. if they are too big well maybe turn to a hook and line if you want to realease them. it isn't that downgrading to feel a monster fish on a lightweight setup. just some of my views.

[Guest]

I'm not a big time spearer, but I've out time to time and I've often comtemtplated these questions too. But I think that there is a to be a selective harvester while spearing. But if you're spearing you better like to eat northerns. I've seen people spear them and toss them, And that is wrong no matter what size they are. As for the big big fish in the lakes, people need to use common sense when spearing big fish. Theres nothing wrong with spearing a large fish provided you're not doing it every day of the week. or even numerous times a year. People just need to use common sense when it comes to selective harvesting so that they don't have to complain when special regulations are put in place.

Have a good one! Matt

[Fish On]

i have nothing against it if the person is going to USE the fish weather eat it mount it what ever but dont waste a prize like that.

[Stiff]

I admit I love spearing and all the traditions that go with it, but I have the same struggle you point out. I’ve let a lot of fish swim away, but there is something a little weird about watch a spear hole all day with no intention of ever picking up a spear, yet we all routinely set out a bunch of tip ups with no intention of keeping any pike. I’ve recently taken to mixing the two, by leaving the spear at home and angling down the spear hole. A reasonable compromise I think.

Harvest is harvest no matter how you do it. When you make the choice to harvest it’s really up to you (or your uncle) to do it responsibly. I personally think it’s important to choose the lake you intend to harvest from when you decide to do it. Some lakes can handle it and others can’t. It’s even good for some lakes.

When do you harvest? I have a tendency to keep any fish that’s bleeding, and try not to have more than about three or four meals of fish in the freezer at any given time – Maximum (like when you get home from a trip). That’s just my own rule of thumb, and I usually have a lot less than that. I think they stay fresher longer in the lake

I also have a problem with guys who chronically keep fish and “give them away” as a means of justifying keeping another limit tomorrow. (Uhg!)

Happy New Year to all!

Stiff

[jwilli7122]

I think the 24 inch rule (release everything over 24) is a ****ed good one, and should probably be made law on MOST lakes in minnesota. (1 fish over 40 for the wall would be fine) If its too hard for a spearer to judge 24 inches, maybe give spearers 2 inches grace.

On most lakes that see any pressure it's pretty easy to get a big meal of 2 lb pike pretty fast, and there's really no reason to keep the 32 inch pike you catch once every 100 fish. By the same logic, in lakes overrun by small pike, (i bet at least half of minnesota lakes) you are not doing the lake any favors by throwing back your 21 incher. I'm more bugged by the guy who keeps his 30 incher and "graciously" releases all the 21 inchers than I am by the guy who tosses his 20 inchers out on the ice.

[Crawlerman]

The only thing is-- how can you release a big pike through the ice? Espically one big enough to call a "hole hugger" It'd be rather difficult to get that fish back down thick ice in a hole barely wide enough to fit his head through, alive atleast. And even if it does manage to swim off-- you can't guarntee it wasn;t damaged by the long time it was sitting suspened upside down while you tried to figure a way to entice it to go back through; you can't exzactly hold it's tail and rock it back and forth to improve water circulation; as is the common practice for relasing big pike that were landed by exhausting the fish. My question is: HOW do you release a pike that big and give it a decent chance of not floating belly up under the ice?

[minneman]

stiff I couldnt have said it better.
I believe spearing is the only true catch and release.(I do not spear) if you can lure a 40"er in and watch it go out of veiw, you didnt even touch/hurt the fish, yet you did get it to come to you. in a sence same as catching..? people just need to be educated, and not so hungry while fishing.

crawler, I know what you mean, I fish for big pike in the spring, and have releast may up to 40" what we have done is to carve out a live well in the ice w/auger, about 4x4 and a foot deep or so. drill a hloe all the way threw next to it and chip a channel to fill it from that hole, release them when you know they're ready, works great. we always mark the hole when we leave.

[Guest]

I too used to spear fish. But now I like to cut a spear hole and fool the rascals,and catch the fish on a hook and line. Its cool to see how your jigging affects the fish. Sometimes it scares them away,sometimes it don't.
I let any fish- (walleyes,northerns ect.) go that are over 3 pounds,just my standards.

[upnorth]

I have talked to a few of the old timers around here where I live, and they just don't get the release the big ones and keep the smaller fish. For some reason they can not understand the release the breeder fish concept. Too many years of the you gotta get the big ones. That goes for Walleye and Pike.

Last spring my wife caught a 37 inch Pike on Vermillion while walleye fishing. My neighbor couldn't believe that we took a picture and released it. He looked at us like we were totally nuts .

I tend to think that is a more widespread mentality than we would like to believe. There are a lot of people that are un-educated as far as breeding fish and how keeping a breeding fish affects the resources.

I know that on all the forums on this site it is really stressed let the breeders go, but not everyone reads these posts here.

You should hear some of these people b!tch about the slot sizes on some lakes. You try and explain the reasoning and it is like trying to talk to a wall.

Scott