Panfish Limits

[PerchPounder]

I had heard rumors that they were implementing a 25 fish limit for both crappies and bluegills and after reading the new regulations it takes effect January 21. 2009. Im just wondering what everyone thinks.

I have mixed feelings about it. I do understand what the purpose of it is. Will it effect most people? probably not and without a possession limit im not sure if it's going to keep many people from doing anything different than they were before.

[Mr.Perch]

25 is way more than enough hope it makes foks think anyway

[reddog]

The purpose of it is to stop ppl from filling up a bucket with gills, irregardless of their size. It is to make the fisherperson more selective in his harvest. It is 25 years too late. It shouldve been in aggregate. 10 perch, 3 crappies 12 gills is a limit. JMHO, but what do I know.

[reddog]

[Note from admin: Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.]

[delmuts]

My feelings are; about time!!!

I have been so tired of seeing people take coolers and buckets of fish home! I was surprised that the DNR did implement a limit. We have pushed trying to get this for years, but they felt it wasn't neccessary.

Now if we can get them to understand we need more predator fish in some of the smaller lakes to help control the over ubundance of small fish; this will be another big step. Right now they stock lgm bass, channel catfish, and at one time a few muskies( as in volga lake). When they flooded the lake , they did indeed stock a few muskies, but of all the years i have fished it i have yet to see or catch one. None stocked since. They won't put anymore in there because of cost, and won't put any northern in due to having muskies!! Even some flat heads would be helpfull. One step at a time!

[Esox_Magnum]

Guys come to the IGL's and load up on gills. I mean load up taking several thousand fish in a weeks time back home and selling them. If this new law does nothing else at least it will stop this. I'm not a big panfisherman and 15-20 at a time is plenty to clean. The havent implimented a possesion limit so a guy can keep his limit every day of the year if so inclined.

[epkirkman]

I agree with Esox. There needed to be a limit on the IGL's. guys were pulling gills out by thousands in a weekend.

I don't fish gills and I don't fish for Muskies but both are essential for each others survival. I understand the thinking on no limits on gills to be honest, I find them to by a pain in the backside fish. I almost find them as annoying as carp, yet I understand there is a ton of guys that like to fish them.

I don't know if the limit needed to be Statewide. It will be interesting to see some others post here that feel different. If the problem was limited to the IGL's, perhaps the law should be written for that body of water only.

We do have different slot limits and seasons here. This helps the fishing IMO. I am curious to see other's responses though.

[NWBuck]

My son and I fish Boji gills a lot, but have never gone beyond 25 per person anyway. If you're the guy cleaning them, that's a great plenty. I think the panfish limit is an excellent idea as I too have seen guys with waaaaay too many. Shortly after ice out each year they are very vulnerable in the shallow water, canals and such.

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

Ok I will take a stab at this one.

Some lakes it would be good and some lakes it would not be good. Also to have the limit on a lake by lake basis would be difficult to enforce by the CO's. They would have to basically trust the fisherman as to what lake they fished in.

The way I look at it is a biological approach.

1. First lets look at the lakes that have small or stunted fish. How did this lake get this way? Few predator fish? Or could it be the fish are so small and way too much sorting that not many people waste their time and fish it anymore? What this does is leave way too many small fish in there not being taken out which in turn creates a problem of too many mouths to fill and not enough food. You might think the solution would be to stock predator fish, but we are also a predater of fish that can be used as a management tool to balance it out. But stocking would give us another species to fish for.

2. Next lets look at the lakes that have good sized fish. Do you still catch a bunch of dinks or stunted fish? Usually I don't as the fish that are kept will be replaced by the younger year classes and allow them to grow bigger as the food source is there for them. You guys have been mentioning Boji and the larger lakes in that area in Iowa. Those lakes are bigger in size which can handle larger fish populations. But do you guys still catch quality fish? I agree with you and believe one thing that hurts you guys is the fishing pressure, but that area is a vacation desination and the people flock to there unlike the smaller lake further away from the heavier populated areas of the state.

3. Brushy Creek. One of my friends was down there this year and talked to someone with the DNR, either the CO or a fisheries person, and they told my friend that what they saw with all of thier fish surveys, there are a TON of fish in that lake and by taking a bucket full will not hurt that lake at all. Ok now don't go and start bashing the DNR if they did say that, but I sorta agree with them and here is why. First, look at how large that lake is. Second, look at all the woody structure that is there. Add it up and that to me says that there is no way that the lake will be fished out, too much or a bunch of cover, as by taking a bunch of fish will keep it in balance and not cause the fish to get stunted. Also there is no way every square inch of that lake has been fished.

Sorry this is so long and thanks for taking the time to read, so I guess in the long run it will be the law and we will just have to obey it.

Later

[muc33]

Good post WTS. Well thought out and put into text. Thanks.

[reddog]

Copied and pasted from that other site:

Exactly the reasons for implementing some regulation. If you cannot regulate yourself, expect someone else to do it for you.

Bob Jensen

Charter Member Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Sheffield, IA, USA.

Posts: 636

Panfish Regulations update

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just spoke with Jim McDonnell from the Iowa Great Lakes region. He said that the new regulations for panfish limits will go into effect January 1.

He said that he was in Schucks Bait Shop where a guy had just dropped off two(2) full five(5) gallon pails of nice bluegills for cleaning. Evidently the bite is on.

As I understand it, the places that clean fish in the Iowa Great Lakes now require payment in advance. Too many anglers were dropping fish off to be cleaned, then not returning to pick them up. The fish had to be thrown away.

Best Fishes,

Bob Jensen

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

Thanks muc, hope it made sense.

I know that if those in my group ever catch and fill a 5 gallon bucket full of panfish, I know for FACT that all of those are cleaned and are eaten. We do have an annual fish fry as a memorial for my dad and usually have quite a big crowd.

So saying that some people doubt that all those fish are cleaned and not eaten is painting with a broad brush. No reddog this comment is not directed at you but I have read it on other Outdoors websites for Iowa.

Just a question about this place that cleans fish and has the problem of people not picking them back up. Can't they donate the fish to needy families or people who would want them to eat? Maybe have a fish fry at a homeless shelter? Is this against the law as I know you can't sell wild game, but can you give it away? Then it won't be wasting the fillets.

[reddog]

Thanks muc, hope it made sense.

I know that if those in my group ever catch and fill a 5 gallon bucket full of panfish, I know for FACT that all of those are cleaned and are eaten. We do have an annual fish fry as a memorial for my dad and usually have quite a big crowd.

So saying that some people doubt that all those fish are cleaned and not eaten is painting with a broad brush. No reddog this comment is not directed at you but I have read it on other Outdoors websites for Iowa.

Just a question about this place that cleans fish and has the problem of people not picking them back up. Can't they donate the fish to needy families or people who would want them to eat? Maybe have a fish fry at a homeless shelter? Is this against the law as I know you can't sell wild game, but can you give it away? Then it won't be wasting the fillets.

WTS,

I , like you dont believe that those fish get thrown away. I have an aunt who is 80 some years old, that lives in Milford, and I know for a fact that she would be there in a heartbeat to pay the cleaning fee in order to have some fish that were unwanted.

There are other avenues also, I'm sure.

I also know for a fact, that they have been asked to clean fish, but dont clean the little ones. Takes bals to ask that, but it has happened.

Do I think it will help the lakes? No, I feel the lakes are fine as they are. Its just that nobody likes a game hog, whether it be bullheads, bluegills, pheasants, deer, or women

[Esox_Magnum]

I see first hand the fish that are taken in to be cleaned. The other night at Stans someone brought in a 5 gal bucket filled to the rim of 5-7" perch and a few decent gills, bunch of 7" or less gills and small crappies. Out of the whole bucket there was maybe 10 fish that would have made the limit to go in my bucket and all were gills in the 8" range

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I see first hand the fish that are taken in to be cleaned. The other night at Stans someone brought in a 5 gal bucket filled to the rim of 5-7" perch and a few decent gills, bunch of 7" or less gills and small crappies. Out of the whole bucket there was maybe 10 fish that would have made the limit to go in my bucket and all were gills in the 8" range

Esox you gotta be kidding a little don't you. 5 & 6 inch panfish are hardly big enough to even get the hook out of there mouth. I figured everybody used the 8inch rule on pannies, and the "sportsman" set the bar for a keeper above that.

[Esox_Magnum]

Next time your in town stop at Shucks or stans and see for yourself. For every keeper I see being cleaned theres 5 little ones also.

[PerchPounder]

Great posts so far guys lets keep it going. I also see it first hand two guys were getting there fish cleaned last saturday at shucks while I was in there and of the 50 or so they had maybe 10 were worth keeping but to each his own. I just hope that the limit doesn't end up being a goal for people instead of what it is intended to do.

[Esox_Magnum]

No way I'm cleaning 50 gills an outing LOL 15-20 is more than enough. I'm picky though on what gets kept, 10" on perch and crappies, 8" on gills anything under goes back.

[Sparky81]

I very rarely keep more than 5 panfish when I head out, thats more than enough for me I dont really care to freeze to many fish. I fish alot of smaller lakes around here and watch people feeling up buckets full of gills and crappies. You just have to wonder how a small lake with heavy pressure can sustain that. I used to fish Desota Bend which is a bigger lake. In the spring the hole shore would be filled with people with buckets of really nice crappies, now its hard to find a keeper. Im not sure if it was fished out or something else happend, but they have now issued a 10 fish limit within the last couple years. So basically I think some lakes with heavy pressure should have a lower limit than 25.

[reddog]

its gonna force the bucket fillers to adjust their take home fish. The reasons for no posession limit, is because none was needed.

Another aspect that needs to be thought about, is that every one in a group, is now going to have to have separate buckets for their fish, as party fishing is not allowed. I'm talking ice fisherman for the most part, it wont really affect boat fishing, because you typically put fish in a livewell, and they dont require segregation for the occupants, or havent been anyway.

Now, they just have to enforce the double dippers

Devils Lake thought that they could never hurt their perch population, with the FWS forage base. At the time of they hey day back then they were probably right, they were minnow fishing with a 2 inch bobber and braided line thru the ice. It took a long, long time to catch a mess of fish. They sat in permanent houses, that typically stayed in one spot once they were out. There was no run and gun, search and destroy with gps, flashers, 4 wheelers, lazer augers, ultra light line that is capable of lifting a branch off the bottom, cell phones, computers etc.

Technology and equipment improvments along with what used to be some extra disposable income has changed all that. We are all better fishermen because of equipment and technology, even if our true fishing skills havent kept pace.

Dont get me wrong, I love my high tech stuff but we do have to realize whatit truly does for us in the way of our natural resources.

Kudos to the Iowa DNR.

[Woody61]

I agree and disagree with it.Over her by Waterloo 5" crappies and gills are the norm,some days you do better but at George Wyth last week I caought 40 gills 2 perch and 3 bass, none of the gills were over 5" and most were 4" We have a lot of minorities in this area now and they tend to keep anything big enough to bite the hook.There are some nice bass around here but most(non dedicated type fisherman) keep them as soon as they are legal.

I would like see more catch and release only and or slot regs in small lakes for predator fish like Bass and Pike and maybe on Eyes. Last year at Big Woods lake somebody left dozens of undersized panfish laying on the ice (to get rid of the stunted ones I guess)

I think if you can get the size of panfish up a little you would then need to have a even smaller limit say, 10 per day otherwise it would get fished out in a short time. These scenarios I think would be similar of any small lake lake near a large metro area.

Personaly I wish the DNR would siene the small panfish out around here and dump them in the Cedar river.

I would rather catch a 1/2 doz 8" gills in a day than 40 that are to small to clean with anything other than a scalpel.

[JeffB]

I am on a lake with plenty of nice size gills so I will trust the DNR to do whats right. In my family the purpose of the gills is to let the kids be proud of supplying dinner. In fact they keep me so busy cleaning sunnies it lets me turn most my walleye back in the summer, but even a limit of 10 per person would be more than enough for that. But to be fair I understand if you are from a heavily fished lake and want something done to allow you to improve your catch.

[NWBuck]

Much of the problem with keeping fish too small can be cured if guys simply cleaned their own fish. Clean a couple of 7 inch gills and you'll soon realize it's much better to throw them back.

We kept 8 gills and 1 perch out of about 30 fish yesterday and were very selective, throwing back several most might have kept. The result is that the bag of fish I froze will be more than enough for a meal for our family of 5.

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

I got thinking about the numbers for the new limits. If I caught 25 gills and 25 crappie wouldn't that still fill a 5 gallon bucket? Just curious.

[PerchPounder]

I would have to say yes in most cases but depending on the size of this fish it will vary and in my experience you rarely catch that many of each its alot more common to catch a large amount of one or the other.