50" speared

[bassNspear]

You are right when we are talking about having some of the best muskie fisherys in the nation.

Heres the questions, How many spear fisherman are going out and spearing muskies?

The facts show, there is always going to be that one person that makes the mistake and takes a muskie not knowing that it was a muskie. Its not hard guys to see the difference in the water IMO.

If there was a meeting about closing all the "True" muskies lakes for spearing, i would vote for it. I think its a good thing to have in this state, becuase there is soooooo many lakes you can go out and spear and not have to be on a lake that has muskie population.

Pike population is always going to be growing in this area no matter what way you look at it. As a spearer, i am out there not to spear big fish all the time, or spear little fish. We have to clean the little fish out to help the population out on these lakes.

Muskie fishing IMO is a trophy sport. Your not out there to get a 36 inch muskie, your out fishing for a 50+ correct!

My point is, the guy made a stupid mistake. Spearing is always going to be around in the state of minnesota! And if it comes to closing the true muskie lakes, go right ahead, that leaves us spearing guys to 9,900 lakes we can go to!

[BullFighter]

Yes, in most cases Muskie fishing to most people is a Sport fish.

But I do like to eat them once in a while.

[50inchpig]

Not surprising that the guy from Wisconsin says that. I think we're playing with two different decks of cards here.

Bob M? That's funny too for so many reasons.

[10,000 Casts]

Quote:

Yes, in most cases Muskie fishing to most people is a Sport fish.

But I do like to eat them once in a while.

Thats must be one of the reasons why a 37"er is considered a big Muskie in WI

[MUSKY18]

I will admit that while 99.9% of the people out there spearing are doing it legally and ethically, it only takes one bad egg to spoil the bunch. I don't have problems with spearing, I just can't see how you can mistake a muskie for a pike. Perhaps, maybe a very beginner, but for the most part you can tell them apart, especially in a clear water situation. If you can't tell the difference, then perhaps go to a lake that doesn't have muskies, or don't throw the spear unless you are 100% certain. When in doubt.......DON'T!!!

Us muskies guys might be up on our bandwagon, but that is simply because it has taken a very long time to build that bandwagon and get it to its current state. While spearing is a wildly popular sport in Minnesota with residents and brings in its fair share of money, like stated above, look at the money muskies bring into this state. How many resorts, bait shops, tackle companies, etc benefit from muskie fishing? Beyond Canada, Minnesota is THE spot to muskie fish, and with restrictions getting into Canda becoming more strict, more and more folks are going to stay in the US to fish muskies. Where? You guessed it.......Minnesota will be a top destination. It is already hard enough to go out and catch a 50 inch fish, and every one that is taken out of a system increases those odds probably ten fold.

[BullFighter]

Quote:

Yes, in most cases Muskie fishing to most people is a Sport fish.

But I do like to eat them once in a while.

Thats must be one of the reasons why a 37"er is considered a big Muskie in WI

I have no idea, I do most of my spearing on Leech.

[b1gf1sh1]

Quote:

You act like you're on some high horse or that you are better than people who spear. I am an avid muskie fishermen and spearer.

i'm sure if you read the ''whole text'' you'll realize thats not true. a trapper isn't called a hunter when he's trapping and a hunter isn't called a trapper when he's hunting. the point is spearing is not angling. not by definition or act. ill never understand the draw of killing no matter what. i helped pay for every muskie ever speared and i'm mad about that almost as for the actual killing for nothing. and i'm possitive i said if it's legal it's ok by me. this is a touchy subject. i know that. people feel defensive when anything they enjoy is questioned. just to inform... who you describe me as is way off. i'm actually pretty live and let live, and well grounded. if me speaking my mind and oppinion offends.... please read prior text.

[Fishing Freak]

we all pay for ever fish in the lakes because we buy lincese( can't spell good) but if a spearer makes a mistake he sould be fined and it only happen once in a blue moon so relaxes.

[DHanson]

Originally Posted By: 10,000 Casts

Quote:

Yes, in most cases Muskie fishing to most people is a Sport fish.

But I do like to eat them once in a while.

Thats must be one of the reasons why a 37"er is considered a big Muskie in WI

I have no idea, I do most of my spearing on Leech.

Bullfighter,

You certainly are not making too many friends with these comments here. And I would have to disagree with most of your comments as well. However, you are entitled to your opinion and I respect that, so I will just keep it at that.

On a side note, like I have mentioned once already, I do believe most spearers follow the rules. And I'm pretty confident that all the spearers from this site like BassNspear and others, practice good ethics and follow all regulations to the best of their ability. These are not the guys we want to argue with, so it's pointless to even argue with one another. I respect their rights to spear, and I can only hope they respect our sport as well.

The spearers that don't follow the rules are more than likely guys who are not members of this site and are also guys who practice bad ethics not only when it comes to fishing, but life in general. These are the guys who don't care about anything and will go out of their way to wreck other peoples days just because they can regardless if they get caught or not, they take that chance. These are the guys that probably have been in trouble with the law before and really don't have respect for nature or the environment and will poach while hunting as well. These are the guys who spear anything that comes through the hole, whether it's a walleye, bass, muskie, carp, dogfish, pike, etc., etc. They don't care, they do it because they hate life. This is your 0.01% of the spearers Bret. The thing is even though it might be only one person doing it on every muskie lake, by the end of the year, say he gets 20 adult muskies, that is a good chunk of the population taken out.

[spear-n-pike]

I didn’t know that any spearing was allowed in a lake that holds musky . That amazes me. I spear, and have let plenty of nice northern pass by, as well as bass and walleye. I know that spearing bass and walleye are illegal but my point is that any one spearing or angling can break the law. And don’t forget that a lot of fish released by anglers die later. When speared they are...or should be eaten and they don’t go to waste.

[Huey]

That's probably not true. Kudos to you if you helped pay for stocking efforts via your license or other means, but some muskies are the product of natural reproduction and no one pays for them. Also indivual muskie inc chapters pay for a lot of stocking and DNR hatchery stuff. Have you supported one of these chapters?

Did you pay for the muskies that I find floating dead + floating belly up in the summer? These were probably KILLED by open water ANGLERS.

Not that the $ or the definition "angler" is really the issue here.

[Caleb S]

So should we legislate catch and release only in this state? Should nobody be allowed to keep fish or is it just the method of taking fish with a spear that you are offended by?

[Muskiefool]

I'm a bit surprised with this high horse and lighten up talk to quite honest, Poaching is stealing from each and every one of us that lives in or visits the state, if not for the guys fighting for these fish and regulations we would have no more than any other state as far as Muskies go.

Muskie Inc representatives; myself included have always represented the best for the fishery, regardless of species, we have worked with the best possible scientific information available and have went down the middle of the road with our approach to spearing.

We have worked to assure that your rights to spear are protected as much any of our own needs, despite being hacked in the back on every possible media outlet available.

[bassNspear]

We have worked to assure that your rights to spear are protected as much any of our own needs, despite being hacked in the back on every possible media outlet available.

Please explain to me what you mean by this. Thanks

[b1gf1sh1]

Quote:

So should we legislate catch and release only in this state? Should nobody be allowed to keep fish or is it just the method of taking fish with a spear that you are offended by?

would i prefer CPR only. sure i would. but i do it with at least 95 percent i catch. i'll keep walleye or panfish here and there and mostly when it's iffy for one to live and more because one is pointless to keep for a meal. but i'm realistic. fish are awsome food, not just in taste but in nutrition, so no CPR only is not something i'd want. i'm opposed to wanton waste killing (i could have been more specific) for no other purpose than to do it. the draw eludes me. for me to take extra care in release, and bum out when i see any fish bleed, and think someone will just spear it and let it sink makes me mad. and maybe sad too i guess. i'm not opposed to the act of spearing. i'd never do it, knowing how a 15-20 pound northern feels on the other end of my line. that's got ''rush'' factor. letting it go is just a bonus. and since i rarely eat fish i'd never spear little ones. so ''to me'' it makes no sense.

on the money issue. every lure i buy or sell, every component i buy or sell is taxed 10 percent per the federal exise tax. not to mention state tax. every lure bought or sold has a ten percent tax on it right in the price. then the state takes a cut. personally i donate money and ''fishing stuff'' to the mn dnr for mainly kids' programs but i have for stocking efforts. that 50''er was born around the time i was donating only for them. then i woke up and got less selfish one day and helped where i didn't need it or where it didn't benifit me.

doesn't matter to me if it was a ''natural fish'' from spawn. that just belittles the problem and tucks it under the rug so maybe it'll go away. pick up the rug and it's still there every time. theres only one fix as it stands. more are possible but unrealistic per Dhansons description of the problem. i mean 8 grand aint going to sit well in the fisheries dept. times how many? it'll come when some bigger names get in on it and explain the ecconomics of closeing muskie lakes to spearing. when they lose even 10 percent of lure tax revenue because they can't keep lakes stocked and people interested... well let's just say... stones roll down hill and hit whatevers at the bottom.. i could be wrong. but i still remember when carp were illegal to release back in the water, dead or alive. times change.

[Huey]

You need to distinguish between legal spearing and poaching, in this case killing a 50" muskie out of season + by illegal means.

As muskie anglers, we are too quick to condemn all spearing when one individual acts illegally. When spearing is banned on muskie lakes, all spearers are treated like potential poachers. I believe this is the cause of the conflict between spearers and muskie people. No one wins when we oppose each other.

Legal muskie anglers kill more muskies, accidentally and intentially, than legal spearers.

[Caleb S]

Well said Huey

[b1gf1sh1]

Quote:

You need to distinguish between legal spearing and poaching. When spearing is banned on muskie lakes, all spearers are treated like potential poachers.

i did distinguish between ethical spearing and poaching. i didn't use those words i used the word problem. it's the problem that needs to be nipped in the bud and the options to curb it outside the closeing of muskie waters are nil. anything else is just hoping it goes away. muskie people suffer the loss of the greatest north american fish alive. spearers suffer a bad rap. but the fish lose the most. really if theres a better idea to stop the poachers i'd back it. i need to go do snow removal. i'll finish when i get back, if they don't lock this up. and no i don't believe every spearer is a poacher, and i'd stand next to you and berate anyone who said it.. good night.

[LOTWSvirgin]

Blah Blah Blah.

[Surface Tension]

The issue is one dead muskie by which seems to be illegal activity. Its pretty much unanimous that this was wrong for so many reasons. Just as it is to see a pile of crappies left behind on the ice or an over limit of eyes in a livewell.

Only difference is ones passion for a particular species.

We've evolved, specialized, and diversified our fishing and hunting to the point that as sportsmen we've divided and now fight amongst each other.

The topic of one dead muskie has turned into hearsay and allegations of many muskies speared. Now talk of closing spearing on lakes with muskies.

Whats next?

This topic has run its coarse, which unfortunately is a coarse that will get it shut down.