If I saw a bass fisherman beating a musky against a rock, his brains would be mixed with the fish's on the same hunk of rip-rap.

People are always gonna keep muskies.  I wish they wouldn't, but they are.  People will catch them if they are fishing for bluegills, catfish, carp.  Those fish will get killed by these types of people.  But that's okay, as long as the people who catch tons of fish...guides, weekend warriors who only fish muskies, etc, keep releasing their muskies.....and they keep releasing them correctly. 

That's why I have such a problem with Wisconsin.  Not only does Little Joey keep his first muskie that he caught on a night crawler and bobber, but so does Mr. High Dollar Guide.  Not all Wisconsin guides....but it seems that the guides who promote their clients to kill fish, and the ones who keep fish for themselves to eat, are from WI or KY. 

It is not a correct assumtion that any majority, or even a small minority of Wisconsin Guides 'encourage' keeping muskies. Many do allow their clients to exercise their legal right to keep a fish, but try very hard to get the client to release the fish first. A Wisconsin Guide is an Official of the State, and swears that he/she will abide by and support the game and fish laws here. It wouldn't actually be legal to FORCE a client to release a fish they decide to keep, any more than it would be for a hunting guide to FORCE someone to pass a 10 point buck if the deer is what they want to shoot and is on public land. If the guide states going in to the agreement that no muskies will be harvested out of his/her boat, then the client has an understanding about the guide's philosophies, but still could keep his fish if it is legal size, and he catches it legally. I would take the client in, and not rebook them, but the law stands.

I personally do NOT support any law that would force release of all muskies, walleyes, bass, or any other specie of fish. That  puts WAY too much power in the hands of legislators and those whose interests may not parallel those of the outdoorsman, and goes totally against the grain with me.  Total CPR has not been supported biologically in even a remote sense, at least not anywhere I have seen. Trophy fisheries, sure. And yet there isn't yet a crystal clear case supporting OR opposing that concept here, as was witnessed by the debate this Spring.

Advocating catch and release, and through education getting the release rate as close to 100% as possible, and increasing the limit in the lakes that would biologically support a larger size limit are great ideas. Great ideas that would not force the sport to then become 'strictly contemplative' in nature and bring us ANY closer to a total ban on sport fishing, something many non-sportsmen DO support. (PETA, for example) 

I am REALLY weary of the statement  mythical children here in Wisconsin are catching numbers of muskies on worms and keeping them. NOPE. Many if not most of the kept fish are put in the boat by anglers fishing for muskies, and usually the fish is a personal best, or what the angler considers a trophy.

The release rate in Wisconsin is approaching 90% according to the DNR, Muskies, Inc, and other sources, pretty good in my opinion. Most of the guides I know have a better release rate in the boat than that. Sure, there are fish that are kept in Wisconsin, as there are in New York, Canada, Minnesota, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, and everywhere else there are muskies. All of us Muskie Fanatics need to keep perspective clear--the muskie population belongs to EVERYONE who buys a license, not just us. We run the very real risk of actually damaging our cause if we appear too 'forceful' or 'elitist' with our CPR doctrine. We may actually discourage those interested in the sport from entering, learning about, and supporting the fishery nationwide, losing support we clearly need.

Personally, if someone catches a 50 plus or personal best in that range, and chooses to keep it, I have no problem with that. If, however, the next 45, or say 43 he catches ends up in the freezer, I would try to have a quiet discussion about muskie conservation and the idea that CPR allows the fish to GET to trophy status, so the  personal 'CPR decision' can be made if one is lucky enough to catch one that big.

Mr. Worrell and Slamr,

First of all, these are my opinions.  That's it. 

If you think that Wisconsin guides and people who luck into muskies (a large number of people who kill muskies) isn't going to harm the musky fishery, then why do you think some dude in Indianapolis who plays on the internet too much is going to ?? 

The chances of me actually finding someone beating musky against a rock is about ZERO.  I don't go out and threaten people either. 

But, if I did see someone stomping the $hit out of fish, his a$$ is next.  Believe that. 

Now, as far as saying that muskies are just a fish, I couldn't disagree more.  I've been a fisherman ever since I can remember.  I have fished my whole life....first cathcing bluegills and perch, then on to bass and walleyes.  All of these fish are a dime a dozen.  You can catch hundreds of them everyday.  They will inhabit any body of water, they populate like rabbits, and they are really easy to catch.  It was no big deal to kill a bluegill.   However, when I caught my first musky, there was a new reality.  There is a mystic and that's the reason for certain people's elitist attitudes towards the preservation of muskies.

I content that your desires to eliminate the "Mighty Musky's Mystic" is harmful.  It is not a bass or a walleye, but it is a fish that people can spend years chasing before they catch one.  And it's so cool to catch one, that a guy will go 3 years w/o a fish just so he can experience the thrill.  You find me one walleye guy who has gone 3 years w/o a fish and ask him if he's still gun-ho about fishing....but the musky industry is full of people like this.  There is a mystic and there is a reason for it and if you try to eliminate it, you're taking away from the sport.

Of course, this is my opinion, and I could be wrong.

Steve,

What? You lost me. 

I am a Wisconsin Guide, as are many others on this board, Grouping all guides together and condemming them out of hand shows a marked lack of understanding of who we are and what we are about. I submit to you that without the marked support from many of the guides I have known from many states across the country, the CPR ethic wouldn't be anywhere near where it is today.  Most of the In-Fish originals were guides, here in Wisconsin and over in Minnesota, and were preaching conservation before it was even considered for Bass, Walleyes, and Muskies. Back in the early 80's, the folks I worked with at Tuffy had wooden coins made up for events with groups like Muskies Inc and others that would get you a free drink on Tuffy. The coin read " The future of fishing is in your hands. Catch and Release!"

I also have been fishing my entire life, and have made my living in the industry for over 25 years. I have chased muskies most of my adult life, and have the utmost respect for the fish tempered by a strong dose of necessary reality. I recognize that others may not hold the same views as I, and try to find a middle ground where discussion can occur that may swing those who  might understand and support the CPR ethic if educated about what it can do for the fishery. I also do not and will not support a CPR only fishery for any fish, as that, in my humble opinion, spells nothing but disaster for the future of the sport.

Many walleye anglers hold their quarry in the same esteem as we do muskies. So do many bass anglers. And I can tell you, overfishing ANY specie isn't a good thing, and  the damage that can occur is more than a reality here with crappies and bluegills, and perch too. Limits of 25 every day by dozens of anglers on one body of water can and will mess up the fishery. My son works for the DNR, and comments regarding that total lack of conservation ethic many times.

I am not trying nor will I try to remove the muskie's mystique. What I was saying, clear as I can, is that there is a fine line between passionate conservationalism and  radicalism, and those who are not died in the wool muskie anglers see the difference pretty clearly. If we as Muskie anglers want to have the average angler accept our CPR ethic, we have to speak clearly, softly, and with good reasoning behind our stance.

Also my opinion, and I also could be wrong...;)