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Posts: 5874
| Lots of lakes in Northern WI do not allow motor trolling. Why do you think this reg has stayed for so long? Should it be changed? Stay the same? Modify it based on acreage? Limit lines to less that 3?
My thought is I really don't care. It is a reg based on tradition, and I don't see it changing any too soon. I prefer to cast for Muskies, and eyes too, for that matter. However, if legal, and trolling is gonna put fish in the boat, and casting won't, then I will troll. Let me make this perfectly clear. In my experience, trolling, if done properly, is not easy. It's a lot of work. It is more than just dragging lures behind the boat. I'm not as accomplished as some here, but I hold my own, and learn something new everytime out there. Just like when I'm casting.
My stand is, if it's OK to troll most waters, south of Hwy 10, why not north of it. Obviously, some lakes would be off limits to motoer trolling, but why not open it up to those that could support it? | |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | I'm one of the traditionalists who believe that the musky is the fish of 10,000 casts and not 1 trolling pass. Leave the trolling for walleyes that are alot more abundant than Musky.
I'd consider supporting trolling Wisconsin lakes that are 1000 acres or more that could sustain all fish spiecies in a healthy way.
Take a good hard look at what lakes can be trolled by visiting the DNR's web page....there's alot more you CANT troll all over the state and not just North of Hwy 10! | |
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Posts: 5874
| I agree there are alot of lakes that can't be trolled all over the state. It just seems that most lakes north of Hwy 10 it is not allowed. The ones to the south that are off limits seem to be that way for a specific reason. Farther north, it seems to just be all of them. Only a few have been opened up to trolling.
I'm all for sustaining/improving numbers of fish. What does that have to do with trolling? It's no garrantee that if you troll, you are gonna catch fish. Agree to disagree here. But here is some food for thought. MN has way fewer muskie lakes than WI, and you can troll there. Yet, all I here is how much better the fishing is there? I don't think the issue is trolling at all, but how the resource is managed. | |
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Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | You mention that the lakes down here are off limits for trolling for a specific reason....Little Cedar, Friess and Little Green are off limits down here.....roughly the same size as a small Vilas Co lake....maybe size does matter? haahhahaa | |
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Posts: 440
| I believe all bodies of water can support trolling and they do in 49 other states. It is not a magic wand named Muskie Killer. The law is based on an old wives tale. You might be able to cover more miles in length but you are not covering that water as thoroughly as you do casting. Most of my fishing is done a 400 acre lake and I promise we can't ruin it trolling. Impossible. Now if we were the catch and kill experts than yes we could ruin that body of water. Education of CPR is the key. Maybe take the rod limit down to 2 per person. | |
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| I believe in trolling in all WI lakes, or if not that at least 1000 acres plus. I also believe in 50" limits for all WI lakes, and that is really the issue isn't it? Thanks for bringing the MH debate here, so we can continue to discuss it objectively!  | |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Ahhh, you bring up a point I'd like to impress upon Chad. We here practice CPR, no doubt, but CPR isnt a law and people can and do posses fish....Now, if they decide to make trolling legal, wont trolling just be another weapon to keep fish with?
Why make keeping fish easier with a new tactic
49 other states dont have the Musky populations Wisconsin does...so the other states cant be compared to Wisconsin trollingwise. | |
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| If trolling were to be allowed in Northern WI, my personal vote would be to allow it with one line per person (as in Canada). The last thing many lakes need is several boats driving around with the old "rake" of 6 lines dragging the lake.
Yes, this is not the 50" size limit thread...but defintely "not all" lakes should be 50". Now, I could easily name about 10 that would really qualify and have trophy potential. BUT, that's a whole other issue  | |
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Posts: 440
| You are right, trolling is just another tool, that is all that it is. I repeat it is not a magic wand. Another tool in the box that fisherman are not allow to use because of an outdated law. Raise your size limits to appropriate levels and keep on educating the CPR. Some people will always keep fish there is no way around that. Why limit the majority because of the minority?
Edited by ChadG 4/12/2004 12:12 PM
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Because it's the minority that's hurting the majority!
the 50" rule was brought up and defeated last year, that rule had alot better chance of making it than this would.
Getting a 1 line per angler rule here will never ever pass. Too many guys trolling Winnebago and lake Mich. | |
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Posts: 440
| So you have about 10% of fisherman that may keep a muskie. So you punish the 90%. Makes sense to me. | |
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| For those illegal to troll with gas and electric Wisconsin type lakes, another oldy, but goody Musky Hunter Magazine article, circa July 1996, by Jeff Hagemann entitled "Wind-Drifting Crankbaits" focuses upon drifting under strong winds with planer board crankbaits and/or in-line weighted crankbaits.
Jeff conveys pointing your boat perpendicular to the wind for line separation after finding suspended baitfish in preparation for a wind induced trolling run.
He uses in-line weights (use release clips from downriggers, planer boards attached to bell sinkers) 20 feet up from the crankbait to get the rig down or a similar setup off planer boards and just enough trolling motor thrust to SLIP WITH THE WIND and keep the perpendicular wind angle.
If there is a will, there is a way.
Who says you can't cast/fish three lines, all at one time?
I know lots of guys whom fish suspended muskys by fishing over deep basin waters, casting out a bulldawg/bucktail/sinking crankbait, hit free spool to let it sink, pick up another rod which had previously went through this same exact process, to retrieve it back in.
Again, if there is a will, there is a way...
And, if your wondering what the third rod is doing, its on the down wind side, floating back as a Hawg Wobbler surface bait...
Sometimes, you just cast one of these babys out and let it just sit there and wobble, wobble, wobble..
Dave Neuswanger, DNR Fisheries Supervisor for the Upper Chippewa Basin in northwestern Wisconsin, wrote in his "How Well Do Muskies Learn?" thread just recently: "Another major question of mine: Why do some of the best musky guides and anglers in the Hayward area continue to report dissatisfaction with the number of "big" fish they see locally, yet our biologists have actually documented an increase over the past few years in the number of 45" and larger fish in our fykenet samples?"
Trolling is legal in most Northwest Wisconsin waters, has been for quite some time. I don't see the decline in the musky fishery as a result of trolling and I fish Northwest Wisconsin on an annual basis.
If the perception that Wisconsins musky fishery is in decline without trolling being a practiced art, how can one use this as the reason to never allow it or make it illegal?
It could very well be that the fishing pressure has soured the casters domain and trolling is the way to take advantage of this bounty.
To equate trolling with automatic harvest to further a perceived decline is opinion and not fact. Most really good trollers practice CPR as much as the casters of our world.
Lets quit the smoke and mirrors arguments against trolling, shall we?
Lets get down to the real truth of the matter here, shall we?
Casters in Vilas and other counties where trolling is illegal don't want trolling because it makes everybody cast and not everybody can do that.
By legalizing trolling, it would put more pressure on the casters whom want this musky fishery all to themselves, simply because they are able to cast. It's basic discrmination against the youth and elderly of this world, and against those whom pracice the art of trolling.
There isn't any evidence that trolling hurts a musky population, period. Catching a muskie, whether it be by casting or trolling, can hurt a musky. Let's not single out one means to the end.
Raise the size limit all you want, trolling has nothing to do with this.
Being physically able to cast big and heavy musky lures with big and heavy musky rods and reels doesn't make trolling easier than casting.
The youth, elderly, most women, and physically disabled and challenged are not able to put forth the physical demands and efforts to cast all day long.
It has nothing to do with whether trolling a lure is easier than casting a lure.
It basically boils down to if you are not physically able to cast, you cannot fish for muskies, and that is simply wrong.
All Wiley and Young proved is you can have a better chance of catching multiple, SMALL muskys to win a length based tournament. They certainly did not prove trolling to be the way you catch multiple, large muskies on a given day.
Using your boat to present multiple lures is a lot more effort than casting. Using your boat to present a single lure is a lot more effort than casting. It's far easier to present a PRECISE cast than using your boat to put the lure in the same exact spot.
The trolling issue in Vilas and other counties relates to a casters mentality and wanting the resource to themselves. It's pure selfishness that is masked by those practitioners whom use smoke screens and mirror type arguments to divert from the real truth.
Just my opinion of course, but I honestly don't see it any other way.
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Posts: 5874
| I don't believe in 50" limit on all WI lakes. I do, however wish that they would get rid of the Conservation Congress, and let the Biologists do their job. That includes setting up rules and regs covering trolling, as well as size limits. It was stated that the other 49 states don't have the population of muskies that WI does. But they allow trolling. It sure doesn't seem to be a concern in the other states with their "low" populations! I can understand limiting certain lakes from trolling, and would support it if that were the case. But I think a lot of lakes could be opened up to trolling without detriment to the resource. | |
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| Sorry, but I hear the trolling guys always whining whining whining about lakes closed to trolling and restrictions on trolling. The story is always the same deal.
It discriminates against the elderly, disabled, and young.
So what? So does professional football, so does tennis, so do so many things in life. You act like musky fishing is some kind of entitlement. It is not. The difficulty of catching a fish is what makes it good. If these other groups want to troll there are places for them to troll. Why do you think that all these people have some special right to catch muskies? Get real. Life is life and excitement is not meted out to all peeps in equal amounts.
Good trolling is hard.
Another fallacy. Trolling aint rocket science, and in some areas it is not even second grade math. Trolling can be exceptionally easy in certain areas. An idiot may not be dialed in every day, but he will catch fish without a degree that is for sure. Butt sitting drunks and lazy fisherman like to troll, unfortunate but true. Meat fisherman REALLY like to troll, because it is EASIER than casting and produces more fish in general. Would meat fisherman cast for musky? Not very darn often. Too much work for not enough return. But set up a good multispecies trolling approach and hey, those musky will fit in the ice chest under the seat or on the back of the pontoon to dry out in the sun. Harsh reality, but I guarantee I see em down here all the time and a legal musky gets killed as quickly as a walleye. There can be as much or as little too trolling as someone wants to put into it. Some presentations are indeed easy. Other presentations ie 20 feet down on the edge of timber or a drop, might be exceedingly difficult. Same as casting. Casting Petes Bar is easy, casting the line of 4 weedbeds on the north side, or the 3 on the south east corner might be more difficult. Casting Flemings, easy, casting the little fingers and troughs, much more difficult. Whenever you see somebody running up numbers of fish over 100 a year, it is probably a troller. And before everybody gets cranked up I am not saying all trollers are any certain way, nor condeming those that troll nor am I dismissing knowledge and hard work for those trollers having exceptional results.
I give em their props. They are smarter than the pack and willing to work at it.
Trolling does eliminate sanctuary needed to grow fish to large sizes and there are certainly segments of the trolling population willing to exploit those lakes with open water trophies both for the wall, or somebody elses wall and cash.
Trolling would definitely add pressure to some areas that are getting plenty already by casters. Casters can at times be obnoxious to each other but my observations have schooled me to think trollers are much ruder and intrusive than casters will ever be. And once again, not all trollers and not true gentlemen.
Trolling is not wrong. Trolling by conservationists and catch and release fisherman will not harm fish at a higher rate per catch than casters but may increase the rate of catch and therefore the rate of damage to the entire population in some waters. I am fully in favor of WI keeping its casting regs in place where they are. I would be in favor of getting rid of sucker fishing and allowing a fall trolling season in WI artificials only. There are many waters to troll over many states. Go find them. Row your boat in WI and I say more power to yah, troll every lake you like! | |
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| Well,
last time I checked, if your able to purchase a Wisconsin fishing license, you were able to fish for muskys. I guess that is entitlement.
Musky fishing isn't professional football nor tennis. The youth, elderly and disabled play their own versions of these sports for the pure pleasure and I would assume their interest in musky fishing to be the same. Ever been to a charity wheel chair basketball game? Their not banned from playing basketball because their disabled.
I would like to think my golden years of musky hunting will still alow me to sit in a boat and troll for muskys. I don't look forward to the day when age makes me have to quit, because I cannot stand and cast for muskys 10 hours in a day.
Otherwise, nothing more than suspicions of what trolling doesn't really do. It's legal everywhere else and the anti-troller sentiments and concerns presented so far are yet more examples of mirros and smoke screens, presenting arguments for preseving the resource when trolling doesn't effect it. It's align to ban guns because guns kill people.
Northwestern Wisconsin is doing just fine as reported by the local DNR supervisor and those waters have been trolled for over a decade. Yet, less than 100 miles to the east, it's argued that trolling will rape the resource.
Just more selfishness to not allow the pursuit of the mighty muskie in ways that are 95% legal everywhere else.
Edited by ddfenner 4/12/2004 6:04 PM
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Posts: 1189
Location: Bagley,MN 56621 | I like to think that I am working this equation backwards..meaning, start with the big picture........figure out what are some of the most detrimental things happening in the musky world right now and change things to achieve that goal.
The first thing that comes into my brain is "uneducated" use of suckers, not by board regulars mind you, but the umpteen zillion people attracted to this sport. It is OVERWHELMING how many people I have talked to since Jan 1, that have a serious interest in musky fishing and not educated like all of us board followers are to get the best info.
With that I would like to see multiple lines dis-allowed to curb this activity.
To achieve that, I think it makes perfect sense to allow trolling with ONE line only...casting,drifting,anything (except ice fishing-2 tipups like Minn), should be ONE line.
Granted, I take advantage of the mulitple line law here in Wis, frankly because I can.
I would be willing to go to one line only like I do in Minn to get to "the bigger picture".
1,000 acres seems "big" to me. Is that just a number to compromise with? Why not 500 acres,300 acres?
If regulations are to be changed, make them EASY........this lake cant, this lake can...too many laws and ammendments to write and regulate........make it ONE law.
my $.03 | |
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| The infirmed, elderly and age and strength challenged...
They're not banned from musky fishing, or catching, dd, they are simply banned from trolling. Trolling is not an entitlement. (Since when have YOU been on the politically correct bandwagon? LOL, I guarantee you are just like me, politically correct when it agrees with your point ;-). ) They are free to sit on the bank and hang a bait out below a dam or shore fish in a musky lake or go sit a boat and still fish. They can cast without standing up. So can you. They can throw smaller baits. Doh. Esthetically some people just don't want trollers around when they are casting. I am one of those. In fact when I am casting I don't want anybody around or on my next spot either, and if they would leave ALL my spots alone for the day until after I fished them that would be even better. Call it self centered. I sure don't want a factory fishing boat with 8 rods out the hind end in a spread coming between me and a shore that is less than 60 feet away. In fact I find that very offensive and selfish and I have had that happen twice. And yes trollers can affect the big fish resource in certain circumstances, particularly small basins with suspended fish and trollers that want to keep big fish, and or guides that let clients keep muskies, they can make a trophy fishery disappear in a hurry. As for the whole resource, muskies will still get stocked, grow to legal size and get harvested or released, until they are terminated, whether people troll or not. Guides love trolling, they can take an idiot out and let them reel in a musky. Simple thing, good for business. Great for tips and promotion purposes too, so they have a vested interest in allowing trolling, and they influence a lot of people. Fishing magazines, fishing equipment companies all have a vested interest in laws that allow trolling, magazines can enlarge the range of articles in the magazines and increase advertising revenues. So their are a lot of people out there that support trolling and at the same time have a view somewhat tainted by economic opportunity. That is just the way it is, but they create many drones in the general population that parrot the views of the few that benefit economically from trolling being allowed. This is something that should always be considered when you are sourcing information and viewpoints.
Regardless of what people think on their own they will almost always have some sense of what comprises the most sporting way and the least sporting way to interact with the musky resource. A sense of excitement about the process and some kind of "fair chase" ethic must be figured in. Maybe for most of us it would start with a "casting" surface hit on the highest end, and end with either poisoning the lake or draining the lake on the low end. Somewhere in that continuom and rating process we would all place things like trolling, live bait fishing, casting, spearing, netting, electrofishing, and noodling. A whole lot of musky fishing is more and more tilted toward the quantity and size of musky in hand, and less and less is dedicated to the quality of the process of bringing them to hand. This is the point where I think many of the anti trollers veer away from the path others have been brainwashed to follow, and I think it is possibly this ethical view that subconsciously affects their vote on trolling, even if they don't recognize it. I know it affects me.
So maybe rather than discussing trolling all the time and ways to get more musky we should focus on the ethical and sporting quality of musky fishing, and some of the mystique and difficulty the fish has imposed on us all at some time or another. Maybe we should examine the viewpoint some have that making things easier makes things better. Does it?
Do graphite rods and anti reverse and star drags make fishing easier or better?
Is the reward of catching a fish on modern equipment equal to the reward of catching the same fish on linen line, solid glass or bamboo rod, a knuckle buster reel, and a plug with a 20 pound test leader in the front of it?
Is catching a fish better from a modern bass boat with electric power in the front or an old cedar boat with one man always at the oars?
Is the satisfaction the same for the fisherman that has memorized the marks to an offshore bar, and the fisherman with a GPS and a depthfinder?
Would trolling be as attractive to trollers if it involved holding 1 rod in their hand and NO rod holders or multiple line setups? Do those modern setups raise the value of each fish caught or devalue each fish proportionately to the effort?
Maybe we should add even more restrictions to some waters to make it even more of a challenge to successfully land a fish. Bad idea? I would love to see the Chip go back to 10 horse motors and oars and no electronics. Would the musky fishing be worse because of it or would your catch be of less value? I doubt it. It would probably be an experience and challenge that would lure many fisherman and maybe first time musky casters, just to feel it in their heart.
More fish and easier. More fish and easier. Doesn't always equate with "better".
I think of the many inovations and modern conveniences that have come about since I was a kid and when evaluating them I cannot point to many things that have made musky fishing "better" for me, or have raised my perceived value of the fish I catch. Some will come back that any way that helps you catch a fish makes it better. Some will say that this allows more people to be exposed to the experience. Some, many actually, think that regulations should allow them as many angling strategies as they choose, since they release fish anyway, and that liberal rules of pursuit make fishing better(spell that "more fish caught"). But that is really not true if you extrapolate that view, because when you do, it makes sense to allow netting and various other types of capture now considered poaching, because they allow even more fish to be caught and thus make fishing "better".
So instead of always whining about the WI trolling laws, maybe there should be some discussion and analysis of possible positive values to fishing as a sport by NOT allowing trolling.
PS I will troll some this year. I am sure it will be interesting. Fish by fish it will not have the value or excitement that casting has for me. | |
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Location: oswego, il | I am all for trolling. Good consistent trolling is not that easy. Traditions get in the way of forward thinking. That's why it's almost impossible to get anything passed in wisconsin. | |
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Posts: 136
| First of all, i have never had the priveledge to fish Wisconsin, but plan on it soon.
It always amazes me how casters think they are so much more ELITE than trollers. I love to do both. I let the fish tell me how they want to be caught.
Trolling should be aloud on any body of water. What makes it fair to drag suckers and cast at the same time? It there any difference to dragging a couple of plugs behind the boat, you still using muliple lines.
Its plain and simple the days the casters dont get fish are the days the trollers usually succed. I think its a issue of jealousy.
I think the common perception is u trow a lure out and pull. If anyone gets in the boat with me when i do troll, they better expect to get a workout. its hard to position baits properly, and to keep them weed/snag free. The good trollers out there know what it takes.
I truly beleive that trolling would probably produce that super fish out of the chip. There is lots of open water that isnt being covered, that would be if trolled. It needs to change!!!
Marc | |
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| Firstly, I don't know what the politically correct bandwagon is with regard to musky fishing. If that is against musky tournaments, then I am politically correct as I have always felt that way. It's not something I just picked up or was converted into.
Secondly, I started out musky fishing casting, then shifted to trolling and for the last couple of years, been mostly focused upon casting, targeting big, shallow water muskies. I troll when it makes sense to troll. I don't troll inside weedlines, I cast them. Trolling is just another method of PRESENTATION that I shift gears towards when it makes sense to.
Trolling is something I do to learn a new body of water quickly so I learn where the good casting spots are. It's a technique to help shorten the big musky location factor and maximze my fishing time.
While I enjoy a day musky fishing when nothing results, as indeed, its a learning experience, I certainly enjoy the strike and battle of big muskies. It's why I fish for them. It's why I travel to areas that allow me all techniques that I know how to fish with.
I use to travel and fish Vilas county a lot early on. I don't travel there as much as I use too. If I can't fish for muskies in ways that I need to to encounter them on a consistent basis, I go elsewheres. That is the counter suggestion (for lack of a better term) that I get from the caster only community. Yet, I hear how depressed those anti-trolling economys are with lack of tourism, how low size limits have hurt the trophy potential, yet higher size limits are a tough sell to push through.
For an area so against trolling, they are also so against higher size limits. I hear statements about fishing elsewhere for bigger muskies; it isn't worth the trip. All of this, without trolling being an involved factor. Why?
It doesn't make sense to ban something that hasn't contributed to the current situation. It doesn't make sense to ban something that keeps a segment of the musky fishing population away from traveling there. It doesn't make sense to hurt yourselves economically because a majority wants tourism while a minority wants larger muskies.
Trolling isn't an entitlement; it's regulated law that dictates how one must fish. It's a regional issue within North Central and Northeastern Wisconsin. This small area is so right about trolling, every where else is so wrong. I just don't think so.
God forbid somebody comes up with a magical lure that makes big musky fishing easy; any idiot can toss one out and consistently catch big muskies. Why, it would end up banned. Frank Suick come to mind?
Anti-trolling sentiments in Northern Wisconsin is another Frank Suick story, just repackaged.
To me, it's politically incorrect, nothing more, nothing less. Just the same reasons all over again.
Edited by ddfenner 4/13/2004 1:03 PM
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Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Fenner, there's nothing political about it...the C.C. votes on it, politicians dont make the rules......If you want an idea of how tiny the Musky angler world is, take a look at last year's voting and this year's voting on musky topics....A majority of anglers in Wisconsin are'nt as hardcore about musky as we are...it shows! | |
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Posts: 11
| HI Marc G see you in May. I have been fishing for Muskie for 3/4 quarters of a century. I have fish them with live bait and I have trolled and Cast for them. I still guide casting for them on Lake St Clair that is beyond a doubt the best trolling lake for Muskie in the Muskie world. In all the years with the different methods I have used by far the easiest way to catch a Muskie is to troll. The most fun for me is to cast. I don't think trolling a large body of water will hurt it but a small 500 or less acre body would no doubt be hurt by trolling. One rod per fisher person trolling would more than likely not hurt any lake but 3 rods per person will soon destroy a small population of Muskie. As most of you know the people that troll Lake St Clair are taking up to 40 or Muskie in a days trolling and it is not hurting the lake. The only method I don't like to take Muskie is by spearing them as there is no putting them back if you want to. Bob Brunner | |
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | most non musky anglers i know, friends, residents, non residents etc. who do not musky fish, hate musky because they think musky eat all of the other fish, so they as a group in general would rather see them done away with. they by far out number the small community of musky fishermen that exist. | |
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Posts: 5874
| DD,
I was going to mention the Frank Suick deal, when the backtrolling issue was brought up. Exactly the same point. When a tool comes along, that APPEARS to make it easier to catch fish, then people want to ban it. When backtrolling was allowed, some guides figured out a pattern, caught some fish, and there was a big uproar, and the reg had to be changed again.
I understand some of the arguements against trolling. Lake size seems to be one of the biggest concerns. But I do not agree with the "Purity" arguement, the fish of 10,000 casts. If I went 10K casts between fsh, I'd probably quit, anyway! hehehe Also, the arguement that I don't want to see trollers on my lake doesn't hold water. I have shared lots of water with trollers while casting, and casters while trolling. Rarely has there been interference between the two. They usually are fishing different depths and structure. I have more problems while casting with other casters, cutting me off and the like.
My main point is, that the trolling ban on most of the lakes that have it, is because of tradition. Sure, some lakes, like the other 5 in WA County do not allow trolling, but it was probably for a good reason. I don't know. But I have to believe there are a lot of lakes where trolling is currently banned, that could support trolling, and the only reason is attitude and tradition. But, like I said. I'm not whining about it. I just think it's a stupid reg. Should it be changed? Probably. Will it? Probably not. Do I really care? Nope. If it was, would I take advantage of it, and troll some of the lakes opened up? Probably.
Would I be willing to give up 3 lines to one line to get the regs changed? Don't think so. Although, my success this past fall leads me to believe with the right lure, I only needed one line. But, I sure want the opportunity to have more baits out there to help get a pattern.
As far as the PC motive for the young, old and handicapped? As I also stated, there are plenty of lakes that allow trolling. They can go to those lakes, if they can only troll.
Gee, I think I just planted my arse squarely on the fence on this one! But I also agree with Gregger to look at the big picture. We've got other issues much bigger than trolling. Size limits, CPR education, a Muskie Stamp, and getting a better brood stock program going. | |
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Posts: 66
Location: Wales Wi. | Wi. DNR fisheries creel surveys data done in a 10 year study on all size lakes showed that trolling was no more effective OVERALL than still fishing for Northern, Walleye and Muskies. It goes without saying that one method or the other can be more effective at certain times, but overall nether is better or worse..myself,I use the method allowed to get to were the fish are at . Howie | |
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Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | If trolling has no adverse effects upon a fishery, why limit the number of lines?
The Wisconsin DNR introduced trolling with a limited number of lines, I believe it was 1. That's the reason why it gets shot down....Guys/Gals would rather NOT troll and keep three than troll and only have 1.
So it seems trolling vs casting is about what anglers precieve as loss or gain. If trolling were open to three lines up in Vilas do you think it would pass? Would the DNR allow it?
Edited by Gander Mt Guide 4/13/2004 11:52 AM
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| Hi Shep,
Yes, the old Frank Suick story comes home to bare. I kept this one from the Gander Guide for a while, just to see how far he goes.
While he and I agree to dis-agree, I respect his beliefs and in no way feel he is wrong with what he believes in, even though I do not understand or agree with them. He can send me all the new Gander Mountain hats he wants as they surely are appreciated and our differences should never end up with ill-will or disparaging comments. That's not the intended outcome of debating this issue or any other issue.
We all want to have the magical lure. Each year seem to bring to market the next magical lure proto-type. I suppose this is good in that the previous years magical lures don't get fished so their magical spell becomes widely spread and another Frank Suick effort is pushed forward.
To me, the Frank Suick story is the anti-trolling sentiment practitioner's Achilles’ heel. It cuts to the core of tradition and all the other reasons why trolling should NOT be continued to be banned in North Central and Northeastern Wisconsin.
Musky fishing should be tough, it should be challenging and the resource should be preserved at all costs.
What is easy to some is tough to others and what is tough to some is easy to others. It's all individual perceptions.
But, trolling isn't a reason to ban it.
I would think those casters whom want to catch bigger muskies in those waters where it's illegal to troll would want to experience their desires of catching bigger muskies by in fact trolling. If they want to catch more muskies by trolling on a day where trolling produces more muskies, I would think they would want to troll.
I'm not saying trolling catches more muskies than casting and I am not saying trolling catches bigger muskies than casting.
What I am saying is that each PRESENTATIONAL method has their day on the water, so why not enjoy what it offers and practice the CPR we all want irregardless of how you catch them.
Edited by ddfenner 4/13/2004 1:41 PM
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Posts: 440
| Looks like Vilas county passed the 1 line trolling motion.......27-19. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM | |
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Interesting to see what's going to happen with this! | |
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| And just remember Gander Guide, politics isn't something just practiced by politicians; it's practiced by people.
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Trolling vs Casting isnt a conspiercy Fenner...my goodness.
There's more lakes you cant troll in this state than you can, there is no Musky Mafia responsible for strong arming voters. | |
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Posts: 3913
| Trolling is allowed in Michigan and I think it would be difficult to find a DNR fisheries biologist who would say that it has an adverse affect on musky fishing.
Though I would rather cast, I certainly troll on occassion, like LATE LATE season when wind chills are in the lower teens and casting is impossible due to icing up of gear. I also troll in the dead heat of mid-summer when it seems I have to stumble (well, with some forethought) across suspendos to find a decent fish.
It seems to me, little more than a novice musky guy compared to many of you readers, that trolling is only a controversy in states where it is not yet legal. In states like MI we know that trolling is not easy or any guarentee of putting a fish in the boat. While any idiot can drag a bait behind the boat, most of those idiots haven't considered issues like structure, theromocline, baitfish migrations, etc. Last, almost all serious musky guys'gals release our fish.
So why not trolling? | |
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Trolling in N. WI Yes or No?