TCESOX - 9/5/2021 10:53 AM
North of 8 - 9/4/2021 9:19 PM
TCESOX - 9/4/2021 8:18 PM
If we have appropriate harvest regulations, and adequate enforcement, things will be fine. Harvest regs have been moving in the correct direction in recent years. There will always be meat hogs, but the culture is changing. Most newcomers to fishing have no problem with selective harvest and catch and release.
I agree but the part of the equation that is lacking in WI is adequate enforcement. Oneida County, with several hundred lakes and many miles of river and streams has only one warden dedicated to fish and game regulation enforcement. I fish spring, summer, fall and winter on the chain where I have lived full time for 6 years and have encountered a warden one time. Prior to that we had a seasonal place for 12 years and never was checked by a warden. If we want to preserve our resources, we need to invest in more enforcement. If that means higher license fees, so be it. The other thing is that if you know of limit violations, etc., call it in.
You are correct. That is what I meant by adequate enforcement. It doesn't have to be ball busting enforcement, just enough busts with fairly harsh penalties, to deter the majority of those inclined to fudge, to tow the line for fear of the consequences. Enforcement is an expensive endeavor. While you may not have been approached by a warden, I guarantee that you have been eyeballed by them. You just didn't exhibit any behaviors that caused them any concern. They tend to approach people that are a little suspect in their actions, and those they have not had any eyeballs on. The true poacher types will not be deterred by enhanced enforcement or severe penalties. The key, is to keep their numbers very low.
Kirby is right about muskies, though, since they can be more difficult to successfully release, and harvest isn't really a thing, in the big picture. Education regarding barotrauma and water temperature, and hook cutting, are very important.
