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Posts: 723
| I was up for the opener, and talking to a few locals at the tavvy, it seems none of them are pleased at all with the increase.
I had talked to a middle aged woman who says she'd never keep one unless it was a record, but she still was distraut about the new regulation. I tried to tell her about the fact that they quit stocking the lake and fish were only becoming fewer and fewer out there. Then when I told her I voted for the increase, whoa!
The thing that really hit a nerve was another gentleman, if you want to call him that, chewed me out about how in 45 years of living on the lake, he doesn't think it has potential to grow big muskies. I laughed, he stared me down like some gunfighter in the sun. He then proceeded to tell me no matter the regulation, he will take anything he pleases out of the lake, and that locals will be killing more muskies now than they ever did. I can be guaranteed of that. He says the dnr doesn't ever patrol the lake either.
I myself have found it harder and harder to find good numbers or just ski's for that matter out there. It is plentiful of walleyes, crappie, lots of panfish and plenty of pike, but, when I used to see more skies when I was young and naive to fishing for them 13 years ago on that lake, year after year, it becomes less and less for us. And now when I have all the know-how in the world, the baits, equipment, and the stamina to fish all friggin day long, I was able to muster one follow from a 40ish fish this weekend?
I ran into Norm and Jason St. Mary up there that night I had the conflict with those people, I only wish they would have stayed around to talk some sense into those people.
It saddens me to see something so great happen to the lake, but then think that people will do their best to doom an ever decreasing population. Not to mention along with the spearing that goes on.
I would hope that fisherman with a head on their shoulders that see any illegal activity on any lake should report it immediately. Don't turn cheek while someone ruins it for the rest of us.
I also was really shocked that there wasn't many musky fisherman at all out there, this is unlike this lake to not have pressure during holiday weekends. maybe gas prices, or, just maybe everyone is getting the same feel from the lake not putting out like it used to. I know Norm doesn't have much trouble finding fish though  |
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| It saddens me to see something so great happen to the lake, but then think that people will do their best to doom an ever decreasing population.
if someone wanted to upset a dedicated C&R fisherman, the best way to do so would be to say "i don't care about the law, i'm keeping every fish i catch." sounds like it worked.
the reality is that it will change the habits of the majority of law-abiding fisherman who might have been inclined to keep a big fish, and very few people will break the law. the fish will be more protected than they are now, and will grow bigger.
don't a couple local barflies get your goat!
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | I have heard from some of the people you mention, the ones that vow to keep all the muskies they catch, or rip their gills out. For the most part there is no worry as most of these people haven't caught a musky since Eisenhower was in office. There will be some odd occasions when some of these people do catch one, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.
After the newness of the limit wears off, people will forget all about it. Then the odd thing will happen, they will start seeing and reaping the benefits of the legislation and eventually they will start telling anyone that will listen how they were behind this from this start. They may even tell some how they championed the effort and told the dumb DNR we always needed this.
Its bar talk plain and simple, but trust me, if I see one undersize fish leaving the water, I will be on the phone!
Edited by nwild 5/29/2007 1:42 PM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | was that your cousin's sisters uncle norm? |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I've heard some of that too, mostly from folks who don't muskie fish much. Those who do had BETTER not kill sub-legal fish, they will be eventually turned in. There's too many muskie guys out there.
I think Norm is dead on.
Norm, Sue isn't up to fishing yet, and I have to leave. She will be there at the meeting after to get the points, CATCH ONE OR TWO!! I'll be on my cell all afternoon. |
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Posts: 723
| from talking to him yeah, he's never caught a big fish out there, but he says he keeps the ones he does catch. I didn't really tell him who I was or if I was for it till he got through his schpeel. Then I tried to preach to him the importance.
maybe youre right. Things will get better, and he will reap the rewards.
I just hope it doesn't go south. pretty sad when the only locals I talked to had a bitter taste in their mouth. I would assume most don't care either. |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Weird. So they don't really fish for muskies, but they're unhappy with the new limit? Why do they care? Are they afraid it affects tourism, bigger muskies eat more walleyes, etc., or are they just cranky and contrary?
People are strange.
Kevin
I'm not angry, I'm hungry. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | the general locals up here are an interesting lot with generations of conditioning along with an attitude that comes along with it. the true "locals" know better and then the "transplanted locals" know even more. anyone who's not there for pool league or holding down a corner of that particular bar just plain doesn't know anything and will "counter" any point including whether or not it's raining outside.
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Posts: 714
Location: Rhinelander, WI | I feel your pain Dogboy, but there appears to be a vocal manority speaking up now, mostly at bars, against the new length limit. It is mostly the same argument, with no fact or substance, just plain. “I didn’t come up with the idea so it must be bad, plus the DNR supports it so it must be really really bad.”
Plain and simple almost 80% of the Property Owners association voted in favor of doing something when first present with the argument, and it passed the spring hearing by over 80% in Oneida county. So when it mattered the locals supported it, it’s real easy for those against to now speak up in the local taverns. Let see what happens and prove to them all, what a good idea it was.
Don’t let them get you down, far more fish will now be protected, as most will follow the law. My guess if they don’t plan to follow the law now, they weren’t before. Which most likely means they were overbagging and keeping fish of all species irregardless of the limits. A new law doesn’t really matter if the original law didn’t matter.
Nail A Pig!
“DogFish” Roberts
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Posts: 2361
| Is the population already showing the results of no stocking? Just curious. |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | Yes FSF,
While Pelican does support natural reproduction, there were several years where the young of year were all but absent. This was most obvious the years immedialtely following the stocking halt. My average size fish caught through those years was increasing each year, only because there were no undersize fish. A scary scenario if you want to maintain a balanced fishery.
Since then there have been a few year classes where the yoy where apparent, and undersize (young) fish have been showing up. Its still very scary to think that every couple of years you may miss a year class or two. The lake can take care of itself, but it needs to have the spawners protected to guarantee the future. |
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Posts: 468
Location: Not where I wanna be! | im ok with a 50 inch limit......
i dont keep fish any how, no matter what size they are.......
id love to see 50 inch fish in every lake, but without llonger length limits it will be a difficult task.....
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Posts: 2361
| I was talking to Sworrall about this lake last summer, but don't remember, how long has it been going with no stocking? And does the survival of young seem to be up now that the total population is down? I remember that he had said the stocking was maintaining the pop at an artificially high level. |
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Posts: 20212
Location: oswego, il | Dogboy, when somebody tells you something like that, fire back. Tell them well I guess that makes you a poacher and not a sportsman. If they give you the muskies are eating all my ------ schpeel, look at their stomach and say I have yet to catch a musky with a stomach like yours. |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | FSF,
Pelican has limited NR, and can, if cared for, maintain a low density, high quality muskie population. I think it's been 9 years since stocking ceased, and destined to be about another 10 or so before it's looked at for future stocking, if ever. |
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Posts: 20212
Location: oswego, il | The mercer area has a 5 year morritorium on stocking to evaluate natural reproduction. Some lakes have it, some don't. I have a feeling some of these lakes seen their last stocking. |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | Norm, Many of the people that live on the lake come in the barber shop that I work at> All I can say is from listening to them most I talk to are not happy with it. I can't say much at the shop about it as it might seem argumentitive to them and my bos and I don't need want to stir up anything.
Pfeiff |
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Posts: 332
Location: Neenah, WI | It is too bad that people do not believe the DNR and people that our educated on the situation. I agree that we will see improvements within the next 2-3 years. It needed to be protected. No matter what is changed on any lake there will always be Barroom Biologists that no better than people that are educated properly on such matters.
All we can do is try to persuade them through education and hopefully they will trust the real biologists that are employed by our state agencies.
Hook'em Hard
SAINT 1
Edited by saint1 6/2/2007 7:57 PM
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Posts: 30
Location: Wisconsin | Here is the DNR's website for fish stocking in all of WI. You can look up any lake or river and it will show all fish stocked each year.
http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/doc/wdnr_biology/Public_Stocking/StateM...
Pelican was last stocked with muskies in 1998.
This is a great site to check out your favorite lake or to help in your search for new lakes.
HODAG |
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| That's a very cool link.
My Lake X has been stocked with millions of Brook, Brown and Rainbow trout since the 70's. It's a little over 1,000 acres and over 100' deep, and I've only caught 2 trout out of there in 35 years of fishing it. It's never been stocked with muskies, nor has it's neighboring lake, which is connected by a small "thouroughfare".
I've seen huge muskies in it, and it's neighbor is a milfoil lake that is good producer of big fish, even some big Tigers. They must have been put in there by The Creator.
I see they have stocked it with a few million Mississippi River walleyes in the last three years. Let's see if their armour is any thicker.
Very cool link, indeed.
Beav |
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