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| This is why spearing shouldn't be allowed on our BROOD lake. This is a very common problem and we have caught fish that have survived encounters like this.
Very sad and definately a problem that needs to be stopped.
Click on the following link to view the fish:
http://www.forum.minnesotawaterfowler.com/viewtopic.php?t=12471
Contact our DNR Office and tell them that this needs to stop:
Bemidji Area Fisheries Office
2114 Bemidji Avenue
Bemidji, MN 56601
218-308-2339
[email protected]
Please take one minute out of your day and give them a call or send a quick e-mail to our local office and tell them that spearing on Musky Brood Lakes needs to cease.
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Posts: 727
| What were they trying to spear? |
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| They were trying to spear northern pike which is permitted in MN. Spearing muskies is illegal. There are more muskies than pike in this lake and it is also a brood lake. That means that the DNR uses these fish as a large part of their efforts to stock other lakes. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Kevin, if you know these guys have them drop me a line. We've got the DNR Round Table coming up in the next couple weeks and I'd like the full scoop on this first hand if possible.
Thanks,
Shawn
612-201-0209. |
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Posts: 374
Location: Bemidji | Shawn,
They are a friends of a friend. I can get them to call you or get their phone numbers for you. This is a huge problem up here and it has been brushed under the rug when dead fish are found or speared fish are caught. |
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| When you guys see or hear of this anywhere in MN call Shawn or post it up. |
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Posts: 374
Location: Bemidji | I have a few pics of speared fish I can send you Shawn. Can you post your e-mail address? |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | [email protected] |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | I hope someone has the balls to turn these idiots in. I have heard more than a couple of morons refer to the Muskie Spear and Release program up there since the Muskies eat all their Walleye. . . |
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| Unfortunately, the reality is that things like this happen a lot more than we would like to think it does. Everyone (muskie anglers) does a good job of acting like it doesn't happen. Maybe that is their way of not going insane. |
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Posts: 193
Location: Mayer, MN | My understanding is that the individuals in the images are not responsible for the spearing, but for the recovery of a speared muskie. Officials have been notified from reading the forum contained within the link. I hope everyone understands this and that these guys in the photos are not the "idiots". Correct? |
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Posts: 5
| what's the name of the lake ,could you send me the [email protected] |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | lots of luck - 12/30/2008 4:11 PM
My understanding is that the individuals in the images are not responsible for the spearing, but for the recovery of a speared muskie. Officials have been notified from reading the forum contained within the link. I hope everyone understands this and that these guys in the photos are not the "idiots". Correct?
Since I'm the one who used the word Idiot I guess you're talking to me and yes I understand the guys in the photo were not the ones who did the spearing. And I should have added Kudos to those fellas for doing the right thing and getting the word out about this incident. |
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Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | ouch... |
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Posts: 100
Location: Bemidji/Cass Lake | It's not that everybody spearing intentionally spears muskies. The problem is that since pike and muskie appear so similar from above people may not be able to tell them apart. Many people believe pike get just as big muskies so they don't use size as possible difference between the two. Everyone's probably seen the DNR poster comparing the two species and noting the differences. Let me say that does not matter when a fish comes in slashing at a decoy. Time can be factor when a shot is presented, they don't always stalk it. I have witnessed this scenario. Any lake with a reputation of an abundant muskie population needs to have a spearing ban. I know there are lots of very passionate, ethical people that spear, but not everyone else is. Some muskies will always get picked off if spearing is allowed on muskie managed waters.
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| Spearing should be banned for either pike or musky, period. |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | Sackett - 12/31/2008 3:14 AM
It's not that everybody spearing intentionally spears muskies. The problem is that since pike and muskie appear so similar from above people may not be able to tell them apart. Many people believe pike get just as big muskies so they don't use size as possible difference between the two. Everyone's probably seen the DNR poster comparing the two species and noting the differences. Let me say that does not matter when a fish comes in slashing at a decoy. Time can be factor when a shot is presented, they don't always stalk it. I have witnessed this scenario. Any lake with a reputation of an abundant muskie population needs to have a spearing ban. I know there are lots of very passionate, ethical people that spear, but not everyone else is. Some muskies will always get picked off if spearing is allowed on muskie managed waters.
Sorry but that's B.S. here's an excerpt of an e-mail from a Darkhouse buddy of mine "I've seen muskies while in darkhouse...there's no mistaking them for pike. unfortunatley they are a bit dormant (stupid) in the winter and very easy to spear if you choose. Musky Inc got their way on Cass so I can no longer spear there, however the Natives can and do spear not only musky but also walleye." IMHO, Most Muskie spearings are intentional. It is not that difficult to tell the difference between them. More importantly if you aren't sure you shouldn't spear the #*^@ fish. They should ban spearing on all Managed Musky Waters and Brood Stock Lakes. This has been an issue for many years and we've fought the fight on lakes like Plantan and French problem is whenever there is a meeting to discuss with the DNR 200 Darkhouse guys show up and the Muskie side is lucky to have 20. Apathy with respect to this cause could seriously hurt our resource and more inportant our sport.
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Posts: 374
Location: Bemidji | I recommend calling.
Here's the mass e-mail that we have been getting back as a response......
Thank you for your comments concerning the illegally speared muskellunge on Lake Plantagantte. Our local Conservation Officer is aware and investigating the incident. The musky was brought to our office for necropsy. It was not one of our PIT tagged muskellunge from the 2007 mark and recapture population estimate, but confirmed to be a large mature female in the 49-50 inch range.
As I am sure you are aware, northern pike spearing is a legal activity on a number of our natural and introduced muskellunge waters. When practiced responsibly it is legitimate sport providing considerable recreational opportunity.
Unfortunately irresponsible actions such as these do reflect negatively on dark house spearing in general. The fact that this mature female was removed from a brood stock lake will not have any noticeable affect on our muskellunge production program. We do collect muskellunge eggs from Plantaganette when needed but generally have no trouble collecting adequate numbers of brood fish to meet production needs. More concerning is the removal of a very large individual from a fishery where a recent population estimate confirms how scarce 50 inch muskellunge are in these populations.
Gary Barnard
Bemidji Area Fisheries Supervisor
218-308-2330
[email protected]
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Posts: 3147
| heres the best plan IMHO,,,,lets get the 8 new lakes were supposed to get designated and approved,,,,then go after a spearing ban on ALL designated muskie waters, once we have the eight they cant hurt us,,,the darkhouse assoc showed they dont care about whats right look at the BS they pulled on french lake sneaking through some obscure legiislator to get thier way,,,Im not bashing them this is documented history |
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Posts: 1169
Location: New Hope MN | I don't like the idea of reducing liberty in the so-called land of the free. We pay fees to stock musky, and notherns are rarely stocked. Add a stamp to the license of those who wish to spear on musky waters (very high) to supplement the loss of fish. Make it visible on the outside of the darkhouse. Have a high fee $5K+ for those without the stamp and a reward of half that if you spot someone doing this. Keep the length restriction as normal 40", 44" whatever...
No one will want to spear on these waters, and we have maintained freedom. |
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Posts: 172
| i m not against spears. but i do agree on ban the spears on rest of the muskie lake but i think the probem is which lake is to ban? all lake that hold muskie or just lake that have good numbers of muskies or included the lake that have of muskie but they are there.. i dont think the ban on muskie lake wld hurt spearers.. land of 10 k lake and nearly all of them have pike. hows bans on 80-90ss lake gonna hurt the sports? kevin is right we have to chime in our opinions to our dnr offices and let them hear what we have to say.
matty |
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Posts: 374
Location: Bemidji | I think banning on brood lakes is something that needs to be done. There are more muskies in them then northern pike. There aren't that many brood lakes in the state as well. That's not out of the question.
If you look at pg 77 of the MN Long Range Plan on the DNR website it shows that Elk, Little Wolf, and Plantan are not on the banned spearing lakes. These are the brood lakes. There is something wrong with this.
I encourage everyone to please call Gary at the number listed above and voice their opinions.
Thanks
Kevin |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Anytime the muskie community and the dark house guys come together it's always tenuous. I'm getting lines of dialog going with some of the key dark house guys. All I ask is that everyone keeps their cool and doesn't do anything that will make things worse.
It's difficult for both of our groups to see eye-to-eye. Our sport is based on conservation and catch and release. Theirs is based on the legal harvest of a known food fish. The majority of each camp don't seem to understand the other. This makes working together hard and emotional. |
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Posts: 374
Location: Bemidji | Shawn,
At the bottom there is a star indicating that Brood Lakes are banned from spearing. This is on pg 77 of the Long Range Plan. So why is spearing allowed on Plantan? What brood lakes are banned and which ones are not. Seems kind of confusing.
Kevin |
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Posts: 75
| Kevin, we might also want to contact the Chamber of Commerce to let them know our concerns. http://www.bemidji.org/
They might not understand the amount of money muskie fishing brings to town compared to spearing on muskie lakes.
Money does talk and with the right local business support a local ban might have a chance. After all if you add up the tab for a place to stay, food out, gas, Gander, guides and Bluewater a muskie fisherman spends a few dollars.
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Posts: 3147
| BenR
how can you say that after what the spearers did with french lake?????? |
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| On another website it says this happened on Lake Bemidji. Can we get some clarification on this? |
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Posts: 734
Location: Watertown, MN | As being master of our own demain, I will ? what we can control, why do we beat up on brood stock lakes, and bring such great pressure to these lakes. 1 got killed by a spearer, how many have been killed by musky anglers due to delayed mortallity. Who has put more pressure and stress on that fishery? Should we as anglers be beating up Brood stock lakes? These lakes are the future! I was told it was a unwritten rule no to fish them, yet alone make a living on these lakes.
Troyz |
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Posts: 968
Location: N.FIB | have you ever said anything to the guides about maybe not fishing the lake,does the dnr have different rules on brood lakes that helps the fish out more. |
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| Should we as anglers be beating up Brood stock lakes? These lakes are the future! I was told it was a unwritten rule no to fish them, yet alone make a living on these lakes.
i fish 2 of the brood stock lakes most every time i'm in MN, as they're both nearby my in-laws property.
on one of them, most days i'm the only boat out there even on summer weekends, and sometimes there's one or two others. it's fished, but i disagree that it's getting "beat up".
on the other (larger and more easily accessible), there's usually a couple other muskie boats, including a couple guide boats. i've never experienced it as what i would consider "busy", although over the course of the year it definitely gets it's share of fishing pressure. this is also the lake that the fish in question was speared on.
the idea of protecting the fish is laudable, and i'd personally prefer if all brood stock lakes were catch-and-release only and designated (no spearing); however, to suggest that people not even fish them goes too far, imho.
every report i've ever seen is that the DNR continues to be able to meet it's needs for variety and size of fish that they take brood from in these lakes. if that were to change and the DNR reported significant trouble meeting their needs, i'd be willing to entertain the idea of closing the lakes.
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