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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I know that on Pewaukee Lake the muskies are in the spawning process. They will be finishing up this week if the weather stays warm. What are your views on targeting the fish at this time of year?
I will be working the weedbeds outside of the spawning areas for post spawn fish, I know it will be harder to score but its only for a week. The muskies in this lake don't have great reproduction so am I wrong for backing off the spawners. The fish have been in the shallows and rivers for about two weeks, I watched a 44 incher yesterday swimming in about 1 foot of water from a friends pier. Do you think targeting these spawners is unethical, or is it the "its legal" attitude some people have.
What views or concerns shoud we as fishermen have? Comments welcome. |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Usually, a fish in the process of actually spawning if a female is really hard to trigger. We used to be able to fish them up here from the opener first weekend of May, but I spent most of my time that early after 'eyes. If you are fishing the edges and breaks, you will not be where the fish are actively spawning, and it won't be likely that a totally pre-spawn fish will be there at this late date. If a female hits out on the edges this time of the year by you, I am betting she will be post spawn, as they have been at it for awhile. I wouldn't be too concerned. Up here the fish are now protected until the spawn is over completely, so it isn't a worry. |
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Posts: 654
Location: MPLS, MN | Why take a risk at killing a spawning musky {and the eggs}? I won't even use a small musky bait until at least mid june. I think it is unethical and anyone who targets them during this time is as selfish as the kid who is spearing them. Plus muskies have a very large gap in temps they spawn at so it really is important we make sure the spawn is totally over before we start to target them. |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | Mike
I struggle with this a bit too. I fish the WI/MI border lakes on their opener (May 15th), and the fish are rarely done spawning by that time, in fact often times they are in prespawn. I have found, as has Steve, that most of the fish you catch under these conditions are the males. Females seem to have one thing on their mind (wouldn't that be nice if they were humans) and they just don't trigger very often. If I do happen to catch a female just treat her right and get her back in the water as quickly as possible and I think any effect you may have on them is minimized. |
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Posts: 5874
| I think the key here is that there is virtually no natural reproduction in Pewaukee Lake. The fish go through the motions, they just are not successful. So, even if a spawning female is CPR'd, your not hurting anything. MHO
Mike, I'm going to fish Pewaukee to catch fish, and am not going to worry about it there. However, if I was on a northen lake with natural reproduction, I would try to avoid the spawners. |
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Posts: 3913
| I think it best to leave them alone during the spawning process.
In fact, it pissed me off a little when I recently noticed language in a BPS Sales flyer that stated one particular bait was good for "targeting spawning bass". |
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Posts: 3913
| But you know, this question demonstrates the fact that our fishing sub-culture has norms (rules to guide decisions and behavior) that evolve over time. In my grandpa's day, weren't spawning fish considered fair game by most anglers? Wonder how we'll be thinking 100 years from now, eh? |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Shepsters they are still going through the process and are no different than the fish that naturally reproduce. Its like the bass fishermen who take fish off their beds and release them at the weigh in spot at the other end of the lake, do you think all these Spring tournaments on Pewaukee has hurt the bass fishery? I think so. Years ago the lake was full of Bass and now they are almost hard to catch some times. No I don't think the Muskies ate them all !!! I think fishing spawning fish is a bad practice and I will try to keep from doing so. Now if they are still spawning when the WMT is here on May 10th I might change my opinion for a day, $10,000 is a big number and I will do everything I can to put two fish in my boat. I WILL release the fish in the same spot where I catch them. This is just my opinion, other views are welcome. |
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Posts: 938
Location: NeverNever Lake | That's a tough one! We have an open season here in Ohio/WV. I think there is still a 1-2% hatch. It seems like the longer I fish for muskies the more of an emotional investment I have in them. My policy is, treat em right no matter what! The law says I can catch one, whack it, and take it home if I choose to do so. I have never done that.
We had 2 very large fish to the boat in the last week that had the burgandy/red lines on their backs and were surely full of eggs. 1 was on a very steep bank in 25' of water. The other was on a mid-lake hump in 6'.
So far I have only caught 1 spawning female and she was a freak!
Like Steve said, mother nature gives them a good case of lock-jaw during this time period.
The standing Ohio State Record fish of 50 1/2" and 55# was rumored to have been egg bound for 2 seasons. My feelings are if 2, 70# WR fish were caught and 1 was full of eggs and the other one wasn't, then the eggless fish should be the true WR.
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Posts: 1046
| Money! |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Mike, Unethical???????
I know what you mean, but that's the type of verbage that makes us look like a bunch of elitest. I think that isn't not smart to fish for ANY (bass, crappie, bluegill etc.) fish that is in the process of spawning, but I don't think it's an ethical question. Afterall, ethically speaking, what we do to any fish we catch would be against what is best for them. |
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Posts: 642
Location: mount prospect illinois | I think the main issue would be if there is any natural reproduction regardless of whether it is "legal". Places where it is legal to fish for spawning muskies AND there it is documented there is no natural reproduction, i see no problem with it. You arent harming reproduction if there isnt any. If it is legal to fish for spawning muskies and there IS documented reproduction, i would say it shouldnt be ok (ethically). |
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Posts: 5874
| Mike,
I think that the bass on Pewaukee actually are reproducing, not just going through the motions, like the muskies are. Therefore, if you take a ski out of it's spawning area, so what? But, if you take a bass off it's bed, and locate elsewhere, perhaps that will affect the natural reproduction of that bass.
Now, I have to take issue with the tourney comment. Your saying it's not right to fish non-reproducing fish during the spawn, unless there is $10,000 on the line? Where do you draw the line? $5,000? $1,000? How about a guide date?
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Location: Athens, Ohio | In general, my views are, as with all mating/breeding animals: leave 'em alone. Now, muskie fishing isn't nearly as bad as bass fishing. BassMaster magazine ran an article a couple months ago which basically said that bed fsihing isn't a problem, for if it were, the fisheries would be suffering right now and they are not. Wonderful!
I wrote back to say that you can't tell me that pulling a spawing female off her nest, tossing her in a livewell, bouncing her around the lake all day, then weighing and releasing her 10 miles from her bed did not have an effect on the fishery. Mine was not one of the letters they printed. I think muskie fishermen generally have a lesser adverse impact on their species than some of the others. Keep up the good work. m |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Tim my comment was "Now if they are still spawning when the WMT is here on May 10th I might change my opinion for a day". This was said because I am honest and believe that when fishing with a partner we should work as a team and do what it takes to win. This said I would possible change my game plan to a shallower approach, this is not targeting the spawners just addapting to what I need to do to be competative. Picture this: Most of the guys are fishing in and tight, we are fishing the weededges and striking out. What would the next move be? Thats what I was refering to with that comment. Not targeting spawners, just doing what I can to catch a fish. Tournament fishing is not you basic fishing, not when you put up a good entry fee and work with a partner. Am I digging a bigger hole here? |
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Posts: 1335
Location: Chicago, Beverly | Supposedly none of the musky in indiana and possibly illinois successfully spawn. The DNR in both states go and net the fish out of certain lakes(webster and the fox chain to name two) and manually harvest the eggs. Usually you will see on midwest out doors once a year video footage of this from the fox chain.. So technically, especially if you are after a possible record, you can legally target them. Should you? Not really. Both dnr's in those states allow bass tourney's right in the middle of spawn for bass. Heck I've even seen weed eradication take place right in the middle of the spawn. So basically make it a personal decision. If YOU don't want to target spawning muskies then don't. If YOU want to target them then go right ahead as long as you don't break the laws. |
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Posts: 157
Location: Wausau/Phillips WI | For a couple weeks at most can't we leave the fish alone. Fish outside those spawning areas.
Every spring on Lake Wausau I know people try and snag them under the guise of Northern fishing. Same thing on the Wisconsin River where the Trappe or Pine comes in. They do readily hit jig/minnows too. Saw a kid catch 2 nice muskies in the 40" class on a rubber frog and slip sinker combo one spring at the mouth of the Pine.
Buddy |
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