Bring back Flatheads in ND

[MSA]

Right and I totally agree. Im sure they factor in mortality rate upon stocking and probably have an idea of how many fish will even make it past the first month…. So they assume a lot of fish are going to die by natural mortality and then they factor in angler harvest as well. That’s kind of my point as well. They know that it’s inevitable they’ll have mortality. And actually the mortality rate in a probably 95% of our little lakes is 100%. Without stocking efforts there wouldnt be fish. So if there’s no harm to the forage nor any severe impact why not dump 5k lakers in sakakawea sporadically or 10k cutthroats or browns or rainbows….. they don’t seem to mind knowing all those walleyes won’t survive so why do they care if 5k lakers eventually die…. why would they care about a few thousand cold water fish dying when half a million salmon die yearly and just as many walleyes die statewide…. Isnt the point of stocking, especially these little ass lakes for angler enjoyment…..so how is 5k lakers that will probably die but could provide angler enjoyment any different?….. we stock little lakes knowing they’ll die…. How come the conversation turns to “they’ll never make it in Sak” with lake trout…. Who cares if 35 fish make it to 15-20 pounds and an occasional trout is caught then I’d say it’s worth it when you consider the mortality rates of other fish rhey seem fine with……

They didn't just "try" some lake trout, they full blown stocked them for years, and none of them made it. The only Lakers caught in sak or the tailrace were during flood years that were washed thru the dams from up north. I caught one in 97 or 98 and I saw another caught in 2012. And even the acclimated adult ones that wash down dont survive more than a few months. In our system.

 

[Trip McNeely]

They didn't just "try" some lake trout, they full blown stocked them for years, and none of them made it. The only Lakers caught in sak or the tailrace were during flood years that were washed thru the dams from up north. I caught one in 97 or 98 and I saw another caught in 2012. And even the acclimated adult ones that wash down dont survive more than a few months. In our system.

Where do you find that info? All I can find is post 2000 stocking reports. Otherwise it’s nothing but word of mouth he said/she said accounts. Have heard plenty of stories of stocking while it was too warm, birds ate them all. Etc, etc. Ive also heard it wasn’t a full blown attempt but more or less tried “to put some in”. Where did they get the eggs? What strain? How do they know they didn’t make it past 5-10 years? Was the lack of angler harvest the fact they didn’t make it at least a few years or do anglers not spend their time fishing 120ft of water in the 90s…. One could argue even salmon fisherman may not be in the proper depth for lakers… Would a different strain yeild better results….. 35 years. Surely there’s something different rhey could try after 35 years…they microchip salmon now. Im betting rhey didnt have that technology in the 90s. .It’s all word of mouth, nothing documented that I can find…....some people aren’t understanding what I’m saying. I understand they will probably die…. But so do all the walleyes stocked as well. It seems those opposed somehow think the stocking effort needs to correlate into a sustainable population Im not suggesting that. Im suggesting putting some in so the ones rhats survive csn be caught by someone. You yourself are quite possibly a beneficiary of the last attempt…… some may argue it’s a waste of money…. Well I’d argue 20k walleyes into lake Geneva is a waste of money as well…… and if
Lakers are that off the menu for gnf then why not try some steelhead or other type of cold water fish, browns, cutthroats….Have the stock truck that dumps them
In at the kiddy pond in Riverdale accidentally dump them down the hill .

 

[Sum1]

I think they are trying things to try and take care of the blue gill and bull head population. They have been stocking tiger trout in there as well. Part of me thinks they should just kill the entire thing and start over.

I isn’t know there was bullhead in there. Damn I hope they don’t kill it off. It’s an excellent bass, trout and bluegill lake

 

[Catfishermen4201]

I think a couple dozen semi loads of channel catfish in Lake Ashtabula or any lake that has too many bullheads would turn those lakes bullheads into something folks would enjoy tangling with AND putting in the hot oil at the end of the day. Seems to me controlling bullheads with catfish would be a better way to spend resources than trying to force trout or other fish to live where they aren't normally found. Even if folks don't want to eat catfish. I for one would rather catch a catfish than a bullhead. Just an old grey beards opinion though.

Catfish did wonders in Moon Lake. I have all the stocking reports from the 1950's to current. There was one hell of a bullhead problem and Channel Catfish were introduced and never a bullhead recorded after. Most people think of Catfish as a bottom feeder but that is far from the truth. All catfish prefer live prey, just like any other game fish. Catfish are exceptionally good eating it you fillet the meat from the ribs to the end of the tail and leave that rib meat...good eats all around. Plus, you get into big big cats they are awesome fun to wrangle, 30-40lbers is about as close to ocean fishing as you get as they run and you cannot do anything but hold on and try to turn them...super fun!

 

[Eatsleeptrap]

This was my grandpa's. It is the 1983 edition, and I know he had an older one that was copyright 1976 or 77. It has the fish stocking reports from 1977 to 1982. Lake Trout were stocked in Sakakawea in 1981. Striped Bass in Devils Lake in 1977. Could have been more before 1977 and after 1982.

 

[MSA]

I got some random blue cats in the tailrace back in the late 90s and their meat is infinitely better than channel cat

 

[CatDaddy]

I got some random blue cats in the tailrace back in the late 90s and their meat is infinitely better than channel cat

Hold on.....I want to believe you, but how did you identify them as blue cats vs. channels that were colored up to look similar? Were/are there blue cats in ND? Reason I ask is because many people I fish with confuse the bluish colored fish, similar looking to blue cats, with channel cats. People confuse them all the time. Anal fin tells the true story if I'm not mistaken....

And I'd argue, properly cared for and prepared channel cat is some of the best fish I've ever eaten. No blood line and no fat is the key. I'd eat it over walleye, perch, crappie ANY day of the week. Hard to believe anything would be "infinitely" better. Possibly "marginally" but definitely not "infinitely".

 

[Bfishn]

I isn’t know there was bullhead in there. Damn I hope they don’t kill it off. It’s an excellent bass, trout and bluegill lake

The bluegill aren't supposed to be there either. The million little gills eat all the bugs that the trout need to grow. They put tiger trout in to try and control the gills and I believe they put the cats in to control the bullhead. The lake has definitely went down hill as far as the trout the last 5-7 years.

 

[MSA]

Hold on.....I want to believe you, but how did you identify them as blue cats vs. channels that were colored up to look similar? Were/are there blue cats in ND? Reason I ask is because many people I fish with confuse the bluish colored fish, similar looking to blue cats, with channel cats. People confuse them all the time. Anal fin tells the true story if I'm not mistaken....

And I'd argue, properly cared for and prepared channel cat is some of the best fish I've ever eaten. No blood line and no fat is the key. I'd eat it over walleye, perch, crappie ANY day of the week. Hard to believe anything would be "infinitely" better. Possibly "marginally" but definitely not "infinitely".

Ive fished for, and have caught hundreds of blue cats in other states, pretty unmistakable when you've had many of both in your hands, and these were obviously blues. I'm not trying to beep my own horn, but when it comes to fish identification I don't think many here would "question my authoritah" (cartman's voice). Blue cat meat is firmer and white vs channel cat thats dull orange and mushy. after eating blues you give up channel cat. We caught some in the tailrace during the high water in 97-98, not very many, maybe 6 or so. I'm guessing they swam up from somewhere in south dakota. there was also an abundance of gar (shortnose) in the tailrace that year, the biggest I have ever seen. you could watch hundreds of them gulping air in any of the slack water down there.

 

[KDM]

Channel cats are at the VERY BOTTOM of the catfish taste scale. Flatheads are at the top with blues in the middle. Just watch them Louisiana boys on Y-tube. They keep the flatheads first, then the smaller blues. Almost NEVER seen them boys keep a channel if given the choice. I've had all three on the same plate side by side several times and can vouch for the taste hierarchy. Them flatheads are good eating. Make no mistake. Not bagging on channels, they make one fine fish fry and I won't ever turn my nose up on them, but if given the choice I would chase the other two before channels.

 

[thriller1]

Channel cats are at the VERY BOTTOM of the catfish taste scale. Flatheads are at the top with blues in the middle. Just watch them Louisiana boys on Y-tube. They keep the flatheads first, then the smaller blues. Almost NEVER seen them boys keep a channel if given the choice. I've had all three on the same plate side by side several times and can vouch for the taste hierarchy. Them flatheads are good eating. Make no mistake. Not bagging on channels, they make one fine fish fry and I won't ever turn my nose up on them, but if given the choice I would chase the other two before channels.

I agree with this 100%. I've tried them out of the Red numerous times and I didn't care for them at all. I was told to keep the smaller ones and make dang sure all the fat, bloodline, etc was trimmed off and I thought they still tasted like mud. However, I LOVE fishing for them. When they get to 20lbs, I marvel at their power. And as someone who fishes Ashtabula often, I would welcome them into that fishery with open arms.

 

[FishFinder97]

I think a couple dozen semi loads of channel catfish in Lake Ashtabula or any lake that has too many bullheads would turn those lakes bullheads into something folks would enjoy tangling with AND putting in the hot oil at the end of the day. Seems to me controlling bullheads with catfish would be a better way to spend resources than trying to force trout or other fish to live where they aren't normally found. Even if folks don't want to eat catfish. I for one would rather catch a catfish than a bullhead. Just an old grey beards opinion though.

I completely agree, I've been wondering about that for years. There are already loads of cats in the lower stretches of the sheyenne. Why not give Ashtabula a shot. I bet Ashtabula would grow some giant catfish.

 

[CatDaddy]

I agree with this 100%. I've tried them out of the Red numerous times and I didn't care for them at all. I was told to keep the smaller ones and make dang sure all the fat, bloodline, etc was trimmed off and I thought they still tasted like mud. However, I LOVE fishing for them. When they get to 20lbs, I marvel at their power. And as someone who fishes Ashtabula often, I would welcome them into that fishery with open arms.

Interesting. I've also been told to keep the smaller ones early in my catfishing career and I don't anymore. My target range is 8-12 lbs, nothing smaller. The small ones have the "orange" or "yellow" meat and once you've cut it out there's not much left. The larger ones have firm, white meat and very little to no "colored" meat. Bleed them out, cut out blood line, get rid of "colored" meat = my family's preferred fish of choice. I've turned multiple people from "I don't eat fish" to "this is fantastic" with fried channel cat nuggets.

 

[CatDaddy]

Channel cats are at the VERY BOTTOM of the catfish taste scale. Flatheads are at the top with blues in the middle. Just watch them Louisiana boys on Y-tube. They keep the flatheads first, then the smaller blues. Almost NEVER seen them boys keep a channel if given the choice. I've had all three on the same plate side by side several times and can vouch for the taste hierarchy. Them flatheads are good eating. Make no mistake. Not bagging on channels, they make one fine fish fry and I won't ever turn my nose up on them, but if given the choice I would chase the other two before channels.

I haven't done the side-by-side challenge, I'll take your word. What I know is channel cat is hands-down preferred over walleye, perch, crappie by my family the way I care for and cook it. Can't wait to wander further south and try flats and blues!

 

[CatDaddy]

Ive fished for, and have caught hundreds of blue cats in other states, pretty unmistakable when you've had many of both in your hands, and these were obviously blues. I'm not trying to beep my own horn, but when it comes to fish identification I don't think many here would "question my authoritah" (cartman's voice). Blue cat meat is firmer and white vs channel cat thats dull orange and mushy. after eating blues you give up channel cat. We caught some in the tailrace during the high water in 97-98, not very many, maybe 6 or so. I'm guessing they swam up from somewhere in south dakota. there was also an abundance of gar (shortnose) in the tailrace that year, the biggest I have ever seen. you could watch hundreds of them gulping air in any of the slack water down there.

Hard to argue! Only dispute I'd have is the "orange" meat you speak of - what size were you cleaning? As I mentioned in a post above, I only keep medium sized cats (8-12 lbs) and they don't seem to have much if any. I cut around it and leave it for fertilizer. The white meat I'm left with is almost an irridescent glimmering white that's firm and has larger flakes when cooked. I cut to 2-3" square chunks and fry as nuggets.

 

[Reprobait]

There's paddlefish in the trinity river in texas, and in several other rivers along the gulf coast. Im convinced they enter the gulf and live in saltwater because there's no other way they can make it up some of the small gulf tributaries I've fished, but the ndgf has us convinced they're rare and endangered, as I see guys catching them in pensacola, calling them spoonbill catfish

Northern Pike using saltwater in Alaska -
https://www.wired2fish.com/news/pike-using-saltwater-spread-alaska
https://www.earth.com/news/northern-pike-are-sneaking-through-the-ocean-to-invade-new-lakes/

 

[Kurtr]

The Cajuns that I run dogs with told me to cut the tail off to bleed them out and throw them on ice did that ice fishing this winter and worked great. It’s crazy the amount of southerners that come up here with guides to go catch cat fish and they pile them up since there is no limit.

 

[shorthairsrus]

We will never have stripers, zander (except the few that live in spirtwood), flats and the list goes one -- why because our chief g and f is a tree hugger and all tree huggers dont want change.

 

[CatDaddy]

We will never have stripers, zander (except the few that live in spirtwood), flats and the list goes one -- why because our chief g and f is a tree hugger and all tree huggers dont want change.

There may be more zander in Spiritwood than we think.....they're apparently reproducing

 

[CrappieHunter]

This was my grandpa's. It is the 1983 edition, and I know he had an older one that was copyright 1976 or 77. It has the fish stocking reports from 1977 to 1982. Lake Trout were stocked in Sakakawea in 1981. Striped Bass in Devils Lake in 1977. Could have been more before 1977 and after 1982.

Thank you for the picture of the striped bass stocking report, I've been needing that.