Catch and release isn't always the best option by doug leier

[svnmag]

Sakakawea for the most part doesn't have natural reproduction. That 24+ sized fish likely isn't producing much for a fresh crop of eaters anyway. Don't ever feel bad about keeping a big fish, its no ones business.
I put anything over 22 or so back, but on occasion have kept a big one, and feel great about it.

And don't put up with no shit from no broads either.

 

[Jigaman]

Sakakawea for the most part doesn't have natural reproduction.

Is this really true? I am from the other side of the state and have only had the pleasure of fishing this lake once (last summer) but I just kind of assumed that it had very good natural reproduction.

 

[Jigaman]

The better half and i booked a 3 nite stay up at Arneson's at Lake of the Woods. 2 days of fishing in one of their 60 plus, day shacks. i think they said like 80-90 day shacks... and like 50ish sleeper houses also.
We did the 2 day fishing excursion.. 2 different fish houses each day. We found out Lake of the Woods has about as many 11-13 inch eyes as Devils. Most of our Saugers/Walleyes were fooled on the dead sticks with a whole minnow on a red hook. First day we caught like 35 eyes and keep 7...most on the dead sticks....most of those swallowed the hook, bad. 2nd day we didnt use dead sticks , just jigged.. we only caught 18 and kept 3. 17 inch top. At least the released ones hadnt swallowed the treble to live another day. I must give Arneson's kudos tho! Top notch! They have like 14 tracked vehicles to take clients out and back again each day. 2-6 ppl per rig. we bought the $50 meal package per person which included a hot breakfast at 6:30..sack lunch and supper off the menu in the lodge. my only complaint is i wish we would have had lures down at 6:30 versus 8ish. I have to hand it to my wife as she said..shouldnt we be fishing by 7? hahha

We have a family place there and I don't even bother ice fishing up there anymore after I discovered lake winnipeg about 8 years ago. Lots of action but I have no idea where the decent eater and slot fish go once the lake freezes. In the summer the quality of fish is much better.

 

[johnr]

Is this really true? I am from the other side of the state and have only had the pleasure of fishing this lake once (last summer) but I just kind of assumed that it had very good natural reproduction.

Yes, it is stocked from the fish hatchery right there on the south side of the lake, and the fish eggs come from fish milked out of Devils Lake.
natural reproduction is so lite, that without stocking the walleye population would make the lake unfishable.

 

[Kurtr]

When they get over so big i just cut the cheeks out rest of the fish gets mushy.

 

[svnmag]

Yes, it is stocked from the fish hatchery right there on the south side of the lake, and the fish eggs come from fish milked out of Devils Lake.
natural reproduction is so lite, that without stocking the walleye population would make the lake unfishable.

I remember reading this some years back. Do you know the reason? Seems in my armchair mind the Swim Beach and Marina should have excellent spawning habitat or could be optimized, closed to fishing (during walleye spawn) and sold as an educational exhibit with a couple docks and maybe a foot bridge across the State Park cove.

If I were King Of GF; I'd dump a half shitton of marked fingerlings in these areas after the pike were through. I'd also make the Hatchery Creek viable for spawning; both walleye and trout.

 

[zoops]

Yes, it is stocked from the fish hatchery right there on the south side of the lake, and the fish eggs come from fish milked out of Devils Lake.
natural reproduction is so lite, that without stocking the walleye population would make the lake unfishable.

I think I've heard GNF say the western part of the lake does ok on reproduction but the east end benefits from stocking. I also think they take a lot of the eggs from sak, at least lately with as good as the population has been. Their records show only putting in about 2 million fingerlings a year, which seems like a drop in the bucket with a lake that size.

 

[FightingSioux]

Yes, it is stocked from the fish hatchery right there on the south side of the lake, and the fish eggs come from fish milked out of Devils Lake.
natural reproduction is so lite, that without stocking the walleye population would make the lake unfishable.

Don’t they get eggs still from Sak? Also isn’t there a lake south of devils where they get eggs?

 

[FightingSioux]

God damn some people will bitch about anything. The article is clearly for some who may be newer to fishing and helping them understand what happens when a fish is brought up from deep. You guys want more laws? Just so you can bitch about them or what?

I really don’t get people’s beef with this public awareness bulletin. As a sportsman people should be mindful of the resource and should be ethical when it comes to harvest. Like you said this isn’t a law so people really should be happy it stays that way. We are lucky to not live in the land of 10,000 fishing regulations or up in Oh Canada!

No one is advocating for you to keep a 11 inch fish when fishing that deep. 11 inch fish are a dime a dozen and get eaten by bigger fish and birds all the time. Should a guy keep 14-15” fish when fishing that deep even though they might not have the bragging potential back at the cleaning station? Ethically yes, but you can do whatever you want. You should also be keeping the spawners too when fishing that deep. Why waste a good fillet! In my ethical opinion I would not be practicing catch and release fishing in deep water after catching my limit because it is wasteful.

 

[johnr]

In general fisherman, me being one, are a bunch of dicks.

 

[Bfishn]

I think where they get their eggs depends on the year and current state of the major fisheries. I think Sak is currently in such great shape that's where they have been focusing to get eggs. I think a few years ago it was Devils and Oahe.

 

[svnmag]

Yes, it is stocked from the fish hatchery right there on the south side of the lake, and the fish eggs come from fish milked out of Devils Lake.
natural reproduction is so lite, that without stocking the walleye population would make the lake unfishable.

I remember reading this some years back. Do you know the reason? Seems in my armchair mind the Swim Beach and Marina should have excellent spawning habitat or could be optimized, closed to fishing (during walleye spawn) and sold as an educational exhibit with a couple docks and maybe a foot bridge across the State Park cove.

If I were King Of GF; I'd dump a half shitton of marked fingerlings in these areas after the pike were through. I'd also make the Hatchery Creek viable for spawning; both walleye and trout.