Who is in favor of slot limits

[Account Deleted]

Ok lets all pillage the system. Wipe it out. Oh wait it doesn't hurt the fishery to pull thousands upon thousands out.

Well, some of my ancestry is Scandinavian so, it's in my DNA.

 

[Rowdie]

In some of the old FBO topics, someone provided links to the studies that showed how minimal fishermen were to the systems. They were a little long but worth the time. Last year this topic was brought up and squashed with links to NDGFP videos on this very topic. The walleye population on OAHE is staggering. Thousands are not much compared to tens of millions.

As for the bad rep points. Try to express your opinion without getting cheeky. I didn't give any, and really appreciate the reports by riverfisher. But if you want to keep the bigger fish instead of release them, feel free. Trust to the science and the math.

As for me, I'm against slots. I was with MSA back in days on FBO. I rarely freeze fish, and if I do, its only for a short time. I find it funny that guys argue for slots are guys who stack bags of fillets in their freezer, or guides. The guides in SD are the most vocal.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I remember 10-15 years ago on fishingbuddy when it seemed it was "me against the world" on the topic of no slots...Wow have opinions changed.

If I recall correctly, I was with you on this. People dont understand reproduction well. Fish arent MAMMALS people, do some research before spouting off.... They have a completely different reproductive strategy!

 

[Colt45]

I can say this. Back in the 80's the big fish were routinely slaughtered up by Williston through the early ice. I saw 10 fish limits that went over 100 pounds. Lots and lots of big fish. Dakota Country would have pics of the slaughter. Most people kept the big pigs back then, catch and release wasn't really on the radar that I remember. Anyways, those type of stringers are long gone, probably for a lot of reasons, one of which the big pigs were routinely butchered, IMHO. Agree or disagree, I don't care and don't want a fight, just stating the facts.
I am not for slots, but when you go to Hazelton and see 100+ rigs from SD, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and everywhere in between, makes you wonder how the pressure couldn't have some sort of negative impact on the fish population.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Disclaimer:: This isn't to stir the pot about blueplaters this is fact.

We as North Dakotans in general are conservative with our resources and from what I can see we do a good job of policing ourselves. Speaking for Devils lake , IF fishing pressure has much of a bearing at all the biggest problem we have is Blueplaters.
Not only do some of them think the limit doesn't apply to them the general attitude I see is they could care less about what they don't keep. I was trolling a weedline and two other boats from east of the border pulled in, My next pass there were 4 or 5 small walleyes floating , Since they buggered up my troll I anchored over a hotspot and watched them. They were throwing the dinks straight down as hard as they could to stun them, On another day, Same thing but they weren't throwing them in hard but the fish were aggressive and hooking deep, Quite a few were small fish. Rather than doing like normal people and using a needle nose they were giving the line a good yank and throwing them back fish. They trolled within a few feet of us and tried prying honey hole information from us Someone from our boat commented about all the floaters and they said "Someone has to feed the northerns"

 

[MSA]

I should re-phrase my question, does anyone wonder why there are no walleye stocking reports for the Missouri river in ND?

 

[deleted_account]

Disclaimer:: This isn't to stir the pot about blueplaters this is fact.

We as North Dakotans in general are conservative with our resources and from what I can see we do a good job of policing ourselves. Speaking for Devils lake , The biggest fish population issue we have from fishing pressure comes from Blueplaters. Not only do some of them think the limit doesn't apply to them the general attitude I see is they could care less about what they don't keep. I was trolling a weedline and two other boats from east of the border pulled in, My next pass there were 4 or 5 small walleyes floating , Since they buggered up my troll I anchored over a hotspot and watched them. They were throwing the dinks straight down as hard as they could to stun them, On another day, Same thing but they weren't throwing them in hard but the fish were aggressive and hooking deep, Quite a few were small fish. Rather than doing like normal people and using a needle nose they were giving the line a good yank and throwing them back fish. They trolled within a few feet of us and tried prying honey hole information from us Someone from our boat commented about all the floaters and they said "Someone has to feed the northerns"

did you call them in?

 

[3Roosters]

My personal choice would be no to slots. I would like to chime in on the fish cleaning station arm chair quarterbacks however. Deciding for another fisherperson what they should have kept or not have kept is none of your dang business. Until and unless you know that particular persons situation you are in no position to dictate your own beliefs. You don't know if it is that persons first time out..only time available to go out, having a fish fry for family neighbors and need a few more fillets, low amount of fish in the freezer, etc etc etc.
IMHO, if a person is abiding by the rules and laws and not going over their limit, it isn't up to me to tell them how many and which ones they should keep. I have seen it far too often where it has actually been the everyday fisherpersons pooh poohing so called novices, beginner fisherpersons at cleaning stations. My.02

 

[Davey Crockett]

did you call them in?

As far as I know there is no law against not having respect for a resource or saying you need to use pliers when unhooking a deep hooked fish. I don't know about throwing fish hard to the water, I guess that one might stick if you could prove it.

 

[Kurtr]

In some of the old FBO topics, someone provided links to the studies that showed how minimal fishermen were to the systems. They were a little long but worth the time. Last year this topic was brought up and squashed with links to NDGFP videos on this very topic. The walleye population on OAHE is staggering. Thousands are not much compared to tens of millions.

As for the bad rep points. Try to express your opinion without getting cheeky. I didn't give any, and really appreciate the reports by riverfisher. But if you want to keep the bigger fish instead of release them, feel free. Trust to the science and the math.

As for me, I'm against slots. I was with MSA back in days on FBO. I rarely freeze fish, and if I do, its only for a short time. I find it funny that guys argue for slots are guys who stack bags of fillets in their freezer, or guides. The guides in SD are the most vocal.

i would not say all guides i would say the phony dean types and his cronies down around pierre

 

[Enslow]

Slot limits have been PROVEN time and time again to NOT WORK!!!! How many studies need to be done to show this before this failed endeavor is sent to the bone pile??? Slot limits are a "touchy feely, lets all have a group hug" regulation that is difficult to enforce, costs revenue that could be spent elsewhere, and doesn't improve the fishing opportunities of the body of water that they are imposed upon. So in a nut shell, I'm against having a slot limit.

You are dead wrong especially in a state like ND where it takes fish a lot of years to mature due to the cold ass water. Basically you just plain ass wrong haha!

 

[Wildyote]

First of all most of the walleye eggs that are laid in the river portion of the Missouri (Huff to Tailrace) do not hatch. This is caused by water not warming fast enough in the portion of the system. This is a fact as you can talk to any of the fisheries biologists about this and they will tell you that. The fish that perform a successful spawn run up the Knife, Heart, and Cannonball rivers. It is all about spawning conditions with consistently warming waters and stable to rising waters to pull of a successful spawn. The Game and Fish does not need to harvest eggs from that many females to stock all ND waters with walleye fry because they have optimum spawning conditions in their hatchery. The catch and release fisherman harm the fishery more than the fisherman that takes the first 5 walleyes they catch and go home. I also read on this site that a guy was catching walleyes in 30-40 ft of water which little does he know when he throws these fish back they die from their air bladder blown up. As soon as you get to 30 ft the atmosphere in the water changes ask any diver.

 

[Sum1]

I think they need to limit the number of fisher people on the river. Every place I go there are twenty boats. I cant get to where I want to go cause there is always someone fishing my spots. I give them dirty looks and shake my head at them but they don't move. When I do find a good spot all by myself there are no fish in it. Then there is a constant stream of people flying up and down the river rocking my boat with their waves. All I want is a peaceful day on the river.

 

[DirtyMike]

I think they need to limit the number of fisher people on the river. Every place I go there are twenty boats. I cant get to where I want to go cause there is always someone fishing my spots. I give them dirty looks and shake my head at them but they don't move. When I do find a good spot all by myself there are no fish in it. Then there is a constant stream of people flying up and down the river rocking my boat with their waves. All I want is a peaceful day on the river.

Tuesdays at 9 a.m. Heard its pretty dead at that point. I wouldn't know because I'm always at work.

 

[sdwxman]

This subject comes up every few years. LOL. The science behind the slots in ND prove it won't work. People just need to educate themselves. The SD slot (one over 20 inches) is a "feel good" rule that has no bearing on science.

Ahab is spot on. Not many people keep the bigger fish anyways. At least the people I know don't. I like to get a nice photo and release it back. Even if I kept it ( I have 2 mounts), big deal.

 

[deleted_account]

i wonder what uncle steves thoughts are on slot limits

 

[sdwxman]

i wonder what uncle steves thoughts are on slot limits

Uncle Steve doesn't worry about them. All the fish he catches are well below any size limit.

 

[dean nelson]

I don't know what broke all of a sudden to need fix. So confused as to how this issue arose.

And over all lack of understanding on how the system works and the sheer number of fish that are down there. Most people don't normally have a clue just how many fish there are in a body of water until it winter killes then they stand there in spring scratching their head looking at thousands of fish floating next to shore many many of which are huge. These people will most likely be saying the standard phrase "i never knew" as they look confused.

 

[huntinforfish]

Disclaimer - Current MN resident. I would be on the side of no slot for most of the reasons already stated. As for ND shutting down the fishing season in the spring like MN, I am all for that as I don't have to be so damn jealous of you guys. I like how Ahab put it a few posts back with the personal slot. I find I regulate myself just fine when there is no slot.

 

[shorthairsrus]

I should re-phrase my question, does anyone wonder why there are no walleye stocking reports for the Missouri river in ND?

I have always wondered the same thing. At least put a few in by beaver bay. Evidently the shad must of worrked