STICKY TOPIC!!!---2017 ice guide must read article!!

[slabslayer]

There is an article on page 14 of the in-fisherman ice guide that I believe addresses a problem of note on some of our area panfish lakes.  I've noticed it personally on Mogadore, Nimisila, Mosquito, and Portage.  As well as having heard other anglers discussing it on other lakes too.  Its the overharvest of big panfish.  The article discusses selective harvest panfishing, and I think it can be a help towards returning our lakes back to where they were.  For example, in just the last 4 years I've witnessed Nimisila go from a lake where I'd routinely catch multiple gills over 9 inches per trip to a lake where I struggle to get an 8 incher.  As ice fishing becomes more popular, and I'm happy it is, we need to be educated as anglers to find the balance of table fare and fishery protection so we and our kids can still go to these lakes and have the hope of pulling bull bluegill thru the ice.  It's our responsibility to protect our waters, just because we can keep 30 fish, doesn't mean we need to or should, especially the big 9 inch plus breeding stock.

[g]

I agree. Keep the 7 inchers and a few 8 inchers but release the 9 inch and longer fish as breeding stock.

[snowcone]

yeah the waters  are changing , the lakes are bending to the pressure  of the internet.  more people , better electronics, extreme weather change. you said it slab over harvest.  I know how you feel buddy , I used to fish moggy,foot,nimi, all the local lakes, but I got tired of spending my time on little waters with crummy results, because I remember how they used to be. 5-6 lb bass was common on moggy.  so now I see the same thing happening on erie.

[fool4fish]

Slab i agree in alot of ways seen alot of post educating me last year about the aquatic needs not met in our state to continue quality  panfish stock in those lakes i feel like every year its a first ice race to clear all the big pans cuz they  get slaughtered n then move off n its a small pick im starting to feel like genz has stated before a trophy gill is way more rare to catch nowdays than say a bass or walleye my first suggestions to make a moral commitment within ourselves to do better but guys need a lil science behind our methods maybe education even because as we all know there are several ways lake Management can work to an anglers advantage secondly i say find your peers n unite your efforts there are very few sucessful fishing orgs in our state one being musky clubs they get alot done comparatively speaking i encourage you that if there is group who loves panfish enough to pressure the people in charge it is here my 2 pennies

[snowcone]

it is kinda old school thinking of the old days when we use to take hundreds of gills home , but now  I only take what I eat . should leave some for you guys   hehehehe

[holehopper]

I am all for releasing the big gills,so if you are in a ifo sponsored panfish tournament are you going to make a rule that no gills over 9 inches can be kept for weigh in?.............

[slabslayer]

I'd actually like to see a rule like that.  I know some use combined length. Take a picture on your phone with the tournament banner behind the fish and then they add up the length so the fish are unharmed, especially the big ones.  The north/south event next year will be that way, and hopefully the NE Ohio panfish series can adopt it.  That's actually a good idea Gary!

[Ntoiceman36]

NO, the pan fish series is a one day event for a set time frame on a pre selected body of water, and follow all existing local,state, and federal regulations. Sustainable harvest should start with the individual fisherman first.

[snowcone]

big fish contest?  what about small  fish contest ?  if ya go by length then weight should not matter and fish can be photographed on the form and released. thus meeting catch and release. so does this mean down the road big fish contests will no longer be.? and I'm saying pan fish, not erie eyes or perch, smallies,trout,ect,  because inland lakes are the topic.

[slabslayer]

True Nate, also you're not harvesting 30 fish per angler for those events either. I didn't think of that.  A controlled tournament is different, even that article I referenced said keeping 1 or 2 big fish for the wall or table is ok, just not over harvest of 30 bull gills. Or like some do, get their 30 go home, then come back and harvest 30 more bull gills. That is the behavior that will kill a fishery fast!
And Rick, there will always be big fish contests!!!

And, typically as a tournament fisherman, they're concerned about conservation. We know the importance maintaining a healthy fishery. If we blow it up then it's ruined.

[OhioFisher19]

IMO when it comes to walleye I would rather see someone throw back 20-24 inch fish because they are at their peak breeding time and have a long life ahead. Keeping the grandmas of the fishery shouldn't do as much harm as getting rid of all of your girls in their 20's... I am guilty of not following this but I would not be against a slot limit because of this reason. So I would almost go out on a limb to say a similar prospect would trade through bluegills/crappies but I could be wrong

[snowcone]

hey fisher19  i could see a slot limit for eyes, we had ssoooooo   many 14'" cigars last summer, i can imagine what next season will be, 17 and 18" fish all day ?   maybe a season on certain fish , and yes i just stepped on my own @@@@ sayin that , but  . ya know it just boils down to some lakes do better with certain fish and others dont,    l just wonder if there is a fix

[fool4fish]

Gotta say i feel a calling for a club to defend big pans here johnny i agree about eyes on prime breeder i got no prob trying that did it this year but it is hard if your working extra hard to get fish to cooperate but erie is a different  beast compared to inland lakes the northeast holds so dear