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Author Topic: fishing down a lake  (Read 6133 times)

indianahooker

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fishing down a lake
« on: Jun 08, 2018, 05:35 AM »
how bad do you think fishing hurts our smaller lakes?  some are just 200-400acres.  what damage do you think fishermen can do to its population?  how long do you think it would keep giving up limits of 13"crappie after word got out? we all know pan fish are numerous, what about predators like bass pike and eyes?  what would happen to a small walleye lake after word got out?

taxid

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #1 on: Jun 08, 2018, 08:52 AM »
I strongly believe even panfish can be fished down in smaller lakes especially if there is no bag limit as in bluegills. Sure you won't get them all but you sure can decimate the larger males on the beds. I've seen people come through and pull every last male off the beds. A busy colony ends up fishless. Same goes for crappies. I fish a lake that is rimed with bullrushes the crappies spawn in. I've seen pontoon boats scour every little opening all the way around the lake and with 10 people aboard they can keep up to 250 fish. They obviously don't get them all but the sizes seem to go down over the years. 

I fish an area of the country where bluegills are considered trash fish. Unbelievable how plentiful the bluegills are and the large sizes. Contrary to what the INDNR says the low harvest doesn't hurt the fishing at all. (They maintain the bigger the harvest the more food there is to go around). And the largemouth bass run larger in size than ours even though it's farther north in latitude. My theory is to grow really big bass you need to have fish slightly smaller than mouth gape as the fish get larger to increase feeding efficiency. Bluegill are hammered so hard here in Indiana we don't have that. The large bass has to work harder to find the forage size for his mouth gape.

One thing I don't think our INDNR realizes is how much harvest is easier due to the technology we are now using. Heck you don't even have to anchor your boat anymore with GPS activated electric motors and with GPS you can find your best spots a lot faster. And then there are the fish finders.
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

RoeBoat

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #2 on: Jun 08, 2018, 08:57 AM »
I'm sure it can hurt, some on here would say it can kill a lake and they've witnessed it first hand.  I'm not sure it's very easy to fish out a lake.  It's much easier to ruin access by a bunch of dirtbags leaving their trash on the ground.  For God's sake, don't throw your crap on the ground!  Sorry I digress.

I've witnessed a large (around 3ac) pond ruined by over fishing so I assume it's possible, but I don't think it's probable.

Doubt your going to hurt a crappie or walleye lake.  But these dudes hammering these gills that do it summer and winter, day after day, taking bags full of fish every time, that is going to leave a mark!

I fished a small Noble Co lake last week that I've been told gets molested by Amish.  I did see one boat of Amish there but the lot wasn't full of vans or buggies.  Four of us took a few over 100 gills and redear from it.  They must not be hurting it too bad.  Fished it once last year with the same results.

PS, I'm getting ready to leave for Erie and hammer the walleye but it won't matter!

taxid

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #3 on: Jun 08, 2018, 09:02 AM »
I think we need to stipulate there is a difference between fishing out a lake and effecting the numbers. I don't believe you can completely fish out a lake or even a pond, but you sure can effect the numbers of quality fish.

I've done and seen creel surveys. It's amazing how many fish anglers can harvest over a season.
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

RoeBoat

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #4 on: Jun 08, 2018, 09:09 AM »
I think we need to stipulate there is a difference between fishing out a lake and effecting the numbers. I don't believe you can completely fish out a lake or even a pond, but you sure can effect the numbers of quality fish.

I've done and seen creel surveys. It's amazing how many fish anglers can harvest over a season.

Yes, I agree!  Not sure about your statement about bluegill being considered a trash fish.  Most places a trash fish is rarely sought out or caught.
 By far my family enjoys eating bluegill above all fish, even walleye and perch.  I know, bring on the haters.

I for one am very greatful for our abundance of good gills lakes in NE IN.  The lake I was on last week is in your "backyard" taxi and is one you visit.  The good thing is there are 10 others within minutes of there too!!!

taxid

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #5 on: Jun 08, 2018, 01:43 PM »
Roeboat I think you misunderstood me. I didn't mean I or others in our area consider bluegill trashfish. I was referring to another part of the country where most anglers thumb their noses at them. They'd rather catch a 10 inch stocked trout over a 10 inch bluegill. But hey that's good for me as I have a ball catching them with vertually no competition. One angler that was surprised I bothered with them said there's no meat on them. Another person was afraid they were full of grubs.

Their fish and game department doesn't help telling people the only fish safe from mercury contamination are the stocked trout. I'm well aware of the mercury but due to my aquaculture and chemistry background know you have to eat a lot of fish on a regular basis for it to be a concern.

It all depends on what your region considers a species worth pursuing or eating I guess. Was once told by a taxidermist in Idaho that big walleye are thrown up on the bank to rot in his area as they look too much like a native species called squawfish, which is not held in high regard.

And we all know that the common carp is THE sport fish in parts of Europe while many here despise them although there are exceptions. 
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

seamonkey84

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #6 on: Jun 08, 2018, 03:19 PM »
Taxid- it sounds like your talking about us up here in the NE  ;D ;D no one else I fish with go for panfish, and they don’t regulate any of them.  I’ve yet to hit a true 10” bluegill or pumpkinseed but got a couple 9.5”. Inch per inch They fighter harder than the little stocked trout for sure. Pumpkinseeds and brookies are my two favorite fish for their beauty. oh and gills and crappie are an invasive here but people do enjoy crappies, take all you want type thing.
As far as the topic goes, it’s been seen time and time again how over fishing or improper harvesting can be detrimental to a pond/lake. Both numbers and average size suffer if selective harvest isn’t practiced. Almost saying they should have a slot for what one would consider keeper size. Depending on species and conditions, harvesting from the medium/average year class usually promotes a healthier fishery.
"You know when they have a fishing show on TV? They catch the fish and then let it go. They don't want to eat the fish, they just want to make it late for something." - Mitch Hedberg

taxid

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #7 on: Jun 08, 2018, 05:13 PM »
Taxid- it sounds like your talking about us up here in the NE  ;D ;D no one else I fish with go for panfish, and they don’t regulate any of them.  I’ve yet to hit a true 10” bluegill or pumpkinseed but got a couple 9.5”. Inch per inch They fighter harder than the little stocked trout for sure. Pumpkinseeds and brookies are my two favorite fish for their beauty. oh and gills and crappie are an invasive here but people do enjoy crappies, take all you want type thing.
As far as the topic goes, it’s been seen time and time again how over fishing or improper harvesting can be detrimental to a pond/lake. Both numbers and average size suffer if selective harvest isn’t practiced. Almost saying they should have a slot for what one would consider keeper size. Depending on species and conditions, harvesting from the medium/average year class usually promotes a healthier fishery.

Yup the northeast.  ;D I have caught gills to 11 inches in my favorite little lake in Mass but most average 8 1/2 to 9 inches. A lake not far from there produced a very large pumpkinseed for me.

They aren't even listed as as species in Quabbin but I've caught them so big and scrappy I could hardly reel them in. And you haven't enjoyed fishing until you get large bluegill on a flyrod.

I also fish a lake in Mass at night where crappies average 13 inches.
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

abishop

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #8 on: Jun 08, 2018, 05:18 PM »
I could remember that there were very few fishermen who even fished for fresh water fish. Living on the coast most people either fished for trout of saltwater species. I sure miss New England states. One of these days, I will go back I hope...

rivereddy

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #9 on: Jun 08, 2018, 06:46 PM »
Shucks folks...roun' hyar bluegills and yellow perch make for a downright decent feed.

fish on, crackermeal/little Old Bay,,,, fish off

rivereddy

taxid

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #10 on: Jun 08, 2018, 09:55 PM »
I could remember that there were very few fishermen who even fished for fresh water fish. Living on the coast most people either fished for trout of saltwater species. I sure miss New England states. One of these days, I will go back I hope...

You should Al. You'll never get any younger. The wife and I flew out there last summer and rented a car for a song. Then rented an airbnb on a private lake for a song too.

Sure beat driving and if you shop around you can get some great air fares.

She just retired so we will probably go out together to see the fall colors.
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

fishinator

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #11 on: Jun 08, 2018, 10:05 PM »
oh no! leaf peepers!

taxid

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #12 on: Jun 09, 2018, 07:08 AM »
oh no! leaf peepers!

Well if the wife wasn't along I'd be fishing.
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

fishinator

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #13 on: Jun 09, 2018, 07:56 AM »
Well if the wife wasn't along I'd be fishing.
just messing with ya. I had a friend that lived out that way and always talked about the fall migration of leaf peepers.

taxid

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Re: fishing down a lake
« Reply #14 on: Jun 09, 2018, 08:24 AM »
just messing with ya. I had a friend that lived out that way and always talked about the fall migration of leaf peepers.

No worries.

I will draw the ire of my fellow hoosiers her but here goes:

After having lived in New England and seeing the intense colors of the trees in the fall I moved to Indiana. I heard people bragging about the fall colors in Nashville, Indiana. Having gone to college in Bloomington, Indiana not from there, and seeing them, I couldn't stop laughing. No comparison. Not even close!
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

 



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