Found the Muskie...but where are the walleye?

Post by **samurai_ted** » Tue May 30, 2006 3:47 pm

Hi folks
I just joined and thought I should send in a report. On opening weekend i went to the Madawaska head pond to try for some of the lunker walleye that I find once in a while. Not a walleye to be found. Not a single walleye was seen by anyone............but I caught three muskie over the weekend.
6 lbs, 14 lbs, and 20 lbs. All immediately returned, but boy were they going nuts. The 20 pounder was nearly chewed in half by some other beast during the battle. Fortunately I was in fairly deep water because I only had 10 lb line and no leader.

By the way. Are we allowed to take a picture of an out of season fish prior to returning it to the water. If so, I can show a picture, if not....glad I didn't take any......

Ted

Post by **Rex Mundi** » Tue May 30, 2006 3:56 pm

Glad to have you aboard.

Please check this thread in the rules section regarding posting of OOS pictures.

http://www.fish-hawk.net/hawktalk/viewtopic.php?t=11759

Post by **tallpaul** » Tue May 30, 2006 4:07 pm

I know F-H.net has its policy on posting OOS fish pictures, but I am going to take it one step further and ask - are we even "allowed" to take a picture of an OOS fish? This is not intended to start a "flame-fest"... just putting a question out there.
My thought/opinion is that you are not allowed to take pictures (or should not be since I am not positive whether you are allowed or not). Catching an OOS fish should imply immediate return of the fish to the water and therefore no time for pictures.
Having said that... I wonder what impact having a conservation licence would have on things? I have to brush up on my guide/rule book...

cheers,
tallpaul

Post by **SCUBA_STEVE** » Tue May 30, 2006 4:13 pm

hey guys!

i love fishing and i go with the rules...but if i catch a oos fish and it is a bute i will snap a pic for my own happyness i wouldnt post it but hey i cought a lunker it is getting a pic done and back in it goes rules or not

but hey everyone has there own rules they stick bye

as long as the fish goes back!

zort

Post by **UGLYSTICK9** » Tue May 30, 2006 4:54 pm

Hey samurai, I found it was fairly slow as well. my boat found two walleyes and a couple other obvious walleye hits but missed em. Also tried for pike there didn't catch any.

Goog luck, Ugly

Post by **ganman** » Tue May 30, 2006 5:26 pm

Catching an out season fish is a mistake. You're not targeting that fish so catching it was a fluke or worse you're in the wrong place at the wrong time and need to be better informed. So why a pic?

Post by **Fishhawk** » Tue May 30, 2006 9:14 pm

ganman wrote:Catching an out season fish is a mistake. You're not targeting that fish so catching it was a fluke or worse you're in the wrong place at the wrong time and need to be better informed. So why a pic?

So why a pic? I am guessing people want a pic of a big fish whether it is OOS or not.

I have been told by some reputable sources that hanging onto the fish long enough to take a picture is illegal. I'm not sure why, but if I had to guess? To take a picture there is an unnecessary amount of handling of the fish of which you are not permitted to have possession.

I'll admit to taking some pics of OOS fish in the past. These days though I feel nothing but a kind of disappointment - weird but that's how I have to describe it. It's like the fish is tainted in some way. I just don't enjoy the experience of catching that fish so much.

Bobber and I debated the OOS picture rule for hours. It was such a huge debate on Hawk Talk. Why would we make a rule that no one should post a pic of an OOS fish? Yes - the fish is OOS. But why should that mean someone is not allowed to post a pic of it? In the end, I am not sure what the exact reasons were, but they went beyond the fish simply being OOS.

Oh - and welcome to Hawk Talk Samurai Ted. Sayonara.

Post by **fishin loon** » Tue May 30, 2006 10:33 pm

That is one thing I like about this place is they have rules and they follow them. Catching fish like that is an accident and we all like to see accident's. This in know way condones pictures of out of season fish especially more than one fish. Then your fishing out of season . The only thing I can say is I would really like to see the pictures of the musky you caught last season maybe you will catch one like it this year.
I would like to see them.

paul.lavoie2@sympatico.ca

Paul Lavoie

Fishin Loon

Post by **mikemicropterus** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:40 pm

Logically speaking if you catch an OOS fish you are SUPPOSED to put it back RIGHT AWAY. This does not mean taking a picture of it. I fail to see the misunderstanding with regard to this subject. THINK ABOUT IT. You just took a picture of the evidence that will convict you. DUH

Posting those type of pictures condones the practice. MONKEY SEE MONKEY DOO-DOO. Take a stand and show some principle and make it the norm, release OOS season fish use some self control and if that is the way to catch your best fish re-think your appraoch to that species or fish for something else. Become an eclectic fisherman

I spoke to an MNR officer and he said he would warn first then fine second for picture taking of OOS fish. It can and is considered an offense. So use some common sense and they are OOS for a reason not just to frustrate the angler.

My Opinion

Post by **ady** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:26 am

Let's not go here there again. Suffice to say, no OOS pics on this site. Nice to hear the muskie are up and about ready for opener!!!

BTW, am I allowed to post a pic of the sturgeon I caught on walleye tackle 2nd weekend after opener???

Post by **Fishhawk** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:36 am

ady wrote:Let's not go here there again. Suffice to say, no OOS pics on this site. Nice to hear the muskie are up and about ready for opener!!!

BTW, am I allowed to post a pic of the sturgeon I caught on walleye tackle 2nd weekend after opener???

If the fish is out of season - nope!

If there was something against the regulations about the way you caught the fish, now we're talking about another can of worms. In the spirit of the rule about OOS fish, I would hope that you wouldn't.

Please don't make us make more rules.

I hate making rules.

I hate enforcing them even more.

I am gald to say that most of the enforcement is a result of rules that get broken out of pure naivety and I am glad that most people are understanding when Bobber and I have to enforce.

I do not mind a discussion about OOS fish pics and things like this though. Discussions like this have a way of informing people about a lot of things they probably never thought of before.

I like the way you guys don't flame out on each other... for the most part. If you have something to say that you hope people will pay attention to, there is no sense in having the message lost in a tone of animosity.

I have to congratulate you guys for that. Keep up the good work.

Post by **wolfe** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:15 am

On a positive note, I'm eagerly awaiting a crack at our tiger muskies!

Just waiting for the husband to play hookie for a few hours. Killing me to hear those boats chugging around out there with my feet on dry land!

I can only hope I'LL have some pictures to post.

W.

Post by **BBRich** » Wed May 31, 2006 9:40 am

tallpaul wrote:I know F-H.net has its policy on posting OOS fish pictures, but I am going to take it one step further and ask - are we even "allowed" to take a picture of an OOS fish? This is not intended to start a "flame-fest"... just putting a question out there.
My thought/opinion is that you are not allowed to take pictures (or should not be since I am not positive whether you are allowed or not). Catching an OOS fish should imply immediate return of the fish to the water and therefore no time for pictures.
Having said that... I wonder what impact having a conservation licence would have on things? I have to brush up on my guide/rule book...

cheers,
tallpaul

I've talked to CO's about this on the Port Dover pier, they said provided you are not obviously targetting them and not putting undue stress on OOS fish, it is okay to take a picture of the fish.

Post by **Rob** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:08 pm

It takes a little longer to weigh an OFS fish than it would to measure it, not to mention the damage you can do to it . Most bigger Muskies should be measured and not weighed

A conservation officer might have a slight problem with you weighing a OFS fish . Measuring it can hopefully be done by your fishing partner while the hook is being removed, ( 2 birds , 1 stone

). Snap a quick pic of it for your personal use

, and put it back. I'm not saying your local CO will not have a problem with taking a quick pic of it, but if it's done in a way that there is no less damage done to the fish other than catching it , then why should he?
I don't know anyone who would not take a pic of a big fish be it OFS or not

As for the conservation license

, "this has got to go". It would certainly put a ton of this BS where it belongs.
Good old "Float"

started this thread a year or so ago and it got beaten to death , with absolutely no positive conclusion to it.
Just to clarify , I would snap a pic

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