Eating size.

Comment

Comment by Suzanne Lazar on September 11, 2012 at 9:40pm

When bait-fishing, I often find the smaller fish are so difficult to remove the hook from- so, what the heck, fish fry! Small but crispy!

Comment by Tony Livingston on September 11, 2012 at 5:53pm

Some states are like that Zach, pretty rigid on what you can, or cannot do with your private water. Here in the Hoosier state, if you own the land around the entire BOW it's yours to do with as you please. I could fish with DuPont spinners if I chose to............

Comment by Zach Pierce on September 11, 2012 at 5:49pm

I guess I should have clarified that I was culling lmb from my pond not public lakes. Although of I remember I think the same rules apply to private as well as public here but need to clarify that

Comment by Tony Livingston on September 11, 2012 at 3:20pm

Zach, I recently spent a fun morning fishing public water here in Indiana, my first such trip in many years. I had a heck of a time remembering to release those smaller fish... I don't know how many times I had to wade through the weeds to reclaim one that I tossd aside. Old habits die hard I guess!

Walt you are correct on the feeding. Our native population has been on feed for a year now.

Comment by Zach Pierce on September 11, 2012 at 2:36pm

I like culling LMB as well but that can be touchy.  I do not have a problem cleaning 6-8 inch lmb as there is still much meat on them in my opinion.  But since they do not meet the limits in our state not sure what that means.  It seems funny to me that you have to just throw fish on the bank rather than clean and eat them in fear of getting in trouble.

Comment by Walt Foreman on September 10, 2012 at 9:39pm

No mercy for small bluegill!  Amen on the culling - absolutely an essential part of growing big bluegill.  I'm anxious to see how big those northern-strain eventually get in your pond, Tony. You've only been feeding them a year, correct?

Comment by Tony Livingston on September 10, 2012 at 6:00pm

No creek, it's the end of the line for those fish. Pond management requires choices be made that might not please everyone, but that's just the way it is. You have to be able to do what needs to be done in order to achieve the results you desire. I realize that everyone has their own ideas and harvest practices, and I respect their decisions, but speaking just for me..... I've never batted an eye about culling fish.

Comment by Zach Pierce on September 10, 2012 at 4:38pm

Is there a creek behind the dam or do coons just get a good meal. Do you not scale and fry them? I have fillet 5 inchers tasty but a ton of work

Comment by Tony Livingston on September 10, 2012 at 10:14am

Zach the fish in the photo ranged from 7-9".  And I think you are correct in wanting to thin out the population.....but, a dozen is all my family will eat at one time, and as a general rule I don't freeze fish......too convenient to just go catch some when I'm in the mood for a fish dinner. That's the benefit of having your own ponds, and living right there.....no planning necessary when you decide to go fishing!

And, I didn't release many of the smaller fish I caught Sat. Just because I don't keep them doesn't mean they get a free pass back into the water. If a BG is under 6", I won't fillet it, and I won't release it either, unless it displays outstanding characteristics....over the dam they go. Another benefit of owning your water in Indiana...... you don't have to abide by management practices set forth by the state. We pitch far more fish than we filet.

Comment by Zach Pierce on September 10, 2012 at 7:09am

So what size class would you put them in, and what do you usally keep size wise?  Why only 12 fish if you catch 50?  Unless they are large fish I would think you would want to thin out the Native BG, to get them to grow.

 

Just wondering.

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