11-16-2013, 12:18 AM
I think that asking the governer to override the dwr is a big mistake. He's not a biologist so therefor has no legitimate business poking his nose in it.
The subject of the walleye spawn issue at Willard bay is more of an emotional one than anything. Some don't want people fishing the inlet because in their eyes only those that would snag them would fish at such a time and place. I fished there twice this spring to see what the excitement was all about and although I did accidentally snag one(shook it loose at the edge), I only caught two others. It wasn't a slaughter. There were several other anglers fishing and a couple also accidentally snagged fish and also let them go. I didn't witness any illegal activity and I was watching for it.
My point is this, if someone is against fishing the spawn then don't! If your conscience tells you it's not ethical then don't do it, but to tell me that what I was doing was wrong is a crock! I broke no law, I took no more advantage then the angler fishing the rocky dikes. MY ethics tell me that the DWR has set rules and I obey them regardless of who's looking because that is how I am. Though there are certainly some that will break the rules and commit unethical acts, they are the minority in my opinion. Everyone should not be suspect because they fish where the fish are. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't go fishing to fish empty water an get skunked. I hope to catch fish every time. Sometimes I keep them and sometimes I don't.
It's fine to have feelings and opinions about this, but ultimately its probably not as big of a deal as some are making it out to be. Trust fisherman to make their own decisions without compelling them to follow the minority that yells the loudest. I've also had fisherman rip into me when they see me bring a limit of fish in to the cleaning station, was it ok for them to do this just because they dont want to keep or eat a fish? i obey the law and i believe that MOST other fisherman do too. 13 citations seems like a small amount and most of those were fishing without a license? they dont represent the rest of us anglers. They would break the law anyway and probably sneak in if it was closed to fishing. This is a problem that we are having with hunting right now. Trophy hunters are squawking the loudest and its devastating our traditional family hunting experiences.
Bottom line? If you don't want to fish the spawn then don't. My guess is it won't affect the fishery much one way or another.
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The subject of the walleye spawn issue at Willard bay is more of an emotional one than anything. Some don't want people fishing the inlet because in their eyes only those that would snag them would fish at such a time and place. I fished there twice this spring to see what the excitement was all about and although I did accidentally snag one(shook it loose at the edge), I only caught two others. It wasn't a slaughter. There were several other anglers fishing and a couple also accidentally snagged fish and also let them go. I didn't witness any illegal activity and I was watching for it.
My point is this, if someone is against fishing the spawn then don't! If your conscience tells you it's not ethical then don't do it, but to tell me that what I was doing was wrong is a crock! I broke no law, I took no more advantage then the angler fishing the rocky dikes. MY ethics tell me that the DWR has set rules and I obey them regardless of who's looking because that is how I am. Though there are certainly some that will break the rules and commit unethical acts, they are the minority in my opinion. Everyone should not be suspect because they fish where the fish are. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't go fishing to fish empty water an get skunked. I hope to catch fish every time. Sometimes I keep them and sometimes I don't.
It's fine to have feelings and opinions about this, but ultimately its probably not as big of a deal as some are making it out to be. Trust fisherman to make their own decisions without compelling them to follow the minority that yells the loudest. I've also had fisherman rip into me when they see me bring a limit of fish in to the cleaning station, was it ok for them to do this just because they dont want to keep or eat a fish? i obey the law and i believe that MOST other fisherman do too. 13 citations seems like a small amount and most of those were fishing without a license? they dont represent the rest of us anglers. They would break the law anyway and probably sneak in if it was closed to fishing. This is a problem that we are having with hunting right now. Trophy hunters are squawking the loudest and its devastating our traditional family hunting experiences.
Bottom line? If you don't want to fish the spawn then don't. My guess is it won't affect the fishery much one way or another.
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