Wisconsin's New Trout Proposals

[LenH]

On February 18 there was a trout chat with Wisconsin DNR experts about the upcoming proposed rule changes. First off I asked the experts what the typical Wisconsin trout angler looks ? Do they have a fly rod in their hand? Do they have a spinner attached to their rod or are the vast majority of Wisconsin small stream anglers worm or live bait anglers?

Matthew Mitro WDNR answered my question by quoting a 2011 mail survey, sent to a random sample of Wisconsin trout anglers, indicates that about 55% of resident trout anglers "often" or "always" fish with bait, about 44% "often" or "always" fish with spinners or lures, and about 27% "often" or "always" fly fish.

I responded and asked if the typical Wisconsin trout angler is 55 percent a bait angler....why are they being excluded from the extended seasons proposed. The current trout season runs from the first Saturday in March through the last Sunday in April as a catch and release only and artificial only season. The live bait anglers are excluded currently from that season. The regular season opens the first Saturday in May to all anglers.

The new proposals by the WDNR trout experts is to extend the seasons. Season would begin on January 01 as catch and release and artificial only anglers and this season would run through the last Sunday in April.

The live bait anglers who are the vast majority of trout anglers in Wisconsin again are totally ignored. One of the other proposals is to extend the season through October 15th. And I bet you guessed what type of season it will be? It will be a catch and release only and artificial only season. The 55 percent or majority of trout anglers in the state will be excluded. If the WDNR experts have their way there will be 4.5 months of catch and release only with artificial lures and 5 months of the possibility of keeping trout.

I asked the experts three different times why the majority were being ignored. The fish manager from LaCrosse "Jordan Weeks" told me to write a proposal to the Conservation Congress at the spring meeting if I was so concern. I felt like the 55 percent when my comment was ignored by Weeks.

I was a Conservation Congress member for half a year. I had to resign due to medical reasons. In the short amount of time in the congress I met many like minded trout anglers. I ran in to one of the heads of the congress Larry Bonde and he told me that the bait and spinner anglers that liked keeping trout were not represented on any committees and he welcomed me to the congress. Larry told me he had heard for years from congress members that the bait angler and spinner angler was being ignored by the WDNR when it came to rules.

He helped me get in on a trout committee through the WDNR. He appointed me as the Conservation Congress representative.

Later two more names were added to the committee. These two conservation congress members were not appointed by Larry and he checked to see how they were appointed. Larry had them removed from the committee. Both anglers removed were catch and release advocates.

Monday, April 14, 2014, 7:00 p.m.is the yearly Conservation Congress Meetings throughout the state. There are six proposed rule changes on the agenda. I am one of the 55 percent anglers that are tired of being ignored by the WDNR. Go to your meetings in your counties and vote "NO" on extending seasons that leave out 55 percent of the trout anglers in the state.


The minority "27 percent" should not rule when it comes to trout fishing. Locals I urge you to go to those meetings and let your voices be heard.

[Dhurtubise]

I responded and asked if the typical Wisconsin trout angler is 55 percent a bait angler....why are they being excluded from the extended seasons proposed. The current trout season runs from the first Saturday in March through the last Sunday in April as a catch and release only and artificial only season. The live bait anglers are excluded currently from that season. The regular season opens the first Saturday in May to all anglers.

The new proposals by the WDNR trout experts is to extend the seasons. Season would begin on January 01 as catch and release and artificial only anglers and this season would run through the last Sunday in April.

The live bait anglers who are the vast majority of trout anglers in Wisconsin again are totally ignored. One of the other proposals is to extend the season through October 15th. And I bet you guessed what type of season it will be? It will be a catch and release only and artificial only season. The 55 percent or majority of trout anglers in the state will be excluded. If the WDNR experts have their way there will be 4.5 months of catch and release only with artificial lures and 5 months of the possibility of keeping trout.


He helped me get in on a trout committee through the WDNR. He appointed me as the Conservation Congress representative.

Later two more names were added to the committee. These two conservation congress members were not appointed by Larry and he checked to see how they were appointed. Larry had them removed from the committee. Both anglers removed were catch and release advocates.

Monday, April 14, 2014, 7:00 p.m.is the yearly Conservation Congress Meetings throughout the state. There are six proposed rule changes on the agenda. I am one of the 55 percent anglers that are tired of being ignored by the WDNR. Go to your meetings in your counties and vote "NO" on extending seasons that leave out 55 percent of the trout anglers in the state.


The minority "27 percent" should not rule when it comes to trout fishing. Locals I urge you to go to those meetings and let your voices be heard.

I don't live in Wisconsin but it seems painfully obvious that they are trying to protect spawning fish. The vast majority of rainbow trout strains spawn in the dates of the new season that is proposed. Mortality rates on released fish is much much higher when caught with bait.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[mkuf79]

Sounds like a good proposal to me. Why do you need to use live bait? Trout are very easy to catch on artificials in late winter/ spring. I wish there was more catch and release seasons on other gamefish...especially walleye.

[ Post made via Android ]

[LogicallyCompromised]

caveat: i understand there is an elitist mentality conveyed in my message but ask you still consider my opinion.

this is a topic close to my heart....read bias. having said that i can understand the other side of the argument. Dhurtubise provided the main reasons why these fish need protection. if i had my way i would limit the use of artificial lure to single barbless hooks on rivers with native/wild sustaining populations of trout. there are not many of these streams left and those that are need added conservation measures taken, in my opinion.

i understand the need to provide an experience to the majority of license holders and my compromise is as follows. if a stream has native/wild trout these waters need protection, no exceptions. the current population of the wild/native species should dictate to what degree of protection is needed. if the species are struggling i would even advise closure to catch and release fly fisherman.

diatribe and more compromise idea to follow/

part of the problem in my home state is i feel catch and release guys do not have enough river. there are only a couple rivers that have a diverse enough insect population to sustain healthy populations of trout and even fewer of those have quantifiable native trout. most of the trout stocked are regarded as a "put and take" program. i just want these couple rivers we have, more protected and give the meat fisherman all other bodies of water. we have a couple beautiful rivers we only get a small section of the river. it pushes me into the red when such a beautiful resource is wasted. there is water all around us that these put and take fish can call home till they are harvested.

so why add more restrictions to rivers with native trout? most objective people would agree, those that use bait and spinning gear, as a whole, tend to be less considerate than fly fisherman; yes there are exceptions. fly fisherman tend to practice the idea of conservation better.

so maybe an idea is to open up the kill season on all bodies of water other than streams and rivers used by native fish. this will help to ensure more trout that will probably not make the summer nor winter can be taken and enjoyed in a cast iron skillet with butter, asparagus, garlic maybe some almonds and cranberries...yes cranberries compliment most dishes in my opinion.

we have problems of many fish not making our summers i would like to see the season open up earlier if possible. i understand to a degree how convoluted the stocking program is and also the time required to help acclimate the trout to their new moving environment. plus the food these trout need to survive in the rivers tends to become more available in early spring. but maybe this season can open up a couple weeks earlier to help ensure those that want fish can get fish. just give more river for fly fishing catch and release. i hate watching bait be used as im trying to work a 14" fish with a 12' leader and about 2lb breaking strength when factoring in knot strength. truth be told i dont really like seeing other fisherman on the river. allowing more river would help reduce the densities that many don't desire.

in summary, give people that want to eat fish longer seasons but impose more restrictions on native/wild trout waters.

i understand this is not really the feedback this thread was trying to achieve but find solace in the notion i do not live in wisconsin and the topic got a bump. i hope wisconsin can reach a sound compromise.

-live long and prosper

[LenH]

and the 27 percent tells the 73 percent how they feel.
If the shoe was on the other foot it would be quite painful.

[Hodag Hunter]

I thought muskie fisherman were protection nutso with fishing seasons. Had a local representative propose opening the muskie season earlier has a catch and release and he just about was run out of state.

Muskie fisherman know enough to protect "their" fish during spawning season.

I would have thought you would do the same with "your" trout.

Just because the majority wants something doesn't mean it is in the ecosystems best interest. Our local biologists have that responsibility.

Heck if regular WI hunters could have their way everyone in northern WI could shoot 2 bucks and unlimited does.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Dhurtubise]

and the 27 percent tells the 73 percent how they feel.
If the shoe was on the other foot it would be quite painful.

Probably best to keep the status quo then. No one will feel left out that way.

In Ontario, there are open seasons for a lot of the great lake steelhead populations. The areas where they spawn is typically protected, although the season is open in the river mouths. However, self sustaining populations of rainbows in inland lakes and streams are protected during the spawn. I think this system works well up here.

Again, when bait is used, fish mortality is usually much higher. There is no sense releasing a gut/gill hooked fish that will die soon after it was released. A catch and release season is nothing but a play-date proposal for fisherman and it is also an open door for poachers. Although it provides increased opportunities for fishing enthusiasts, I am generally against the practice, especially during spawning.

Generally speaking (with a few exceptions - Northern Pike in Northern Ontario for example), other than salmon and river mouth fishing for Great Lakes rainbows, all of the spawning game fish protected as a rule where I live. Especially native species. I like it that way.

Just as an aside, serious Southern Ontario steelheaders probably release 95% of their catch, regardless. It helps that Lake Ontario and Erie fish don't taste all that good.