Catfish limits rumor

[205]

Heard a rumor yesterday that there is a 5 fish limit on Catfish on lakes 700 acres or less. Does anyone have the scoop? If so, where do these people have their heads making these laws. Limits on catfish? Cmon!:confused:

[george tinkham]

shoot i thought most released them...

[flathunter]

The limit is 6 on lakes 700 acres or less..About time I say, glad to see this great gamefish getting some protection from the meathunters

[george tinkham]

which catfish,does this just include channels,shovelhead,an blue?or is it all catfish?

[M.Magis]

The limit is on channel cats. Blues are endangered in Ohio, therefore protected already. I agree with flathunter. It's a far cry from what needs to be done, but at least it's a start.

[george tinkham]

i agree,i just throw mine back

[MUZZY MAN]

I agree with Flathunter also, if people wont use common sense when it comes to conservation then i quess it will have to be done for em.

[shotgun]

glad to see this great gamefish getting some protection from the meathunters Yeah heaven forbid people actually catching fish to eat!


Im with you 205 very few catfish get returned from me exspecially the ones in the 1 to 5 lb range. Get the cornmeal and cast iron skillet ready!:D

[M.Magis]

if people wont use common sense when it comes to conservation then i quess it will have to be done for em.
Well put! Nobody likes fresh fish more than I do, but nobody needs 50 lbs. of fish at one time. 6 channel cats a day are more than enough.

[shotgun]

It's a far cry from what needs to be done, but at least it's a start. Excactly what do you feel needs to be done.

[M.Magis]

Some type of limit statewide. I certainly don't have a problem with people keeping some fish for dinner. But, there's just no need to take 20-30 cats home at one time. Plus, limit the number of trophy fish that can be taken. Jug fisherman or limb liners can clean a place out of trophy fish in a matter of days. It happens more than people think. One fish over 30" is plenty. Flatheads are on their own when it comes to reproduction, yet there are no regulations regarding how many can be taken. Millions of saugeye are stocked every year, yet there is a limit of 6/day. I'm afraid trophy flatheads may become a thing of the past if something isn't done.

[shotgun]

Yeah I can see what your sayin if your into trophy fishing. I never have been myself and when I set out to catch fish I dont try for the huge ones Ill be happy with a mess of one or two pounders. Catching some giant cats could be fun I just never really got into it. We do go fishing for some big ones in the river but you dont have to worry about me eatin those things.

[george tinkham]

i see nothin wrong with eatin em either,butt if a lot of people do this it wll hurt the population of fish.i have seen many a farm pond fished out.the more that puts them back an i think most do these days,there should be enough for those who do wanna clean em an eat em,personally i like red lobester or even ...long johns liver

[205]

First of all guys, I hope this thread DOES stir a good debate. Then, maybe we can send this whole thread on to the DNR. Just my 2 cents, but this catfish limit law is STUPID. As are many of the new laws put on US in the books. Im against most any new laws. Every time a new law is passed I can feel the noose tightening. And we are the ones to blame for letting them do it to us. Putting new laws in place is easy. Try getting one OFF! With each new restriction we are only hurting the ones we are SUPPOSEDLY saving our resources for. Our children! My 2 grandsons are 1 and 3 years old. By the time they are 20, whats gonna be the limit then? 2 Catfish? And a hundred dollar fine for the third? Maybe it should be ALL C&R for the poor fishes. PETA ought to love us. Ive been fishing for 50 years and the fishing is neither no better or no worse since I started. I go after cats yearly and usually take 50-100 good eaters for my table and freezer. I have caught numerous flatheads in the 20-50 pound class, and for your information all have been returned to the waters unharmed. Except one 20 sum pounder that I wanted to just try for the meat. Sorry!:rolleyes: Wasnt wild about it, so its been C&R for the big bruisers since. Lets see, Im entitled with the new law. 6X365 days= 2190 catfish. Maybe I should rethink this.:rolleyes: Methods are irrelevant as long as they are legal. Whether I catch my 50-100 in one night or scattered out in several. I dont take any more than I can use. Meathunter? A lot of these same people name calling are the first ones to Buy extra, get buddies permits , and get landowners permits so they can take extra deer to fill THEIR freezers. Some states you can actually kill a dozen legally. Dont get me wrong, I dont care what YOU fill your freezer with. Im just trying to say guys, the only ones who reap real rewards with all these laws, are the State and the Netters. Big fines for too many fish, and more poundage for the netters. You can buy all you want at the supermarket for a hefty price. Thanx for letting me vent.

[Ohio Sportsman]

They need to evaluate the limit again, not on the smaller lakes but the larger bodies of water including the Ohio River. Get rid of netting, limb lines, trots and jugs as it does devastate fisheries in a short period of time, go to a rod and reel and hand line only format and maybe put a size limit on them to insure a quality fishery for years to come. We need to get up to speed like some other states Tenn, etc.

[CritterGitter]

There are several species of fish that I like to eat and that are relatively easy to catch. Catfish from ANY body of water is not one of them. Now, for those that want to keep them I don't feel a 6 fish limit is too restrictive on the smaller lakes and resevoirs. Also, the DNR does not like to regulate technique. I heard a biologist say these exact words so the trot lines and all that will likely remain a way to harvest fish.

CG

[bill dowler]

hey guys, there is nothing wrong with using any of the above methods.... i would like to see them put a slot on flatheads, 15 to forty pounds or something like that...if some of you would get out and fish some of the lakes like piedmont,wolf run, and dow, you would see that there should be no limit on chanels.....when fishing for saugeye or crappie or trout with bait, the catfish become a problem......wolf run is loaded with cats, but if youtry to fish for them,your average fish is only about 10 to 12 inches, this is from over population.... there is only one way to solve that.....but not now........go fish everyday 205, then you will end up with way more than the 50 pounds they are crying about:D

[MUZZY MAN]

Remember were talking about 700 acres or less, So talking about Piedmont and other lakes of the ilk is accademic. These smaller lakes can and are being fished out. Ive seen stringers of fish that include yearlings and egg carrying females. Some sportsmen (and I use that term lightly) just dont care or think of the future.

[flathunter]

There is a small 150 acre lake close to me where the dnr releases channel cats every other year...AS SOON AS THEY RELEASE THEM PEOPLE ARE THERE CATCHING BUCKETS FULL OF 6-10 INCH CATS......They keep them all and call them eaters..Glad they cant do that now!

[bill dowler]

i dont think you guys get the point...... lakes like wolf run, and dow have always been full of cats, yes they release them there, but they never get any bigger..........there is to many fish there, they need thinned out... i have had 100 fish nights at wolf run before, with nothing over 14 inches....... explain that one? OVER POPULATION...that is all there is to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!:confused:

[george tinkham]

i have seen a few whopper cats pulled outta dow,one was so big it pulled ol ricky smith outta his boat an dragged him outta sight,i jumped off muh paddleboat an helped ricky back tuh shore an ricky finally landed that big channel cat!

[Thunderflight]

shoota i'M surprpwiedsed te odsarnr downstmake upoui buya tag to fsih for catfhsi....

TF

[Ohio Bill]

Waht? aer yuo tyring to say?:confused:

[Thunderflight]

You got me....;)

TF