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Those of you that know me also know I do not hurt the population at all LOL I will be fishing the derby, and in the previous 4 years I have fished it we only brought 2 fish to the weigh station. Released a ton others. So I do not think I will be impacting the fishery, I only dream that I could make a tiny dent.
-Scott
I will be sitting the Derby out!
Cool Water
I will be fishing the derby.
Salty
I'm not sure if I'll be fishing the derby this year. Have done it only twice. I beleive the comment made here is what some of us are concerned about: "We have caught a ton of salmon" and only brough two to the board.
This may cause injuries and that is why some people question the deby after last fall's netting.
Louis
Derby or no Derby, I will not be on the lake untill I feel its healthy to support everyone. I feel its to early to start this tournament again. Its sad to not fish the lake anymore but I will be fishing other waters for the time being. Good luck to all...
C.C.
Hell, everyone knows that I don't catch fish, derby or no. If I catch 2 fish while I am out there it is a banner day!!! And, I am gonna eat them. I will fish the derby but the chances of me catching a fish during the derby are somewhere between slim and none judging by past experience. If you want to know why this is, you have only to look to a certain someone here who purchased a boat from me, and while my back was turned, threw my luck into the danged boat!! what kind of a fella does that anyway???
I do manage to scratch a few at Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain. Just not at Winni.
There are many reasons for the problems the fishery is experiencing. Many of them have been outlined in print and in public presentations. One Derby will not undo all the good that can be done if the other factors are addressed. My .02
Throbbin Rods
I believe winni has always had good numbers of salmon. But at time"s the quality suffers. Winni for a few years now has had tremendous fishing pressure. Which with hook wounding because of this has hurt the quality. But with better handling hopefully this will help. And this means during the derby also. And to have Quailty salmon as travis stated at the gathering the big ones have to be released. To reach 5 lbs they have to be 5 years old at least. If all the 3 year old salmon are taken this will never happen.The only concern I have with not having the derby. Is the tackle shops its a huge part of there business.They are few and far between as it is. And also the derby itself has to be a key player in helping with these problems. My two cents.
I most likely will not fish the derby this year. I used to not fish it because I don,t like crowds. I,m not a great salmon fisherman but I,ve learned alot over the years from this board and other fishermen and enjoy salmon fishing very much. But I still don,t like crowds. That,s my story and I,m sticking with it. I wish they had held off on the derby for at least one more year. Cal P.
I was only asking the question out of curiosity, no hidden agenda.
My Posse of Cowboys is 14 strong, we have had a long standing “guys fishing weekend” date on the family schedule for years! So last year we didn’t dare mess with that! We went anyhow, divided into our normal 4 boats, tossed a bunch of cash into the hat and hit the water for not only salmon but mixed in some bass fishing during the slow salmon hours! Several of our gang members went home with more cash than they brought! We bought 4 identical scales, 4 Rubber Nets and did our own catch and release game! We had more fun than any of the “Winni Derby’s” we have played in over the past 15 years!
We are planning on repeating “our game” this year, at the same time as the “new winni derby” So if you see us catching the big boys, taking a quick weight and photograph and letting them go at the same time! Yell hello to Sculpin and crew!
For those who fish the derby, good luck, and have fun! That’s what it is all about boys and girls, having fun away from the office!
Piece to all,
Sculpin
Food for thought here. Do you think this fishery would be better served if the 2 or 3 days that are going to be avoided this May by some of us be better served if they were taken in July or August??
What i am thinking is this, most of the people who participate in the derby go out maybe 2,3,4 times a year or so and are happy just to be involved and have some action, maybe catch 2 or 3 fish each day and they are probably happy and figured it was a great weekend and a lot of fun.
In the summer it is not unusual for the serious fisherman to dial them in and boat 10-20 fish on a summer day, bringing them up from the deep after a long battle into the 75-80 degree water...do you think that these fish are more at risk then or when a bunch of two or three a year outing type fishermen (along with the serious fisherman) at the beginning of the season when the fish are a little tougher to come by? 6 of 1...1/2 dozen of the other in my opinion.
I agree with Big John, it's all about the money, if they were really serious about it they would not have cancelled it for just 1 year and there would have been serious talk about making it a laker ice derby or cancelling that all together also. I think there is too much out there that is not known, if they thought that cancelling the derby was the trick why did they let it run this year then?
I think if you want to do the derby do it and have a ball!!!! If you want to avoid it because you think it's the cause of the problems then it's an admirable statement ...me, I think there are more hook wounds because the fishermen are just plain better and catching more fish derby or no derby. Whether you catch them at the derby or in the summer, have your fun....let's just try to handle them w/ care.
I have only been to 1 derby (09) and i loved it. I had fun talking to everyone on the radio and just being out there with everyone. I am disappointed that some of the people I was looking forward to seeing out there are not going, it will not be the same with out them but I plan on being out there with my friend nick on my boat (and my son Lucas hopefully) and Forrest and his son Doug on his. Good luck!
I may be wrong on this, but I am under the belief that State law will not issue any new derbies. and for any derbies that have been operational in the past, you can renew, you can take 1 year off, but have to renew for that 24th month, or you become fully expired and then can not renew. has anyone else heard this?
I personally am going to the derby and bringing my son along with me, this will be his first time. As far as people saying Hook wounds this hook wounds that, I personally want to know where the derby has anything to do with this? before I get a bunch of hate mail I want to know with the exception of the few who actually do just catch their limit and go home,who stops fishing after two? Most of the people that have posted above just keep right on a catching and releasing just as many as will take the Fly, live bait, or lure. I myself am guilty but no way am I ashamed to admit it nor should the others. I also would say I care as much for the salmon as anyone, but I like to catch salmon and trout and as long as they are biting I am going to keep catching,That is what the state puts them in the lake for, recreation (having Fun). We all try to take care of these fishRubber nets,single hooks? Barbless hooks? catch and release etc. but some get hooked wounded. it is a put and take after all, the state puts in more every year this is what our license money goes for. The season is open for six months roughly 180 days a year, out of those 180 days on a good year lets say maybe 50 I am able to go fishing, maybe 8 of those days which includes the derby are fished on Winni. If you want to stop hook wounds I think you better come up with a better excuse than blaming the derby. You know I have read a lot about how fish and game have not done a very good job and I have also seen alot of people defending the fish and Game the defenders say "they know what they are doing". Well Let me tell you I agree with the people who are in the fish and Game Dept's corner. So to all you who are in their corner ask yourselves this question, Do you think that the fish and game dept. would let this derby take place if it was as detrimental to the fishery as you want us to believe? come on you can't have it both ways. Good luck to all who go to that derby and Have fun.
I think the derby brings alot of fishermen to the lake that normally would not come here,which in turn stresses the resourse even more.How many people register for the derby(3000?)that's alot of hooking going on.If it wasn't about money for somebody, do you think anybody would have bought out the old derby organizer.MONEY TALKS AND YOU KNOW THE REST!!!What are the new organizers going to do for the resourse?
I will not be fishing the derby this year, mostly because of work though. I don't know whether or not the derby, or lack there of, contributes to or harms the fishery. I do know that the quality of salmon in Winni was much better last season. Was not having a derby a factor in that? I really don't know, but if we see the quality in the 2 and 3 year old classes really take a nosedive this season maybe we will have to take another look at it. Good luck to all who enter and grill up some of those hook wounded fish they are delicious with the right garlic and butter!
This is a touchy subject. I do not believe the lack of last years derby had much effect on the Salmon fishery. If not for one of the derby founders, we would not be fishing for Salmon in Winni. Just my opinion but the catching of Salmon in 65 + degrees water is the biggest issue and should be addressed. Us two, other friends and family will be supporting the derby. My .02 cents Roland
Lets not forget the fishing pressure was also down quite a bit. At least it seemed to me it was. The few times we fished on winni last year. Didn"t see near the amount of boats as in the past years. If so this has to have helped the salmon also.