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This might P.O. a Few people But??????????

Even though I too am upset about them cancelling the spring derby (which I love) and I understand the quality of the salmon has suffered (size, hook woundings etc...) over the past 3-4 years. Why is it that the winter derby is still being allowed to continue? I hate to say it (but I'm gonna) I do love hard water fishing, even though I may not do it as much as I would like, but even though I've never been to the winter derby, I hear there are alot more people there then the spring derby, WHY then is this derby also not cancelled??????????? No matter what anyone says (yeah I can just imagine the responses over this one) you can not honestly tell me that some (probably quite a few) of these fishermen/women who come up to be with their buddies eating/drinking/partying and fishing don't also catch a bunch of salmon while targeting rainbows? and improperly and illegally take a salmon out of the hole to photograph etc... and more then likely in some instances fry it up inside a bobhouse to eat? I personally feel that if I should have to suffer by not being able to fish in a Derby that I truly enjoy with good friends and family that I wait all year for and look forward too, then the hardwater guys should also lose this oppourtunity. Just my .02 Don't mean to P.O. anyone but I just don't think its fair to "All Fishermen/Women" Take Care God Bless LOL Dave

Re: This might P.O. a Few people But??????????

LOL Dave
Even though I too am upset about them cancelling the spring derby (which I love) and I understand the quality of the salmon has suffered (size, hook woundings etc...) over the past 3-4 years. Why is it that the winter derby is still being allowed to continue? I hate to say it (but I'm gonna) I do love hard water fishing, even though I may not do it as much as I would like, but even though I've never been to the winter derby, I hear there are alot more people there then the spring derby, WHY then is this derby also not cancelled??????????? No matter what anyone says (yeah I can just imagine the responses over this one) you can not honestly tell me that some (probably quite a few) of these fishermen/women who come up to be with their buddies eating/drinking/partying and fishing don't also catch a bunch of salmon while targeting rainbows? and improperly and illegally take a salmon out of the hole to photograph etc... and more then likely in some instances fry it up inside a bobhouse to eat? I personally feel that if I should have to suffer by not being able to fish in a Derby that I truly enjoy with good friends and family that I wait all year for and look forward too, then the hardwater guys should also lose this oppourtunity. Just my .02 Don't mean to P.O. anyone but I just don't think its fair to "All Fishermen/Women" Take Care God Bless LOL Dave



it's all a matter of money Dave

Re: This might P.O. a Few people But??????????

I understand that, but what about all the Money the local economy is gonna lose by not having the spring derby?????? I'd be willing to bet it's pretty close as far as the god almighty $$$$$$$$ goes? Hotels/Motels/Cottages/House rentals, Restaurants, Bait and Tackle shops, Gas Stations, Supermarkets etc... etc.... I'd be willing to bet its BIG $$$$$ lost in the region. Take Care God Bless LOL Dave

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

or the boating traffic may increase, i fish 4 people on my boat alot, if limited to 4 lines we would probably fish out of two boats. i dont fish winnie to often, just about never, but that would be my take on it. limiting the boat to four isnt all that fair, limiting an angler to one rod seems more fair, especially if there is more than four on the boat. so now with bringing two boats for 4 lines each boat, im covering more water and doing more environmental damage to the lake, and catching more fish because were finding them quicker. not really whats wanted in this case. with radios it just makes it even easier to locate fish, depths, locations, lure colors etc. its a bigger problem

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

you make a good point Fishlessman and I would think it would make the most reasonable alteration of existing rules to change number of lines in the water per angler since the current restriction is rods/angler based.

The only problem with it is MOST people I see out in the area I am fishing (not during the derby) only have 2 guys per boat. There are a lot more 16-18 foot boats out there than 23-27 footers that can hold a party of anglers. The ruling worded as rods/angler really cuts into the smaller boats that fit 2 or maybe 3 guys comfortably while still having the boat boat out there with enormous spreads.

I can see an arguement for both sides...someone is going to take it hard if lines are limited...I'm glad this thread has been civil to this point. Since it seems someone is going to suffer more than someone else for the resolution to work, there are going to be hurt feelings.

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

I would not support a rod limit rule change evan though we only run 4 lines 5 max evan with the planer boards out.The state does not provide us with a state boat access on winni,local public access is limited,which means most of us are paying 20 bucks just to put the boat on the lake.I can see myself not going up there at all with a rod limit change.That will help alot since we fish one day a week 4 times a month over six months X 30 fish per day ??? thats 720 fish left unharmed for the rest of you in a put and take fishery,gee whiz already,can't wait to see how the gov. is going to ram and cram this proposal.polebreaker

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

I think we're missing one important aspect of the spring derby. The Derby had a good sample set of fish that determined the overall average size of the fish was way down compared to other derby years. If it wasn't for the derby, I don't believe this corrective action would have taken place until it was a little too late. I understand that the biologists had data from the fall survey, but I'm not so sure such drastic action, and possibly actions,would have been taken based on just last year's results. Maybe the lake can be saved now instead of having it be totally decimated and having to start over from scratch, which would cost a great deal more money.

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

My point exactly live bait fishing out fishes hardware fishing at least 5-1 at ice-out, you say cut the line and let the fish go with hook embedded deep in its gut would we call that hook wounding look at the Rangeley Lakes in Maine no live bait you still get fish just not the numbers and if you want you can use sew on dead smelt and drift them it works not as good and requires more work so I say as a temp, solutions try it something needs to be done now.
PS same problem is going on with salt water striper fishing they need to stop the sale in Mass. To let the larger breeders survive or it will be gone too!!!

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

I've been fishing for Salmon for 30 years, I have participated in the derby most years, and have done the last 12 without missing a minute. I have seen it all!

I am so upset that the Derby has shut down as an answer to the problem. Does it contribute? probably does, but so many other things could have been tweaked to help eleveate the pressure, shutting the derby down was just the easy way out. The closed derby will not help things!

Fish Finder Equipt??? that was pretty lame. Maybe the 20 year old high tech geeks need them, but I don't need one to have a great numbers day, and most of you guys here don't either! Most of us know this pond like the back of our hands, we can find the fish based on memory based on temps and date! Last spring, just for the fun of it, my buddy and I chartered one of the big named guides! great guy, just like me but 15 years younger, he never had to look at the fish finder all day! So whom ever from the State threw that out, I would love to know who that idiot is!

The freeking fish are starving to death! That explains why the look that way, and it explains why they are hitting every lure you throw at them! We can all say YES we have noticed 30% of the fish have hook wounds when we catch them! However, If we are catching them, they are freeking hungary! do these fish and game guys think we are idiots?

Maybe if they took some of the revenue from the license sales and derby tag sales and spent it wisely, they could solve the problem!

also

i forgot:
1) I remember reading here several years ago, once a tournament on winni gives up it's date, it is done! The State will not allow any new ones. for you veterans...remember the Fall derby, once it took a year off, well it is still in hiatus! Winni Derby is now a thing for the history books!

2) Most of the time, the 5 biggest Guides are here on the site offering input on everything! Oddly enough, I can't find any input from these boys on this subject in any of the threads recently? whats up with that?

Re: also

They have most likely been told to remain silent by your friends at f&g.

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

Fish And Game use to stock the salmon. In several location around the lake.Now they stock only one location Gilford. I think it would be better to spread them out around the lake. Im sure they do this to save money. Also it seems to me that most peope release the salmon they catch. Why would the numbers of salmon be down. I guess this isn"t true or a lot of salmon are dying. It just doesn"t make sense to me. We caught more salmon last year then we ever have. And a lot of quality salmon. I guess we were just real lucky.

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

If their plan is to stop the derby for one year and then bring it back the following year, then this is foolish and not well thought out. If they truly feel the derby is the culprit, it will have to be put on the back burners for a minimumm of 3-5 years to see the true effect on the salmon population. One year will simply not be enough to prove any of these theories. I still honestly feel that stocking more browns and warmwater fish (walleye,pike,musky),that have a much better chance at reaching trophy sizes, will create more opportunities for anglers and take pressure of the salmon fishery.These fish could also eventually sustain themselves. A previous post mentioned that they feel cheated that the ice derby was not taken away instead. I fully understand your feelings but if anyone should feel they're getting the shaft, it is those people who desire a managed warmwater fishery in this state. Everyone pays the same license fee and none of it goes to bettering the warmwater fishery in our state. This is not only a shame, but downright neglectful! I love to fish for both warm and coldwater fish and I don't think anyone reading this could honestly say that both fisheries are treated and managed equally. Also,
I feel the above mentioned would discourage the bucket biologists from stupidly taking matters into their own hands by illegally stocking fish. Ironically, our crew had already decided to forgo this years derby in favor of a trip up to Champlain. It's sad this derby tradition had to end, but if it means we can have trophy salmon fishing on Winni again then I support it 100%. Unfortunately, I don't think cancelling the derby alone will solve the problem. I enjoy reading and respect all your opinions, whether I'm in agreement or not.

Chris

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

Before I get skewered, I meant to say that more warmwater fish should be stocked throughout the state, to give anglers more and different opportunities. I didn't mean to imply stock them solely in Winni. My bad for not proofreading better.

Chris

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

I do understand what your saying (in that F & G manages pretty much coldwater species) but how can you honestly beleive that if you were to put Pike/musky into Lake Winni, that the Salmon would still be ok? The Pike would Dessimate or wipe out the salmon population. Good example is the Big pike they caught in Sebago last year, it had a 14inch Salmon in its belly with another 10in salmon that was half digested. The pike would wipe out the salmon that are stocked within a matter of weeks as the smaller salmon would be easy prey for pike/musky. Just my .02 but I don't think the lake and the forage (smelt/white perch fry) could handle both species. Take Care God Bless LOL Dave

Re: SPRING DERBY CANCELLED

In my second post I tried to clarify I didn't mean put them in Winni. I feel more warmwater fish should be stocked throughout the state to take pressure off the coldwater fisheries, including Winni. It was late when I made these posts and I guess I didn't do a very good job explaining my points. My bad.