# 2 a day bag limits in rivers to much?



## Troutbane (Oct 14, 2009)

Id like to say if you need the meat keepem but,.... How many of you wish the steelie bag limit was 1 in the rivers? Sure lettem keep two on the lake still but how many more trout would we all be catching if it was reduced to 1? I hate going to some small holes and seein a group of guys leaving with 2 each everyday so they can just get freezer burned. I mean we would ALL benifit from this because most of us go 4 the fight and harvest a female here and there 4 the eggs. im just sayin it would be nice to have these places FULL of steel.


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## Juan More Fish (Apr 1, 2007)

I disagree, i drive 3 hours, I want at least 2 for the effort.
I take my limit and leave happy. If it got changed to 1, id quit. Most of the time, i fish for steelies, i see alot of people throwem back. Which is cool.
When i get my 2 home, we usally fry them the the next day with about 10 to 12 family and friends.
But 1 limit, sorry i disagree.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I am C&R with steelies but I don't mind the 2 steel limit. still alot left overs for us to catch. they stock them so its not like there won't be more fish to catch.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

they stock way too many steelhead anyhow.


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## Fishermon (Jan 31, 2009)

I would never harvest a steelhead for it's eggs or to eat it. I flyfish so I have no use for the eggs plus IMO it is morally wrong to kill a steelhead just for the eggs and I think steelhead taste like crud. I have no problem at all with those that do keep them as long as they are eating them and not just harvesting them for their eggs. There are more than enough fish in the rivers to keep the limit at 2 for those who keep them to eat.


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## Streamhawk (Apr 25, 2008)

For one steelhead are not great tasting fish, second, they sell fish in the supermarkets now just incase you guys were wondering. I C&R all the fish I hunt for, smallies, steel, wipers, catfish, even walleye. Let them go and get bigger. If people let go more steel we would have a bigger population of bigger fish for all to fish. Take a small camera with you to capture the moment, it last a lot longer. Just my opinion. I hope this fall picks up, you guys need some major rain up there. Hoping to hit it towards the end of December. Good luck to all.


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## Pikedaddy (Jul 20, 2005)

Two trout per person is just fine. There are plenty of fish to go around.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Steelhead, in my opinion, can be quite tasty. I marinade filets (with skin on) in a concoction of pancake syrup, liquid smoke, some Italian dressing, and Old Bay seasoning for one or two days(in a glass container) in the fridge. Wrap the filets in foil, cook them on a hot grill for 20-25 minutes. Try it >>>NO more "freezer burn". I only do this to females(which I use the eggs from) and have released my share of males. They are excellent smoked also-just like salmon IMO!


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## Coot (Jan 27, 2006)

1 -2 -3 -4

The limit really doesn't matter to me as I do C & R on steelhead.

There certainly is enough fish for anyone that cares to eat them and I have no problem with anyone that chooses to keep their legal limit.


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## riverKing (Jan 26, 2007)

I would never change the limit from two
but I would try to change the general ethic of some steelheaders. Personally I never keep more than I can eat in a sitting, but I fish a lot so I can always go and catch more. Killing steelhead for the eggs, well I hope they eat it but its legal, though there is a difference between legal and ethical.
The one that angers me is the idea that its not fishing until you bring one home, if you only fish to kill fish go to krogers, I bet its cheaper.
One more thing I will tell people is that while this is a "put and take" fishery, the state puts, we dont have to take, the fewer we kill the more we catch boys, and when I fish erie steelhead I am there to catch alot of fish and have a ball.


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## fishngolf (Jul 18, 2009)

Hey if the legal limit is 2 then IDC what others do with them. So poeple may want to eat them raw, there choice. I catch n release myself so that's my choice. We all pay for the license soo I guess just let the ODNR figure what it should be.. they do all the fish number crunching and make all the cash.


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## Kastmaster93 (Aug 6, 2008)

dnavarroj said:


> If it got changed to 1, id quit.


wow. one less fish would make you quit


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## jrsfish (May 21, 2004)

How about a 27in size limit,keep nothing under 27in,think of all the big boys we would start catching,since most of us c+r anyway.


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## jrsfish (May 21, 2004)

How about a year round limit of 2 steelies? They took lots of five fish limits off of wildwood this year,limits of 30-35 fish this summer,kinda made me sick to see the photos!


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## Steelaholic (Sep 5, 2009)

The limit of two is fine with me. There is plenty of fish out there. You should see the guys in Pa. trying to carry stringers of three fish. Now that's too much like work. I just keep one every couple of weeks.


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## DanAdelman (Sep 19, 2005)

Its fine at two...
Comical to me how snobby some people our towards others. If someone wants to keep the fish they paid for and worked for how could anyone have a problem with that. They are stocked. A fly fisherman looking down on a fisherman using a zebco or someone looking down on someone keeping fish or a boat fisherman looking down on someone on shore...That is what I think is wrong.

People are always looking for ways to tear down others that are just like you. Give someone a hard time because they played a fish to long, handled it wrong, fished to close to them, used the wrong bait, gave away there hole, used the wrong hook,line,pole, waded the wrong spot, put fish on a stringer, smoking, blah blah blah...They are fish its fishing no reason to make it any bigger of a deal then it is...

Alot of us need to just start worrying about ourselves and what we are doing...

If you only catch and release fish big whup that doesnt make you any better then the guy who keeps everything he can.


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## spoonchucker (Sep 30, 2008)

c. j. stone said:


> Steelhead, in my opinion, can be quite tasty. I marinade filets (with skin on) in a concoction of pancake syrup, liquid smoke, some Italian dressing, and Old Bay seasoning for one or two days(in a glass container) in the fridge. Wrap the filets in foil, cook them on a hot grill for 20-25 minutes. Try it >>>NO more "freezer burn". I only do this to females(which I use the eggs from) and have released my share of males. They are excellent smoked also-just like salmon IMO!


can be? IMO it is tasty. I like salmon but steel is a little more mild grilled with butter lemon juice thyme and tarragon brushed on beats that lame farm raised store bought Atlantic salmon any day. Even nuked with butter lemon and minced garlic is good. Smoked is excellent when alder with a touch of apple is used, havent met anyone yet that tryed it and didnt like it. Have yet to try steelhead patties but Im sure they would be fantastic. was going to try canning some this year so I can make patties this summer. I havent had any get freezer burned! I eat all I take, have to feed 4. With fishing license fees what they are Im not taking more than I payed for. I stay til I catch my 2 fish and leave, C&R doesnt mean they all live, have seen a lot of dead released fish. half the time the fight alone kills them. The way some release them contributes to this too. Dry hands remove slime, nets remove slime, after that bacteria kills them. I watched in horror a guy hook his finger in under ones gill and release it. He said he had done it hundreds of times so Im sure he has killed more than me. The 2 fish limit is fine but it should pertain to C&R as well the way some people handle them.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

> they stock way too many steelhead anyhow.


I agree. Way too many.


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## DanAdelman (Sep 19, 2005)

spoonchucker said:


> can be? IMO it is tasty. I like salmon but steel is a little more mild grilled with butter lemon juice thyme and tarragon brushed on beats that lame farm raised store bought Atlantic salmon any day. Even nuked with butter lemon and minced garlic is good. Smoked is excellent when alder with a touch of apple is used, havent met anyone yet that tryed it and didnt like it. Have yet to try steelhead patties but Im sure they would be fantastic. was going to try canning some this year so I can make patties this summer. I havent had any get freezer burned! I eat all I take, have to feed 4. With fishing license fees what they are Im not taking more than I payed for. I stay til I catch my 2 fish and leave, C&R doesnt mean they all live, have seen a lot of dead released fish. half the time the fight alone kills them. The way some release them contributes to this too. Dry hands remove slime, nets remove slime, after that bacteria kills them. I watched in horror a guy hook his finger in under ones gill and release it. He said he had done it hundreds of times so Im sure he has killed more than me. The 2 fish limit is fine but it should pertain to C&R as well the way some people handle them.


agree with most of this also wanted to add fish caught in the lake by walleye trollers have an extremely high mortality rate when released...

Also on another note most of the people doing things that most of us frown on like holding a steel by the gills is due to being naive.... Perhaps the solution to this would be having to take a test to get your first fishing license. Basic ethics and proper handling of fish...


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## elkhtr (Oct 23, 2006)

jrsfish said:


> How about a year round limit of 2 steelies? They took lots of five fish limits off of wildwood this year,limits of 30-35 fish this summer,kinda made me sick to see the photos!


I like this idea. I too, like to catch multiple fish when I do get the chance to get out.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

DanAdelman said:


> agree with most of this also wanted to add fish caught in the lake by walleye trollers have an extremely high mortality rate when released...
> 
> Also on another note most of the people doing things that most of us frown on like holding a steel by the gills is due to being naive.... Perhaps the solution to this would be having to take a test to get your first fishing license. Basic ethics and proper handling of fish...


Well then how about getting a safe handling and proper release procedures sticky like in the muskie forum.


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## Pikedaddy (Jul 20, 2005)

DanAdelman said:


> Its fine at two...
> Comical to me how snobby some people our towards others. If someone wants to keep the fish they paid for and worked for how could anyone have a problem with that. They are stocked. A fly fisherman looking down on a fisherman using a zebco or someone looking down on someone keeping fish or a boat fisherman looking down on someone on shore...That is what I think is wrong.
> 
> People are always looking for ways to tear down others that are just like you. Give someone a hard time because they played a fish to long, handled it wrong, fished to close to them, used the wrong bait, gave away there hole, used the wrong hook,line,pole, waded the wrong spot, put fish on a stringer, smoking, blah blah blah...They are fish its fishing no reason to make it any bigger of a deal then it is...
> ...



This is very true we need to worry about ourselves.


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## fish on! (Oct 15, 2009)

DanAdelman said:


> Its fine at two...
> Comical to me how snobby some people our towards others. If someone wants to keep the fish they paid for and worked for how could anyone have a problem with that. They are stocked. A fly fisherman looking down on a fisherman using a zebco or someone looking down on someone keeping fish or a boat fisherman looking down on someone on shore...That is what I think is wrong.
> 
> People are always looking for ways to tear down others that are just like you. Give someone a hard time because they played a fish to long, handled it wrong, fished to close to them, used the wrong bait, gave away there hole, used the wrong hook,line,pole, waded the wrong spot, put fish on a stringer, smoking, blah blah blah...They are fish its fishing no reason to make it any bigger of a deal then it is...
> ...


Thanks, you just saved me from doing a lot of typing.


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## RockyRiverRay (Jan 14, 2009)

jrsfish said:


> How about a 27in size limit,keep nothing under 27in,think of all the big boys we would start catching,since most of us c+r anyway.



........ keep nothing under 27? If they did that you wouldnt catch any big fish considering.... theyd all be taken. not to mention most people who harvest fish take small/medium fresh fish (lean meat)..... lol.

RRR

2 fish is fine, I agree they stock too many, cant wait til the 2010 stocking of brownies! =))))))


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## Clayton (Oct 7, 2008)

RockyRiverRay said:


> ........ keep nothing under 27? If they did that you wouldnt catch any big fish considering.... theyd all be taken. not to mention most people who harvest fish take small/medium fresh fish (lean meat)..... lol.
> 
> RRR
> 
> 2 fish is fine, I agree they stock too many, cant wait til the 2010 stocking of brownies! =))))))


There's a 2010 stocking of browns into the alley? AWESOME. I can't wait for huge browns <3

In addition, I'd rather see a slot limit on steel, like you can keep anything between 14-22" or something. That could be too small, I dunno, but I say we let the big guys go. I would love to see that applied to ALL sorts of fish. Big ones have the best chance of making little ones, say what you want about the success rate of reproduction in the lake erie tribs.


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## nooffseason (Nov 15, 2008)

RockyRiverRay said:


> ........ keep nothing under 27? If they did that you wouldnt catch any big fish considering.... theyd all be taken. not to mention most people who harvest fish take small/medium fresh fish (lean meat)..... lol.
> 
> RRR
> 
> 2 fish is fine, I agree they stock too many, cant wait til the 2010 stocking of brownies! =))))))


Ray, is this true? That is great! I try to stay on top of the stocking numbers, but havent seen anything on brown trout? What are the projected numbers of Brown fingerlings? Which tribs?


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## Fishermon (Jan 31, 2009)

Pa. is stocking browns not Ohio.




nooffseason said:


> Ray, is this true? That is great! I try to stay on top of the stocking numbers, but havent seen anything on brown trout? What are the projected numbers of Brown fingerlings? Which tribs?


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## Fishermon (Jan 31, 2009)

I think most people who harvest steelhead to eat keep whatever size they catch, big or small doesn't matter.



RockyRiverRay said:


> ........ keep nothing under 27? If they did that you wouldnt catch any big fish considering.... theyd all be taken. not to mention most people who harvest fish take small/medium fresh fish (lean meat)..... lol.
> 
> RRR
> 
> 2 fish is fine, I agree they stock too many, cant wait til the 2010 stocking of brownies! =))))))


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## Tuna Can (Mar 17, 2006)

Pikedaddy said:


> Two trout per person is just fine. There are plenty of fish to go around.


I concur!! Imagine how bent the lead poster of this thead would be if he had seen the stringers of some in the 90's before the limit was reduced to 2 from 5! The only species that don't get a reprieve from me are perch and walleye. I'm defrosting a walleye as we type. Gonna make them with a couple filet mignons we still had in the freezer. I call it Surf and Turf, Ohio style!


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## MAMA'S BUOY (May 18, 2009)

RockyRiverRay said:


> ........ keep nothing under 27? If they did that you wouldnt catch any big fish considering.... theyd all be taken. not to mention most people who harvest fish take small/medium fresh fish (lean meat)..... lol.
> 
> RRR
> 
> 2 fish is fine, I agree they stock too many, cant wait til the 2010 stocking of brownies! =))))))


To the best of my knowledge around 50,000 browns were stocked in the spring of this year that were raised in the Linesville hatchery. These fish were only 7-9 inches. Its gonna take a few seasons to see some nice sized mature ones return. In 2011, 60,000 more will be stocked. Eventually, the PA Fish and Boat Commission wants to increase brown trout stockings to 100,000 per year. It'll be nice when they start making their way over to the conny, however, it will only add to the crowds.

The natural reproduction rate of steel is about 1% or less, so I don't see a reason to have to let the big ones go. I catch and release 99% of what I catch, but hopefully Ill get that 30" + one this season to put on the wall!


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

People should take more IMO. Especially 'round these parts.

Did you ever think that if steelhead fishing was more of a challenge, that there would be a whole lot less pressure for them? 

Stock less, make them harder to catch and leave the hillbillys at home!


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

> Stock less, make them harder to catch and leave the hillbillys at home!


Or Pennsylvania.......


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## horiaalmasan (May 20, 2006)

MAMA'S BUOY said:


> ........ hopefully Ill get that 30" + one this season to put on the wall!


.........

I have the same plans; depending on how much a taxidermist could charge. Do you have any idea how much it could cost? Anybody you could recomand?
Thanks,
horiaa


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

Tuna Can said:


> I concur!! Imagine how bent the lead poster of this thread would be if he had seen the stringers of some in the 90's before the limit was reduced to 2 from 5!


fishing was tougher back then. sure people kept a lot of fish, but there was 1/10 the fisherman. how many people trout fishing now would be there if they reverted back to their old stocking programs? 



ShutUpNFish said:


> Did you ever think that if steelhead fishing was more of a challenge, that there would be a whole lot less pressure for them?


like I stated, the 90's were a different ballgame. back then you had to know how to catch fish to well,.... actually catch them. youd walk all day for a few fish. not so much anymore. 

the mentality is different, as one poster so eloquently stated, something about the fish being "paid for". I suppose this line of thinking also validates snagging and netting fish in their own minds for those that do that stuff..

a few people who I fished with back then no longer fish for steelhead, as it's just too easy and too crowded.


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## MAMA'S BUOY (May 18, 2009)

horiaalmasan said:


> .........
> 
> I have the same plans; depending on how much a taxidermist could charge. Do you have any idea how much it could cost? Anybody you could recomand?
> Thanks,
> horiaa


Not sure about that, I think my brother got one mounted a few years ago for around 115$. but it depends on the size. I have 5 perch in the freezer right now pushing 13.5 inches that I want to get mounted, but it will most likely cost nearly twice as much as one steelhead, I'm guessing. No one in mind right now. I've gotta do some research.


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## joewallguy (Jan 18, 2008)

32 3 /4 length 19 girth. 14lb 8oz. cost me $220

Its like $6 an inch plus tax. depending on where you go.

Joe at Central Basin Bait n tackle takes care of me and dose awesome work. Animals as well.


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## spoonchucker (Sep 30, 2008)

DanAdelman said:


> Its fine at two...
> Comical to me how snobby some people our towards others. If someone wants to keep the fish they paid for and worked for how could anyone have a problem with that. They are stocked. A fly fisherman looking down on a fisherman using a zebco or someone looking down on someone keeping fish or a boat fisherman looking down on someone on shore...That is what I think is wrong.]
> 
> Couldn't agree with you more! Now Patricio says Im a snagger LOL. I have more respect for the sport than most people I've run into out there. I don't keep snagged fish, or break any fishing laws. Wish he would just worry about himself and I'll worry about myself. Would never think I was better than him or visa versa. $7.35 an inch was what I paid for mine. 34in 15lb 2oz = $250 that was 7 years ago


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## spoonchucker (Sep 30, 2008)

DanAdelman said:


> Its fine at two...
> Comical to me how snobby some people our towards others. If someone wants to keep the fish they paid for and worked for how could anyone have a problem with that. They are stocked. A fly fisherman looking down on a fisherman using a zebco or someone looking down on someone keeping fish or a boat fisherman looking down on someone on shore...That is what I think is wrong.]
> 
> Couldn't agree with you more! Now Patricio says Im a snagger LOL. I have more respect for the sport than most people I've run into out there. I don't keep snagged fish, or break any fishing laws. Wish he would just worry about himself and I'll worry about myself. Would never think I was better than him or visa versa. $7.35 an inch was what I paid for mine. 34in 15lb 2oz = $250 that was 7 years ago


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

spoonchucker said:


> Couldn't agree with you more! Now Patricio says Im a snagger LOL. I have more respect for the sport than most people I've run into out there. I don't keep snagged fish, or break any fishing laws. Wish he would just worry about himself and I'll worry about myself. Would never think I was better than him or visa versa. $7.35 an inch was what I paid for mine. 34in 15lb 2oz = $250 that was 7 years ago


I never said anyone here was a snagger. nope. sure didnt. great point otherwise. I do worry about myself, I'm fine. but I have a problem with these hicks who make man made dams across small streams to trap trout and net them. and I see this a lot these days on smaller streams. the rivers were better off without these people.

btw, I never said anything against people keeping fish. 

thats all I'm going to say to keep things civil. frankly, I think your attack on me was personal and uncalled for.


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## spoonchucker (Sep 30, 2008)

sorry, never would do anything like that. turn them in when you see them doing that


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## ICB (Jul 4, 2009)

2 fish is fine with me. If I put them on the stringer (sometimes) or let them go (sometimes) it`s my biz and not anyone elses. 
I do think it is absolutly wrong for some folks to call every idiot on the water a "hick" or "hillbilly". I`ve met some dam nice folks from the south who know the true meaning of fishing. And I would share the bank with them any day before I would with some of the city slickers posting in this thread.


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## Offshore Limits (Dec 23, 2007)

The funny thing is how people think that the occasional taking of a steelhead is wrong.The 5 fish limit that is in place during the lake fishing trolling times is there because the fish are practically unreleasable. I started to feel bad at how many steelies were coming aboard my charter boat a couple of years ago. We were taking 30 fish every day for over a month, then my eyes were opened.....I ran across the lake to the northern shore to an area that many ohio stocked steelhead spend summers at. again it was nonstop action on them when here comes one of canadas trawling vessels pulling a massive trawl. we watched with amazement as it trawl up container after container of steelhead. Im taking 15 cubic yard container. when I pulled into there port to refuel I found that they had 7 ships pulling trawls that day all with the same suuccess..literally thousands of steelhead were pulled on that one day. A friend of mine says that is very common....just a little tidbit before you bash someone keeping a fish..that year I kept 16 fish in the river and released over 1800 to hopefully avoid the canadian trawls


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