# What the netters took out of the Portage River saturday!!!



## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

Hey guys, I just spoke on the phone with one of my friends, who is a seine fisherman up here on Lake Erie. This is the same guy who Tpet and Crappielooker ran into. He told me that they took 24,000 lbs of carp out of the river saturday, with fish if all sizes. The most interesting thing he told me was, they took around a 1000 Lbs of fish in the 50 Lb (each) range, on their way to paylakes  !!!! Now this got the wheels turning, there has to be some kind of regulation on these fish weather they are viewed as sport fish or not!! Thats just too many big fish coming out at one time. How about we get a petition going?


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

When I read stuff like that, it makes me sick to my stomach. Alll those people who fish paylakes that are stocked with wild fish are contributors to the problem. The same stuff was happening to big blue catfish in Tennessee until they recently passed a regulation prohibiting netters from keeping blue cats over 36". Seeking a ban on all netting of carp is probably unrealistic. Maybe we should aim for a maximum size limit type of regulation. I'd say that for a ban to put in place, it would have to be demonstrated that there is more money to be gained by promoting big carp as a sportfish than can be made promoting them as a harvestable fish.

Fishpro, do you mind if I link this thread to the CAG website?


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I love carp fishing just as much as the next guy, but to me, it really doesn't bother me. Ya if they we're doing it with native fish it would definitally be an issue, but carp, well thats another story.

Tpet and crappielooker mentioned that smart alec remark they made about "catching them all" and that would just tick me off, theres no need to say things like that expecially when commericial fishermen arn't the most popular guys in the fishing world.


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## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

By all means GMR, go ahead!!


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## tpet96 (Apr 6, 2004)

Fishpro,

When I saw them pulling that net, I KNEW there had to be at LEAST 15 Grand worth of fish in there. Most of what I saw them chucking up into the live car was in the range of 10lbs or so. Now that I know there are 50's in there.....guess it's a place to keep an eye on  I'd really like to see limits on commercial fishermen up there on them. Like I said before, I"m suprised the state let's them net them there with the "0-fish' consumption advisory from lake erie on Carp. But.....with the size of erie.....you could have netters taking fish like that from every nook and cranny each spring, and not even put a dent in the large fish population.


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

That is a shame. Especially taking the big ones out like that. But to most people it doesn't matter,since they are carp. In fact, alot applaud this. What to do............. CATKING


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## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

I agree that they won`t ever fish out lake erie of carp, too many to deal with, but man, 1000 lbs of fiftys in one day?!!!! As some of you know, I used to commercial fish too, and the numbers of large fish we took just didn`t faze me back then, but now, I think about these things more.....oh well. Hey Shawn, when I was talking to my buddy last night, I got you and I an open invite anytime we want to tag along to watch the operation in person, You could dive right in and get your hands on one of those 50`s!!  If nothing else we could go and watch when they empty the "bag".


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

It does suck that they do this but we hafata remember...They've been doing this for many many yrs and Lake Erie is still awesome for carp.


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

Carp are an invasive (non-native) species, but they are here to stay - so let's learn to love them. And I admit that Lake Erie is huge and they probably can't make a dent in the population. Perhaps my reaction is based more upon emotion than reason. Also, the netters could rightfully say that harvesting carp was why the fish were stocked here. 

Out of curiosity, the next time you talk to a netter, ask him the size of the largest carp he has caught and the largest carp he has heard of being caught.


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## Procraftboats21 (Apr 6, 2004)

they need to take a few thousand out of mosquito and put them somewhere else, ever seen the weed beds up there in may?


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## crappielooker (Apr 5, 2004)

look..i dont care if they netted the whole dang bay, but there was no need to yell out what they did when they saw us fishing there..what if it happens when you takes your kids there to do some fishing?? how would that grabbed ya???


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## j_blocker1 (Apr 6, 2004)

I know where atleast one's home base is, not sure where you guys were fishing othewr than east harbor but saw the guys off catawba friday morning. Any limit to the length of net they can run?

Jason


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## tpet96 (Apr 6, 2004)

Paul,

I'll gladly accept the offer to watch them empty "the bag". Not real keen on State Laws concerning this whole operation, but they are abiding by the laws, and until the state changes the laws, they are in the right to do what they are doing. Actually, if they want to get rid of a couple of 50's, let me konw  LOL. I have a home for them. Private lake


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I'de like to see that also, how about inviting me to tag along


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## tpet96 (Apr 6, 2004)

Jason,

Was the net off of Catawba on the main lake, offshore? If so, it was probalby a perch or walleye net.


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## j_blocker1 (Apr 6, 2004)

the net was on the eastern side of the road as you pass the hotel going onto catawba. sunday the net boats were there, not the best place to fish probably right now. The guys that are netting have a neat opperation, its further east at the end of that "lake" neat to go by in the summer and see the thousands of fish they've got.


J


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I've seen gill nets in action, its pretty neat to watch the guys pull them in and see all the stuff they get. I've worked with smaller seines with the "pocket" you speak of, it sure is interesting stuff.

In some of the class I had we seined whole ponds, even small lakes, its hard to beleive the amount of fish that you can catch.


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