# East harbor.



## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

I’ve been reading some posts about the guys fishing it now, good ice, lots of people on weekends, but the amounts of gills going home is unreal with some guys , I know it’s no limits but can a area sustain the amounts taken? One guy showed A picture of a hundred fish one day and did it again the next day, lots of crappie and bass and perch, wish it was closer ,now not everyone is doing that well but they sure having a good year. 


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Well u take out 8in plus gills over time we will see it’s not good! The same people that take 5 in gills would take out 100 9in gills! Not Stewart’s of conservation!! Look at me types ! Fishing etiquette at its worse! The same types that have kids that they can’t afford!!! Sick! That place could produce 11in and 12in gills with limits! Gills life’s matter


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

Bad thing is, a good portion of those look at me FB post gills never get filleted. Just a pic and dumped somewhere. A good percentage of FB is just bragging rights. It’s definitely a shame, really wish they would put limits on the panfish.


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## RMK (Feb 21, 2017)

brad crappie said:


> Well u take out 8in plus gills over time we will see it’s not good! The same people that take 5 in gills would take out 100 9in gills! Not Stewart’s of conservation!! Look at me types ! Fishing etiquette at its worse! The same types that have kids that they can’t afford!!! Sick! That place could produce 11in and 12in gills with limits! Gills life’s matter


i know it varies by body of water and current populations and sizes and alot of other variables.... and my question for you is for my own private pond. what size bluegill would you say would be the best to keep? i currently throw back anything approximately 8.5" or bigger and i dont keep alot but when i do keep them i ll clean anything from 5"-8"


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Yeah from the pictures I’ve seen, not all the gills and perch were that big. Some nice crappie and a few 12-14 inch bass were on the ice.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

RMK said:


> i know it varies by body of water and current populations and sizes and alot of other variables.... and my question for you is for my own private pond. what size bluegill would you say would be the best to keep? i currently throw back anything approximately 8.5" or bigger and i dont keep alot but when i do keep them i ll clean anything from 5"-8"


U know your lake the best but if u would run a net across it and see the average size of the fish u would get your answer if your pond had 80% of gills over 8 u might thin some out to promote a balanced fishery with smalls , mediums, and bulls! Now I have seen ponds that had stud gills that dominated the gill population that stunted the bass growth with no small gills to eat! U could supplement with Minnie’s to feed the bass if u wanted that kind of pond ! Balanced fishery is best for long term fishery! Some ponds have a winter kill that kill the big bulls and if u didn’t have mediums and smalls to replace the studs then u would have to restock the gills then! In a heavy snow season with prolong snow on the ground u want to shovel some spots to promote sunlight to prevent oxygen depletion!


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

I don't see any problem with that on Erie anyways… There's easily several million bluegills in East Harbor....Seeing a Facebook picture of one person taking home a couple hundred fish is much less of a deal than guys on this thread are making it... I don't think anyone realizes that all five great lakes are connected by a river system… That's a lot of damn water…


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## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

9Left said:


> I don't see any problem with that on Erie anyways… There's easily several million bluegills in East Harbor....Seeing a Facebook picture of one person taking home a couple hundred fish is much less of a deal than guys on this thread are making it... I don't think anyone realizes that all five great lakes are connected by a river system… That's a lot of damn water…


Nobody thought Passenger Pigeons could be wiped out either.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Mickey said:


> Nobody thought Passenger Pigeons could be wiped out either.


Good analogy bro....


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## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

9Left said:


> Good analogy bro....


I respect you. Good when people can agree to disagree.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Lol... just saying… It's a whole Lotta water... literally hundreds of millions bluegills.... I do agree though… I'd like to see a size limit on bluegills. I think 8" would be just perfect. I don't see any problem though, not having a bag limit on a large body of water.(bluegills that is)


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## "chillin" (Apr 20, 2012)

When i started fishing East Harbor several years ago you could catch big gills and pumpkinseed pretty consistently. Not many people out there either. When i went Sunday i got there before daylight and there were 75 shanties out there already. Closer to 300 when i left. No nice gills. Couple 11 inch crappie. Used to be able to look down the hole and it was crystal clear. Now it’s milky looking. 


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

"chillin" said:


> When i started fishing East Harbor several years ago you could catch big gills and pumpkinseed pretty consistently. Not many people out there either. When i went Sunday i got there before daylight and there were 75 shanties out there already. Closer to 300 when i left. No nice gills. Couple 11 inch crappie. Used to be able to look down the hole and it was crystal clear. Now it’s milky looking.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Fish move man… And as far as the water clarity goes… That completely depends on the day


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

I did not realize them pigeons are extinct wow , where has time gone!! We got 10 bag limit on perch from east of Huron to fairport cause over fishing and changes to the lake!!! The eye population took a hit over 10 plus years ago! Same theory big gills take hits to if not helped! To anyone that does not understand that needs to read studies on the gills!! Inland water the bait shop s rely on Pan fishermen just like Erie relies on eyes and perch fishermen!! Bait fishermen and purchasing small terminal tackle! More like 20 years ago on the eyes! Fishermen have to step up if the state does not!!


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

8in plus gills are the ones u need to be selective on!!


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## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

Being fairly new to fishing, we've never pulled a limit on anything. So I get kinda wound up when I see guys posting limits day after day. Can the fisheries sustain that kind of harvest? But then I think, well, the great lakes have a commercial fishery also. We'd probably have a heart attack if we saw the numbers pulled by those guys, quota or not. That doesn't speak to bluegills specifically but it makes me think that maybe the lakes can sustain that kind of harvest. Plus, different year classes are going to have bigger or smaller numbers so change in numbers is inevitable. I don't know. Just my thoughts.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Moo Juice said:


> Being fairly new to fishing, we've never pulled a limit on anything. So I get kinda wound up when I see guys posting limits day after day. Can the fisheries sustain that kind of harvest? But then I think, well, the great lakes have a commercial fishery also. We'd probably have a heart attack if we saw the numbers pulled by those guys, quota or not. That doesn't speak to bluegills specifically but it makes me think that maybe the lakes can sustain that kind of harvest. Plus, different year classes are going to have bigger or smaller numbers so change in numbers is inevitable. I don't know. Just my thoughts.


Read what I just said on the perch fishing? Read up on 8in plus gills genetics on the overall health of the population! Also the worlds ocean fishery is gettin hammered! Over population of the human race! Feed the world and producing agri products creates a lot of environmental issues! I have personally seen at least 2 up ground res and 4 different lakes gills populations on 8in plus gills go to ****! No limits!! Read up and teach people! Lots of people selling fish u can’t eat that much! With the cost of everything going up it’s happening more and more! Lepomis macrochirus lives matter!!!🇺🇸


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## kit carson (Jan 24, 2016)

I have been ice fishing for over 50 years, and I was taught at a very early age by a great outdoorsman (DAD). Never over harvests and any gills over 8in and crappies over 12in go back in. I only keep large fish if foul hooked. Wish all these guys over harvesting would of had a teacher like I had at a young age, we wouldn't have these issues.

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## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

About 6 years ago I was at a fish cleaning station in Bula cleaning my 30 perch. A group of 4 was cleaning their 120. They asked if I was headed back out that same day. They were. I wasn't. One of the Lindners said it best. "Keep what you can use, release the rest". My last 2 trips out of Bula I caught 1 perch.


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

I read on FB(yeah, I know, the inet!) that L Erie is controlled by Federal regs and there will never be any limits on panfish!? But I know the ODNR sets the limits(on our portion of the lake) on perch, walleye, and steelies. Now I’m confused?! I‘d think if the individual states can control these limits, they could set them on any other species.


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## "chillin" (Apr 20, 2012)

9Left said:


> Fish move man… And as far as the water clarity goes… That completely depends on the day


Lol. It’s funny i thought it had something to do with the dredging they did in there. It’s not been the same since. Sounds like you have it all figured out though. 


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## Buzzy (Jul 2, 2011)

9Left said:


> I don't see any problem with that on Erie anyways… There's easily several million bluegills in East Harbor....Seeing a Facebook picture of one person taking home a couple hundred fish is much less of a deal than guys on this thread are making it... I don't think anyone realizes that all five great lakes are connected by a river system… That's a lot of damn water…


I have a honest question how many bluegills have you caught a half mile off shore in 30+ feet of water over the years?


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Buzzy said:


> I have a honest question how many bluegills have you caught a half mile off shore in 30+ feet of water over the years?


Gills are confined to shallower water in Erie not like smaller inland lakes! Never seen a crap or gill that deep! I do know guys that have caught craps out there! Never heard of gills! Good point!!!


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## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

brad crappie said:


> Read what I just said on the perch fishing? Read up on 8in plus gills genetics on the overall health of the population! Also the worlds ocean fishery is gettin hammered! Over population of the human race! Feed the world and producing agri products creates a lot of environmental issues! I have personally seen at least 2 up ground res and 4 different lakes gills populations on 8in plus gills go to ****! No limits!! Read up and teach people! Lots of people selling fish u can’t eat that much! With the cost of everything going up it’s happening more and more! Lepomis macrochirus lives matter!!!🇺🇸


The pigeons went extinct in 1914. Yes, I read what you wrote but your unique writing style is extremely hard for a simpleton such as myself to follow. You seem to be yelling all the time. You mentioned the oceans getting hammered. When did you fish them last? I was fishing the gulf in September with my two boys on a ten man, 3 day charter. My experiences were much different. The fishing was awesome. Just not for mahi as the hurricane just came through and cleaned up all the floating cover they like to use. The biggest problem was sharks and barracuda. I don't know how many half eaten fish we had to throw back because the predators hacked them off as we were reeling them in. Now if I relied on the discovery channel for my information, I would be led to believe that sharks should never be harvested. Where as my personal experience tells me predators are a problem. No one ever seems to address that. Is some of the poor panfishing due to that? How about winter kill? All the conservation practices in the world won't save you from that. How about overpopulation of the world? How many people are we allowed to keep? Who do we get rid of? Big ag? What farming practices do we get rid of? Those are pretty broad statements. What about commercial industry? Aren't they polluters? You may think they are but guess where we caught all our fish in the gulf? Oil Derrick's, drilling rigs and ocean liners. The fish use them for cover. I'm not saying I'm an expert by any means. I just go on my observations as I stated earlier. How about keeping spawning females in the spring? Is that a bigger problem than someone keeping a 8 plus inch blue or 12 inch plus crappie? I don't know. Like I said, we're no threat to any species. Just a bunch of hacks trying to have fun and learn something.


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## Buzzy (Jul 2, 2011)

Moo Juice said:


> The pigeons went extinct in 1914. Yes, I read what you wrote but your unique writing style is extremely hard for a simpleton such as myself to follow. You seem to be yelling all the time. You mentioned the oceans getting hammered. When did you fish them last? I was fishing the gulf in September with my two boys on a ten man, 3 day charter. My experiences were much different. The fishing was awesome. Just not for mahi as the hurricane just came through and cleaned up all the floating cover they like to use. The biggest problem was sharks and barracuda. I don't know how many half eaten fish we had to throw back because the predators hacked them off as we were reeling them in. Now if I relied on the discovery channel for my information, I would be led to believe that sharks should never be harvested. Where as my personal experience tells me predators are a problem. No one ever seems to address that. Is some of the poor panfishing due to that? How about winter kill? All the conservation practices in the world won't save you from that. How about overpopulation of the world? How many people are we allowed to keep? Who do we get rid of? Big ag? What farming practices do we get rid of? Those are pretty broad statements. What about commercial industry? Aren't they polluters? You may think they are but guess where we caught all our fish in the gulf? Oil Derrick's, drilling rigs and ocean liners. The fish use them for cover. I'm not saying I'm an expert by any means. I just go on my observations as I stated earlier. How about keeping spawning females in the spring? Is that a bigger problem than someone keeping a 8 plus inch blue or 12 inch plus crappie? I don't know. Like I said, we're no threat to any species. Just a bunch of hacks trying to have fun and learn something.


Pennys make dollars and if you apply that it adds up on the amount we harvest. You can look at the Siskowit lake trout in superior or grayling in Lake Michigan for examples of pollution and over fishing decimating a population. Another obvious example are the Somali pirates, those dudes were fisherman but the eastern countries come over to Africa and slam fish.
This is in the same conversation as game cameras as technology to harvest fish gets better we need to change regs and limits or ban things like live scope all together.

I fish in FL 4 times a year at the past three years we haven’t been able to keep snook or red fish because of the red tide caused by fertilizer run off.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

9Left said:


> I don't see any problem with that on Erie anyways… There's easily several million bluegills in East Harbor....Seeing a Facebook picture of one person taking home a couple hundred fish is much less of a deal than guys on this thread are making it... I don't think anyone realizes that all five great lakes are connected by a river system… That's a lot of damn water…


Can you say blue pike
Now tell me it cant happen


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Sorry I type to fast and run sentences together! Commercial ocean netters especially! I know some people don’t want to hear about over population but it’s fact it’s wearing on a lot of resources and causing creatures to be extinct! My bad on the passenger pigeons I thought I still saw them a while back! I was identifying them wrong then! One of my goals In life is to learn something new in life every day! I sure I learned that at school , might of been hung over 😂


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

TRIPLE-J said:


> Can you say blue pike
> Now tell me it cant happen


Word that


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## Ron Y (Dec 2, 2020)

Great Lakes quotas are set by international commission for both US and Canada, for both commercial and recreational .


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

I'm starting to prefer the days where I bring home enough fish for my wife and I to eat in one meal. Not only does it mean less fish to clean, but it also justifies the reasoning to go out and fish again. While everyone's views are a little different, I like seeing that it is being discussed. Selective harvest and fishing conservation is important to all of us.


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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

I personally will not bring home more than twenty fish when me and the wife are out. I don't like cleaning more than that and with bringing no more than twenty home it is enough for the family to have one fresh fish fry and freeze another for later.


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## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

I'm going to keep catfish in the 12 to 18" range every chance I can this season and I have two reasons why. While fishing my Dad and I started catching them like crazy and I immediately told him open the livewell. He stated his displeasure but I said we're keeping these I'm going to fillet them all and make them. I ended up soaking them in salt water just like I do with any other fish and then battered and air fried them. Took them over to their place and they thought it was the walleye we caught. The 2nd reason for keeping the cats is as soon as you eliminate them from hitting your lure, that's when the walleye started hitting! The cats are more aggressive and beat the eyes to the lure, so next time you're catching cats keep them and see what you begin to catch!


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## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

My point is some fish populations are not balanced and we as sportsmen can help that by keeping a lot. Taking more isn't always negative!


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## Buzzy (Jul 2, 2011)

OptOutside440 said:


> My point is some fish populations are not balanced and we as sportsmen can help that by keeping a lot. Taking more isn't always negative!


We all like keepin fish for most in this thread it’s why we do it. And if the best eatin size cats have to get sampled take a few.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

OptOutside440 said:


> My point is some fish populations are not balanced and we as sportsmen can help that by keeping a lot. Taking more isn't always negative!


Ocean over-fishing and over-harvesting can be a real concern......although the commercial side seemingly plays a much greater role.
But to your valid point, the more white perch that get removed from LaDue and East Branch....the better.


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## Ron Y (Dec 2, 2020)

Few years back they stopped cod fishing off Georges bank area for commercial guys to rebuild stocks( now reopened I think ). This is problem in South Pacific, Japanese, Korean, China and others overfishing, going into waters of other countries and taking everything. Long liners putting out 50 mile long lines killing everything caught in it. Better management worldwide is needed.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

U guys have mention in above posts that in certain fishery’s it is better to keep some or more of certain species! Certain species don’t grow well in particular environments! Ecosystems in better terms! I agree !!!


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## forrest r (Mar 14, 2020)

Ron Y said:


> Great Lakes quotas are set by international commission for both US and Canada, for both commercial and recreational .


You better guess again. Ohio has stabbed every fisherman in the back repeatedly with their worthless practices.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Bingo I agree


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

forrest r said:


> You better guess again. Ohio has stabbed every fisherman in the back repeatedly with their worthless practices.


In what ways bud?


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## ccc (Mar 14, 2005)

bass fishing any lake not named Erie


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## cement569 (Jan 21, 2016)

i have access to fish a few marinas around the turtle creek area. everyone i have ice fished is loaded with gills, bass, and some crappie. i have only seen a hand full of other icers fish them. the best one i fish you can catch gills all day, so i think its fair to say that the lake is still in real good shape


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Buzzy said:


> I have a honest question how many bluegills have you caught a half mile off shore in 30+ feet of water over the years?


And I have a question for you… Why do you seem to think that every single bluegill in lake erie are all concentrated in East Harbor? The problem here is the Internet and social media…People see a picture they don't agree with and fly off the handle and jump to conclusions. And to reference earlier posts about limits on perch, Perch fishing was hurt because commercial fishing was introduced… It has absolutely nothing to do with fisherman with fishing poles. I'm not advocating that it's OK to completely plunder resources of our wildlife… And I'm not blind to the fact that regulations and limits are put in place for good reason. We are not that different man, I go up to East Harbor, and I never seem to have any problem catching big gills… But like you and others here, I don't have any reason to keep 100 of them… I keep what I think I can handle… Which is usually about 20. If another guy wants to catch and fillet 100 of them. and it's within the law, then go for it.


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## baitguy (Dec 17, 2013)

brad crappie said:


> One of my goals In life is to learn something new in life every day! I sure I learned that at school , might of been hung over 😂


Brad - a late 1960s next door WVA hillbilly mentor taught me that back in the day ... Homer was his name, transplant from West by God 🤯 that wisdom has always stayed with me for 50+ years, no matter how trivial I try to learn something every day ... lol about both the learning and also the hangovers 



Ron Y said:


> Great Lakes quotas are set by international commission for both US and Canada, for both commercial and recreational .


Yes, but I'd love to see some sort of compilation of the mortation rate for the released fish from the commercial netters ... can't even imagine how many juvenile fish are killed in those "releases" , I ve seem videos of the trails of dead fish which is likely a fraction of the real kill ...


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## Buzzy (Jul 2, 2011)

9Left said:


> And I have a question for you… Why do you seem to think that every single bluegill in lake erie are all concentrated in East Harbor? The problem here is the Internet and social media…People see a picture they don't agree with and fly off the handle and jump to conclusions. And to reference earlier posts about limits on perch, Perch fishing was hurt because commercial fishing was introduced… It has absolutely nothing to do with fisherman with fishing poles. I'm not advocating that it's OK to completely plunder resources of our wildlife… And I'm not blind to the fact that regulations and limits are put in place for good reason. We are not that different man, I go up to East Harbor, and I never seem to have any problem catching big gills… But like you and others here, I don't have any reason to keep 100 of them… I keep what I think I can handle… Which is usually about 20. If another guy wants to catch and fillet 100 of them. and it's within the law, then go for it.


Buddy what I’m saying is that the gills don’t use “all that water”. They only use may 1% of it because of the depths and what they need. And in the winter when they concentrate the most it’s easy to catch them.
You didn’t answer my question and made up a position I don’t share.


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## forrest r (Mar 14, 2020)

perch limits and who's allowed to catch them.

page #37


https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/fish-management/LakeErieStatus.pdf



In that link it shows a decline in the commercial yellow perch caught (5xx,xxx pounds) for 2020.

In 2021 they lowered the limit of fish sport fisherman like myself can catch from 30 to 10 fish. Yet the ohio odnr left the commercial fishing the same for 2021 and they caught 5xx,xxx pounds of yellow perch.


https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/fish-management/Initial+2021+Yellow+Perch+Quota+Allocation.pdf



I'm down to keeping 1/3rd of my fish yet the commercial fishing is allowed to stay the same.


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## loweman165 (May 15, 2015)

I never understood why all summer anglers are congratulated daily for limits of walleye and perch but criticized for keeping bass and now BLUEGILL!


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## One guy and a boat (Aug 8, 2018)

loweman165 said:


> I never understood why all summer anglers are congratulated daily for limits of walleye and perch but criticized for keeping bass and now BLUEGILL!


Great point and very true.

Kip


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## One guy and a boat (Aug 8, 2018)

Good thread. I'm not a big panfish guy other than just for fun, but can appreciate the need for limits. Really any natural resource needs limits to protect it from abuse. I would hope there's not many keeping 100 gills. My god I've done 40 or so and was ready to stab myself. 

Kip


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

forrest r said:


> perch limits and who's allowed to catch them.
> 
> page #37
> 
> ...


Ban the netters


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

loweman165 said:


> I never understood why all summer anglers are congratulated daily for limits of walleye and perch but criticized for keeping bass and now BLUEGILL!


Because there's people on here that sometimes have bad days fishing… Then see pictures of other people having success and they get pissed off and criticize them for doing something wrong When they're perfectly within their rights to do what they're doing…


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Buzzy said:


> Buddy what I’m saying is that the gills don’t use “all that water”. They only use may 1% of it because of the depths and what they need. And in the winter when they concentrate the most it’s easy to catch them.
> You didn’t answer my question and made up a position I don’t share.


Your question is when's the last time I caught bluegill in the middle of Lake Erie? Come up with a rational question… Nobody does… And why in the hell would you even fish in the middle of lake erie for bluegill? You don't troll crank baits through East Harbor for walleyes do you? You fish the appropriate habitat and cover… What I am telling you is that it's a lot of water…East Harbor is by far not the only harbor available to you to go ice fishing… Fish grow to the size of their environment.. both in size as well as population...And gills will absolutely use all that water… Whether it's for just finding other cover, other bays, other harbors, whatever. They move, Based on what is needed… That move can be 100 yards… Or that move can be 2 miles.


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## forrest r (Mar 14, 2020)

I don't fish the east harbor but I do target panfish when fishing, specifically bluegill, perch & crappie. I find them not only down right tasty, they're fun to catch on ul equipment. Yes I catch enough for me and the misses to be able to eat fish dinners +1 to 2 times a week during the winter months (4 months/25 1# bags of fish).

I don't judge what other do but I do try to be selective in what I keep. Typical stringers after a day of pan fishing.

























In those pictures you'll see catfish, they make up 50% of what I freeze for winter. You'll also see bluegill ranging from 7" to 9", perch from 7" to 10" and the only crappie I keep are 12" to 13".

Any crappie under or over 12/13" get released
Any bluegill under or over 7/9" get released
Any perch under or over 7/10" get released.
The only time I keep any of those fish that are under or over the "target" size I impose on myself is when they get hooked real bad and aren't going to make it. (swallowed the hook/gills bleeding/etc.)

I will say it takes a lot of panfish to make 1# of filets, I leave the skin on them and scale them which helps with the weight. Even then it takes +/-6 crappie to make 1# of fillets. Takes +/- 10 perch and +/- 14 bluegill.

I could keep the bigger fish but I'd rather release them. So yes it takes 200+ bluegill and 200+ yellow perch a year to keep my family in fish for the year. That's not counting the catfish or the limited crappie I target/fish for. I do spread my fishing out to 4 different locations/public lakes.

But I'm only 1 fisherman and I'm only feeding 2 people with 1 fish fry a year (catfish). But I'm taking 400+ panfish a year out of the lakes and river I fish. A family of 4 would easily be +/- 2000 panfish.

At the end of the day I wish they would start putting limits on bluegill. I've been around long enough to see the decline in smelt and perch in lake erie.


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## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

forrest r said:


> I don't fish the east harbor but I do target panfish when fishing, specifically bluegill, perch & crappie. I find them not only down right tasty, they're fun to catch on ul equipment. Yes I catch enough for me and the misses to be able to eat fish dinners +1 to 2 times a week during the winter months (4 months/25 1# bags of fish).
> 
> I don't judge what other do but I do try to be selective in what I keep. Typical stringers after a day of pan fishing.
> 
> ...


I like how you keep track of your needs as well as usage. My family of 4, eating fish once a week needs about 80 pounds a year. That's a pound and a half a week. We've never been able to supply that need by fishing with the little time we have for it. With the exception of our trip to the gulf this year. That took care of the whole year and then some but I'm getting a little tired of tuna. Something else I track is carcass yield. I see anywhere from 40 to 60 percent carcass yield on the fish we catch. Walleye being the best yielding but your right, leaving the skin on makes for a better carcass yield for sure.


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## Buzzy (Jul 2, 2011)

9Left said:


> Your question is when's the last time I caught bluegill in the middle of Lake Erie? Come up with a rational question… Nobody does… And why in the hell would you even fish in the middle of lake erie for bluegill? You don't troll crank baits through East Harbor for walleyes do you? You fish the appropriate habitat and cover… What I am telling you is that it's a lot of water…East Harbor is by far not the only harbor available to you to go ice fishing… Fish grow to the size of their environment.. both in size as well as population...And gills will absolutely use all that water… Whether it's for just finding other cover, other bays, other harbors, whatever. They move, Based on what is needed… That move can be 100 yards… Or that move can be 2 miles.


I made that point because you said “the lakes are connected by rivers and there is a ton of water for these fish” which is an idiotic statement when you realize that bluegills don’t use that much of the system. No one disagrees that fish move, just not out into open water. Which was confirmed by most people who fish the lakes. I don’t know if I’ve ever caught one in Lake Superior which is where I fish most of the year. So having a sustainable limit on species because we know where and when they are isn’t that unreasonable.
I don’t really know what you’re arguing because you haven’t made a reasonable point yet and just keep calling me idiotic.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Buzzy said:


> I made that point because you said “the lakes are connected by rivers and there is a ton of water for these fish” which is an idiotic statement when you realize that bluegills don’t use that much of the system. No one disagrees that fish move, just not out into open water. Which was confirmed by most people who fish the lakes. I don’t know if I’ve ever caught one in Lake Superior which is where I fish most of the year. So having a sustainable limit on species because we know where and when they are isn’t that unreasonable.
> I don’t really know what you’re arguing because you haven’t made a reasonable point yet and just keep calling me idiotic.


 No one called you idiotic… Or your statements....However in your post you're telling me I made an idiotic statement… I'm not name-calling… But if you want to start that game… Then stop being such a sensitive nancy


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## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

Here we go. Time to stop this.


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## One guy and a boat (Aug 8, 2018)

9Left said:


> No one called you idiotic… Or your statements....However in your post you're telling me I made an idiotic statement… I'm not name-calling… But if you want to start that game… Then stop being such a sensitive nancy



Kip 
Why


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Let's try to make it easier… Hypothetically, if you sealed off East Harbor from the rest of Lake Erie… Just build a big concrete wall and completely isolate it… And it keeps receiving the pressure of ice fishing and other fisherman that is receiving now, probably in less than five years, it would be wiped out… Would you agree with that? 
But it never gets wiped out of bluegills… It's been around a long long time… And the only reason is because of the massive amount of water that it's connected to… So you can't tell me all that water and area and rivers and other great lakes that are all connected don't serve a purpose and are not used by Every species of fish… I have zero idea how I could make it any more clear. Have a great day and good fishing!


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## One guy and a boat (Aug 8, 2018)

The horse is dead. It's been dead for a while. Can we move on.

Kip


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

9Left said:


> Let's try to make it easier… Hypothetically, if you sealed off East Harbor from the rest of Lake Erie… Just build a big concrete wall and completely isolate it… And it keeps receiving the pressure of ice fishing and other fisherman that is receiving now, probably in less than five years, it would be wiped out… Would you agree with that?
> But it never gets wiped out of bluegills… It's been around a long long time… And the only reason is because of the massive amount of water that it's connected to… So you can't tell me all that water and area and rivers and other great lakes that are all connected don't serve a purpose and are not used by Every species of fish… I have zero idea how I could make it any more clear. Have a great day and good fishing!


I think we all can agree that usually western basin perch are smaller then the central and eastern basin on Erie cause of more fishermen, boats , less deeper water to hide ,and I think more commercial netters but not sure that’s fact tho!! I did hear from more then one fishermen out west that it was best size in years out there!!! I do see more 7-8in perch kept out west compared to other basins in Erie!!! That’s to small for me and I see that with the gills out west to! The gill population will not be wiped out but 8in gills and bigger will if u abuse those sizes! It’s a fact and read up! Gills don’t migrate like eyes do! A fact!!! Gills might take 8 years to reach 8in up north! Look bass guys know about the bronzebacks! They don’t migrate and live in confined areas and when U take them off the beds the gobies will attack them eggs big time! I remember when eye charter guys were using crabs for bait for smallmouth when the eye fishing was not as good and guys were taking them home! The bass tourneys taking them big sacks of fish to the scales put a big hurting on the small mouths! I was one of them! thus a season was created! I bet I fish for panfish more then 99% of the time and take fish 10% of the time! I fish tourneys, prefish, and fun fish! Lots of gas being spent but I respect the resource and want more trophy for me and everyone else! I love the outdoors and give a damn! Ps I struggled yesterday no fish left! 😂


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## One guy and a boat (Aug 8, 2018)

brad crappie said:


> I think we all can agree that usually western basin perch are smaller then the central and eastern basin on Erie cause of more fishermen, boats , less deeper water to hide ,and I think more commercial netters but not sure that’s fact tho!! I did hear from more then one fishermen out west that it was best size in years out there!!! I do see more 7-8in perch kept out west compared to other basins in Erie!!! That’s to small for me and I see that with the gills out west to! The gill population will not be wiped out but 8in gills and bigger will if u abuse those sizes! It’s a fact and read up! Gills don’t migrate like eyes do! A fact!!! Gills might take 8 years to reach 8in up north! Look bass guys know about the bronzebacks! They don’t migrate and live in confined areas and when U take them off the beds the gobies will attack them eggs big time! I remember when eye charter guys were using crabs for bait for smallmouth when the eye fishing was not as good and guys were taking them home! The bass tourneys taking them big sacks of fish to the scales put a big hurting on the small mouths! I was one of them! thus a season was created! I bet I fish for panfish more then 99% of the time and take fish 10% of the time! I fish tourneys, prefish, and fun fish! Lots of gas being spent but I respect the resource and want more trophy for me and everyone else! I love the outdoors and give a damn! Ps I struggled yesterday no fish left!


Brad you seem knowledgeable on gills so I have a question for you. I've seen it mentioned several times about releasing 8 inch and above bulls because of their genetics. Wouldn't some of the smaller bulls have the same genetic but just haven't reached that size yet? Is it just a matter of by releasing the 8" and above your guaranteeing that the genetics are there? 

Kip


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## Buzzy (Jul 2, 2011)

9Left said:


> No one called you idiotic… Or your statements....However in your post you're telling me I made an idiotic statement… I'm not name-calling… But if you want to start that game… Then stop being such a sensitive nancy


Grand reply. Yet still not one point trying to be made.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

One guy and a boat said:


> Brad you seem knowledgeable on gills so I have a question for you. I've seen it mentioned several times about releasing 8 inch and above bulls because of their genetics. Wouldn't some of the smaller bulls have the same genetic but just haven't reached that size yet? Is it just a matter of by releasing the 8" and above your guaranteeing that the genetics are there?
> Harvest them in low numbers not by 50! Yes genes are there and they will someday become a bull if allowed! Not all lakes have right environments for producing a good quality gills! I fish both east and west harbors u will see the difference ! Weeds and weeds! Now west is getting more weeds but not there yet in producing more studs! Not the numbers! In public waters it’s hard to get fish o gills!!
> Kip


I fish from pymy to portage river west! Akron south for gills! Craps alum , Delaware , and st marys last year for craps! I fish more then any of my buddies my girlfriend is ny my daughter ii in Florida! I do fish presque and Chautauqua and those 2 lakes got affected by the states killing weeds!


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Sure thing... it's the same thing every year anyways… We get a few inches of ice and every" ice fisherman" in ohio gets their panties in a wad about bluegills...


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## John Boat (Sep 23, 2014)

9Left said:


> Sure thing... it's the same thing every year anyways… We get a few inches of ice and every" ice fisherman" in ohio gets their panties in a wad about bluegills...


OMG, just fish and be happy that you are physically and mentally able to do so. Size of fish varies year to year for numerous reasons. Maybe your just not on top of them on a given day!!!


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## COmmodore 64 (Jun 24, 2006)

TRIPLE-J said:


> Can you say blue pike
> Now tell me it cant happen


There is evidence that the biggest threat to the blue pike was the introduction of a non-native species which took their niche in the food chain (ate the same thing). And that species is smelt.

Think about that for a minute. What does the pelagic walleye population subsist on?

I'm not disagreeing, I'm just saying it's not as simple as bag limits.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

WARNING!!!
If some can't discuss the topic of this thread like adults without a bunch of name calling, antagonizing and taunting...it's strongly suggested that you not post at all.
Thanks


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

COmmodore 64 said:


> There is evidence that the biggest threat to the blue pike was the introduction of a non-native species which took their niche in the food chain (ate the same thing). And that species is smelt.
> 
> Think about that for a minute. What does the pelagic walleye population subsist on?
> 
> I'm not disagreeing, I'm just saying it's not as simple as bag limits.


Yea but there wasnt any bag limits on the blue pike plus there was heavy commercial fishing
All evidence has always pointed directly at overharvesting as to the decline and eventual extinction of them


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

Mankind has proven time after time that we have the ability to deplete fish stocks in ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans without proper regulations. No body of water is large enough to be able to sustain unregulated harvest without a decrease in fish quality and quantity.


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## Mickey (Oct 22, 2011)

Muddy said:


> Mankind has proven time after time that we have the ability to deplete fish stocks in ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans without proper regulations. No body of water is large enough to be able to sustain unregulated harvest without a decrease in fish quality and quantity.


Very well said Muddy.


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