Tag Archives: release

From the ND Outdoors Vault

Each week I revisit a column from the past which is relevant today
For more information on Frequently Asked Fishing Questions click here

Each week I close my column with my contact email information. Later, when the inbox dings to signal a new message has arrived, I’m never certain what the pretense for the email is, but I do enjoy the electronic communication.

Recently a reader took issue with an explanation I previously provided regarding harvest of big fish in the spring prior to the time that either walleyes or northern pike have spawned for the year.

Because North Dakota has a year-round fishing season for game fish, this is not an uncommon question. Some anglers wonder whether we should have a closed season, or alternately, whether we should have some type of fish length restriction that would reduce harvest of larger fish.

Rather than me trying to reinvent the wheel in addressing these concerns, North Dakota Game and Fish Director Terry Steinwand provided some excellent insight in his column in the March/April issue of North Dakota Outdoors, the state Game and Fish Department’s magazine. Following is a summary of that column.

In 1993 Game and Fish made the decision to have a year-round fishing season statewide. At the time, the Missouri River System was already open to walleye and pike harvest year-round, but the “game fish” season was closed in the rest of the state from mid-March to early May, a regulation that dated back at least into the 1930s.

Before implementing a year-round season, biologists evaluated the pros and cons. At the time the concern wasn’t so much whether anglers would over-harvest prespawn fish, but whether eliminating a traditional fishing opener would dampen fishing enthusiasm.

In nearly two decades since then, the year-round season has been mostly well received. Anglers like the extra opportunity, and biologically, any additional harvest of prespawn fish has not shown to be a detriment to any of our fishing waters.

However, every spring, and maybe this spring more than most because we have open water statewide so early, we hear concerns from anglers who witness or see pictures of people keeping some big, heavy, egg-bearing female pike or walleye caught from lakeshores or below dams, or in constricted rivers or channels.

While these fish are potential producers, we all know that there are more out there that are not being caught; and each having tens of thousands of eggs. It’s basically a numbers game for fish.

For the most part, a stringer full of big walleyes or pike taken before the spawning run may make the anglers look like game hogs in the eyes of some, but it doesn’t hurt the fishery any more than catching and keeping those same fish over Memorial Day weekend. Most anglers release those big fish without a regulation that makes it a requirement.

That said, experimental or restrictive regulations are always an option if it appears there is a need and the regulation can be fairly evaluated in a manner that produces reliable results, so we know it was the right thing to do for the fishery in the long term.

Fisheries biologists annually assess adult fish populations and reproduction on major waters, and Game and Fish monitors fishing success through creel surveys as well. These findings are essential in determining if and when regulation changes are needed.

It’s a good thing to have concerned anglers and hunters who ask the Game and Fish Department, through electronic communications or otherwise, for more restrictions when they feel our resources may be threatened.

Whether you choose to keep big fish or release them, it’s going to be a great year for fishing in North Dakota.

Doug Leier: Catch and Release the right way

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By Doug Leier

Food waste is a hot topic with an effort to raise awareness of the changing mindset from allowing food to rot, spoil or in some cases even just taking more than you need or will eat.

For many here in the Midwest, it’s hard to understand a heritage dating back to our ancestors using every part of a butchered pig. “Everything but the squeal,” as my dad’s generation would say.

In a similar message, there’s a sign at some North Dakota fishing destinations, reminding anglers of the value of the resources they are about to pursue.

The message is simple: “Fish Responsibly. Only Keep What You Will Use. Fish Are Too Valuable To Waste.”

“The message is intended to get anglers to think about the value of our fisheries and natural resources that belong to everyone and are enjoyed by everyone,” said Greg Power, Game and Fish Department fisheries chief. “If the fishing is great all summer, do you really need to keep 50-100 walleyes when you are going to only use 20? We are trying to call attention to the sometimes unknowing waste of fish.”

This waste goes beyond freezer-burned filets that were stored too long.

“If you put in the effort of buying a fishing license, loading your gear and wetting a line, you should have a plan in place when you catch fish,” Power said. “Anglers can’t set the hook first,

then worry about what they are going to do with the fish later. We don’t want this valuable resource tossed in the weeds or freezer-burned.”

Scott Gangl, Department fisheries management section leader, also said in the article that this mentality needs to be aimed at all fish, no matter the species.

“One step in getting people to think about all of this is by putting some value on the fish, be it a walleye, pike or catfish,” Gangl said. “It doesn’t matter what you catch because all fish have value.”

One related issue that is particularly relevant this time of year is when game fish are caught from water at depths of more than 30 feet. The deeper the water, the less likely a fish caught will survive if it is released because of extreme changes in pressure from the depths to the surface, which can cause swim bladders to expand. A fish under these circumstances can no longer control its balance in the water column.

Gangl said the message to anglers fishing in these situations is that they should plan to keep what they catch. And if anglers want to simply fish for recreation and have no interest in keeping anything, they should target fish in shallow water.

“We want anglers to understand the effects of catching fish from deep water,” Gangl said. “The key to catch-and-release fishing is that you need to release fish unharmed. This is often not the case from fish caught from those depths and then released.”

Keep Fish Caught in Deep Water

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists are encouraging ice anglers to keep fish caught from deep waters.

Catch-and-release fishing, no matter the time of year, is discouraged for fish caught in 30 feet or more of water because fish reeled in from those depths have a greater chance of dying if released.

Devils Lake ice anglers commonly catch yellow perch in 30-45 feet of water during the winter months. This practice also translates to other deep water bodies around the state.

Keep Fish Caught in Deep Water

A push to encourage open-water anglers to keep fish caught from deep waters should carry over into the ice fishing season, according to the State Game and Fish Department.

Catch-and-release fishing, no matter the time of year, is discouraged for fish caught in 25 feet or more of water because fish reeled in from those depths have a greater chance of dying if released.

Devils Lake ice anglers commonly catch yellow perch in 30-45 feet of water during the winter months. This practice also translates to other deep water bodies around the state.

Game and Fish recommends that anglers targeting fish at 25 feet or more should make the commitment to keep what they catch. And once they reach their limit, anglers should stop fishing at that depth to avoid killing more than their limit of fish.

Anglers Should Fish Responsibly, Keep Fish Caught in Deep Water

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel encourage anglers to keep fish caught from depths of more than 25 feet, rather than practice catch-and-release.

Scott Gangl, Game and Fish fisheries management section leader, said while catch-and-release is often encouraged under the right conditions, fish reeled in from this depth will likely die if released.

“Fish caught from deep water likely won’t survive because of the extreme change in water pressure,” Gangl said.

Change in water pressure will cause the swim bladder to expand, Gangl said, which means fish can no longer control balance. In addition, he said other internal injuries will likely happen, such as ruptured blood vessels or internal organs.

This can happen in any deep water body, Gangl said, but it is especially noteworthy for this time of the year in Lake Sakakawea.

“As water warms during summer, fish tend to move to deeper, cooler water,” he added. “This is particularly true for walleye in the big lake, where walleye follow their primary forage of rainbow smelt to deeper depths as summer progresses.”

Anglers fishing at least 25 feet deep should make the commitment to keep what they catch, and once they reach their limit to stop fishing at that depth.

“Our simple message is for anglers to keep fish that are caught from these depths, or to fish in shallower water when practicing catch-and-release,” Gangl said.