ORIGINAL: ShutUpNFish

Do you seriously care what my response is?  Or are you just looking for some sort of debate or just trying to stir up the water here?  I'd be willing to bet it is the latter of the two.  To be quite blunt, it is pretty obvious what you're looking for. 

In short and to appease your ignorance...I will say that we have spent enough time on specific bodies of water, catching and releasing muskies over the years, to see/know that there aren't hundreds of dead fish floating around dead.  And the increase of size/quality of fish due to C&R is obvious proof that most fish do survive after being caught if being properly handled (and these folks are doing it as correctly as they possibly can).  Not to mention the tagging survey that we did.

Where will you proceed from here smart****

Gotta go!  Be back later....

again I ask, How do you know?

I say the muskies life was compromised by holding it up by the gill plate for a "Hero" shot for bragging rights on the internet.
I'm not impressed. I fish for muskie and we use a cradle net and never lift the fish out of the water.

Be back this evening for youe response. Going fishing now.

Sir.... I once thought that you might be as ignorant as your words. Thank you for removing all doubt.
 
Another real answer for you. It doesn't take a month for a fish to die. If you go to St Clair or other high numbers lakes and drive around for 9 days killing hundreds of muskies surely some or at least one, will show up. Not. Besides..... what is your point. We should A) Not fish for them B) Not release them because it's a waste of a meal C) Log off so you can relax
 
Fact is that fishing is better, for many species, than it was decades ago. True water quality has improved but biologists will tell you that with the increasing popularity of C&R muskie populations are at an all time high. While there are more complicated pieces to the puzzle, especially in larger bodies of water like walleyes in Erie, in inland lakes C&R makes all the difference in the world. It works. Especially for species with relatively low population numbers like muskies.That with the new minimum size that our club was able to push for are the two best things to happen to muskies in this state. If you think you are talking to two people on your level you are sadly mistaken. Your rants about fish survival are another fine example of how Fish Erie is becoming Fish Jerry..... Springer. 
 
Hero shots? Yeah.... we drive around for months burning gas so we can impress people like you. Once again your intellegence is shining through Einstein. Those pictures are of great memories. I have tons of them from friends and members of MI that are not even my fish but nevertheless still my memories. Get it? Probably not. It's above you. I guess everything is above a bottom feeder.

If you're THAT concerned for the fishes' well being, maybe you should just quit fishing for them all together.  Remember, you ARE inpailing them with barbed metal hooks and fighting them to utter exhaustion which is a whole Hell of a lot worse than holding them vertically.  AND you have obviously NOT caught enough muskies to know that a cradle is nothing but a hassel to use when landing a muskie because of time constraints and no more of a benefit than a net or Boga.  Who the Hell even uses a cradle anymore??? 

This will be my last and final response to your ignorant banter concerning muskie fishing.  Especially when you're trying to debate people who have been involved in the conservation of this sport for over two decades.  We do not drive around in our boats looking for dead skis, but we do fish and spend a lot of time on the waters we fish and catch fish in.  Two simple factors apply....1 - the muskie fishing has only got better because of C&R, but got worse beacause of idiotic "purist" views like your own.  2 - Those bodies of water that fish are often caught and released would certainly contain many dead fish floating around because of poor fish handling, wouldn't they?  Finally, you're point as far as holding fish vertically without support is not condoned in any way by this particular circle of muskie fisherman and women.  Don't let one photo give you the wrong perception as it obviously has.  Thats where my point came from, in the first place, as to NOT judge by one fish because there are certainly many from where that one came from that were released unharmed (including the particular fish in mention that most likely survived).  Do I know for sure?  NO, but niether do you when you cradle your 3 fish a year with your **** tool and try try to ensure that it is released unharmed.  All we can do is handle the fish with care, of course, and we're still catching them.  I know one thing, I'm catching more and better quality fish than I did in the eighties...I sure do have proof that fish I've caught & released had survived.  Some were caught multiple times through tagging studies (same studies IS was involved in)...thats enough proof for me.  Can you say the same cadleboy?? 

Finally, the bottom line is to get that fish back into the water as soon as possible and to have a solid routine as to do so.  That only comes from experiance and experience comes from catching multiple fish so that your routine can become the best it can be.  I won't get into numbers, but I can ensure you, I feel I am comfortable with my routine and its the best possible one for the ensurance that the fish I catch will survive after the Hell it has just been put through....If it bothered me THAT much anyway, I'd quit and take up bird watching.  I choose to keep catching muskies simply because I'm addicted to it, but you sir obviously need to invest in a good pair of binoculars! 

steelheadfillet...
 
quick question...after fighting your fish to exhaustion in order to get it into the cradle do you bring it into the boat for a pic?  if so, how does it get there?  do you, by chance, grab it by the gills (or boga) and vertically lift it into the boat?
 
just curious
Nathan Buck
Pittsburgh, PA

ORIGINAL: ShutUpNFish

If you're THAT concerned for the fishes' well being, maybe you should just quit fishing for them all together.  Remember, you ARE inpailing them with barbed metal hooks and fishting them to utter exhaustion which is a whole Hell of a lot worse than holding them vertically.  AND you have obviously NOT caught enough muskies to know that a cradle is nothing but a hassel to use when landing a muskie because of time constraints and no more of a benefit than a net or Boga.  Who the Hell even uses a cradle anymore??? 

This will be my last and final response to your ignorant banter concerning muskie fishing.  Especially when you're trying to debate people who have been involved in the conservation of this sport for over two decades.  We do not drive around in our boats looking for dead skis, but we do fish and spend a lot of time on the waters we fish and catch fish in.  Two simple factors apply....1 - the muskie fishing has only got better because of C&R, but got worse beacause of idiotic "purist" views like your own.  2 - Those bodies of water that fish are often caught and released would certainly contain many dead fish floating around because of poor fish handling, wouldn't they?  Finally, you're point as far as holding fish vertically without support is not condoned in any way by this particular circle of muskie fisherman and women.  Don't let one photo give you the wrong perception as it obviously has.  Thats where my point came from, in the first place, as to NOT judge by one fish because there are certainly many from where that one came from that were released unharmed (including the particular fish in mention that most likely survived).  Do I know for sure?  NO, but niether do you when you cradle your 3 fish a year with your **** tool and try try to ensure that it is released unharmed.  All we can do is handle the fish with care, of course, and we're still catching them.  I know one thing, I'm catching more and better quality fish than I did in the eighties...I sure do have proof that fish I've caught & released had survived.  Some were caught multiple times through tagging studies (same studies IS was involved in)...thats enough proof for me.  Can you say the same cadleboy?? 

Finally, the bottom line is to get that fish back into the water as soon as possible and to have a solid routine as to do so.  That only comes from experiance and experience comes from catching multiple fish so that your routine can become the best it can be.  I won't get into numbers, but I can ensure you, I feel I am comfortable with my routine and its the best possible one for the ensurance that the fish I catch will survive after the Hell it has just been put through....If it bothered me THAT much anyway, I'd quit and take up bird watching.  I choose to keep catching muskies simply because I'm addicted to it, but you sir obviously need to invest in a good pair of binoculars! 

everyone knows you fished for muskie since the 1800's and might even have invented muskie in general
I use barbless hooks and a cradle, I do every thing I cvan to insure they survive.
I will admit I tried reading your last post,got bored after the first paragraph.
the same nonsense you been typing since yesterday.

keep killing the fish you claim to be an expert at.maybe one day you'll get it.

I've landed over 50 muskies in the last 3 years on barbless hooks by Gamakatsu.
I simply keep pressure on them at all times. It seems you and shutup have chips on your shoulders,probably stem from your high school bullies that shoved you into lockers too many times.

Neither of you are as good as you claim,just typical internet fisherman bragging to a bunch of guys who don't care.
I've recieved a few Pm's explaining shutups mental shortcomings from a few members and they are correct.
The guy is "miserable and posts inflamatory remarks as a release from his frustrations."

quoted from one such PM

JUST SHUT UP AND FISH!

unbelieveable. markings on those fish are awesome.

NICE FISH! Just out of curiousity what body of water did you catch those from? don't wanna be a spot burner just curious

Oh you read it alright...all the right words in your mind you read....however you obviously did not comprehend the important stuff.  lol@ barbless hooks!

This guy is not worth it Joe, don't even waste your time!  Not even near worth it.

I don't mind telling people that the spotted muskies are from St Clair. Hard to burn a spot in a lake that you can't see shore from one side to the other. Plus there's alot more to it than that. Besides.... I enjoy helping others. I can't be there all the time anyway. Now if I started noticing the same face behind my propwash that would be a different story.

Other high percentage lakes, like real high percentage.... Chautauqua, any of the Kawarthas: Rice, Chemung, Buckhorn, Pigeon, Sturgeon, & Balsam. St Lawrence isn't even too bad for numbers these days but like all of them that's at the right time of year. At the right time Pymatuning has great action from smaller fish in the low to mid 30 inch range with the chance of a hog at any minute. If you pound the hell out of Arthur you'll get a few eventually. The nice thing is there's no guessing game there..... pound the road beds for the most part or plug one of the weedy ends of the bigger bays with bright stuff since the water looks like crap. Allegheny river has always been great and it's huge when you consider it's length.... plus way underfished for muskies, especially where it's a long way between access ramps. You cannot fish where the Tionesta meets the Allegheny very long without getting muskies. Most of the small lakes in Pa that are stocked are worth fishing really. Tamarack & Woodcock. Glendale, Wilhelm. Pick the best one and concentrate on it. The shortest drive to good Pgh fishing is Pymie hands down. Kinzua and Conneaut are not the place to go.

I prefer to drive to the best spot I have time to fish though. Come Monday I don't remember the drive or the gas money..... I just know what I caught. I punch the gas as I pass Arthur. LOL

Maybe some more pics one day if I can get the scanner to work.

A quick plug...... Wiley Lures rule!

Other than that.... Leo Lures & Legend Lures both also local. Pa. lure makers kick butt. No need for Buchers, Believers, bucktails or any other mass marketed lures. The best is made right here in western Pa. I'd highly recommend barbed hooks too. Don't worry about poking an alligator in the mouth. They don't swallow a 6 to 10 inch plug like a trout does to a minnow or egg sac. Once you whack the hook off at the bend or shank it makes no difference in releasing them. A huge difference in catching them though.

One more thing.... 'ol Fisher1 is a humble guy. I bet he thinks 50 in a couple years ain't bad and it ain't. But he and a partner caught 73........ last week! (I think I have that number correct) I like to brag about others when I know I may have played a small part in their success. I owe the same to several others. We ALL enjoy each others success. ShutUp has shown me a thing or two and I was able to return the favor and show him a thing or three. (wink) That's what really makes it total fun. Way to go Nate & congrats on the 51.5!    

If any of you would like the name of a heck of a good muskie guide PM me. You will get fish and learn a whole lot. He's legit... licensed and insured too by the way.

Hey whos this guy???  Rivaling Beer Guts!!  Check out the ponytail too..  LOL

Remember this?

ORIGINAL: ShutUpNFish

Hey whos this guy???  Rivaling Beer Guts!!  Check out the ponytail too..  LOL

Remember this?

uhhhh, that looks like like something out of the Old Milwaukee beer commercials/Babe Winkleman shows from the late 70's/early 80's.
 
no offense. just sayin.'