ORIGINAL: Bogeyjoker

ORIGINAL: Big Tuna

so are they ok to keep?

No...and that's been my position since 1970....

 
I'd agree with Bogey.....fish them right and they'll hit it on the way down and then no questions asked whether or not the fish was snagged.

i agree with both.  i have had eyes hit vibes on the way down and i knew it was a hit but when bringing them up they had a good hook in the mouth and the other one in the cheek.  i would consider that a legal hook set.  now if i brought it up and the hook was on the outside of its mouth like under its bottom lip and one in the cheek i would say that is foul hook.  I guess that is one that can be debated till we run out of air.
As far as spot burning i dont believe i am.  the purpose of these boards to to share knowledge, it is no different than when someone catches some fish and goes to the bar and brags about what they caught and tell their friends where they caught them.  As trout said they put it in the post gazette as soon as ppl start cathing fish and tell what they are using down to the color.  At this point in time this thread has 3,061 hits i am sure the paper reaches more than that and that is just one paper.  i will continue to share tips and hints cause its nice when i need some help that there are ppl willing to tell me what to use and where to go so that i can have a better chance at catching some fish. 

OH well,leadcore and hot n tots

17 fow

1.5mph

I was actually just making fun of Tuna's famous 70's reference. It seems every post he makes defending shooting fish in the proverbial barrel, he shouts from the rooftops that he's been doing this since the early 70's. I never understood the relevence, and find it funny. However, I can't condemn the practice of this circus, because, with the exception of keeping foul hooked fish, and the keeping of 4 or 5 limits/day...it's legal. Pymy walleye fishing is primarily a put/take fishery. Bings had a very informative post about this last year, with data from the fisheries biologists.

What gets me scratching my head is: How could anyone find this kind of activity fun? Notice I didn't say this kind of fishing...I don't consider this fishing. Claiming sportsmanship because you release foul hooked fish at the spillway is, to me, analagous to claiming to be sportsmanlike by releasing foul-hooked fish while fishing in the nursery waters at trout run. If it's strictly a meat run, and you're driving an hour or two or three to get there, it's much cheaper to go to the supermarket to get your fish with $3.00+/gal gas. So, I can only assume that people take part because they find it enjoyable. Either way, it's none of my business. I just get a kick out of watching Tuna and others justify their pilgrimages every year.

Here's bing's post that I was referring to:

http://forums.fishusa.com/fb.asp?m=183169

that is a great letter, and it is as simple as bings said.  It is up to the person whether they want to participate in that kind of fishing or not.

That was a great post by Bings.  Thanks for sharing that Bogey.  To me catching the fish is fun because I for some reason don't seem to get them through the ice so often times these are my first walleye of the year.  To me it's very much like hunting.  Most of us can find somewhere close to go and buy venison....but instead we travel to hunt (3 hours in my case), wake up very early in the morning to walk miles into the woods with the hope to come across something that can be killed.
 
The other thing I see about it is the action at the spillway presents the best opportunity probably all year for shore fisherman to catch their limit in walleye.  Just my thoughts on the issue.  The way I see it there are 2 types of the people.  The people who fish the spillway with the crowd and don't mind it, and the ones who don't like the crowd so they complain about it.  Neither side is wrong but I don't see making spot buring an issue because there may have been a few less guys there in 1970.

congrats to you topdog for getting them hopefully i will make it up soon and be able to say the same