
Catch Limits imposed on Sun Fish
About 8 years ago I saw groups out on Rice Lake with motorized scaling drums, and literally hundreds of sunfish and rock bass (not kidding)
I would like to see the lifting of the ban on using rock bass as bait. Pike and Ski will hammer a rock bass, and I can't think of a better use for them. Even just their tails on the end of a spoon work great.
... haven't done it myself since I was a kid and it was legal... honest...
I would like to see the lifting of the ban on using rock bass as bait. Pike and Ski will hammer a rock bass, and I can't think of a better use for them. Even just their tails on the end of a spoon work great.
... haven't done it myself since I was a kid and it was legal... honest...
If I booked a lodge vacation to fish for panfish, and drove a long ways to get there, I would think it unreasonable to take only 50 of the tasty little devils home after a week.
When I cook bluegills, rock bass and pumpkinseeds I usually consider an adult portion to be twelve fillets, sometimes more and sometimes less, but that is my rule of thumb. So a possession limit would be about eight adult portions. That is not a heck of a lot of fish to take home for the time and money I would have spent.
But fundamentally, IF THE FISH POPULATIONS CAN HANDLE THE PRESSURE, then there really is no science-based reason to limit the catch and possession of these three species. Put another way, if the aim of a limit is to protect vulnerable fish stocks, based on sound science, I am 100% on board. But if this is really about bashing Americans, which some folks in this country seem to enjoy, then I want no part of it.
And please, folks, I am NOT referring to anybody who has posted on this thread. I think this has been a civil discussion, on a matter that clearly brings out some passion (for and against), and I think it is a very healthy discussion for us to have as an angling community.
Doug
When I cook bluegills, rock bass and pumpkinseeds I usually consider an adult portion to be twelve fillets, sometimes more and sometimes less, but that is my rule of thumb. So a possession limit would be about eight adult portions. That is not a heck of a lot of fish to take home for the time and money I would have spent.
But fundamentally, IF THE FISH POPULATIONS CAN HANDLE THE PRESSURE, then there really is no science-based reason to limit the catch and possession of these three species. Put another way, if the aim of a limit is to protect vulnerable fish stocks, based on sound science, I am 100% on board. But if this is really about bashing Americans, which some folks in this country seem to enjoy, then I want no part of it.
And please, folks, I am NOT referring to anybody who has posted on this thread. I think this has been a civil discussion, on a matter that clearly brings out some passion (for and against), and I think it is a very healthy discussion for us to have as an angling community.
Doug
Yes but folks tend to really over eat.....
4.5 oz of meat is the suggested serving size for meat at a meal....
That is roughly 1 chicken breast....
So as I have NEVER eaten panfish but want to try it..are you saying it takes 12 to make up a portion that size????
Does anyone BBQ them or bake em?
Or do I need them on my cheat day and eat them fried???
J
4.5 oz of meat is the suggested serving size for meat at a meal....
That is roughly 1 chicken breast....
So as I have NEVER eaten panfish but want to try it..are you saying it takes 12 to make up a portion that size????
Does anyone BBQ them or bake em?
Or do I need them on my cheat day and eat them fried???
J
I fish when SHE lets me!!!
back to Jamsers.........
It depends on the fish. Most people could NOT eat twelve crappie fillets, that would be an obscene portion. Same for jumbo perch. But smaller fish, twelve is about right for most adults for a full meal.
It would be very difficult to BBQ panfish, but could be done. Leave the skin on and remove the rib bones, place them skin side down in a greased rack or similar, and bbq over high heat, basting at least once with a bit of melted butter with spices. Or if you are trying to keep fat down, use melted Becel Light margarine. The fillets will cook VERY quickly, like a couple minutes kind of thing, and if they dry out they will not be tasty.
I posted a recipe about how to bake them in the "poll" thread.
You could also certainly poach skinned panfish fillets in liquid, and can steam them in tin foil, either on a BBQ or in the oven. All of those require no fat.
But the best TASTING ways to eat them are surely pan-fried and deep-fried.
Doug
It depends on the fish. Most people could NOT eat twelve crappie fillets, that would be an obscene portion. Same for jumbo perch. But smaller fish, twelve is about right for most adults for a full meal.
It would be very difficult to BBQ panfish, but could be done. Leave the skin on and remove the rib bones, place them skin side down in a greased rack or similar, and bbq over high heat, basting at least once with a bit of melted butter with spices. Or if you are trying to keep fat down, use melted Becel Light margarine. The fillets will cook VERY quickly, like a couple minutes kind of thing, and if they dry out they will not be tasty.
I posted a recipe about how to bake them in the "poll" thread.
You could also certainly poach skinned panfish fillets in liquid, and can steam them in tin foil, either on a BBQ or in the oven. All of those require no fat.
But the best TASTING ways to eat them are surely pan-fried and deep-fried.

Doug
- FLIPPINSTICK
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Panfish Regulations
It seems fundamental, as a good friend once commented - having a no limit for sunfish (as described in the OMNR regulations), indicates that we have placed no value on OUR resource. Even what I would term a liberal limit of 50 sunfish would indicate that this resource means something to us as anglers and resource users.
Perhaps it's time for us as anglers, to be proactive and stop over-harvest and exploitation of OUR freshwater fisheries.
Perhaps it's time for us as anglers, to be proactive and stop over-harvest and exploitation of OUR freshwater fisheries.
back to flippinstick.............perhaps you did not read all of the responses to this thread? So far nobody that I can see has advocated over-harvest or exploitation, indeed quite the opposite.
"OUR freshwater fisheries" (your term) need science-based limits and solid enforcement, not the current situation of limits (or lack thereof) based on politics, and virtually no effective enforcement.
A limit of fifty WOULD be liberal in some instances, and WOULD be excessive in others, and IS restrictive and ill-advised, in my view, in still others. My argument (stated several times and in various ways) is that sunfish in many of our larger lakes are out of balance and need to be reduced in number. The most effective way to do that is by angling.
Doug
"OUR freshwater fisheries" (your term) need science-based limits and solid enforcement, not the current situation of limits (or lack thereof) based on politics, and virtually no effective enforcement.
A limit of fifty WOULD be liberal in some instances, and WOULD be excessive in others, and IS restrictive and ill-advised, in my view, in still others. My argument (stated several times and in various ways) is that sunfish in many of our larger lakes are out of balance and need to be reduced in number. The most effective way to do that is by angling.
Doug
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IMHO the fact that the sunfish limit was removed implies that the resource is undervalued. The fact that others that have posted are not advocating over-harvest or exploitation implies that anglers feel there should be a limit (50 or otherwise).
Sure it can be argued that science and solid enforcement are key to forming and upholding regulations - I strongly agree. Unfortunately scientific data is lacking on thousands of waterbodies - as a result of poor funding (thank you government) - our natural resource enforcement also suffers (thanks again government) - - I would never argue against being armed with all the right tools to make the best decisions --- It has got to be difficult to make blanket decisions that effect waterbodies that differ from each other -- but....ultimately we have to start somewhere.
I'd like to think that regulations are formed based on the best available science in conjunction with experiences from our bordering southern counterparts who have regulations.
If nothing else, I'm simply glad to see that anglers are passionate enough about fishing to talk about sunfish/panfish - the freshwater underdogs.
Sure it can be argued that science and solid enforcement are key to forming and upholding regulations - I strongly agree. Unfortunately scientific data is lacking on thousands of waterbodies - as a result of poor funding (thank you government) - our natural resource enforcement also suffers (thanks again government) - - I would never argue against being armed with all the right tools to make the best decisions --- It has got to be difficult to make blanket decisions that effect waterbodies that differ from each other -- but....ultimately we have to start somewhere.
I'd like to think that regulations are formed based on the best available science in conjunction with experiences from our bordering southern counterparts who have regulations.
If nothing else, I'm simply glad to see that anglers are passionate enough about fishing to talk about sunfish/panfish - the freshwater underdogs.
If you agreed to come to Pa & book a lodge here for Musky fishing THEN AFTER the booking find out that Musky are not allowed to be targeted. would you cancel??? Don't expect people to except rule changes AFTER the booking. Now you answer--DOES UHAUL CANADA RENT FREEZER TRUCKS???RJ wrote:Answer the question rfunfarm....rfunfarm wrote:Can't seem to find the part about freezer trucks at the lodges.Maybe U Haul Canada doesn't rent them out .
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Why would someone cancel their trip due to a limit of panfish being implemented?



- bass ackwards
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Thanks RJ for the Recorder & Times posting that is what I was refering to in my first posting. Rfunfarm seems to think somone would go to PA to fish muskie, hey this is the land of big muskies.
Rfunfarm what do you come to Ontario to fish for? In my original post my problem was with the operators that can't seem to put our resources before their profit or so it seems. And just for the record I don't think anybody from any country should be able to come to Ontario and have open limits on any fish. In all my years of fishing I don't think I've ever needed fifty of any panfish, crappie, perch to fill my freezer. I guess if you know where the big ones are you don't need that many.

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I fail to see any humour in our systems getting raped by overfishing....whether you are an American or a Canadian or Afghan for all I care....it's wrong....rfunfarm wrote:
If you agreed to come to Pa & book a lodge here for Musky fishing THEN AFTER the booking find out that Musky are not allowed to be targeted. would you cancel??? Don't expect people to except rule changes AFTER the booking. Now you answer--DOES UHAUL CANADA RENT FREEZER TRUCKS???![]()
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How many sunnies does it take to fill the truck???