No Closed Season ?

[RapRunR]

I was sitting around with a few buds last night and the talk turned to musky fishing, imagine that. What i'm curious about is why we have here in Pa no closed season. We have a closed season on walleyes obviously for the spawn. Shouldn't there also be a closed season for muskies during there spawning time so they can spawn unmolested also ? Your thoughts ?

[Ivan]

We always did have a closed season on muskies until about 5 yrs ago now. It was closed durning the spawning perion and opened in May. I was one of the few muskie fisherman that met with the PFBC back when changed some of the regs. One was an increase size limit from 30" to 40" statewide. Another change was no closed season for more fishing opportunity. There is virtually no recognized natural reproduction on muskies in PA. That's why it isn't necessary to close the season. Just about all of muskie fisherman are strictly catch and release anyway.

Adam A.

[Punch and Judy]

IMHO there should be a closed season in the Pa. section in Lake Erie to protect the great lakes stain! These fish do spawn in the PI bay in Erie. I would like also to see the size increased to more than 40 to at least 50 for Lake Erie.

I will have to check and see if the regs our for Lake Erie also. I could be wrong.

[Ivan]

I think I remember that one of the things that the PFBC wanted was one set of regulations on muskies. They didn't want a bunch of different regulations for differeny water bodies. However, if there is a natural great lakes strain population spawning in Presque Isle, I could definately see protecting them. The PFBC does not stock great lakes strain in Presque Isle. The don't raise any Great Lakes strain muskies. So if there are any, they are definately natural. Are you catching any Great Lakes strain in Presque Isle? If so, can you post a pic of one or two? It makes sense that they could be there...they are at both ends of Lake Erie. I just haven't seen a great lakes (spotted) strain caught from Presque Isle. As a matter of fact, I have seen very few Presque Isle muskies pictures, period.

[Anzomcik]

I personal have not seen one with my own eyes from PI that was great lake strain, but this was caught at Crooked creek

http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/rr240/anzomcik/1OCA34FQL7CAYIAV51CAC27ADLCAODNS2LC.jpg

The guy was steelhead/bass fishing. Not huge but great lakes stain in PA

[Punch and Judy]

We target the PI bay mostly in the spring and fall, we do not have any pics as of yet, have seen some that people caught while bass fishing {one fish was about 18 to 20 in size that we could see, should have motored over and to a pic} and we have seen some with our own eyes in the back bays and logoons. A musky bud of mine caught one in the mid 40's out in the shipping channel heading out into Lake Erie. I do believe that the muskys in the bay and Lake Erie are on the rebound. They are being caught in strangest places like the Pic of the one at Raccon creek witch is about 10 miles west of PI Bay. Have talked to walleye charters captains that come into our biz and some are being caught will trolling for eyes. It just a matter a time before somebody ties into a monster and I hope it will be us, lol

These fish have to be spawning somewhere!!