Fishing Gene's and Groveland: keep the small ones?

[YooperTroll]

I noticed this past summer fishing at Groveland it's getting pretty bad as far as the number of stunted bluegills. All stories about Gene's and Groveland start with the line "well, you have to pick through the small ones..."

I'm no fish biologist, but I have a question: shouldn't we all be making a concerted effort to keep the dinks at those places (even if nothing more to make fertilizer) in order to improve the long-term quality?

It seems to make sense to me that whacking a ton of the grunts at those places would help improve it.

Thoughts?

[BiG ARN]

Are the fish actually midgets? Or are they just young fish? Can't say I've ever seen anything big that wasn't little first. Over populating of a species stunt growth?

[pikeman]

The fish are getting smaller because all the bigger ones are getting fished out. Take a look at how many people are out there on a weekend. I fish genes pond every year and the size has gone down every year. It nothing to see 30 vehicles out there on a Saturday. Lots of people from Wisconsin coming up to fish these lakes also. I don't keep any small ones even if I have to go home with no fish. I only take enough for a couple of good fish frys and thats all I need. Some people are going out there every chance they get and keeping everything. They have the right to do it but it sure hurts those smaller inland lakes.

[larryd83]

Actually I knew a marine biologist that I asked that same question. He said that if the majority of fish are small then it means there are too many and need to be eliminated. A good example is Lake Missaukee in Lake city Mi. They had small Pike for many yrs until DNR told everybody to stop releasing the little ones. The size increased dramatically and quickly. If it was overfished there would be less fish but bigger ones.

[YooperTroll]

Actually I knew a marine biologist that I asked that same question. He said that if the majority of fish are small then it means there are too many and need to be eliminated. A good example is Lake Missaukee in Lake city Mi. They had small Pike for many yrs until DNR told everybody to stop releasing the little ones. The size increased dramatically and quickly. If it was overfished there would be less fish but bigger ones.

This is also my thought, although I don't have anything to back it up except a hunch. The other posts here also have merit, though.

Hmm...

[nitecrawler128]

I don't fish Genes Pond, but I know the Mine Ponds didn't used to be like they are now... there use to be quality fish in the late 90's, early 00's (and also loads of walleyes). Now, it's an overstocked place to take kids and catch dink after dink (and rarely a walleye). I'm no marine biologist, but my personal vote would be to thin the panfish herd out. I only take my kids out there, and we release them all only because I want my kids to learn how to protect a natural resource. On the other hand, if you kept every single panfish you caught, I would thank you. .....just my .02