justtracytrolling

It's absolutely irrelevant how fish taste or whether someone has a boat.... conservation is necessary. As far as taste goes they make coolers for a reason and nobody said you can't keep any fish I keep fish regularly. I don't however keep my limit every single time it's possible. Mostly I'm referring to tigers and other fish that grow for 20+ years. If you want a certain species wouldn't it be helpful if we didn't unilaterally kill them all just because we don't have a boat! Furthermore nobody is holding anyone back from obtaining a boat and tigers are easily caught from shore in open water season too. There's no excuse for not thinking a little about conservation and it doesn't cost anything extra nor is it a painful experience putting an occasional fish back....its actually enjoyable. Read about the adirondack guides and how many of them later in life when it was too late regretted their influence on nature. I have personally overharvested and learned the hard way that fisheries are more fragile than most realize. It's easy to criticize the management of the fisheries, when really it's us that are the problem! Just make any effort to protect nature just a little and we will all reap the benefits and so will future generations.

As a guide it's my responsibility to also be a steward of the fishery and outdoors in general. If anyone thinks my opinion is self serving it's not at all. I'll still do my best to put people on tigers either way and I'll catch plenty either way. Actually the attention from the media helps me personally more than it hurts, but I doesn't change the fact that its not ethical and I would rather be broke than have everyone misled by Figura.

Rusty Dave figura is a hack of a journalist and is single handedly giving people motivation to kill trophies that aren't really even close to record size as the ice fishing tip up record is total BS. most states don't allow it. These are commonly caught sized fish and while keeping them isn't necessarily a problem advertising and begging people to come catch and kill them is a big problem. I can't get figura to even return an email let alone cover the conservation side. I heard chapter 70 is working to get our message out there. Wanna chase a record...at least chase the state record and put back the rest. Want a good mount and don't like replicas then keep one, but don't think you have close to a true record. And if you do eat tigers I'm ok with that just stop the glorification of the commonly caught fish and know that conservation is everyone's responsibility. I love walleye but I don't keep a limit every time they are biting! I used to keep most every single one when I listened to the DEC, but I know better now and I just want to make sure others at least be aware of conservation and that not every good fish has to killed. Think about others and share your experience by allowing others the same experience. If everyone kept every legal tiger these fish would be rare and that's not what most people want to happen to the fish they choose to target. Im not a strictly c n r guy by any means, but I do not keep them nor do I allow it on my boat as these fish are to be shared and I catch way too many of them and if I let 1 person I'd have to let them all and I can't live with that.

The whole it's only a matter of time till a 30 in lber comes out of Otisco is ridiculous if these ones are kept and I have seen 30lbers come out and go back already....what's the big deal it's already happened...alot!!! Just what we need is more over dramatized one sided news that everyone believes without any understanding of the truth.

Let's try to keep this world record in perspective. That record isn't even close to the state record which isn't close to the real world record. The state record dwarfs this fish at 35lbs. The real world record is 51 lbs so stop this nonsense. There aren't that many lakes that freeze with tigers in states where it is legal to fish for them in the winter. People flock to catch a record and keep every single one because they think this size fish is a rare beast. This size is not rare at all and needs to be released if you want to catch a really big tiger. The articles on these fish leave the reader thinking it's an amazing catch when there have been 8 caught and killed just this winter. If you put your time in you will see that while they are great catches they aren't records by real standards. It's like going crazy over a 6lb smallmouth. I know a kid who has caught 3 with me and isn't old enough to drive. Im not here to say what a person should do with their legal fish, but don't think I have to keep this fish because it's nearly a world record. These fish have to be released by other conservation minded individuals several times to get big. The fact that the current record holder kept a 40 the same day gator caught the 47 is absurd. They are keeping them because they think everyone would....well most actually don't. Again, keep the fish if you want but know mid-forties fish aren't huge at all. If a record is important, and this one definitely isn't, you will never catch a record if you kill fish before they reach record size. I know of 3 I believe were close to or would have broken the state record and all were released, and I know of 5 50s that have been released. So let's not glorify killing anymore near records. I don't get upset with them being caught and kept I get upset when everyone thinks it's the norm! The only thing normal about what is happening on Otisco is the size of these bs record fish....they are normal and caught all the time every single open water season by lots of people. Now you figure out how to catch the walleye consistently especially thru the ice and that's not normal. If you fish for perch, crappie, bass, walleye, bluegills or any other species besides tigers in Otisco you will eventually catch this size tiger without even trying so how can this be considered some miraculous newsworthy rare beast that you have to kill. I know more regular Otisco anglers who have caught one than haven't. Heck eat em if that's your thing but if size matters to you then this size must go back. More important than anything though is know this world record equates to catching less than the biggest one caught on any given year in a 6 mile long lake....that doesn't sound so record like to me. Wanna see a really big one do some research and you will see this isn't that.... This fish isn't even close!

Thought I would share the secret to catching lots of good tiger muskies on Otisco! This is very simple yet overlooked by all ice fishermen apparently though I thought it was obvious. This secret will also work to catch really big tigers thru the ice though to date nobody has caught a really big one thru the ice even with a half dozen live baits a piece in the water. Some fish must be released safely in order to get big! It's that simple! The open water fishermen have this figured out and its the only reason the ice fishermen have decent fish to catch. Now if the ice fishermen could be less selfish everyone could have even better fishing forever. In order to have some chance of survival circle hooks and perhaps quick strike rigs should be used and gaffs simply aren't necessary. Just make the right size hole and grab em by the jaw. If you are too scared perhaps this isn't the activity for you! Anyway that's the technique I use to catch plenty of mid forties tigers every year as they are not near a rare catch of a lifetime as they aren't mature yet really. Apparently ice fishermen figure if they keep all the medium ones nobody else can catch one bigger than theirs, but this simply won't work because many already have! It's called conservation and while I believe everyone has the right to decide what to do with their own catch I thought I'd mention that it's legal to put fish back as it seems unheard of in winter.

The third pic tells the story...the perfect t-bone....they hit from the bottom right behind the gill plate.

Im not getting the size I'd like to see, fish over 25 and really 30's, but numbers are there considering the pressure. I've never seen so many people out fishing as I did this year. We are talking 5x the angling pressure. It's been all season I think since either Kevin or I has had a skunk. I can say the population will definitely see an impact from this winter. Only saving my grace is it's been males most are catching. As of late the cold has really set in and bite has gotten downright tricky on many occasions so lately it's just Kev and I most of the time and it's definitely more fun when it's difficult. I don't care for it when it's easy as it only dulls your walleye tools. Im definitely thinking we should all be calling region 7 DEC and see what they can do for the river fishery. It gives me concern when I hear it's not good in many areas and the one area that in good shape is getting crushed. Seems like a 3 fish limit over 18 instead of 5 over 15 would help tremendously. Just wondering if anyone else has seen any positive signs? We are seeing all the year classes from 8" to about 25-27 inches and I've had just 1 above that at 29 1/4.

beautiful fish! I spent a little time in the river here myself....

There is quite a community of smokeless long range muzzleloader guys out there and with a little research you will find what you need for parts. I'm not comfortable with advising anyone on where to go for savage mlII parts n accessories, but I can honestly say I've had no issues getting parts and I usually buy everything in bulk and stock up once I figure out what I like. I learned back in the early 90's when I found a particular slug that shot awesome in my rifled slug gun AND gave me a blood trail. The next year they changed the design and load. I was lucky to find a case of them leftover and all the same lot#. I still have several seasons worth left and no longer hunt with a slug gun, but if I decide to Im not scrambling. If you keep ammo absolutely arid dry and sealed in proper storage it seemingly lasts forever. I know it's a pia these days, but if we all exercise a little patience and plan way ahead of time politics and supply chain shortages from Covid shouldn't affect us much. Everyone just has to learn to plan ahead and anticipate struggling to find inventory of what were common items. We as sportsmen should be setting the example in overcoming problems and now more than ever unify on issues we agree on and put aside our differences as we are a self sufficient lot that shouldn't need much from our politicians and should flourish with or without them. Vote your conscience at election time and the rest of the year take care of you and yours...arguing with each other is absurd behavior as what we see going on can't be solved in that matter.

Good choice Kevin! I'm not a fan of the pellets due to cost. I don't think velocities are as consistent with the pellets either. The other thing that always bugged me was that the pellets can break seating the bullet/sabot depending on how hard they load. I've never actually used the bh209 but I would try it if I didn't do smokeless.

thought so...you aren't the buy a whole new set kinda guy! You should really consider adding a core setup or two. Works quite a bit better than the clip weights on spoons especially...Segment the core and it's not hard to add a half color or color and just as easy to remove even on the water and then you just need a reel or two and share the rods you have with the extra reels. I have an event or two in Auburn this winter at bass pro I could probably show you there quite easily.

Probably gonna give it go in the am if it doesn't crust up bad. We will be running just outside the pen...the corners make it bout as easy as you could hope for and roads thru the pen make it so we can get to the other side quicker than the yote which doesn't happen anywhere else down here.

The tournament upgrade kits make the church's pretty easy and they are bullet proof with the micro line clamp and stainless rear pin. granted they are expensive but you already have the church's...I'm surprised you guys aren't running big boards nearly 100% of the time. I run inlines if I feel I'm not dialed in and I'll have to make adjustments, but if I'm on em I'm running my otters. I use bands and then weeds don't pull the lines off and I pop em off with fish so it doesn't happen at an in opportune time. I can run twice as wide and go alot faster if I'm trying to circle quickly before someone else can get there. You guys probably pull a train of boats too I'm guessing! PIA

Quite different when you only need to get 30-35 feet down for eyes like John and I tho versus salmon fishing. 2 oz weight method is pretty useless below 35 maybe 40 feet.