Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations 25 fish sunfish bag limits on public lakes?

I know this doesn't pertain specifically to ponds, but since we have some gifted panfish managers here I thought I get your take on this if the mods don't mind.

What do you guys think of a bag limit on sunfish (bluegill) on public lakes? My state has not had a bag limit for decades countering that you can't overharvest bluegills (although they actually have one study on one reservoir where it showed it could be done), and that the more you harvest the better the food supply for the remaining bluegills.

There finally seems to be a rules change proposal in the works that may have us go back to the 25 fish bag limit. If there is enough public support it may go into effect.


Bluegill are very popular and are heavily pressured in my state, and with no bag limits I have seen people harvest as many as they can when the large bluegills are vulnerable on the beds, and other times of the year. The part that gets me is I know of several instances where anglers have bragged to me about harvesting several hundred, and then giving them away to non-anglers because they didn't want to clean them. I don't want sway your opinion, but this just doesn't sit well with me.

We have an 800 acre natural lake in my state that produces some of the biggest bluegills, with several I've caught and harvested in the 1 lb. plus range and up to 11.5 inches. This lake, Clear Lake, Fremont, Indiana at times in the fall, congregates hundreds of trophy size bluegill in one small area of the lake. It doesn't happen every year, but when it does it's like fishing in a barrel. I remember fishing with a couple in my boat and we harvested 70 bluegills in an hour's time that were so large it was tough to reel them in.

Anyway, I once talked to an angler that was fishing in that area that bragged about harvesting 2000 in a couple of weeks time and said he gave them away as he didn't like to clean them. The man was always parked there with his boat regardless of when I showed up at the lake.

We have anglers here that can harvest very efficiently an incredible amount of bluegills, not only off the beds, but ice fishing with a sonar and ice flies. Many are unemployed for the winter and fish daily as I live in the RV capital of the world and business is slow in the winter.

Keep in mind I'm aware that this regulation won't help some bodies of water as these kinds of things are never a one size fits all kind of thing. I know of at least three bodies of water where the bluegills never surpass 8 inches no matter what, due to slow growing numerous fish.

Thoughts?

Nebraska recently went to a 15 fish daily bag limit on all "panfish". This is a combined limit on all panfish including all sunfish hybrids, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, orange spotted sunfish, pumkinseeds, redears, rock bass and yellow perch. Your limit is 15 fish in any combination. If you bagged nine crappie and six BG you would have hit your daily panfish limit. We also have a growing number of public lakes with a 21" size limit on LMB with a daily bag limit of one, this is to keep the panfish numbers in check.

I like Nebraska's guideline for harvesting panfish. With no bag limit it is to easy for the fish hogs to overharvest panfish when they are vulnerable.

25 panfish here in any combination.
Includes: black and white crappies, bluegill,
green and hybrid sunfish, longear, pumpkinseed,
redear, rock bass, and warmouth.

New license structure for this year. We are so use to dealing with the complicated mess and now they go and make it simpler, just complicating it more License prices went down for this year, which is unexpected.

I'm just glad my job isn't setting and monitoring limits, and managing public waters.

I think that the West Virginia DNR does a good job, but it has to be a thankless job. We have two beautiful 80 acre DNR lakes near me that are managed for bluegill and redears. No bass can be harvested. There are no limits on the CC, BG, and RES. They stock CC annually. They also stock rainbow trout every two weeks from mid-January through April. It seems to work.

I just hate to see people pulling the big BG and RES off the beds during spawning.

As is often the case, it all depends... Most lakes around me, managing for sunfish is a waste of time as there is too much competition with gizzard shad and white perch. There is only one lake near me that doesn't have either and it is the only lake near me that regularly grows BG over 8" and RES over 10". If I want to catch decent BG or RES I have to travel to western MD. To be honest, I don't even know what the bag size limits are there as I never keep fish other than stocker trout from those lakes. Some lakes I used to fish regularly in college in PA were managed for trophy sunfish. I think the bag limits and size limits were great for the sunfish. However they didn't protect the bass well enough and thus the bass population just couldn't manage the sunfish population properly.

Interesting posts guys.

Travis,

No problem protecting the bass here. Anglers have been so brainwashed on catch and release bass fishing they get upset if anyone keeps one.

The cat's may differ in opinion on that!

Here it is 50 for panfish excluding crappie that is 30 on most rivers. Alot of lakes have a size or creel limit for that lake which i like. There is no blanket answer for all waters in any one state. On the flip side I know hard to reach waters here that have never seen a hook other than mine in 30 yrs and all u can catch is 3 finger size panfish all day long.

There is no blanket answer for all waters in any one state.

Sure there is!

My state has a 15 fish limit for "sunfish including bluegill". But only freshwater (non-tidal). No limit for sunfish in tidal waters.

A lot of truly poor people in central PA. They fish to put food on the table. Much like many of the recent immigrants from Asia and Latin America here in northern VA where I live now. To them a bass is just a bigger fillet. They drained a local lake last fall for dam repairs. It was pure entertainment watching them chase gizzard shad and carp in the puddles that were left. Yup, they'll even eat gizzard shad.

Love that cartoon!

The DNR is asking for input (comments) on this issue, and even though I seldom fish public waters anymore, I did weigh in with my take on the matter.

It seems to me that there will always be those who approach Bluegill/Redear fishing with the same philosophy as some do at an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord......"I've paid my money,(license fees), and I'm going to get my money's worth and then some"

And, in light of the fact that what they are doing is currently quite legal, I believe they are entitled to do so. I may not like it, or approve of their methods, but I respect their right to fish within the laws.

We all know that no two bodies of water are the same.....some lakes are panfish factories, churning out good fish year after year, while others struggle to produce a handful of 8" BG's. I would like to see Indiana implement a trial program on a few lakes, to gauge its effectiveness and show anglers what is possible with tailored management.

I've had the selective harvest discussion with many different anglers, over many years. Their usual response is to tell me "If there were a problem, the DNR would take care of it...that's their job".

To which I usually reply: "You're right, but you do know that in Indiana, the DNR considers a harvestable BG to be 6" in length, right?"

Wisconsin limit used to be 50 for panfish but was reduced to 25.

I know of a "lake" in central WI that received a special 10 panfish limit due to a drawdown for dam repair. The limit has remained on after refill and Crappie fishing there is typically quite good. I think the bag limit helped.

I think that 3 good sized crappies provide a nice meal for 2 when combined with a side of fries etc. 10 fish= 3 meals Two people 10 fish limit is 20 fish etc...

In WI the Mercury level warnings for many waters warn against excessive consumption so...

Take those alleged dangerous mercury levels with a grain of salt. The danger levels are super inflated to er on the safe side.

Some aren't aware that some mercury is found naturally in the environment.