5 Reasons the 5-5-5 proposal is a bad one by Shawn Clark If any of Wisconsins fishermen have been paying attention in the last few months, you may have heard about this new rule set to go in effect in the near future pertaining to some northern lakes. Basically what this rule means is you cant keep any more than 5 panfish in one outing of any one kind of fish. 5 bluegills, (now called sunfish, more on this later) 5 crappie, and 5 perch. Allegedly, this rule is going to be in place as experimental, but in my eyes Im not buying this. The DNR has a long record of once they impose something, it becomes permanent, or if it doesnt, it will go longer than what they initially claim it will. That being said, here are my 5 thoughts on why I believe this rule will not be a good one for any of us. 1. The 5-5-5 rule would also create size limits on pan fish. Perhaps even slot size limits. While the goal of this new rule is to create larger panfish, the reality of it will be no one in their right mind is going to keep a 6 inch bluegill. Or at least a mere five of them, and then try to focus on other species of pan fish. 2. As I mentioned earlier, bluegills will now be considered as sunfish, adding to more confusion. Say for instance, you catch a pumpkinseed, then a bluegill, and then an actual sunfish. Right there is of 3 of your 5. And we all know that getting 5 of those and having to call it day on them isnt going to exactly create a lot of meals for your household, especially if the other 2 species on this list arent cooperating. 3. How many fishermen who like to chase panfish every year are going to want to bother? Especially if they have to make a trip from the southern part of the state or other places where they may have to drive a long way? While it sounds like a stretch, it could have some impact on economies where fishing is big, in particular the north woods. Not as many people will bother any more. 4. This rule will be a bigger damper on panfish than many may think. You may get your 5 bluegills, and 5 crappie, but a lot of lakes arent exactly known for carrying bigger perch, or at least perch that guys want to keep. Sure, if you know where to look you could get some, but too many lakes arent exactly like Lake Winnebago routinely giving up jumbo perch. 5.Lastly, and most importantly, you dont have to be any kind of fish biologist to know that tightening panfish regulations is only going to backfire and create stunted populations of panfish. By taking that many less, and with the reduced pressure which will inevitably follow, lakes will have an over abundance of them, and be too competitive for food. Fish wont get any bigger. If anything, they will suffer for it. For the DNR or certain groups of fishermen who support this, its a big mistake. There is no doom and gloom. Growing up and on into my twenties, the panfish bag limit was 50 total fish.A combined total of bluegills, perch, crappie, sunfish and pumpkinseed, There were plenty of fish in all the lakes, and populations certainly werent suffering. And even then, I dont remember ever keeping more than 40 fish in a given day. As it stands right now, the limit is 25 panfish. This doesnt need to be adjusted. There is no confusion, is a reasonable amount of fish, and isnt going to hurt fish populations. No one is telling anyone that you have to keep 25 fish either. Want to keep 10 and you are comfortable with it? Nothing wrong with that. Want to keep just 5? Have at it. But dont restrict it any more for the rest of us. The 5-5-5 rule is a bad idea being pushed out there by a minority of individuals. Show up at the spring hearings, let your DNR officials know this a bad idea for the future of fishing.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 21:20:59 +0000
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