I know, stupid question but..... I haven't seen any crawdads in Brownley "Steck Park area" am I just missing them? Momma doesn't want to take the boat this weekend so I figure if I'm going to get any fishing in I've got to keep my kid entertained, and what kid doesn't like to spend hours playing with mud bugs?
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There are some there, but I believe the bass keep them pretty well cleaned up. I doubt you'll have much luck fishing for them.
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I ran three traps for 7 days at Woodhead and got "0". From 5 ft to 45 ft of water with all the usual baits and nothing. Ran into another guys that was doing the same thing and only managed to get one. I have to agree that the bass just keep them in check. Good luck!
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Thanks for the info. By the way, I really enjoyed your last post on Brownley, great pictures!!
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[frown] wow people in this forum applaud people taking six hundred crappie out of brownlee now we have people trying to trap all of the smallmouth forage ie crawfish...........nice work game hogs !
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Dear Moderators,
I used to participate in a competing forum where you could put someone on "ignore" if they were too obnoxious, a know it all, an instigator of contention, or just plain ol' "never had anything worth reading". How about something like that for this forum. I'd like to put Bovis on ignore since he clearly thinks he is the ethical voice for everyone and has no concept of fish management.
Just a suggestion.
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Nice work would have been 500 crawdads to go with 1000 crappie [
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Go bug someone else!!
Have a nice day!
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I know i'm new to this forum but not new to fishin in good ol Idaho. But this Bovis feller is offensive. Gonna go out on a limb here and say I bet he ain't from round here.
Just sayin..............................[frown]
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i am an idaho native lived here all my life with the exception of four years in alaska. i have the right to speak my mind like anyone else. if my views have made people uncomfortable i am sorry.
i noticed on one thread regarding brownlee and oxbow one of your posters was morally obligated to speak out against a few asian fisherman catching several coolers of crappie and made the assumption that it was a "commercial " operation. what is the difference between them doing this and someone bragging about catching 600 crappie and putting out so many crawfish traps. i have had my share of banner days fishing brownlee as well. but the fishing has been on a slow decline for a few years now. yes the " salmon flush " is the main culprit. but taking out six hundred crappie full of eggs helps the fishery? hogwash ! i am not here to antagonise anyone i just speak my opinion. have a pleasent weekend gents and good fishing.........
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Bovis,
I can only conclude that you ARE intentionally trying to be offensive and to intimidate people into not posting. You will not change people from eating or harvesting some of their catches that is their right, and yes it is usually good for that type of fishery.
By the way I believe that "Dowhatwecan"(The one whose group harvested some nice crappie from Brownlee) is a fisheries biologist. He is very aware of what is ok for a fishery and what is detrimental. I think he has a good understanding of the crappie fisheries and that his group's harvest is not going to collapse Brownlee.
And as for the crayfish ---- as they said they didn't get any, so what is the harm done there? Why is that being a game hog? Why should you feel the need to rant about that?
Since you can't force everyone to do what you do, you are trying to "embarrassed" them into not posting? Well, no one is intimidated or embarrassed for our good catches, or for harvesting, so why don't you try to be tolerant of others and their viewpoints. That way others will be more inclined to listen to you. No one listens to an
tirade or personal attack.
Put your catch and release logo, PETA, or whatever in your signature and not as part of your post. That way everyone hears or reads your view point every time you post, and then it isn't a personal issue.
We have a good forum here because most everyone is polite and sharing. I am sure that you have a lot of wisdom that you could share about your trips and techniques so post some of your experiences. But please try to refrain from trying to cut others down. No one is poaching or doing anything illegal. They just have different likes from you. The limits are set the way they are for a reason. Not all fisheries are the same as the trophy trout lakes and streams, some could use a lot more selective harvesting.
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Yeah, that other forum was nice. Just click "put this person on my ignore list" and like magic, there posts don't show up when you are reading a thread. It was nice on a few occasions.
Bovis,
You do have your right to speak your mind. Even when you are wrong.
If someone was bashing asians (or any other race for that matter), don't lump the rest of us in with them. I am not prejudice based on race, just on stupidity level. For each person that level is different. I am not going to say what I think your level is.
I will just begin ignoring you now and hope for an "ignore button" in the future.
Have a nice day.
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wow never been to a forum when people with differing points of view are thought of as a bully.........interesting sounds like limp wristed socialists to me........
do you think the reason there are no crawfish at steck park anymore is due to every one trapping them? naw that is to logical.....
as for the assumption that the 600 crappie man is a biologist and therefor knows all.... that is fine i would agree with his knoledge of these systems. but still insist that he is a game hog ! hope he eats them up and doesn't throw them out when they freezer burn.........
don't want to have " arguments " here i don't...i found this site to be very enjoyable. however i find it a contridiction that you would conclude i am bullying people as i feel you are trying to impose your will on me. perhaps others here share my beliefs but are intimidated by the members to speak up. i am not..........
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Bovis,
Actually, I don't know anyone that traps crayfish and I have never seen any other traps out. So I doubt that they are over fished. I do it for the fun and cuz I miss crabbing in AK. (by the way where did you live in AK?) However, I did run into the one guy that said he did get 1 last week that he used for bait. And 3 traps is not a lot, each person is allowed 5. So that's 15 that we could have ran and I only chose to put 3 out. And I was certainly was not bragging about it. I simply stated what I did and my results. As far as crappie go we always shoot for about 500 for the freezer. I'm not braggin but stating what we normally do every year. This year I ran out 2 months early so I may have to stock up a little more this year. That's scaled, H&G fish - lots of work. But that's how I like them!!
So thanks for the interesting conversation but if you find it neccecary to name call then please refrain from posting.
Tight lines! [fishin]
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[quote AverysAdventure]Bovis,
Actually, I don't know anyone that traps crayfish and I have never seen any other traps out.
As far as crappie go we always shoot for about 500 for the freezer. I'm not braggin but stating what we normally do every year. This year I ran out 2 months early so I may have to stock up a little more this year. That's scaled, H&G fish - lots of work. But that's how I like them!!
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We've been known to run 15 traps about once a year. Nothing like a bunch of crawdads and the hogs love the shells.Last year they raised the cubic inch limit on trap size, I built a huge one to the right size but haven't had a chance to try it yet.
How do you freeze the crappie? We have a vacuum sealer that works good, but if you have any hints, I'm listening.
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We have the vaccum sealer and it's ok, but the moister seems always to prevent a good seal, so I like using Ziplok bags, qt size (just enough for about 4 people) and add enough water to cover all the fillets, squeeze the air out then lay them flat in the freezer on the rack, so when they're frozen I can stack them and I just thaw what I need.
I hope to have "alot" of crappie this year and as big as some of those whites have been I may not need as many as I would usually have in my "alot".
But then theres perch and at the 9" size I need "alot" again, but if I could find those regular 12"+ "cascade perch maybe I would cut back on that "alot" size.
Now Walleye, since I can only catch 6 at a time, it's gonna take "alot" but that "Alot is going to take lots of effort, but I am willing, if I could just find the time.
In all honesty my catch is always based on wht I am willing to clean and some times that is "alot".
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I quite enjoyed the posts on Brownlee until Jarvis showed up.Looks like most who are posting felt the same way. Maybe Jarvis should find another post to watch if this one offends him so much!
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The type of bottom is the most important factor in trapping craws, IMHO. They live under rocks, so a rocky bottom or near rock piles is best. You won't catch very many where the bottom is soft.
I get bunches of them down at the dam at CJ Strike. Big ones I boil up for dinner, small ones get tossed back or used as bait.
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I agree StacyR, I have tried multiple places in the res I live next to and the dam allawys Produces the highest catch rates. I have been doing it for the last 5 years as have others I know and Crawdads are still holding strong. The only thing that has afected catch rate is the temp of the water. Some of the resivours near me have produced 300 crawdad nights using 5 traps. Thats just counting the big ones as we throw the little ones back.
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Yeah I was working the dam face (rock fill) and other rocky areas but I think the water temp was the problem. From upper CJ down to below Swan Falls we always do fine, or the Boise River but they are smaller. I never trapped Brownlee before so thought I would give it a try. I was just hoping for a dinner I was craving.
As far as your ? mudsucker, I do just what idahopanfish described. However 90% of the fish I freeze are only scaled, headed and gutted. (Collar off H&G, not filleted). So I have to use 1 gallon ziplocks for my dinners worth. And then I flood the bag with ice cold water to remove the air pockets and squeeze out and extra water not needed and seal. Then lay flat in the freezer. Fish will last a long time this way without freezer burning.
Another trick for storing fish long term is getting them cold soon as the come out of the water. I use a cooler of slush ice and they go straight off the hook into it. My cooler has been nicknamed "The Crappie Coffin" by some. [bobhappy]
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bovis,
It seems like everyone has done a good job of moderating for me while I have been out.
We welcome productive posts, productive questions, and even debate if it is civil and without personal attacks. We would love to have you and anyone else who wants to have a civil discussion join in.
Windriver
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