Wisconsin Missi River cat regs

Hello,
Just read the post on the new Wisconsin regulations on the Mississippi river, was curious if they gave any reason on the catfish daily limit change ?
Thanks in advance

monkeymaster wrote:

Hello,
Just read the post on the new Wisconsin regulations on the Mississippi river, was curious if they gave any reason on the catfish daily limit change ?
Thanks in advance

This is somewhat similar to the reason they are adjusting the walleye #’s as well. I am only assuming here but believe it is because catfish are now regarded more as a sport fish then they ever were. Also 10 fish is still pretty liberal. There are a lot of guys that wanted to see the catfish “especially trophy class” protected. I am guessing that the DNR listened to the public at meetings and made the changes due to a majority of the publics opinions.

This is also why there is now a closed season on Flatheads.
They closed the Flatheads during winter months for the same reasons walleye, bass and other game species have a closed season. It is just to protect them while they are most vulnerable.

monkeymaster wrote:

Hello,
Just read the post on the new Wisconsin regulations on the Mississippi river, was curious if they gave any reason on the catfish daily limit change ?
Thanks in advance

I can add a bit more to Bushman’s explanation.

The closing of the flathead season in the winter months is only for the entire state of MN that includes the MN side of the Mississippi (at this time).

With the new hand fishing for flathead law that was passed in WI a few years ago and the bow season that allows taking of flatheads (and channels) it was up to the DNR to follow up with regulations on how many fish could be taken. That and pretty much every biologist I talked with felt the flathead limit of 25 per day was excessive.

The survey taken listed the majority of folks were happy with lowering the catfish limits. They ended up with a limit of 10 with only one (either species) being over 30″. This would allow each angler to take home a trophy.

If you would like further clarification, shoot me a PM and I’ll give you Jordan Weeks contact info. He’s the head of fisheries out of LaCrosse that can answer the questions about the WI side of the river.

PS the above is my opinion from my point of view. I am in no way trying to put words into the DNR’s mouth.

Thanks for the info.
I live in Iowa and fish out of Guttenburg.
Not upset with the rule changes, just wanted some insight as to their thinking.
Kinda was worried the cat numbers were down, or bad hatching rates or something?
Iowa has no length limits, and no posession limits on the border rivers.
That is, in my opinion, rather generous for the Iowa DNR, and I have yet to catch Wisconsins old limit of 25 in one day, although I am trying to get better at it.
Thanks again

I see that IA is asking the public about matching the WI regs for length and limits. Too bad they don’t include cats in the conversations.

Over the years I’ve talked with many from the Dubuque area that come up to P4 to fish (mostly) channels because in their opinion, between the commercial netters and no limits on cats they aren’t worth fishing for in the Mississippi. Size and numbers are much better up this way.

Clearly according to our MN and WI data, the limits were lowered for social reasons. However because one person hasn’t caught 25 fish in a day certainly doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen frequently.

Personally I was for lowering the limit on cats for the sole reason that it’s excessive. Most will agree, there will be a few that won’t and the folks that don’t agree are the ones taking those 25 or 50 on the WI side home.

monkeymaster wrote:

Hello,
Just read the post on the new Wisconsin regulations on the Mississippi river, was curious if they gave any reason on the catfish daily limit change ?
Thanks in advance

In short, a questionnaire was sent out by the DNR and the majority who participated voted to lower the limits.

That’s all.

Each person who contributed to the survey i’m sure has their own biology degree and their own reasoning for the change…But at the end of the day. It was public input.