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[keithr]

Last week I fished some very pretty water (Deadman River and Lakes), and it seemed to me that the pike minnows have largely taken over or become the dominant species there.  I made eagle chow out of the ones I caught, but I wonder if that (giving their necks a twist and tossing them back) is considered the appropriate or even legal way to deal with these fish.  What do you do with them?

Over the years I've changed my opinion about coarse fish a lot.  I now have a rather high opion of carp for instance; but squaw fish?  I have to admit that people in Mexico eat the variety of squaw fish (local name: sardina) we have there.

[miketheflyguy]

I bonk them and use pieces of them to use bait for more squaw fish.......and then when I have enough bait I just bonk em' and toss em' seagulls enjoy this.......I also know of people who use them for sturgie bait....

[Sam Salmon]

It's strictly against the law to waste in any way any fish caught by Sportfishing.
Not only is it against the law it gives a very poor impression of Sportfishing in general and is an ignorant selfish and altogether idiotic way to conduct oneself.
You guys need to give your personal behaviour a long hard think.

[Sterling C]

I could care less about squaws in lakes but if I'm fishing a river enhabited by salmon, more times than not my cats end up getting a special treat 

[Fish Assassin]

I could care less about squaws in lakes but if I'm fishing a river enhabited by salmon, more times than not my cats end up getting a special treat 

You don't like your cat do you ?

[Sterling C]

Actually I'm not impressed with one of them as she won't stop peeing on my hockey bag 

[bbronswyk2000]

Actually I'm not impressed with one of them as she won't stop peeing on my hockey bag 

I had that problem as well years ago. Is your cat fixed? My cat was young about 8 months old and was spraying on my hockey bag. I got him fixed and he stopped doing it. It wasnt easy getting rid of that smell but I did get it out. Used some pet deodarizer and hand washed it numerous times.

[miketheflyguy]

I don't think I need to give my Personal behavior a good hard think.......the sturgie's eat pike minnows and practically anything that falls to the bottom of the river.....and since there was a very low return of oolichons......its ok to through one or two back dead.....Its not like I kill 10+ squaw daily.........on an average day I'll bonk 5 squaws......there is not a lot of people who fish for them suckers anyways.. and if I kill 5 a day for the 5 days I squaw fish well I guess thats only 25 squaq killed out of the 200,000,0000 that are in the river...... and plus the seagulls/sturgeon get hungry when there is not enough guts in the river to go around.......so practically when I through them back I'm either feeding a Seagull or Sturgeon........

[winter steel]

Sam Salmon, it is illegal to use other finfish for bait in freshwater streams, unless fishing for sturgeon. However, because coarse fish do not fall under "game fish" as defined by the Freshwater synopsis they are not protected. Besides, if you are a lover of Salmon, Trout and Steelhead take a look at what an overpopulation of coarse fish has done to slower moving streams (where they thrive) like the lower Pitt and Stave Rivers where there numbers are to large and the food supply to small to feed all the hungry mouths and thus cutthroat fishing and to some extent the coho fishing has suffered. Granted stream degradation, ocean survival and a host of other problems have aided to the decline, but I assure you coarse fish are not part of the equation in terms of bringing fish back. Catch a few pike minnows in the spring in the lower Pitt and have a look at their stomachs, you'll be shocked at how many fry a 10 inch pike minnow can eat. I don't condone abusing any creature in anyway, however a quick bonk on the head and light toss will put a smile on some carnivores face. Tight lines!

[DragonSpeed]

Actually I'm not impressed with one of them as she won't stop peeing on my hockey bag 

Has she lost a lot of weight recently, and is very hungry/drinks a lot?

[Sam Salmon]

Sam Salmon, it is illegal to use other fin fish for bait in freshwater streams, unless fishing for sturgeon.

You mean headless fin fish are OK to use for bait-I understand that.

However, because coarse fish do not fall under "game fish" as defined by the Freshwater synopsis they are not protected.

FFS-Use your head Man!
I'm not talking about a narrow legal definition I'm talking about dough heads bragging openly about slaughtering any species they catch.
This is all about politics and perception.
If the public at large perceive Sportfishermen to be wastrels who wantonly slaughter anything they catch then the good work of many decades/generations-the cleanups/teaching seminars/workshops/endless meetings/WHY-goes right out the window.
Does this make sense?
There are people who read this board every damned day who would love to use the  ignorant comments as posted against all of us.
Why give them ammunition?

[Sterling C]

This particular cat is 11 she's been fixed for 10 years and likes to have hissy fits when we don't feed her. 

[keithr]

Well I have to admit that the two guys from Vancouver I  was camping with (these aren't fishermen) got a pained look on their faces when they saw me put a kink in one and toss it back.  I said, "These guys aren't worth eating, and they are rapcaious (they understand these terms) with the juvenile members of better species.  They are fish vermin."  They seemed to buy it.

[winter steel]

Sam Salmon bonking a coarse fish is a way of not wasting your hard efforts (and mine) in terms of trying to bring back salmon to rivers. How are you going to bring back fish that can't make it out to sea? Remember, it is your fees from licensing that supports government grants that go to improving the sport, not public tax dollars and so I really do not give a **** what the majority of the uneducated populous (in terms of fishing  thinks. Please, do not get me started on special interest groups who have their own personal aganda and do not ask me to appease them. The seminars, river clean ups, hatchery programs and the countless other initiatives go into promoting and sustaining the industry amongst people who care. I just came back from fishing and conversing with the Murphy's and the sport industries bigget problem is trying to get more young fishermen out fishing so we can sustain our own populous and be heard within government walls. The state of Washington took on a great initiative that both helped rivers and the young. They incorporated derbies for pike minnows on certain salmon bearing streams. For every pike minnow brought in the kid was given a point, draw ticket or what ever else the tournament organizers could come up with to make it an enjoyable outing for everyone. Your absolutely write that there are dough heads out there that will kill anything for there s**** and giggles, but there are dough heads in every industry job, profession, volunterr group and so on. Sam Salmon, if you have time do me a favour and read an article by Bill Thorington (Friends of the Eel river) about Pike Minnows. Oh ya, if you think sportfishing is about politics and perception we would have lost a long time ago, it is kept alive by people who care about it like yourself, myself, Nick Baseok, Chris Gadson, Scotty Baker-Mcgarva, Fred Helmer, Cam Arnetz, Eric Carlisle and all the fishermen and fisherwomen who fish for sport and the love of it.

[Sam Salmon]

You just don't get it and as long as you drink the bathwater of other people who think like you there is no hope!