For Immediate Release:
At a formerly good pike lake in southern Michigan, a random Inbred announced new pike regulations in Michigan beginning this year. After the Inbred's 12th attempt to back his boat trailer down the ramp, your humble correspondent finally got to use the boat landing, and asked the Inbred how his morning went.
"Got one pike and a few small bass" said the Inbred, "Good thing they removed all limits on pike this year."
Suppressing the urge to offer free condoms for life to the Inbred, your reporter politely pointed out the statewide 2-pike limit with a MSL of 24 inches, except for some lakes with no MSL and a one-over limit, and just a couple other exceptions. The Inbred was asked if maybe the lake had been added to the no MSL lakes, or there could be some other misunderstanding.
"Sorry you didn't get the word yet" replied the Inbred, shaking his head in polite amusement at the reporter's ignorance. "It started this year. The pike have been so tough on the panfish that something had to be done."
Your humble correspondent did not learn of this otherwise and still believes the regulations are as currently published. But the Inbred was resolute in making the announcement, very likely sharing the new secret pike regulations with others as he does his part to rescue the state's panfish populations and better manage our gamefish.
It's also possible that the Inbred doesn't have time to look at a copy of the rules online or at Walmart, since it takes him over 30 minutes to launch or retrieve his boat.
"alumacraft07" said:
I know one lake near the Indiana line it was lifted to help a trout population this year.
That's true- but pike were not native to Lake Lavine, which had a successful stocked rainbow fishery for many years. After pike were introduced in just the last few years, most likely via illegal stocking, they have become established and have apparently really hammered the stocked rainbows. Unfortunately, it's isolated situations like this that tend to really make the esox reputation what it is
I didn't notice that about Lake Lavine until this thread, thanks for mentioning it. The lake was pretty far from there (Lee Lake in Calhoun County) but it could be that the Inbred heard it there and just applied it to the whole state. I also wouldn't put it past a lakefront property owner who hates pike or musky in "their" lake to try to mislead the clueless with something like that, hoping it catches on. It would be a more calculating lakefront property owner but it seems possible. I've had Thornapple Inbreds tell me I should kill every musky like other MMA faithful have likely been told too, but this is the first time I ever heard a new false regulation claim.
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