Unusual Chautauqua fish

[GAMBLER]

I was talking about musky.

[on the lam]

If the cops show up... tell them to get lost before they get a paddle up their a$$. Then tell your wife to round up some bail money 

[EYE SPY]

I'm not judging anyone on this, been down that road before....I do know even if I were to land a musky like that I surely wouldn't have handled it that way, posing for a picture doing their death hold no less. The paddle fish seems a little less susceptible to damage, especially the way it's being handled it that photo. The times I have seen them caught on tv, they were being snagged, legally, with the old fashion salmon snagger trebles. Apparently if that states conservation department feels it's ok to "fish" for them that way then they must be a fairly tough fish.

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[NitroMusky]

Steve is right on about the difference betw c+r and closed season. And the law is the same for everyone...either you broke it or you didnt. No different than having to throw back a dead or dying undersized fish you know wont make it: at a macro level, it benefits the fishery, but it may not make a difference in a given situation. Either way the law is the law for everyone and judgement varies so judgement isnt part of the equation.

Ivan, you asked me what i would have done...im not saying. In fact, in my initial post i specifically avoided passing any judgement, simply pointing out the law so people can make their own -informed- decisions.

That said, targeting muskies out of season will get me fired up. People hide behind the "oh, i was targeting something else" routine all the time and the only way to curb it is to uniformly enforce the no picture rule because there is no way to know true intentions

[panfisher]

Yeah, that is a good question on the legal clarity of hooking an incidental catch inadvertently. Perhaps the fish should be "schooled" on the regs too. From what Ivan said of the DEC chap's appreciative attitude, if he is summoned, perhaps he'd have an advocate against a possible fine. But, gee, that is such a cool and unusual catch, the picture, enlarged and framed, might even be worth a fine; if not too much.....   And yes I have seen in print that the Alligator Gar, yeah, the big ones from the south and Mississippi watersheds, are in existence somewhere in southwestern NYS.....

[Steve.e]

need the sun behind you for clear,bright pictures

[panfisher]

EYE SPY......That's a huge and beautiful muskie that guy has in the pic......irregardless of the circumstances....I'm glad to see they are getting that big and nice. Hopefully the fish was released live and healthy. If it could not be due to whatever condition of the fish, it better be mounted on someone's wall..... Just out of decency and respect for the animal. East side  Big O bays? Nice....

Edited October 3, 2013 by panfisher

[muskiedreams]

panfisher, The fish was caught out of season. The law requires that it be released immediately even if it will not survive. Mounting it would have been asking for trouble. Many serious musky anglers would release even a fish that large when caught in season. If you want a mount, you can get a very good quality replica these days.

Edited October 3, 2013 by muskiedreams

[panfisher]

Even if it is dead is the law.....? Is that in the guide book? I'll have to look it up. My ignorance has been changed to enlightenment if it is so. Thanx ! Still a wonderful fish, a good example of how good stewardship of surroundings can only be beneficial. I really hope that fish was released and lives on......Yeah, out of season I can see why you'd have to throw it back even if dead....because there would be no way to prove you did not kill it on purpose. But what a waste it would be for even the acknowledgement of the magnificence of the musky to just throw it away and nobody should know about it (If it died of some trauma not the fault of the catcher). There must be a way one could catch a trophy inadvertently out of season (the fish don't read the rulebooks) and be able to publicly let it be known without getting into trouble for it......

Edited October 4, 2013 by panfisher