Paddles

[whisker]

Seems to be about the same as driving 300 miles round trip, buying food, campgrounds, just to shooting a load of fish I can't eat. It's all fun,....just expensive.

[Ty Stromquist]

I spend more than $21 on beer usually.

[Eric]

Paddle season used to be two weeks and done, I wish it would go back to that. Splitting into two parts would conflict with the bighead runs. The paddles splash less and less during the course of the monthlong season, but I doubt archery pressure is the main reason. They are really splashing heavy at first light in June and early July, but it always seems to reduce as August rolls in. Even in the past, when it was closed already, there were less splashers by this time of year.

Moving the season a couple weeks earlier would make it easier to get one, if making it easier were the goal. I don't really see that it needs to be easier, I already consider drawing the tag the hardest part.

[btbowhunter]

seems for archery, since the conception its been 30%-40% success rate. i've argued in the past that i'd bet dang close to the number of fish killed with archery get killed with boats during archery season. extend that season and more boat traffic...well you get the picture.

i agree, moving the season up into early june would be a joke. fish are sitting all over like carp. wouldn't be too tough. This year i thought the fish we healthier than we've ever seen. we saw alot of fish. had good success. seems with left over tags, most people that wanted a tag got one. i say, if it aint broke, don't fix it.

[Sorny]

I will never wait this long into the season to head up there again. Everyone said last year sucked, but we had no problems last year. This year was a joke, at least when I was up there it was. Tooo many people up there when I was. St. helena looked like Wood Stock there were so many people camping up there and launching.
Sorny

[whisker]

I didn't say "extend" the season, I said possibly split the season. Probably impractical, but even backing it up a week would allow for maybe a few more tags to be filled. If the last three weeks of the season are as unproductive as it seems, the state is the one benefiting from the $$$ increase. (which is OK too) BUT...Trying to cram 200 people into one area when the hunting is actually "good" does no one any good. I would bet next year we'll see the other half of the people,...the "late comers" right up there in the already overcrowded fishing spot.....on opening day.
If you think this year was bad,....

[markb]

The G&P looks closely at the success percentage. If the number of fish taken would increase to a 75% success rate, the number of tags issued will drop accordingly.

[whisker]

Originally Posted by markb

The G&P looks closely at the success percentage. .

The Game and Parks doesn't have a clue how many fish are taken and NOT even reported! Do you honestly think some of these heroes bother to drive to the drop off points with their snouts,...or fill out and mail the card in? The NGPC looks at unreported fish as unfilled tags. I also believe the Game and Parks doesn't have an accurate idea of how many fish, (of several different species) they even have in that section of river. The majority of people they send out to do anything in an official capacity are college kids working towards a degree,... or they are fresh college graduates. I see many USGS teams on the river,...but not much NGPC activity. I also seem to hear the word "sturgeon" from them more than anything.This I know from asking the people who are there doing it,...not from so much hearsay.. If you can show me of an actual "approximate species count", ( especially one by the state) I'd like to see it just to look at the numbers. In the trips I've made to that section of river in the last few years, both daylight and dark, I haven't seen "much" scientific data being collected. The people I've talked to at the G&P, and the USGS offices that have collected data, admit it is "rough" estimates at best. The only way they can average fish counts is by netting and calculating averages per square mile. They're harvesting eggs, breeding, and raising many young paddlefish for release right across the river. I would make an uneducated guess that way more young fish are released,...and survive the youth mortality rate,...than are taken by the archery paddlefish "shooters". I have been on that small piece of the river at the right time when you can view a small percentage of the population, and there are a LOT of paddlefish out there.

(From what I've seen of some of the people who draw archery tags,and the way they "hunt", they could send them out there when the fish are asleep, and the percentage rates still wouldn't raise to over acceptable harvest levels.)

There are many rules in different areas of Nebraska's outdoor sporting regulations currently in place that need to be rethought and rewritten by the guys that sit around the big "round table" table,...this "legislature" and decide the "laws". By personal contact I have been told by the actual hands on employees of the NGPC that manydifferent laws are outdated, & need to be revamped....but their hands are tied when it comes to certain regulation changes. Not to say paddlefish regulations are wrong as they stand, I just have my opinions as does everyone else.
I myself can be called and will admit to being a rookie on the river. I know of people that have many, many years on that river under their belt. I'm just stating my point of view from a couple years of my first hand observations, along with "a few" contacts I've made that handle these things "professionally".
Like I said,...we'll see how it pans out next year. I think the sudden 2008 changes made some people balk at the new system along with the gas prices and the $21 tag. I "hope" there are plenty of tags again next year,...we'll see tho', when the preferance system is in effect. If things pan out the way I'm predicting them, (again an "uneducated" guess) you will be able to walk across the boats to the other bank opening week. Without arguing further, again the point I was making is that it was overcrowded this year with only half the people out the first week, and having heard negative reports from people who started late, (and from hearing through Eric's years on the river that the paddlefish actually do start disappearing in late July/early August),....I would expect a real shin dig the first week of next year. A weeks earlier start would fill some tags, get that crowd off the river, and allow for a second week while their are still fish to be had. Just my uneducated opinion.

[Ty Stromquist]

Thats a lot of quotes.

[little willy]

I know many people hunt right below the dam for the paddles but IMO down river is the easiest and best place for success. Back when the season was 9 days and one could shoot one paddle a day, and I believe two in possession I would get my one daily and eat paddle every day that week. The tactics immediatley below the dam are a bit different than down river however I have anchored on a hole down river and shot rising fish several times but the most used tactics for me has been the slow troll or drive tactice that give point blank shots.

When the season went to the tag system as Eric said, it was much shorter and I called and wrote a NE fisheries biologist. We talked personally and he wrote a letter back. I basically questioned why it was so short and the tag #'s so few as getting drawn every other year was a bummer. I assumed archery hunters took way less than snaggers and he agreed however with archery there is the breeder mortality rate, what you shoot is what you get, breeder sizes are kept where in snagging they are protected by the slot.

I am glad they finally lengthened the season and I believe it spreads people out over the course of it but this season has been tougher for most, congrats to those who have scored but below the dam is the most visible area with paddles(jumping a lot for all to see,etc, easiest to navigate, and thus attracts the most hunters.

Another conversation I had with a CO when I turned someone in for illegally taking a paddlefish opened my eyes even more to paddlefish mortality. He said the state believes there are at least as many paddles taken illegally on the river than there are legally during snagging season. Hell I over heard a guy in a bar who was bragging how he and his bud archery target them in late May and early June when one could fill their boat with them up and down river.

Good luck the rest of the season.

[obert1]

And back to our regular program.

Paddles, I'm happy with the season. Some things could be changed and probably would beneficial, but to be honest my biggest problem this year was getting a chance to go out. Got caught right in the middle of a move. I look at paddle archery like rifle deer. Lot of people in a short time and an extension might help this. But you know what, we know how long the season is. Plan for it and take some days off during the week. And I know, that's a lot easier said than done for most of us. But it might just be a guys best bet. B/C archery paddlefish is fun, a lot of people have weekends off, it's just going to be crowded and tougher S,SU. One thing I would like to see from the NGPC is letting us all know earlier when the seasons will be. I know some need a lot of advance for vacation time. So IMHO, I'm happy with the preference point change we got. $21 isn't bad at all compared to what it takes to get there, motor the boat, and drinks etc. I have a savings account for my outdoor needs and I use that. I'll give something up one week and put that money into my fund. I have 0 paddy's to-date, but I've had a hell of a good time each time I went. So let's enjoy each other's success, enjoy the fact that we have the opportunity and watch out for pontoon dikes.

[Wild Bill]

What a fun weekend Shoulda brought one home that is for sure. Missed several at point blank. I am getting closer so I will be back. Lots of shot oppurtunitys this weekend. couple funny ones, One jumped up on my right side and grazed the boat side on the way up coulda grabbed him He litteraly almost jumped in the boat. He was high enough he just splashed down the wrong way. Had another one run into the boat at my feet and I MISSED. I know when they were really going that I had some buck fever problems as I was shaking like mad. What a Blast. I do hope I get one or at least the season could end. This thing has me completely obsessed. That Gas Bill is getting high. If I do get one we are gonna have to serve it on the fine china lol.

Thanks for all your help whisker I know there are other waters you might like to be attacking while you are hauling me around. As always was alot of fun.

I gotta rest for a couple days then get after them a few more times.

[Ty Stromquist]

Sounds like it wasnt very good this weekend either. Glad I went out to Calamus, what a good ol time.



Also if you think archery paddlefish is crazy you should try the snagging season. It doesnt even compare!

[whisker]

Anytime Bill

[btbowhunter]

Here's my question. sounds like it was pretty much a total zoo about every weekend up there. we've been doing this for 10 years or so and i've never seen it with this many people. how? numbers haven't went up. what has changed? i mean you are talking 10 fold the number of people we were used to seeing.

i think next year we'll probably head up and fish the tail waters at the dam if we draw. seems pretty consistant that everyone thinks the fishing is better up there.