I'm a whiner I know.....but sometimes it's really fun. I've commented in the past about the Aquarium at the Mall of American coming to our league nights and taking the fish we catch. If I understand it correctly they take those fish and use them for the aquarium in the MOA.......correct me if I'm wrong. I have refused giving my fish to them because the idea of them taking fish WE catch and putting them into THEIR aquarium so they can charge people $9-$10 (I was just there) is absurd. My reasoning is.....like any business; do it yourself. If you want crappies or bass for your exhibit, go get them yourself. I also don't understand why they come to our neck of the woods to take them. Do they take them from the city lakes?
With this said.....I was recently down there and took the tour with a touch of eagerness because I knew some of the fish were from our beloved St. Louis River. Well there are about 4 walleye in that damn tank. Less than a dozen large mouth and small mouth, and a school of about 8 crappies. I also spent a good amount of time looking for Pike.....1......1 damn pike. It was terrible......there were more Buffalo, carp, and sturgeon than Crappies/Bass/Pike. WHERE THE HELL ARE THE FISH THEY TAKE FROM US?
I've been present for 3 different..........what do I call it.......kidnappings? So we all cough up our hard earned fish for the greater good of the aquarium....great. We're better people for it. I guess my question is what are they using them for? Maybe I'm totally out of line and they're taking them for research purposes. If that's the case, forgive my ignorance and I'll shut up. I would be willing to bet a pack of power worms that they're not for research though. I believe they were down on Island Lake South one night too. Do the people who pay hefty property taxes on Island Lake South know we're taking those fish out and giving them to the Aquarium? Probably not......although we are within our bag limits, you know as I do, most of those fish would go right back into the lake. I know we're not hurting numbers.....it's the principal.
Maybe our President could clarify where these fish are going?
What is their purpose?
Where the F%^$ are the fish we've given them so far?
Am I wrong or have we supplies them with hundreds of fish from our waters?
I say screw this aquarium deal....if anything we should be giving them to OUR aquarium....let the 612'ers fill the aquarium down there.
From my rambling on league night, I know most people just don't care.....I think you should guys.
Maybe they come up here, take our fish then have a big fish fry down in the cities
I do remember the day when we had the pike day out on Chub. We did catch quite a few pike for the Aquarium, actually surprised how many pike were in such a small lake. But hopefully cleaning out some of the smaller ones, will let some of them get just a little bigger.
The money side of it is kinda of weird. MMTS is a non-profit group, but we donate fish to a company for profit. But then you can look at from the point of view of all those people going thru the aquarium and getting to see alot of different kinds of fish we have in Minnesota. Education? tough call there, I would like to think that all the kids going thru their will appreciate the diversity of fish we have in Minnesota and protect it when they get older.
We do recieve free passes and t-shirts! I know we handed out a bunch last year. Tickets & t-shirts vs. our local lakes, well you know who wins that.
Oh the group was supposed to have a plaque put in at the aquarium, but never seen that yet. Most of the warm water species come from the cities areas, it's just more convenient for them to show up on a league night to get a diversity and plus ........
MMTS teams can catch fish!
Yeah, not sure if they're coming by much anymore. They didn't come up at all last year. And they started using big nets for pannies now. As for the lakes, the DNR approves all the fish that they get and they like some of the smaller fish removed to improve the quality. But they are not always right.
I have been there once now and didn't see the plaque either. Not sure where it is at. But it is a pretty big place. I think they also work with other aquariums across the country, so not sure if they trade fish too. I know that some of the fish end up food for other fish.
If the fish educate any kids, it's worth it. Leaving a lake over populated does no one any good, including the fish. And educating the next generation protects our sport. And with less and less kids involved in fishing, we all need to be doing more, not less to get fishing and fish out there.
I don't see them coming up much and for that matter we each choose to give them fish or not. I remember that big walleye on Island South going back into the lake. That's how we do it. Only give them fish that will help the fishery, not hurt it. I know that the pike was not a problem, those lakes have more than people realize. I still think the Flymaster is in shock at how easy and fast we caught them.
Sounds like some great catfishing. My son has been really getting into them in Cloquet too. Along with some big pike in between the cats. I may have to get out shortly. Went smelting again tonight and got some. But slow. So is there a good time for the cats or anytime works right now?