Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 18
Selective Harvest Panfish
A
by Braden Eisenhower
lthough the fishing community has embraced the
catch-and-release mindset, it is imperative we
continue to recognize and maintain our tradition
of sourcing local, natural foods by harvesting fish. Equally
important, we must carry out this ritual in a practical,
purposeful manner to preserve our resources and ensure
bountiful populations for today and tomorrow.
Harvesting the most abundant species-Black
Crappie and White Crappie, sunfish (specifically
Bluegill), and Yellow Perch-is a good starting point.
Even so, these species are susceptible to overharvest
when anglers treat creel limits as an objective. Without
an established code of conduct, we may be unwittingly
sending too many fish home.
I practice selective harvest, because it strikes a balance
between harvesting and releasing fish.
18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater
Selective harvest implores anglers to release large fish,
" large " being respective to the species. Not only does this
keep trophy-class fish in the fishery for other anglers to
catch, it allows fish the opportunity to spawn and pass
along superior genetics.
Anglers are encouraged to release undersized fish
as well. Small fish are unimpressive on the skillet and
difficult to fillet. It simply takes too many of them to
comprise a meal.
The sweet spot for harvest is below the trophy threshold,
though still of respectable proportion. As a guideline, I
harvest crappies between 9- and 10-inches, Bluegills around
7 inches, and Yellow Perch around 9 inches. Fish within
these ranges are commonplace in comparison to their
trophy-class counterparts.
Limit the quantity of harvest. Most Pennsylvania waters
allow an angler to possess a combination of panfish species
totaling 50 fish. Some lakes are entirely catch-and-release
only, while others operate under Panfish Enhancement
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 12
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - 18
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2023 - Cover4
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