Thread: Lake Mattoon Brushpiles

I saw on another thread a fellow was talking about Lake Mattoon brush piles. First thing, I live on Lake Mattoon. According to the letter of the law, placing brush piles with out the permission of the Lake manager (Joel Pitman) and the local wildlife manager (Mike Mounce) could be considered illegal. And, I would remind folks that the llocal Conservation Officer's father-in-law is a member of this board, posts on it regulary, and I am sure saw the pictures and read the account.. After talking to both Joe and Mike, they know folks make up brush piles and put them in the lake. I am sure Joe eats plenty of crappie caught off of them. But most folks that do it more or less keep pretty quiet it about it. I know one guy that puts in his crappie condos very late at night and keeps their location secret as much as possible.:D

As for the location of your brush piles, I am sure they will show up on my electronics and I will be sure to put a GPS marker on them. I have lots of them marked on both Shelbyville and Lake Mattoon.

I flinched a little when I read it too. This particular person also was bragging about catching his limit and then continuing to fish and just giving the fish to other fishermen near him. By definition, that is taking more than your limit. Maybe the boys' dad should proof read his posts to keep him from getting a ticket. AND I'm sure his dad will soon be wondering why there are a lot of boats where he fishes. There didn't used to be anyone else there. I have lost enough places over the years to KNOW that it's hard enough to find fish and deer for yourself, let alone for every one else. His dad went to a lot of work to drop those trees. he didn't do it for all of us. He did it for him and his boy.
MY boys KNOW better. SHHH!

I think placing of structure happens a lot more than we think!! maybe we should have a law that if you place structure you must tell everyone else where it is!! haaaaaaaa

Originally Posted by crappie10

I flinched a little when I read it too. This particular person also was bragging about catching his limit and then continuing to fish and just giving the fish to other fishermen near him. By definition, that is taking more than your limit. Maybe the boys' dad should proof read his posts to keep him from getting a ticket. AND I'm sure his dad will soon be wondering why there are a lot of boats where he fishes. There didn't used to be anyone else there. I have lost enough places over the years to KNOW that it's hard enough to find fish and deer for yourself, let alone for every one else. His dad went to a lot of work to drop those trees. he didn't do it for all of us. He did it for him and his boy.
MY boys KNOW better. SHHH!

and actually he said he caught a few that day and released them back.... according to law also that woud be cnsidered culling which is illegal except in specified tournaments... not picking on the person just figured id make them aware cause im ure we all do cull from time to time

well I'll just quit postin. I had a great time on this board but you all need to keep your mouths shut if you dont have anything nice to say PERIOD.

REDTICK- you may live on the lake but I doubt you find our brushpiles, but go ahead and keep on looking. And I know joel pittman myself, I am related to him so I don't think he really cares. Don't be putting smily faces at the end of your post to try and make it sound in a good tone if you dont mean it.

CRAPPIE10- I was catching my limit off the shelbyville docks for your infortmation but was saying from bank in order to keep the docks from having 100 people on them. So I dont worry about boats on our brush piles. And the other people that I gave fish to were my good friends. So you can go ahead and be a little stickler to your regulations book but I dont think they really care if your HELPING another person out by giving them fish when they ask for them. ALSO, im 17 and I would like to let you know that i MYSELF got all thse trees togther this year he was just with me to drop them. So, if i feel the need to say something about them I CAN and WILL.

This forum is about fishing and bragging happens to come along the same lines of fishing. You all do it and dont say you dont. SOrry I enjoy the hell out of what I do and hope to make it my job one day. Maybe you all are just too jealous and like to complain. Why cant we have a board like N.Carolina or W.Virgina filled with fun and jokes and nothing bad.

CrappieX, I now know why you quit posting.

Bye

I thought culling is '[say the limit is 10 fish over 10]and u have 9 fish in the boat and continue to fish and are catching bigger fish that u have in the live well and are switching the bigger ones out for the smaller fish even though you could of had your 10 over 10 a long time ago.there is nothing wrong with catch and release. thats what he did he only had 6 fish.

Don,t let them get to you Birdman---you don,t have to stoop that low---keep on postin for us old folks to have something to read

noone is trying to be mean birdman there just trying to give you a few pointers to keep you and your dad from getting in trouble, not one person really said you did anything that most of havent done at one time or another but posting an illegal activity where conservation officers do read it just isnt the smartest.. no reason to blow up at everyone for trying to save you some greif... and good for you, your 17 most of the people trying to give you advice are a heck of alot older.

Originally Posted by johnz85

I thought culling is '[say the limit is 10 fish over 10]and u have 9 fish in the boat and continue to fish and are catching bigger fish that u have in the live well and are switching the bigger ones out for the smaller fish even though you could of had your 10 over 10 a long time ago.there is nothing wrong with catch and release. thats what he did he only had 6 fish.

actually less its a catch and release tournament any fish that are on your stringers, buckets, or livewlls are not to be released...(this from 2 conservation officers at lake clinton, when i asked them bout it last week when someone told me culling was illegal)

Page 3 in Illinois fishing regs under culling says you can release a smaller fish if it is counted toward the daily limit. Say there is a 10 limit and you have a little one and 8 nice ones in the tank and Catch another nice one. It is Ok to put the little one back in the lake if you do not want to clean it, but it still counts towards your 10. So, you go home and clean the 9 nice ones. I haven't heard of anyone who actually does that.