Does anybody eat the Minnesota River catfish?

[kjr]

:eek: I'm on! Does anybody eat these cats from MN? What kind of contaminmants are we looking at?

[Larry]

Interesting question....... To date I have not eaten any myself. (I'm fairly new to catfishing) One of my buddies smoked one of the fish, I think that it would have been pretty good but the seasoning was way off. Way to salty (like soy sauce).
I did a little research recently on a DNR website that list contaminates in fish through-out Minnesota. The statistics stated that it was safe to eat one meal a week for everyone including Pregnant women and young children, on fish of all sizes, out of the Minnesota River. The only contaminate was Mercury.
I do like Catfish at restraurants so I think I'm gonna make a meal out of the next 5lbr or less I catch. Im not really comfortable eating anything bigger. My biggest concern is the MN river flows through lots of Farm land and there may be pesitcides. But I think that most of that breaks down and that part of the River is over 30 miles away. I know that for the Mississippi in MN they recommend eating one fish a month due to PCBs which is no real surprize.
I wish I could be more specific. But Catfishing is not very big up in this state....... (That I know of) Ive been fishing for over 30 years for everything but Catfish, and no one seems to have much input. Let me know your thoughts on it and what its like where your from.

[nuthinlikeacat]

What Larry says is true about the contaminents, and meals of fish you can eat.
I have been fishing the Minnesota River system for almost 20 years now, and I do eat a few meals of fish from there every summer. Although the DNR reccommends amounts that are safe, i've never known of anyone having problems from eating the fish out of there. I would try and stay away from eating the bigger fish for reasons of higher mercury levels.

The Minnesota River has made great strides in improving the quality of the water in the Minnesota River :) , and it has shown. I would not be surprised to seem them change their reccommendations in the coming year or so, but keeep in mind, it is a river system, and like all river systems, you will always have contaminents.

[Shamu]

Yes, we had some just the other weekend :D

[Goldenshinner]

this is a very important issue, on many levels. Honestly I was eating the occasional river fish meal realizing that I was constantly increasing my exposure to mercury and lead. then last year we herd about the controversial Pfos in the river system. even though the river is cleaner now than ever, these pfos are serious stuff. a massive debate is currently going on as to how serious this stuff is. research has identified it as a cancer causing substance in rats but not humans yet. I will no longer eat fish from the river.

also what you said about the dnr and polution controls eating advisories on the river is partialy true. they had upgraded the warning to no children under 8 or any women of child bearing age should eat no fish at all.


here are a few quotes from online search on this subject.



"For nearly 50 years, 3M made and used PFOS and other perfluorinated compounds in Scotchgard and other products. One estimate by the Pollution Control Agency estimated as much as 50,000 pounds of the compounds were released into the Mississipp River each year. "

"Blood samples taken from Mississippi River fish near a 3M plant show high levels of a chemical related to the company's former Scotchgard operations. The level of the compound PFOS found in some of the fish is believed to be the highest found anywhere in the world. The tests were conducted by a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency scientist(Fardin Oliaei) who left the agency this week, after a long dispute with her bosses over her research."

incidently a number of lawsuites have been raised agaist 3m. several of the local twin cities drinking water wells have tested positive for this chemical. and the scarriest is that animals tested in numerous places around the world have also tested positive for this chemical!!!!!!

on a side note also related to this subject:
I have run into two groups of poachers who have been systematicaly trapping out the river and selling catfish to bars for fish frys. unfortunatly our river flathead populations cannot sustain such activities. I would like to see increased protection for these beautiful animals. also they could test suspicious frozen suplies by measuring the size of muscles in tissues to determine aprox size of fish. almost all legitimate farm raised catfish is sold as relatively small(young) fish. I am sure that all parties involved in selling such contaminated foods are breaking a number of laws and would be liable for there actions.


Pfos will be a massive upcomming issue that will affect not only our local fish but many waterways that connect and drain from the mississippi river to the gulf of mexico!!

[The J-Man!]

I have fished the Minnesota River system for most of my 31 years, and have not eaten any fish from there for at least 20. Just the thought of potentially damaging mercury levels is enough for me not to risk it. And not to mention the Black Dog power plant that rests on the shore between Bloomington and Eagan. I do, however, know many who do eat fish from the river and they all still have 2 arms, 2 legs, 10 fingers, etc. so maybe it is not that bad. I am just a cautious person I guess.

[rushing]

Although the river is becoming cleaner there is years and years of pollution trapt in the silt & mud in and around the river. Even if I ate fish I wouldnt eat anything out of the MN river.

As far as pouchers mentioned earlier...call the authorities! That can not be tolerated! :angry: They would prolly get a beatin if we ran across them around here.

[hanson]

They would prolly get a beatin if we ran across them around here.
Got that right Rob. Was talking with a buddy the other day who watched someone keep a 40lb Flathead from the areas you fish Larry. He tried to talk the guy out of it but it was kept.

I said I would have decked the guy hard, tossed the fish in the river, and continued on my way. :big_smile:

[Larry]

Ah Hanson!!!
I could see you doing a Real Good shoulder Check, Headbutt followed up by a knee and then elbow between the shoulderblades. Not cause the guy was going to eat the fish...... but he was not releasing a trophy flat back into our waters.
Oh wait....... I probably would have done that, or maybe DTRO. Heck any of us up here probably would have........... even the guy who tried to talk the guy to putting it back... If he was in a little better health at the momement. No disrespect intended FD if your out there.

[hanson]

Well...

I saw it going down more this way.

I went for the single leg take down,
and ended up in his guard.
Passed the guard,
and ended in full mount.
Started dropping elbows,
and lost control.
Regained his back working for the rear naked choke,
and submitted him.

Oh, I let the fish swim away.

Too much UFC for me. :ooooh:

[Goldenshinner]

yes I agree. it is very very agrivating to see large flatties get harvested. food is cheep enough. as is smaller fish. these fish grow so slowly and now there seems to be so many people interested in trying the sport.there is also no need to eat such big fish. and there just is not enough bigg ones to go around, even if we keep catching the same ONE over and over(ha ha ha).but serriously DNR needs to keep evaluating and modernizing our catfishing rules.Fish over 30 inches are not eddible and should be tag controlled to one fish per season/person. but the harm that one green catfisherman does by keeping one 40lber is absolutly nothing compared to the systematic harvesting of every last fish by poachers. also we need an END to ALL COMERCIAL FISHING ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. few people are aware that this even exists. There is a reason why when you fish the big river nothing bites for days. I couldnt even believe it when I found out. My friend does motor work on the boats used. massive comercial flatbottom boats that pull hugh siens. everything in that streach is collected. I assume that they have the proper liscenses but who knows. Finally the Polution controll should also post signs on all launches.

I have two first hand acounts one from the mississippi river and one from the minnesota. both are aquantances of aquantances. so these are 3rd hand stories.

case 1: middle aged man who has a passion for eating minnesota river fish becomes blind. years of continued river fish consumption is the possible cause as blood tests show high levels of mercury.

case 2: younger guy catches monsterous 20lb pike on missisippi river. hes got so much meat that he keeps eating it day after day. after a week he starts to lose feeling in his legs. doctors are unsure but recomend a compleate end to consumption of this fish. as luck has it his nervous functions return to normal.



Just my 2 cents worth to the topic. thanks

[Larry]

Good points Goldenshinner.

[hanson]

also we need an END to ALL COMERCIAL FISHING ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. few people are aware that this even exists.

I did just learn the other day that commercial fishing of shovelhead sturgeon is alive on the Mississippi River for the harvest of caviar. This is so darn weird since you cannot harvest 1 single shovelhead sturgeon from the Minnesota River, yet commercial fishers can kill these little shovelheads for their eggs only on the Mighty Miss.

A number of the caviar sources throughout the world are being regulated (Beluga sturgeon in Eastern Europe) and other sturgeon species are now being exploited to fill the worlds demand.

All I can say is the frickin' MN DNR & the WI DNR are going to have to reach agreement on common regulations for our shared border waters. This is the 21st century folks (ah..hum! Wisconsin), lets get up to speed.

[MNwiskers21]

Hello Everyone,

I fish the Mississippi River right in South Saint Paul MN almost everyday and I have never ate a fish from its waters in the metro area and never will, to many contamanince. I do eat fish from the St. Croix River occasionally and occasionally from the Mississippi River up north by Bemiji Mn and down near Lacross Wis but only early in the year. I enjoy catching fish more than eating them.

Take Care Everyone!
Sincerly, Kevin
Your Fellow Fisherman

[Goldenshinner]

yeh, I used to also eat fish occasionaly from the st.croix.
but the reality is, they are not safe. even the croix fish are moving up and down from the mississippi and are eating food minnows that are bringing the contaminates from the mississippi river. so no im done with croix fish. as much as they are good.

[Dave L]

I fish mostly north of the taylors falls dam and I'll keep a few small ones a year for a meal, the only contaminants that I would imagine being up there is fertilizer run off from the area farmers. I am not aware of any factories or waste dumps any where near those waters, though I could be wrong.
According to the maps it is state parks and forest on both sides in that area.
Though who knows what was there in the early 1900's late 1800's ?
Larry next time you try cat try batter and deep fry, yum, yum.:smile2:

[Larry]

Hey Dave,
Your right, Fried Catfish is tasty

[Goldenshinner]

I fish mostly north of the taylors falls dam and I'll keep a few small ones a year for a meal, the only contaminants that I would imagine being up there is fertilizer run off from the area farmers. I am not aware of any factories or waste dumps any where near those waters, though I could be wrong.
:smile2:


actualy doesnt matter were the water comes from. all freshwater fish from inland lakes and rivers will have some mercury. its a byproduct of the industrial revolution. fish act like a sponge and absorb thru the skin concentrating these chemicals.

I too fish occasionaly above taylors falls and to me this is the clossest we have to "clean" fish. I take what I catch in this streach. as I go here specifically to get some eating fish. population is low though. its funny as I fish all over the state 12 months a year but actualy I only keep fish 2-3 months out of the year durring the off time when im done with my serrious fishing. ha ha

[Goldenshinner]

as to the harvest of spoonbill stergeon on the mississippi river. I think you mean regular stergeon, as spoonbill are protected(I think by feds), at any rate the harvest of eggs is interesting, they sergicaly remove the roe, sow it up with leather , and the fish survive. this only works with stergeon, I have visited a european farm that actualy practiced this black magic.
its amazing and it does work!

[Goldenshinner]

as to the wis- min boarder rules.
its insaine. on the wiscony side you are allowed 8cats no size limit, using 2 rods with a much more liberal bait selection, plus the addition of set lines. that is just way toooooooo much. on our side we neeed more flex. one rod with almost every good bait banned.

I would like to see at least 2 rods and up to 4 rods per person on the entire inland river system. why not? increased bait and fishing revenues more than justify that. and we need to increase our bait laws to encourage more selective catch and release of larger specimens.and yet I have to meet someone who actualy serriously would mount such a large fish. I would love a mount, but almost no-one would attempt a cat, or do it justice, at least around here. the relality is that large cats should be sloted for catch and recatch just like the red river, we have the potential for a world class fishery. with only one true trophy per year allowed to be kept/taged. by using larger baits(of all types) we can reduce pressure on smaller growing age classes. incidently some studies have proven that harrassing smaller fish by catching and rough handling can stunt growth. vertabrae will partialy fuse and slow in growth.

also the public would greatly benifit from large stockings of inland lakes for smaller food-sized channel cats. loads and loads of people like to feast on these, but yet we dont have many safe sorces. why not stock in lakes??? perhaps a organized group such as the boc-minnesota could fund raise enough to pay the stocking fees(just like muskies inc does for our local musky lakes!!)

finaly totaly off the subject. we need food sized slot lakes for stergeon stocking/fishing. not the monsterous 50+inch size, we have no use for such rediculous sized fish. sure fun to catch. but not safe to eat. why not allow 10lber to be harvested from our smaller lakes!!we allready have one dependible producer of stergeon fry that only exports out of the US!!!! He'S not allowed to stock inland yet!!! as I understand there is a large growing demand and disscusion at the dnr...this is possibly comming, so support it if you hear about this.


just my 2.5 cents worth

[Goldenshinner]

my last rambling for the day.
by increase bait laws. I specificaly refer to an old minor line in the written laws that limit bait to under 12inches. My many inquires at the St.paul DNR to change this law, gave me the resulting answer, that this was just some arbitrary size to separate the bait harvesting licsense from the comercial food licesnce. thats it. but they would not bother to push for any update as they had more important issues that they had to push, as apparently they are only allowed a few updates per voting sesion. hmmmm. such is the democratic world we live in.

I also would like to see a more open allowance for using bait of almost all species. for example suckers, (golden also), bullheads of any size(not just the little 6incher we now are allowed), drum, carp(caught on site/ and not a threat anymore as every inhabitable waterway allready has them state wide, the only ones that dont, are so because they cannot reproduce without specific plant requirements that are absent, = no threat), and finaly bluegill(a fish that reproduces all sumer and over populates most lakes to the point that catfish/largemouth have to be introduced to controll the exploding populations!!):cool2:

[huntinflatheads]

A few years ago my grandfather met a comercial fisherman near Lacrosse WI at a boat launch. He had a flatbottom full of nothing but flatheads of all sizes. The comercial fisherman told him he figured he had 1200 pounds of fish that day, and he was so disgusted with his catch he needed to move to different water because he usually gets twice that much. He was using setlines and targeting the larger fish. My frends and I fish that area a lot and a large fish is rarely caught anymore. How can this be legal?

[Goldenshinner]

if the pca and the state allready knows that these fish are not safe for human consumption. then the larger fish need to be re-classified and protected. there is no need for this kind of harvest.

what is the benifit. such a collector hardly contributes to the states economy at all. they make a very minimal living . by contrast each fish that is left in the river to be caught and re-caught will stimulate fishing sport economy much more. look at the pure catch and release catfishing on the red river of the north. people drive clear accross the continent to be able to catch 30 channels a day that average 20-30lbs each!!!

If flatheading ever reached this level we would see the emergence of a whole new economic fishing comunity: guides, motels, bait services, fishing gear, boating gear. it just doesnt end. right now its limmited mainly due to the low populations- that I attribute to overharvesting and a lack of management.