Potential New Rules for MN Muskie Tourneys

[Dave Landahl]

Here is a post from the NPAA website that Steve Cady sent them:

This is taken directly from the minutes of a meeting between the Minnesota Muskie Alliance and the MN DNR. Here is what the Minnesota Muskie Alliance proposed to the MN DNR:

1) The Minnesota Muskie Alliance would like to see all muskie tournaments be required to utilize a catch and immediate release format. The use of judge boats should be discontinued. Most Muskie Inc. Chapter events have gone to this format in Minnesota and their events have been very successful. These formats utilize in-boat witnessing and require a Polaroid photo of the fish and angler to verify the catch. The angler must wear a cap that was issued the day of the tournament. It is anticipated the big money events will resist this format. A reasonable alternative for these events is to assign a judge to be in each boat. Given the size of the entry fees ($450.00 - $1,250.00/angler) and prize monies ($20,000 – $100,000) associated with these events, it is not unreasonable to utilize in-boat judging.
2) The DNR should augment the existing tournament limitations to restrict the maximum number of large muskie tournaments (> 50 boats or 100 anglers) to no more than 2 per lake/ month regardless of lake size. Tournament rules allow up to three large events on lakes from 15,000 – 55,000 acres in size and there is no limit on the number of large events on lakes greater than 15,000 acres. In addition, permits for large muskie tournaments should not be issued for waters less than 5,000 acres. Under current rules, there can be one large event per month on waters from 2,000 – 4,999 acres in size.


End

Some interesting notes about the recommendations.
Transport tournaments for Muskies have been banned in MN for some time. It has NEVER been studied or proven that the Judge boat style of tournaments has any additional effect on Muskies than normal angling and measuring/picture taking does.

The limiting of tournaments and the size of lakes has no basis and would have to be enforced for ALL species.

# of tournaments and size limits are already in force but do not fit into this groups agenda.

These recommendations were based purely on a personal agenda and do not represent Muskies anglers as a whole. If these recommendations would succeed they would have a affect on all species.

The MN DNR has since decided that it will review each application individually and cannot issue a blanket denial regarding use of Judge boats.

[registerdMN_Moose]

I agree with the proposed tournamnet changes. We should do everything within our capabilities to lesson human impact on natural resources in general and muskies specifically. Keep in mind that the vast majority of musky fishing people never enter tournamnets. Some might think that their one tournamnet per year won't affect the fishery. But most large lakes in Minnesota have a tournament for some species every week. Plus add in the pre fishing and that equates to high presence of fishing preasure.
Your notes:
Transport tournaments for Muskies have been banned in MN for some time. It has NEVER been studied or proven that the Judge boat style of tournaments has any additional effect on Muskies than normal angling and measuring/picture taking does.
*We don't need a multi million dollar study to conclude that extra handling of fish strains the fish. Common sense tells that protecting the resource will equate to trophy fishing in the future.

The limiting of tournaments and the size of lakes has no basis and would have to be enforced for ALL species.
*O.K. I'm for it. Leech Lake has been impacted by the number and size of tournaments. Should tournaments that are operated "for profit" be allowed to continue?

# of tournaments and size limits are already in force but do not fit into this groups agenda.
*The limit on number of tournaments are prety liberal. Locations can easily be changed. That groups agenda is to protect the resource.

These recommendations were based purely on a personal agenda and do not represent Muskies anglers as a whole. If these recommendations would succeed they would have a affect on all species.
*The group consits of many members. If they decided to speak with one voice, officials stand up and take notice. The recomendations may not represent some views, but they represent many. Why would regulations for all species be the same? We have different seasons, length restrictions and bag limits for many species. The regulations should be structured to be most effective for species specific.

I am not a memebr of Muskies Inc.

Chris Witt

[Shawn Kellett]

The DNR has addressed this issue and has written a letter basicly saying that the meeting in question WILL NOT affect policy. Many assumptions were made but in the end no harm was done.

[Stillwater]

I know that I am nitpicking here, but,

does the cap that is issued have to be on the anglers head, or, only in the picture.

This issue cost a good Musky fisherman a First Place trophy/prize this year. (His cap fell off, into the water, while he was landing the fish, his fishing partner put it on the console and took a picture of the the angler holding the fish and the cap was in plain view). Yet, the fish did not count.

So, My question is, what is the point of the cap?

The position of the cap is more important than the fish or size of the fish.

If you want to "Date" the catch why not give every angler a copy of the morning paper?

I would also question the "Judge in every boat" issue if it came down to 1/2 inch. Some judges, like my fishing partner, are very liberal when measuring. Some are conservative. Some measure to 1/4 inch, And some round it off to the next highest 1/2 inch.

It could come down to who has the friendliest judge.

Scott