DNR stocking lakes without public access

[Duane-MI]

Do you think it is right for the DNR to stock lakes without a public access? I would like to think that tax payer money should go to stocking lakes that everyone could fish. What do you think?

[FJH1]

I think the DNR should concentrate their stocking and management dollars on lakes with public access. We have a summer home on a lake with "public access", sort of. Actually the access is virtually useless. Nobody knows were it is and if you do find it you really can't get a boat down it - too many boulders, ruts... The DNR tried to imporve it (twice), but the lady who owns the property that it runs through ran out and laid down in front of the bulldozer both times! Do I think this was wrong - yes. Do I mind? Not really. We have one jet ski on the lake and that's too many in my opinion. As a result, the DNR does not manage the lake. If the public can't get on the lake I think it's wrong of the DNR to spend taxpayer dollars to manage the lake.

Best Regards,

FJH

[Dutchman]

South Dakota has done this in the past. They're intended as rearing ponds and the fish are later stocked in needy lakes. Could this possibly be their intent?


" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[Duane_MI]

I am not sure about the rearing pond. They stocked over 120,000 1 1/2 inch fingerlings a few years past. I am going to call them and see if this is a common practice or if it is a rearing pond. Duane_MI formally know as Duane-MI. (i figured out how to register ):)

[Cangl]

Its got to stop, and for that matter should never happen. You are either a citizen of this state or not plain and simple. Preschool is all about learning the basics of sharing and contributing. But alas adulthood and selfishness put the cabash on everybodies freedom. The late Sam Washington ( former head of the MUCC and NRA) was a bloodhound on this issue in Michigan as well as nationwide. His point as should be everybodies, is no stocking or monies to any procedure that does not benefit US ALL. Should anybody out there beleive this is happening Sam's son the new Director of MUCC and the MUCC would be interested in this. This one bone that is to easily stolen from us as a whole. Fred Trost will listen to you, and remember if "fat" people to not intend to share a resource we can make them, and we refuse to change diapers. ;)

[nick]

Whats the point if a public paid organiztion is useing public dollars to stock a lake on few people will beable to enjoy its ludacris!

nick

[Jacob]

Check out Susan Lake in Carvey county, Mn. Small lake 90 acres. No public access and the DNR has put in 1,145,000 fry in this lake since 1995. Almost 500,000 last year. I wish I lived on that lake.

[moreyes]

Hmmm, I was talking to a fellow that works for the DNR and has a cabin on the lake where I do,and our lake is 500 acres without public access and the DNR here in MN will neither stock nor do a survey on it because it is not redilly accesible. The lake is located north of Duluth.

moreyes

[Kevin/CO]

Could it be that a private party paid the DNR to stock the body of water your speaking of? I don't know if it makes sense but say the DNR pays 10 cents (probably way too high but its an easy number to work with) per fingerling to stock in public access lakes and has exclusive rights to the fish hatcheries in the area. Since the DNR controls the production of the hatcheries could it be that the DNR is selling fish to private parties at a cost higher then prodution cost. The justification for charging more is that it would be state resources that wouldn't be immediately used by the public who funded their development, and with the increased charge say 15 cents per fingerling every two sold means 3 that could be hatched and put into the public access bodies the next year. I don't know if thats what is going on there or not but if it is I can't say I'd be too terribly mad myself. Take one out of my hand to give me two, in the long run we'd all come out ahead.

[redbone]

If these lakes are stocked and paid with public funds they now must allow public access. But most people don't know how to obtain this right. If you know this to be fact on a "private" lake near you send a letter to the NRC and request/tell them that the lake must be opened to the public and request a return letter stating the date it will be opened.
Sportspeople this is our money don't let them use it without us getting any benefit. Sorry for going off i hate abuse.

Bob Piette

[Fred S]

I'm dragging this post out of the depths of page 8, because this problem occurs everywhere it seems. It reminds me of a situation that is going on right here in Illinois. This same scenario is being played out at Lake Carroll, Lake Holiday in Sandwich,and Fish Lake beach in Lake co, among others in this state. All of these lakes are getting stocked right under our noses with public money that Illinois sportsmen have ponied up, yet we are not allowed access to these "private" lakes. Anyone have a contact number or email for someone in Illinois that we can complain to?

Thanks

[Cangl]

Boaters USA, LEADING ADVOCATES of water as free as this country this organization does quite a bit. It is an absolute shame that so much freedom has been lost and whithers away each day. Document, video tape with date, plate numbers etc...membership also helps ;)

[Silver/MI]

I know Duane who started this post. When looking at Mich DNR stocking data I saw that a certain lake reasonably close to me has received some nice walleye plants over the last 10 years, and was smaller lake. I went to fish it and the launch said it was for Township residents or property owners only (Can't remember exact wording). Seems how it was a weekday I used it. Yesterday I called the fisheries division in Lansing and the lady there said that she didn't think they'd stock a lake w\out public access, yet she agreed they were stocking this lake and there was no access she knew of. She referred me to a field office. I've called at least a dozen times with no answer, and have left messages each day. Perhaps there's a launch I don't know about, or perhaps the sign was bogus. Either way I'll post what I find out- providing they ever call back.

[Cangl]

We should remember that a body of water that is stocked is connected to another by creek, canal, diversion in a sense that body of water is stocked also. A lake near me receives substantial plantings by our DNR as well the OCSFA. It has public access but the back three lakes the canalshave been sandbagged and what not by riparian culprits. The local police and the DNR look the other way. Though they stock the lakes privately, the residents of the state of Michigan, the DNR, and private sportsman have and can do more for a body of water then any lake assoc. could ever accomplish. If the selfish would wake up to the benefits provided by there DNR there would be more places to fish then anglers in this state, virtually.

[ChuckD]

I think the MN DNR makes a lot of mistakes. They stocked 5 million walleye in a small lake in Clay County, MN over a 5 year period. The lake was a duck factory with plenty of freshwater shrimp...something the is rare in MN these days. This lake had no public access, and the lake got so used, people made their own access of the side of a dirt road. Well, the shrimp are gone, the fish are almost gone because everybody and their brother fishes there and they cleaned out the lake. The DNR? I think they just wasted a ton of walleye for nothing, when they could have put the fish to use in lakes that needed more fish. What is the DNR thinking?

I have seen them do this same practice on a lake in northern MN and people got wind of it and poof! The fish are gone, and the road to the lake is destroyed from all the traffic (you need a monster 4X4 truck to get in now). It was a lake way off the beaten path, popular duck lake. The lake also "froze out" in last winter's severe conditions and all the fish were lost.

[Marble Eyes]

Silver and Duane:Set down and write a nice letter to the Editor of your local Paper, and one of the Larger ones in your area asking the same questions. List the Phone numbers and Peoples names you talked to at the State and DNR.

Also send a copy to MUCC, and while I don't particulary like Fred "the Mouth" Trost, a copy to him would probably generate a
bit of positive publicity of its own. (unless he decides to slander someone :))

[Lund_Dude]

I used to live on a WI lake that was relatively private. We had one privately owned boat launch in which the owner limited the number of "outside" boats to 8 at a time. The DNR never managed the lake at all, it was stocked by the homeowners contrbutions. The lake was a very productive bass/walleye/panfish lake with a minimum of jet skis and commotion. This was all fair in my opinion.

Then one day, after pressure from outside groups the DNR stepped in. They indicated that the lake needed some management for sedimentation purposes. They indicated that unless the launch allowed at least 20 boats at a time, the homeowners would be assesed the costs of a multimillion dollar sedimentation project. After the launch owner came to an agreement with the DNR, the DNR decided that the project really wasn't necessary and 5 years later hasn't implemented it. So it was just a sneaky way to muscle property owners into their opinion.

[Silver/MI]

My referrals are now 3 levels deep. I'm waiting for call from another guy. If it is public paid stocking w/no public access I plan to do what you suggest. A lot of that kind of thing has been shot down lately. State funded abortions, school vouchers for private schools, etc. This should be no different. Perhaps I will have a law named after me. Brady's bill, Megans Law, Roe vs. Wade, !!!!

[Box]

The lake we duck hunt (private farm lake) has no more shrimp... it is a shame. Rumor has it some people planted walleye fingerlings in it... of course, the lake is no good for walleye anyway, it is so small and shallow. Last year it did not quite freeze out, and this certainly not... another bad year of duckin for us... :(

-Box

[big laker]

According to the MN DNR - a public access was constructed in 1990 in parkland across from pavilion on NE end of lake. Thats why they started stocking the lake.

[MIFISH]

To MarbleEYES,

Who did Fred slander buddy????? Are you one of THEM dudes from the "scent Industry" that sued Fred because Fred said you were ripping people off??????. If you are then take your bottled mineral oil that sells for 50 cents drop and is marketed as "FRESH DEER URINE" and shove it because YOUR industry is RIPPING SPoRTSMEN OFF.

[BruceMN]

I have talked with a number of metro and west metro DNR specialists on FRY plantings. Each region often takes fry in spring to a pond/lake of 90 to 200 acres... to harvest before freeze-up. They deliberatly try to limit public access, by landowner access only. They also prefer shallow lakes which have winter kill, so the fry aren't eaten by predators. The fry eat the zooplantkon all summer till they're fingerlings. Then the DNR returns in Fall to seine nets them out and transplants them to a bigger lake.

Now, the 4-5 rearing ponds in each region often rotates thru selections for pond restoration and redundancy if one pond fails. They have to publish what they stock, but don't publish what they harvest (I find results are varied, but dismal 20%), nor where what goes where.

This certainly doesn't cover all the locations complained about, but some aren't just for selfish private lakes. They're a tool to help our other lakes. If you have a specific concern... POLITELY ask your local fishery specialist before exploding in anger.

<<engage eyes and ears BEFORE the mouth>>

[Marble Eyes]

Whoa there MOUTH, seems you got a bit of the Fred Trost Fact distortion disease.....

See, HERE are the FACTS.

Fred was FOUND GUILTY of slandering a scent Company. It was proved to a jury that the Doe in heat scent was AS ADVERTISED and NOT the stuff (Cow urine- I believe he claimed) Fred told his TV viewers it was. The case was heard In Montcalm County. Your buddy Fred got his ##### handed to him, to the tune of 4 MILLION dollar verdict. I think it was a Jury trial. I think I recall reading something to the effect that Fred saying, he didn't care what the jury decided they would never see a dime from him. And note that after the decision he all of a sudden changed the Name of his TV show. Why, because of the Lawsuit. Yeap, good ole Freddy tried to file for Bankruptcy. He RAN from the resposibility of his MOUTH. Ole Freddy knows the tricks to the trade.

Freddy didn't have the GUTS to own up to HIS actions. Fred Trost is a blowhard AND A COWARD. Check the Court Documents! Next time before you go posting BS about things you no Nothing of, perhaps you ought to READ up on actually what took place. or is this Actually Fred Trost himself?

If you get a chance,ask Freddy why he couldn't get away with filing Bankruptcy? Hehehehe and didn't Freddy get a tongue lashing from the Bankruptcy Court for doing something that the Judge didn't find too amusing? Could he have been attempting to hide his assets? ;) Ask Fred, Iam sure he will tell you the Truth... Hahahaha

You can get the Court Info by calling the Montcalm County Courts. It is all PUBLIC RECORD. Check out the Bankruptcy court filings Also... Ole Fred is a real piece of Work.

BTW- I hear the total he Owes is now around 8 Million and counting. Of Course Freddy doesn't have a thing to his Name. (poor fella) BTW- Ask Fred WHO paid for his College Education? I mean if he was destitute, how did he afford School? HE didn't expect the TAXPAYERS to foot that bill, did he?

BTW Fred, IMHO your show SUCKS!

Disclaimer: I do not personally know any of the people involved in this case what so ever. But I do dislike Fred Trost, because of his
Disgusting Actions in both Smearing the lure Company and his attempts to run/hide/scam from his actions. That is what a COWARD is in my book.

[Silver/MI]

I finally talked to someone. This lake is no rearing pond. The DNR said the "association" has tried hard to get a good walleye population in the lake (400 acres, 50 ft depths.) He said to basically ignore the (township residents only) sign and if anyone gives you trouble, then give him (dnr guy) a call. I won't pursue this anymore until I get heat from fishing it by some owner. If I went there 2x a year I would be lucky anyway. So he made it sound like they tried not to stock private lakes, but did not say there was a law against it either. Guess this makes me as bad as the perpatrators, because if I know I can get on the lake and others won't if they don't ask, why make it public knowledge and increase fishing pressure. He didn't brag it up as the fishing was outstanding, more like the fishing was fair/good and the fish grow slow. I'll find that out for myself I guess.