Non-residents? Residents? GF&P regs.? Guides? Who is the reason for lower fish numbers in LFC?
It is easy to blame any one of these groups for the problem. But before we place blame, let's look at the whole picture.
The root of the problem is too much walleye fishing pressure. Supply cannot keep up with demand, if trends continue as they have the last 5 years. Fishermen are far more mobile, fish smarter, have much better equipment and knowledge, and there are more of them. It is nothing to spend $40,000 on a boat and rig to pull it, all in search of SD's #1 game fish, the walleye.
Is it the non-residents? GF&P survey indicate, that at least on LFC, non-residents account for 35% of the fishermen. Naturally, the percentage is higher in the Spring, with surrounding states having closed seasons. But over the course of a year, non-residents more than pay their way in a tourism-based town like Chamberlain.
Are residents the problem? It is hard to explain to a SD resident that they should not be able to regularly fish their home water, take a legal limit of fish, and benefit economically from this great resource.
Should we blame the GF&P regs.? It would be easy to close the season in the Spring, but would that solve any problems? To be truthful, spawning success in LFC has never been a concern. In order to protect over-all numbers of walleyes, and have any significant affect, the season would have to be closed May through July, when pressure and success rates are much higher. Try to get that done in any tourism-based state! The GF&P could reduce the limit, limit the number of lisences,(like paddlefish regs), or close walleye fishing completely for that matter, none of which are very attractive options. The goal of GF&P fisheries is to insure an equal opportunity for everyone to enjoy this resource. They have to deal with the hand they're dealt when it comes to walleye numbers. They are doing a pretty darn good job, if you look at how this fishery has rebounded from 10 years ago. If they are the source of any problem, it is that they made the fishery too good!
Maybe we should place the blame on the guide business, for harvesting too many walleyes. Most guides are very good at what they do, but the last thing they want is to harm the resource from which they derive an income. Most guides do not keep their own limit in a day of guiding (or at least they shouldn't). They are providing a valuable service to those who otherwise could not afford or enjoy this resource while in town. Guides introduce many people to methods and techniques that allow people to enjoy fishing as much as anyone else. If you think about it, it is far cheaper to hire a guide for $250, taking all the worry out of vehicles, trailers, boats, motors, tackle, insurance, and payments, and have a successful day! To be honest, most customers are far less concerned with taking a limit to eat, than just getting away from cell phones, offices, and everyday routines, which is really what fishing is all about.
Who is to blame? Everyone needs to look closely at why they fish, and what they consider to be a successful day. Somehow, walleye fishing has become an ego trip for many, with their success based on whether they got their limit,(including one over 18in. for each person!). The longer these attitudes persist, the more ANY fishery is going to suffer. Limits are in effect to insure equitable opportunity, not rquire that 4/person are kept!
Yes, walleyes are like gold in SD, but there are alot of other fish that make excellent table fare. It's hard to beat a white bass or catfish fry! We all need to do a better job of not placing so much emphasis on a limit of walleyes, and maybe targeting other species for 1/2 a day.
It is time to stop blaming any one group for TOO MUCH HARVEST, which is the real problem. We need to start by examining our own attitudes on walleye fishing, each one of us trying to do a better job of realizing why we fish. If you only fish to get a limit of walleyes, there are many days you are setting yourself up for dissappointment, and you are missing some wonderful opportunities. Why not fish with an open mind, and enjoy the resource to its fullest, walleyes or not.
We all need to make an effort to insure that these opportunities are here for the future. What is really scary, is that nationwide, numbers of young fisherman are dwindling at an alarming rate. Could they be disillusioned with all the techno-garb these days? Let's quit blaming others. Take a look at your own fishing habits, and take a kid fishing!

Good article. I don't know if your percentages are correct but you final words are good ones. I
have written letters to GFP about the above. Please copy your letter and send it to them.

P.S. Let's not start any wars here.!!!!!

Amen brother,

Nice words Jim. I don't know if you remember, but you were a guest on a radio talk show in Sioux Falls, which I used to host, called "The Heartland Outdoors". We talked about the same concerns. I get so sick of so many people blaming someone else. And then you head to the cleaning station and they are the ones cleaning big females. It is everyone's responsibility to do their part. The GF&P, lawmakers and most of all anglers - residents and non-residents. I fished Chamberlain this weekend with some friends from Minnesota. They were extremely ethical and didn't do anything against the rules and regulations. But I sat in the bar and listened to the locals complain about all of the non-residents. If it wasn't for them, these locals would be shoveling dung for the local pig farmers.

Just my thoughts

SD ABE

I totally agree. A preacher once told me when you criticize someone else it often tells more about you than it does the person you are criticizing. Bottom line as fishermen and human beings we should do unto others as we would like them to do to us, better known as the golden rule.

Who needs to rub shoulders and play bumper boats at the river, East river fishing is fantastic!!:)

i agree with a large part of what you say but face it people don't change their attitudes very quickly. i really think that if we depend on people to change their fishing habits the walleye population in LFC will have tc crash and people will move on to other fisheries. i hope that doesn't happen, i have many family members that live there and they benefit from the dolllars that fihermen spend. i think that the GFP has to take a serious look at changing laws and regs, im'not "blaming" the GFP but things change and they have to change too.

Before you go suggesting changes in the regs, I hope that you have studied the impacts (biologicaly, socialy and economically) that they would have (which ever choice you think would be best). Until you do this, I don't think you should be making any uniformed suggestions. The biologists at GF&P are trained professionals who have studied the impacts of such regulation changes. Maybe it is time for fisherman to trust them, afterall, they have the resource's best interests at heart. I know I wouldn't trust my barber (sorry stylist) to fix my car when it breaks down. Why should we think that we know what is best for a lake when we have qualified biologist making suggestions!!

so lets wait until things are really bad. the people taking large numbers of large fish aren't biologists either they have no idea of the impact either. we do know that a lake can be fished out. people won't change unless they are forced to. the gfp people are trained yes but if you think that decsions aren't influenced by money and politics then you're a little naive. I would imagine this same type of conversation went on somewhere when the 15 inch size limit was put into effect. All I'm saying is that things change, people rarely change unless they're forced to.

I would like to second that Amen. Guess what?, it's going to get worse, but we can't point fingers. Hey, I wish I could write like Jim. You have a good view on things there. Mail that letter off it would help.