More Mille Lacs information

[David Anderson]

I fished Mille Lacs on Sunday. Between 3 of us we kept 2 which were 16.062". At the landing a nice warden, whom looked like she had about enough, quickly jumped in my boat asking how the fishing was. I said we have a couple just big enough, which her reply was, you'd better be right! They measured. I thanked her on behalf of all the anglers that day that had basically the whole lake to themselves. Interesting but my boat hasn't any registration yet, I told her it was new, and not even a look. From this week to last, boat traffic was down at least 60%. I didn't see 1 launch all day, whereas a typical Sunday should see at least 3 or 4 where I fish. Did I catch alot of fish, yes (24). Did I have fun, yes. Will I go back, of course. Do I believe that the fishing is so good that we need to protect the resource, NO. When is the last time you heard of regulations cause the fishing is good? Go figure. Please check out this website and read his comments: www.johnsonsportside.com

[Fish-on]

I noticed that the 20-24 inch fish we caught last week were very skinny. And that's the bulk of the catch. I wonder if these fish are populated too heavily for the available forage. The 14-19 inchers looked fine and fat, but those larger fish look like they are dealing with a food shortage of the proper size. That could be another reason why the bite has been so good: they are hungry! Biology and politics shouldn't mix, and that's what's happening at Mille Lacs. The fish may be the ones suffering the most.

[Mille Lacs Guy]

Yes, I do think the fishing is so good that the lake needs to be protected. Since memorial dayanglers have harvested over 167,000 pounds of walleye, the highest level in 8 years. After 135,000 pounds the DNR decided something needed to be changed. If the rate would have continued anglers would have harvested about 450,000 pounds of walleye by October. If anglers would have went over quota, 70,000 pounds of walleye would be penalized towards next years limit. I think a 14-18 inch slot would have taken care of a lot of the problems that are occurring now. The DNR was in favor of a 14-18 slot orginally, but the Mille Lacs Fisheries Input group, composed of Resort Owners, fishing guides, bait shops, and the DNR, among other decided upon the 16-20 inch slot. If people want to catch big fish go to Mille Lacs, if people want eaters go someplace else. I think catching walleyes over 18 inches is a good problem to have personally.

Mille Lacs Guy

[Jimmy Mac]

I was at Mille Lacs the last two weekends and caught really nice fish. Majority were over the slot ranging from 21 to 27 inches. Some of the excitement for me was watching these nice fish swim away and thinking a child will have an opportunity to catch one of these beauties.

I believe the state is doing the best they can with what they have to work with. The only sobering thought is the amount of these fish that end up in a gill net.

[REM]

Could someone please explain to me just how the DNR knows exactly how many pounds of fish are harvested? Come on, there's no accurate way to do it! Sounds like GWB's "Fuzzy Math" to me!

[PWaldow123]

Fish-On, I would have to disagree with you. We pull over 20 fish this last weekend that were on the plus side of the slot and they were by no means skinny. I think that people should just be happy that catching too big a fish is a problem and be happy with it :) I know I am.

[curt quesnell]

since no body answered your question yet i will try.

they count the ones they can at the boat landings and figure the percentage of fishermen (and women) they make contact with. then
they do the math.

on lake of the woods they nearly always have officials at the
boat landings to count and measure fish. these arent wardens
but dnr employees doing the census.

i too have wondered how they come up with a number but they must
have a formula that gets them pretty close. it must be like how
they count deer each year, count the ones they can and figure
there is a percentage of deer they cant count.

it would be a question to nicely ask someone from the dnr that
would be in charge of something like this, wouldnt it?

curt quesnell

[curt quesnell]

or like you said REM.. its fuzzy math but i think they are
closer to a real number than they are farther away.

curt

[David Anderson]

So if fishing is so good on Mille Lacs that it needs to be protected, then why not put a statewide slot limit 16 to 18.

[RJ]

Looking at the leader board on the Wave Wackers Tourney there was not a lot of slot fish caught. It seems to me that if the Pro's have a hard time finding slot fish how much more it is for the average fisherman? Sure it's nice to catch big fish, but how long is the average Joe going to go back when it cost somewhere between $100 and $300 every time you go depending how long you stay and not be able to keep any fish? I also notice how the Star & Tribune are printing only the positive remarks on this issue. I'm sure they are getting lot of negative responses to the mess on MILLE LACS

[??????]

If you fish just for the sake of getting fish to eat, do not complain about the cost. It is much cheaper to go to your local store and buy fish than it is to catch them yourself.
I fish for the joy of fishing, getting a meal out of it is just a bonus. Too many people judge the success of a fishing trip solely on the fillets they take home. To me, there's something really wrong about that.
Relaxation, time with friends and catching some of the states truly large fish will keep me comming back even if I can't put any under the knife. Just my opinion though.

[Beckman]

So are you saying we should wait until the fishing sucks on Mille Lacs before they can put on the special regulations?

[Borch]

I'd have to disagree with you on the 14-18 inch would have kept us out of this mess. There are a ton of 15 - 15 3/4 inch fish being caught there this year. Most of those would have gone into the livewell with the old slot. I don't think it matters much which slot was in effect. The bite was hot and the fishing pressure high. Pounds were going to be up no matter what.

[Dave in Mpls]

I don't know if the 14-18" slot would have kept us out of this mess or not. However, by raising the slot limit like they did this year, the same year class(es) of fish keep getting pounded, which can't be good for the system.

Regards

[Goldpig]

I agree with you to the most part that we would have gone over the quota based on the DNR numbers, and that it nice catching all of these big fish. The problem that I have is that taking 450,000 pounds of fish out of the lake would not have a detrimental effect on the fishery. The other problem I see is that the methods used to determine the catch and quotas only give an accurate indication as to the health of the fishery and a reasonable certainty in the size of fish that constitute the population. They do not give an accurate indication of the total population and level of safe harvest.

[David Anderson]

Define sucks. On Leech Lake for opener I caught a total of 10 walleys for 3 1/2 days. On Sunday I caught 10 on Mille Lacs in 3 hours. Please explain why Leech doesn't have special regulations. Maybe something to do with 5% of our license fees?

[cisco]

It's simple -- they measure the elevation of the lake, factoring in precipitation and evaporation, then they determine how much has been taken out, factoring in numbers for northern pike, perch, and misc. The amount remaining = walleyes

Simple.

[Beckman]

Leech should have special regulations as well, and I think it will soon. It has been getting hammered the last couple of years by those people who have to keep everything they catch.

You can see that the regs have helped Winnie already.

[mike]

David,

I don't think your isolated experience can be used to gauge the quality of either lake. I was on Leech on the opener and caught more fish in a half day then you caught during your whole trip . . . so what does that tell you?

We aren't capable of evaluating the fisheries ourselves, but I will say the Mille Lacs is without question the best walleye lake in the state - with the exception of possibly Lake of the Woods.

[Eyecon]

I too disagree,I found that the fish in the 16"-25" range were very stocky and well feed not to mention very scrapy.Its the 26"-29" fish that I have found to be very skinny and under wieght.I can't explain why,if you look at the 28" plus fish caught during the PWT tournament they barely wieghed seven pounds.Looks like they will die of old age!

[Eyecon]

Exactly,last year the creel census officers meet me at the dock almost every time out which is about three days a week on average.So far this year I have yet to be checked and been surveyed or had my fish measured.I was told by one resort owner that theres only one or two officers on the entire lake doing such surveys and the tend to only check a couple of locations on the lake out of the 100 miles of shoreline.How accurate can that be!

[Walleye Guy]

I think its sad that a guy can't go out and keep a meal of fish for his family and yet the indians can go out and fish(not that gill netting and spearing are considered fishing) commercialy for a profit.While us non-indian sportsman are subject to additional retrictions.I have fished MilleLacs almost every day for the past week and have spoken to several launch captains and have found that the ratio of leagal size slot fish to throw backs is about 24:1.I feel sorry for the resort owners as cancelations continue to pour in and launch boat seats sit empty,even the annual Lino Lakes fishing tournament was cancelled due to tournament anglers backing out.This is a tradedy how our government can let this happen in America.

[EAGLE EYES]

The entire situation is a hidden event. If you people don't think it the lake is control by Casino money, you're just kidding yourself. There was no problem before the Indians were allowed a casino and there still would not be, if there wasn't one. Money controls this world and always will. The State goverment is just as crooked as any other greedy thief, and the (covered up) revenues they are getting from the Casinos, is causing all this Mille lacs turmoil. In MHO, Anyone who could'nt see this coming, has blinders on to the world! EE

[what the heck?]

It seems quite a few people are missinformed here, I could be one of them:), but it is my understanding that the indians are NOT fishing Mille Lacs for comercial reasons, only for personal consuption and ceremonial purposes. If it were a comercial fishing deal, don't you think they would be asking for a bit more pounds than they are? Don't you think they'd have big net boats out there like they used to on Red? If I'm wrong, please, would someone tell me differently and be able to back it up with FACTS?
Thank you

[curt quesnell]

there it is!!!!
the formula.....(i must have been sleeping in math class
that day)

curt quesnell

[exnj]

I just got back from a trip to Mille Lacs last week (6/4 - 6/6) right when they decided to change the regulations. Monday it was a 16-20 inch slot with 1 over 28 then it changed on Tuesday to the present 16-18. I was already committed to the reservations and could not change it. I'm glad I didn't. Even though all 6 of the walleyes I caught on Monday and Tuesday were out of the limit (3 over and 3 under), it was the memory of the 3 over that will stay with me. I am used to 18-19 inches being a huge fish here in Colorado and I felt like a kid again pulling those two 23 inch fish on board. I was just pissed that I left the camera at the hotel. As hard as it was to release them and not eat them, I also realized what has been said before, it is way cheaper to buy them and eat them than to catch them and eat them. The walleye dinner at the hotel the night before was excellent and at $28 for two, the same price as the launch for one and I only caught 1 14 inch fish. The trouble I saw when I was there was the 2 kids catching 18-20 inch walleyes off the pier at Eddy's on Tuesday 6/5. They could only keep the 1 that was under 18 and the two 19 inchers went back. The day before they would have been legal. As an adult, I understand that politics exist, I can't say I ever believe them. But when you mature you know you have a right to speak up or shut up to the system (part of being American), whereas these poor kids aren't old enough to understand the BS (good or bad depending on each person's views) and I could see the disappointment in their eyes when I asked them about their fish which I saw them catch and only the 1 on the stringer. Is it really worth those 2 fish to cause sadness in a kids spirit? Why not a 2-3 fish limit any size? That way you don't affect any one class year and you reduce the numbers taken at the same time, yet people (kids are people too) can enjoy showing their catch to their mom or dad after a day on the lake. Politics should never hurt the kids and that is what I saw. BTW, on Weds 6/6 went to a nearby lake and caught the biggest walleye of my life, a 27 inch male and he tasted great. I ran back to the hotel like a kid and showed my kids the fish and knew that he was old and the lake would survive without him and for 6 days of fishing between MN and WI and keeping only that one fish (and getting pictures also), it was worth the hundreds$$ spent and he was within my one over 24 inch for the MN statewide daily limit.

PS - could go without all them Mayflies though, gag!

Lou

[GullGuide]

Great story!!
However, I see a perfect opertunity to teach kids the value of catch and release, not to keep everything they catch just so they can show it off. Seems to be plenty of adults with this attitude, why teach our kids to think the same way?. Yes, it might make them feel good to show off their catch and brag about it to mom and dad, but why not teach them conservation as well?
One thing I use while guiding families who do not want to keep fish, is to give that fish that is caught by the youngsters a name and tell them that if they let "Gerorge" go, he'll come back next year and say hi to them, maybe even bring some of his friends.
I think back to how many big fish I killed and ate when I was a kid, wish I knew then what I know now. Besides, the taste of those big bass and pike turned me off to eating those species for good, and in that way some good did come of it.
Before I get jumped all over for my views on this, let me just say I believe it is everyones right to keep what they catch as long as they are legal. It's just that I personally do not subscribe to that way of thinking.
I'd also like to add that the worst thing we can do now is to boycott the resorts and the area as a whole. Keep suporting them, they need it now more than ever.
>"////=<

[Kelly]

85000 pounds of walleye would be one heck of a ceremony.Yes they are fishing for profit commercialy.Its rumored that the Red Lobster chain of resteruants is a big customer.Ask before you order!Believe it or not some of the MilleLacs Walleye is even sent to Canada.This is done at our expense,by us losing our rights for a meal and to fish.

[Borch]

New information on the Mille Lacs slot. This is a copy of an email from Jack Wingate, MNDNR to a fisherman on another forum.

We are in the process of changing the regulation to allow a one over 30 inches on Mille Lacs. This should happen near the end of June. The topic of a one over did not come up in our discussions of what a mid-season change in regulations would look like. After listening to anglers and business people, we decided to add back a one over.


Jack Wingate

Paul J. (Jack) Wingate
Fisheries Research Manager
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4012

651-296-0793
651-297-4916 FAX

[David Anderson]

On the surface you can say this about any lake. Leech is just fine and has a good population of fish. Winne gets hammered more than Leech, and it's walleye population needed help. Some of the tough decisions about special regulations on Winnie and Rainy have the support of the local business's who understand that good fishing, good size, and the ability to attact tourist money is important. On Mille Lacs, we have no problem. I am not a meat hog, but I care about the people near the lake. Winnie made tough decisions because the without them the local economy was headed for a long ride. At Mille Lacs this has never been a problem until now. Lundeens Tackle Castle told me yesterday that he is down 60% minimum. He is hearing the same from all the business's at the corner. This is the prime time for these guys. You make it now or die in November hoping Dec will pickup. To put these people through this, for absolutely no good scientific reason other than to satisfy some ridiculous notion that the fishing is too good. I would be like someone shutting your business down because you make too much profit.

[JonM]

If the DNR keeps listening like this memo states, they might be able to make some better decisions in the future.

I can't beleive more people aren't responding to this post. This issue shouldn't be given up on. We should be heard.

[800proX]

fellegy and another reader input in the issue June 15 of outdoor news is right on again. some great facts supporting what we are already thinking. get a copy, it is well worth it.

jeff

[exnj]

Couldn't agree with you more. As long as it's legal, you are entitled to your Catch & Release opinion and everyone else theirs. My point was that I don't think it's up to the politicians to create a situation where it is forced C&R, basically, on a resource that can handle some creeled fish. The limit was reasonably on Monday and unreasonable on Tuesday. Why didn't they just get rid of the 1 fish over 28" if they were worried about pounds taken. I see now that they will bring a 1 over 30" limit soon. The boys had their dads there and, as a dad also, I feel it is the parents responsibility to teach proper fishing habits (conservation vs. tablefare) as well as other ethical dilemma handling. When you make it forced C&R, then the job is taken from the dad and now the DNR becomes an intolerant parent who won't let Jr. take a fish home.

The lake can handle some fish leaving the water. It shouldn't be catch and release, which it now is becoming when you here of 25:1 , 30:1, even 70:1 fish caught versus fish in slot. I normally fish small lakes in CO. and almost always practice catch and release on everything but the perch and the legal size limit walleyes when I can find them. I've been accused of setting a quick hook, and that's because I would rather miss the fish than have it swallow the hook. Seeing how big Mille Lacs is, and reading up on the poundage and catch quantities, my personal opinion is that it can be a catch and take your limit lake without hurting the resource. I feel that a 3 fish any size limit makes more sense because you don't focus on 1 class year which you do with a 16-18" limit. After they are all gone and the 14-15" fish are gone next year, and so on, what will be left of the big fish in 4-5 years? Just my 2cents.

Lou

[RJ]

Come on you guys read the articles in the last 2 issues of Outdoor News. These articles have so much information so that you will be well informed. Lets keep this topic Hot, and put pressure on our Legislator!!!

[FED UP WITH THE BS]

Ok, guys, this is really starting to tick me off!
By continuing to open our big mouths and whine about this, we are only making the tribes more angry.
If all the loud-mouths such as PERM and everyone else wouldve just kept their big traps shut when this all started we would not be in this postion we are now! All the tribe wanted was to be able to spear in Vineland bay ONLY....but noooooooo The loud-mouths shot their mouths off and look where it got us!
If you were in their shoes and all you heard were negitve things, racial slurs and just downright BS aimed at you, wouldn't you do everything in your power to go for the juggalar and do whatever you could to the people who were attacking you? I know I would!
Let's just let this rest and find ways to work together on this instead of making it worse.
PEACE!!!

[EAGLE EYES]

Gee, nobody thought of keeping a trophy Ralph!!! Quit BS'n Us Jack, were not that stupid! Holy @$#%#! the DNR must growing some good stuff!

[EAGLE EYES]

Hey Fed Up, Don't read this thread anymore if you don't like it! It's for people who don't like getting BS'ed by our own Gov.
If you like getting screwed over, that's your business. I however, don't care for it! EE

[FED UP]

Hey Eagle,
It's not our Gov who caused this problem, It's all the people who complained when OUR GOV was going to cut a deal with the tribe that would've been NOTHING compared with the mess we have now! If you want to blame anyone here, BLAME PERM!