Kabetogama Lake Survey

[rbsangler]

I thought this was the proper place for this thread to start, didn't think it really belonged in fishing reports. The other day after fishing in Kab, I was approached by a DNR volunteer. He asked what I caught and what i kept,,,,,same routine as every other time I been surveyed. But the he asked how I liked the current slot limits on walleye and Sauger for this body of water....HUMMMMM. I answered and then he told me that there is a meeting scheduled for October to discuss the possibility of one of three options. Keep the slots the same as they are. modify they current slot somehow. Or, Make a completely new slot limit. Anybody have any input on this for Kabetogama? I go there 2 times a year and really like it there.

[Pig Pen]

I am not a fisheries expert by any means, however I do fish Kab quite a bit. I have fished this lake since the early 80's and I have seen the at its best and worst. When I was a kid, my family would camp/fish most weekends. We would always catch walleyes and we kept pretty much everything. We never went over limit because we would eat fish until we couldn't eat anymore. I am not proud of this, but back then there wasn't the education like there is today. My dads motto was "two fillets". After doing this for years, along with many other anglers, the fishing was terrible! I do believe that a lake can be fished out.

Since the slot was put into place, the fishing has really come back strong. I have been catching very healthy walleyes from 8" to 24". There are many strong year classes. I personally think that the population has come back enough where the DNR should considder changing the slot. I would like to see 18" to 28".

[dutchboy]

Like them or hate them slots work.

Fishing on Kab. has been pretty good this year so I don't know that much of a change is needed. If you open it up to much the meat hogs will be back.

[Basinman72]

I am curious about this lake , I have never fished it. Please define pretty good fishing. I understand all the jazz about not reporting the truth to keep people away, but really, whats a good day on Kab like?
Where I fish on Gullrock, 100 fish a day is a pretty good day with a limit of 18"s to eat at the end of the day. I'm trying to put it into perspective here.

[dutchboy]

Originally Posted by Basinman72

I am curious about this lake , I have never fished it. Please define pretty good fishing. I understand all the jazz about not reporting the truth to keep people away, but really, whats a good day on Kab like?
Where I fish on Gullrock, 100 fish a day is a pretty good day with a limit of 18"s to eat at the end of the day. I'm trying to put it into perspective here.

Stay on Gullrock.

[overdalimit]

For me a good day on Kab is when eveybody in the boat can catch their limit in say 6 hours. I have had many days when it was all I could do to get 2-3 keepers all day. I as well as many others (though not all) that fish kab feel that this has been a poor year. It is encouraging though to see many little fish this fall. perhaps 2011 will be a good year class. I personally don't see any change to the slot coming. I think that we should put back in the minimum size at 13 inches though to keep folks from taking out the "barely legals" just to say they got a limit. I therefore would vote for 13-18 and one over 28.

[Blackmacs]

Here's the news release from the Mn DNR site: http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/2011/09/...kes/#more-6554

It might be worthwhile to raise the "keeping" size to 18 or 19. There have been some studies that suggest that some cannibalism is occurring. With all 17 to 26 inch fish being returned, there is a "glut" of larger fish, and a shortage of eatable forage. The larger fish then begin feeding on small walleyes.

[ffishman]

What is the possesion limit on Kab?

[Shortline]

Originally Posted by ffishman

What is the possesion limit on Kab?

6 fish total (eyes and sauger). Only 4 can be eyes...with no eyes from 17 to 28"