New musky bill.

[Kyle Posterick]

Originally Posted by Burr

But, that is different than the fish being native to the lake. Walleye are native to many lakes where they cannot sustain a reproducing, fishable, population today.

Seems to me it would make sense to adjust regulation to account for that instead of spending millions to stock walleyes that don't take.

If the lake cant handle more than C&R or a 1 fish limit so be it.

The idea that people can keep 6 walleyes on a regular basis and not impact the fishery is a farce.

[AllenW]

Difference between muskies and walleyes/pan fish stocking is you can keep most of everything but muskies, make the limit for keeping muskies 30" or so and I'm all for it.

It was mentioned that musky fishing is one of the fastest growing fishing sports in MN, somehow I think muskies inc is involved in that statement.

As far as the dnr, I still think we need to remove all of management and start over.


Al

[Blackmacs]

Originally Posted by Millerlite

If they pass this bill, we will have Musky's in every lake in Minnesota. I can think of 6 lakes with in a hour drive of Brainerd that have them in it already. Do we really need more Musky lakes? They dumped somewhere around 20,000 I hear in Gull last year when most of the home owners on the lake didn't want them in there. Why would they waste there time trying to pass a bill on this when they will do what they want anyway?

Reread the article. It is against muskie stocking, not for it. If this bill passes the state will not be able to stock new lakes.

[yoopertrout]

I generally favor native species, but there are a lot of sensible exceptions. For instance, streams that are now too warm to hold brook trout can benefit from the introduction of brown trout. In this case, if muskies aren't reducing the numbers or size of other species, I don't see the harm. It's hard to imagine that they aren't affecting the ecology of the lake in some way, but it may just mean there are a few less suckers.

As to the people who don't like muskies, and eat them to piss off musky fisherman, I would say - be careful, you could get into a vicious downward spiral that goes like this:

1. Bad thinking makes you kill and eat muskies.
2. Eating muskies puts mercury in your system.
3. Mercury erodes your thinking power.
4. Eroded thinking power makes you kill and eat more muskies.

And so on.

This bill is about one thing only and that's limiting the resources of the people of MN. The home owners on these lakes don't want people coming up and using the lake. This isn't about Walleye vs Muskie its about the 1% vs 99%.

[Short Strike]

I doubt Muskies Inc. is as loud a voice as you think.... Most chapters have a couple hundred people at most...and of that, 25 or so that are really active within the chapter. Diminish that number even further when it comes to legislative issues, or networking with the MN DNR.

[JVanek]

Originally Posted by Reilley

Gull Lake receives 2,000 muskie fingerlings every other year.

First year of stocking muskies into Gull Lake happened in 2016. They also stocked 5 million fry or 45lbs of walleye in 2017.

[JDMN]

I know not everyone loves the job that the DNR does, but the biggest issue with this bill in my opinion is that it is attempting to take the management of the lakes away from the biologists and place the control of the lake into the hands of a "citizen group" (lakeshore owners) that only have their interests in mind. I fish muskies, walleye, bass, panfish, pike, etc...and many of the healthiest/best multi-species lakes in the state also include healthy low density populations of muskies. I would encourage anyone who fishes in MN or vacations in MN to let the legislators know your opinion if you feel that lake management should be backed by biology/science not politics/lakeshore owners if you feel so inclined.

[JVanek]

Originally Posted by JDMN

I know not everyone loves the job that the DNR does, but the biggest issue with this bill in my opinion is that it is attempting to take the management of the lakes away from the biologists and place the control of the lake into the hands of a "citizen group" (lakeshore owners) that only have their interests in mind. I fish muskies, walleye, bass, panfish, pike, etc...and many of the healthiest/best multi-species lakes in the state also include healthy low density populations of muskies. I would encourage anyone who fishes in MN or vacations in MN to let the legislators know your opinion if you feel that lake management should be backed by biology/science not politics/lakeshore owners if you feel so inclined.

I agree completely. As much as people disagree with the DNR, those people typically can't back their opinions with facts. This bill is based off of "feelings" not off of science. Our legislators should be voted out if they are creating bills based off of their feelings and not off of science or statistical evidence.

[steveg2]

Originally Posted by That Minnesota guy

Well, the shoreline owners don't own the lakes. Which by the way is a good thing the way they destroy shoreline vegetation and spawning grounds. Muskies in study after study have been proven not to hurt a fishery. The DNR understands that. Sportsman understand that. It's just the lake shore owners who who want to limit access to the lakes that don't seem to understand it.

That goes double for me!!!! Lake Assoc. are NOT a governing body. They should have no more say than the rest of us.