Buzz is back and still buzz'n

Thanks for all the well wishes. New aortic heart valve and triple bypass. Still slowly getting my health back and looking to be on the water this Spring. Couple of things I’ve been thinking about. This whole Smallmouth and winter Pike season on Mille Lacs has me scratching my head. Much of the DNR data comes from creel surveys. Just how good are those surveys? I’ve been hearing about quite a number of big Pike being taken, yet the DNR tells me the average Pike taken this around 25 inches?

And what about Launches during the summer? I’ve been told that they refuse to participate with Creel Workers? Do we really know; just how many Smallies are being harvested? It’s pretty clear to me that the Launches are parking on known/prime Smallmouth reefs. Yet the DNR doesn’t have much concern over possible over-harvest.

It’s good to be back.

Good to have you back!

Welcome back!
DT

Great to see you’re back, Buzz! Be well.

Buzz wrote:

Thanks for all the well wishes. New aortic heart valve and triple bypass. Still slowly getting my health back and looking to be on the water this Spring. Couple of things I’ve been thinking about. This whole Smallmouth and winter Pike season on Mille Lacs has me scratching my head. Much of the DNR data comes from creel surveys. Just how good are those surveys? I’ve been hearing about quite a number of big Pike being taken, yet the DNR tells me the average Pike taken this around 25 inches?

And what about Launches during the summer? I’ve been told that they refuse to participate with Creel Workers? Do we really know; just how many Smallies are being harvested? It’s pretty clear to me that the Launches are parking on known/prime Smallmouth reefs. Yet the DNR doesn’t have much concern over possible over-harvest.

It’s good to be back.

Welcome back!! I KNOW you are feeling good if you want to jump right into the Mille Lacs debacle.

I haven’t fished Mille Lacs for 7 years for various reasons. When I did they would have a creel person at the landings. They would ask me when I came in how I did. I had a stock answer (with 6 rods and tackle strewn all over the boat) it was ” I wasn’t fishing, just out for a boat ride.” They would look at the rods & tackle, shake their head and walk away. My reasoning is those numbers are added to the mortality rate so I wasn’t about to add to the numbers. Now I’m sure the DNR has a formula for adding weight for those who don’t report fish so I saw no need to co-operate with the creel guys. BTW 1/2 of those creel kids (college students) couldn’t tell a Walleye from a Carp anyway. Same with the Milfoil guys they had. Most (not all) couldn’t tell a piece of Milfoil from a leaf of Romain lettuce. The training they get is 5 minutes and here is where you work.

On to the Pike and Smallmouth. This just might be the DNR’s biggest fiasco to date. Pike and Smallmouth are responsible for the low concentrations of YOY (young of year) Walleye in the lake. Really? Which Turnip truck do they think we just fell off of?

If you want to know what is going on up there get ahold of Steve Fellegy. He has been on the Lake for nearly 60 years and has seen ALL THE CYCLES of that fishery. I’ve talked to a lot of people concerning Mille Lacs, Steve seems to have a pretty good handle on it.

Did you find a seasonal lot on the Lake?

Welcome back Buzz!

Dutch, I went with a nice fish house at Agate Bay Resort. It is right down near the lake, gives me summer use and out on the ice in the winter.

Good for you! After this scare I’m guessing you will appreciate the water much more. Enjoy them Smallies!!

Welcome back!

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_4204.jpg
   

Hope it’s a speedy recovery…. on the Mille Lacs topic, nobody brags about the 20″ pike they spear… (from what I have seen/heard) a typical trip is 3 or 4 small one’s and if they get the 38-40+” EVERYBODY hears about that one only. I also have been on a couple launch trips a year out of Hunters Point… we “never” targeted smallmouth, although we have caught them… and I have yet to see one not returned to the lake. These are on private trips and public… maybe the fact we have always released all the smallies, is why the walleye are down …???

My take away from the DNR presentation was that the SM seldom ate walleyes.

That’s one thing I don’t get. With a SM fishery as good as it is on ML, why wouldn’t the resorts, chamber promote it?

They fight better then a walleye(?)

Brian Klawitter wrote:

My take away from the DNR presentation was that the SM seldom ate walleyes.

That’s one thing I don’t get. With a SM fishery as good as it is on ML, why wouldn’t the resorts, chamber promote it?

They fight better then a walleye(?)

In this day and age most (not all) of the resorts make their money in the winter and with seasonal trailers in the summer. Those people were brought up on a world class Walleye fishery. Nobody drills holes to fish Smallmouth. The resorts with cabins have catered to Muskie and now Smallmouth but the bread & butter up there is Walleye.

And yes………compared to Smallmouth catching a Walleye is like hooking a old boot.

Welcome back Buz, recovery from major surgery can be a bit of a roller coaster ride. Take everything in stride and surround yourself with positive people like those here on IDO. It’s great to hear your passion for fishing, and your efforts to make it happen.

I’m really perplexed that the Resort and Tourism industry up there didn’t put together a group of fishing guides (like the Nisswa Guides) and promote the heck out of guided C&R trophy smallmouth fishing. Instead they seem more interested in parking launches on Smallie spots and live baiting. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to fish many lakes in the US and can safely say ML offers some of the best Smallie fishing around.

Back to the creel survey issue. I’m wondering if it would make any sense to require launches and guides to tally and report their daily catches? After all they are running a business that profits from and on State owned waters and the harvest of fish that belong to all Minnesotans? All of the fisheries management comes from License sales dollars and taxes on fishing and sporting equipment.

Buzz, at the Roundtable there was a lot of talk about the new CREEL SURVEY APP that should be announced soon.

It will be free to down load for a period of time.

This info will be going to an out sourced company that will generate reports for the DNR. From my understanding, specific locations are not tracked.
This will be HUGE for all MN lakes, rivers and streams because we can’t afford to have someone at each landing 24/7.

More info should be coming out soon I would think.

Buzz wrote:

I’m really perplexed that the Resort and Tourism industry up there didn’t put together a group of fishing guides (like the Nisswa Guides) and promote the heck out of guided C&R trophy smallmouth fishing. Instead they seem more interested in parking launches on Smallie spots and live baiting. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to fish many lakes in the US and can safely say ML offers some of the best Smallie fishing around.

Back to the creel survey issue. I’m wondering if it would make any sense to require launches and guides to tally and report their daily catches? After all they are running a business that profits from and on State owned waters and the harvest of fish that belong to all Minnesotans? All of the fisheries management comes from License sales dollars and taxes on fishing and sporting equipment.

That won’t happen Buzz. Those people make their living from fishing. Every fish reported as caught even if released is another fish that is counted towards the mortality rate. It’s maybe not right but I certainly understand their position. With the slot they are hurting enough, no sense making things worse. Your reasoning about the fish belonging to all Minnesotans is correct. However, try and walk into Ziggys new playpen without buying a ticket, Minnesotans paid for that also. Also remember Mille Lacs isn’t stocked by the DNR for any species. I am pretty sure if Muskies were stocked it was Muskie Inc. that did it, although I might be wrong on that.

Also keep in mind that Walleyes are found on the same places on Mille Lacs as the Smallmouth. Reefs and rock piles work for both species. I would be a little suspect of your source that told you the launches park on top of Smallmouth. I find that unlikely.

Wow I cant believe you have the option not to give the creel clerk all your info, measure and count fish. In Wisconsin its the law that you have to. Ive seen wardens stop people after not cooperating with the creel clerks and get cited when they had fish for the non-cooperation…

I never said I had fish. I said I wasn’t fishing.