Sturgeon Habitat Restoration

Pretty cool videos.

That’s awesome. Hope the fishery comes back as strong as ever and their work pays off. Now that is a good use of DNR money. It’s about investing in things that will makes a species thrive WITHOUT any intervention from man. Habitat rehabilitation is where it is at. Its a cure. Stocking is a bandaid.

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Stocking is a bandaid.

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There will be a price on your head for stating that publicly.

That’s pretty cool. It is nice to see sturgeon getting some love. With this improvement and the recent dam removal at Granite Falls on the Minnesota, things are looking up for our ancient friends.

Very cool!

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Stocking is a bandaid.

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There will be a price on your head for stating that publicly.

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I get that price on my head every year. One group sees a problem and wants to throw money at it every year thinking its a cure. Another wants to use money wisely and try and create a self sustaining solution so we can take that money and move on to the next project. Hmm, its a lot like politics.

I think it all can be summed up in an old saying.

Give a man a fish you feed him for one day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

Stock a lake with fish, create 1 year class. Create a naturally reproducing lake by creating and restoring habitat, create multiple year classes.

Disclaimer: Yes, I know that there are certain regions where stocking gives people an opportunity to fish walleye without driving 60+ miles. I am ok with that when used wisely. Just like I am fine with the FIN program stocking small lakes to give kids an opportunity to catch quality fish, instead of potato chips.

With the above statement and assuming you know the difference between a muskie and a Big Head Carp…you should run for Governor.

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With the above statement and assuming you know the difference between a muskie and a Big Head Carp…you should run for Governor.

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Come on, that hasn’t been a requirement in the past.

It’s great to see this effort take place in river systems throughout MN. Thanks for sharing!

Planning ahead for 25 years from now. Wow. Good to see them trying. Do they think those boulders will still be there in 25 years? Maybe they have future projects planned to replace them if they get washed out. Will that dam still even be there or rebuilt by then.

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Planning ahead for 25 years from now. Wow. Good to see them trying. Do they think those boulders will still be there in 25 years? Maybe they have future projects planned to replace them if they get washed out. Will that dam still even be there or rebuilt by then.

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I don’t know the specific importance of that particular dam, but the recent MO has been to just tear them down to restore habitat like the one at Granite Falls on the Minnesota and the one at Sandstone on the Kettle, the one on the Red Lake River at Crookston, etc.

That’s the only way a person can plan for a fish that doesn’t spawn until it reaches 20-25 years is to plan that far ahead.

The dam creates the spawning area now. If it’s taken out, they will just find the next best area.

I’ll be close to 80 by then. Wonder if I’ll fish it.

I had figured you all ready had you reservation set. Glad those people have a much longer attention span than I do.

What were we talking about?

You know, they could just take that money and barricade that segment of the river and stock it with sturgeon to catch. When the numbers get low because they aren’t reproducing, we’ll just restock it some more.

Walleyes and sturgeon are pretty…different.

Not all fish can be as pretty and sporting as a sturgeon.

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What were we talking about?

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Not sure. Think its was something about getting all those boulders out of there and putting in some catfish habitat.

This one was caught in New Ulm on the Minnesota River this fall, so they are starting to make their way upstream again. It was rumored to be in the 20 lb range, so some breeding age adults are starting to move through the Minnesota again.

I’ve posted here before about it, but I saw a dead sturgeon floating near the dock at Harriet Island. He had to have come from the Minni. The Minnesota river is a good study in turning back the clock and recovery and it keeps on getting better.