Am I reading that correctly? No live bait July 1-15 except big sucker minnows. So we can’t use leeches for smallmouth?
Kind of a waste this year anyway. What good will closing it for two weeks do? Water temps are not even that high yet.
Am I reading that correctly? No live bait July 1-15 except big sucker minnows. So we can’t use leeches for smallmouth?
Kind of a waste this year anyway. What good will closing it for two weeks do? Water temps are not even that high yet.
It will do absolutely nothing. Even on a warm water year.
Am I reading that correctly? No live bait July 1-15 except big sucker minnows. So we can’t use leeches for smallmouth?
That is correct. No live bait and cannot specifically target a walleye from July 1-15. This has been on the books since the 2022 open water regs came out in March.
Muskie/pike suckers must be at least 8 inches long.
The reason behind the closure is hooking mortality. I do agree that water temps are generally lower than they usually are at this point, but they have to make these decisions ahead of time. And I believe that its better to broadcast a closure months in advance rather than abruptly shut it down.
Per Steve Johnson of Johnson’s Portside as of June 1st we were only at 14% of the quota. There is no good reason for Mille Lacs to close right now, based off of the DNR’s own BS hooking mortality/quota/co-management “science”. Here’s a little Suessian poem about the State Capital of Walleye Fishing:
Mille Lacs should never close.
Not at night.
Not due to a hot bite.
Not in July.
Not as summer goes bye bye.
The commish is a tribal shill
Because they pay her bosses bill
We need to get them both out
That I know without a doubt
Hooking mortality is a fake
And anyone thinking it’s real is half baked
It’s one of our great lakes
So to me it’s very important stakes.
Feel free to read to your kids at bedtime! 
Yeah I was supportive of the restrictions for several years while they were trying to figure things out. But at this point closing for two weeks (regardless of water temps) is nothing more than a charade.
Personally I’d be ok just using artificial for a short while, especially if I thought it would have any positive effect. But my 6 year old daughter prefers to fish with her pink bobber. Kind of frustrating we will be up for an extended time over the 4th and we can’t even bobber fish.
Per Steve Johnson of Johnson’s Portside as of June 1st we were only at 14% of the quota. There is no good reason for Mille Lacs to close right now, based off of the DNR’s own BS hooking mortality/quota/co-management “science”. Here’s a little Suessian poem about the State Capital of <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Walleye Fishing:
Mille Lacs should never close.
Not at night.
Not due to a hot bite.
Not in July.
Not as summer goes bye bye.
The commish is a tribal shill
Because they pay her bosses bill
We need to get them both out
That I know without a doubt
Hooking mortality is a fake
And anyone thinking it’s real is half baked
It’s one of our great lakes
So to me it’s very important stakes.Feel free to read to your kids at bedtime!
Winner winner. It has almost zero affect. Going to be quiet out there this weekend. Fishing should be good.
Cranks instead of bobbers in the evening I guess.😳
Regardless of how they manage the lake, one thing is for sure, lots of people will bitc and moan no matter what they do.
If they kept it open to C&R (or 1 fish in a tight slot, which is defacto C&R) all year, including at night, I don’t think anyone would complain about that at this point.
I finally have reached my breaking point. After 15 years on the lake I am selling and going to a more family friendly lake. I feel bad for everyone up here including but not limited to the resorts, restaurants, bait stores, gas stations etc. I literally spent hundreds of dollars on opening weekend on gas alone. I would be surprised if I ever wet a line again in Mille Lacs! 
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
Am I reading that correctly? No live bait July 1-15 except big sucker minnows. So we can’t use leeches for smallmouth?That is correct. No live bait and cannot specifically target a walleye from July 1-15. This has been on the books since the 2022 open water regs came out in March.
Muskie/pike suckers must be at least 8 inches long.
The reason behind the closure is hooking mortality. I do agree that water temps are generally lower than they usually are at this point, but they have to make these decisions ahead of time. And I believe that its better to broadcast a closure months in advance rather than abruptly shut it down.
Pretty easy to lift a closure in this tech world we live in.
Once again we will fall well short of our quota this year for really no reason at all.
Bright side is the lake is still as healthy as it has always been.
Mother Nature usually takes care of herself pretty good.
Will be out over the holiday chasing wall…I mean smallmouth.
I don’t know if the DNR can just “cancel the closure” based on the current harvest/mortality rate. That’s probably a question for Bigwerm. He is more well versed on the subject than me. If they have the ability to cancel a closure, I would certainly hope they would.
I was only stating that this closure was planned and announced way back in March so to complain about it 3 days before because you didn’t know is weak and pointless.
They sure can. They are the only ones that can. They the DNR are the ones that put the closure in place. Just like they are debating the regs for Sept 1st because they will not be at 50 percent of quota by the end of summer. They can change any reg anytime they want.
Was hoping to never say another word on this subject but if you believe our DNR can do anything they wish regarding Mille lacs…… The natives control & dictate what our DNR can or can’t do regarding Mille lacs.
I was only stating that this closure was planned and announced way back in March so to complain about it 3 days before because you didn’t know is weak and pointless.
Gimruis I respect most of your contributions but this sounds pretty high and mighty. I was well aware of the closure and have been living with it for years now. The point of clarification to the constantly changing rules was using leeches for smallmouth.
And, it’s might right to complain about it all I want, regardless.
Gimruis I respect most of your contributions but this sounds pretty high and mighty. I was well aware of the closure and have been living with it for years now. The point of clarification to the constantly changing rules was using leeches for smallmouth.
And, it’s might right to complain about it all I want, regardless.
I wasn’t specifically referring to you. Apologies if that’s how it came out. If the DNR has the power to cancel the closure, they should. Especially if only 14% of the quota has been reached.
Was hoping to never say another word on this subject but if you believe our DNR can do anything they wish regarding Mille lacs…… The natives control & dictate what our DNR can or can’t do regarding Mille lacs.
Agree for the most part. They came to the table with a weak negotiation in the first place. Yes. The tribe pushes them around for several reasons. However the quota is set. How we get there is up to the DNR and how they regulate it. Aka having an open season in the fall vs catch and release till sept 1.
Or…stop counting bass boats at the landing and the quota would probabaly never be hit.😂
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Wallyhntr1 wrote:</div>
Was hoping to never say another word on this subject but if you believe our DNR can do anything they wish regarding Mille lacs…… The natives control & dictate what our DNR can or can’t do regarding Mille lacs.Agree for the most part. They came to the table with a weak negotiation in the first place. Yes. The tribe pushes them around for several reasons. However the quota is set. How we get there is up to the DNR and how they regulate it. Aka having an open season in the fall vs catch and release till sept 1.
Yup. Open the got damn lake and let people
Keep fish.
I’m beginning to feel like human interference on Mille lacs has little to no impact at all. At least for the last few years. Even with technology. It’s kind of like the grouse populations. It ebbs and flows…
Just look it as a time to practice with artificial baits!
Troll for smallies, cast rippin raps for them, leech imitating plastics on a slip bobber, “target” smallies. I don’t care about the lake anymore. I live 30 mins from the lake but don’t have an urge to fish there ever.
It hurts to see the hoops we have to jump through and rules we have to follow when this spring there was a bunch of videos floating around of nets full of walleye being harvested. Large and small they keep them all. Whether it’s a 30 inch fish or a 12 inch fish, it goes in their buckets. There is no catch and release, and no care for the species. If they’re going to be allowed to continue netting, then fishermen should be allowed to keep some freaking fish.
It was different back when the natives were netting for sustenance vs netting for profit. They shouldn’t be allowed to sell them the same way fishermen aren’t allowed to sell fish.
This subject on a closure also brings me back to a previous topic I really never cared for either: unequal opportunity from winter to open-water. A full closure for 15 days in July compared to using 2 lines, no night ban, and a full season of harvest in the winter? That right there tells me that some of these rules are not being made solely based on science. Some of these are being made based on influence from businesses.
This is solely my opinion based off of years of caring for the subject, researching it and interactions with the DNR. Yes, the DNR COULD keep the lake open since we are no where near our harvest quota (which again is based off complete BS hooking mortality and creel studies that don’t account for pleasure boaters or other species fishermen). However, they will not, nor do I think we will see any regulation favorable to the general public fisherpeople of MN as long as Walz/Strommen and their ilk are in charge. They are subservient to the tribe (read that again!). We think of the DNR protecting and advocating for the publics use of the resource, but that is not how it goes. The Tribes makes the rules, and Dayton now Walz and Strommen comply and work to accommodate their requests. All of them. With a slight acknowledgement of the other businesses in the community. And no recognition of good science toward the resource or the general public use. You want different regulation of Mille Lacs, elect a new governor and pressure him to appoint a new non-woke DNR Commissioner.
This subject on a closure also brings me back to a previous topic I really never cared for either: unequal opportunity from winter to open-water. A full closure for 15 days in July compared to using 2 lines, no night ban, and a full season of harvest in the winter? That right there tells me that some of these rules are not being made solely based on science. Some of these are being made based on influence from businesses.
Yes we know your thoughts on winter and summer harvest.
Yes we know your thoughts on winter and summer harvest.
Do you agree that it should be more equal? Its kind of out of whack right now.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gimruis wrote:</div>
This subject on a closure also brings me back to a previous topic I really never cared for either: unequal opportunity from winter to open-water. A full closure for 15 days in July compared to using 2 lines, no night ban, and a full season of harvest in the winter? That right there tells me that some of these rules are not being made solely based on science. Some of these are being made based on influence from businesses.Yes we know your thoughts on winter and summer harvest.
I think every one knows his opinion on harvest winter vs summer, and also weather to hot to fish vs to cold to go out lol
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
Yes we know your thoughts on winter and summer harvest.Do you agree that it should be more equal? Its kind of out of whack right now.
Doesn’t bother me that much. Not a reason for a 2 week closure. Honestly that’s the only part that bothers me. Don’t really go there to keep fish.
This subject on a closure also brings me back to a previous topic I really never cared for either: unequal opportunity from winter to open-water. A full closure for 15 days in July compared to using 2 lines, no night ban, and a full season of harvest in the winter? That right there tells me that some of these rules are not being made solely based on science. Some of these are being made based on influence from businesses.
I think it’s pretty hard to compare a season with a length that varies from 8-11 weeks depending on the weather to a season that runs may through ice up in the end of November. Not to mention it’s generally much easier to locate and catch fish in a boat.
Only 14% of the quota has been reached. Totally believable with all the forage and the way the weather/wind has been this year.
A nimble Government response of dropping the closure and night ban would be appreciated by me even though I am not fishing for walleyes at Mille Lacs again until October.
It never hurts to speak your piece, even if it makes no difference. Who knows, maybe something said lights a fire under someone else who has connections and the ear of someone in power.
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