DNR optimisitic about Mille Lacs Walleye count after study

One has to wonder if anything will change?

http://www.kare11.com/article/news/dnr-optimistic-about-mille-lacs-walleye-count-after-study/89-575251875

I’m optimistic. But with that said, who knows.. There are a lot of factors to include. One being I’m not sure how the 3 year, under the table deal will effect keeping fish being we “owe” the band for keeping the season (C&R) open last year. Either way, it’d be nice to keep a fish or two. But I’ll still be fishing the Big Pond!

I’ll stick with my science that it’s the late ice out thats helping.

Dutchboy wrote:

I’ll stick with my science that it’s the late ice out thats helping.

X1000

Just my personal opinion, but I don’t think its ever going to go back to the glory days where there were 1.2 million walleyes in that lake and you could keep 4 daily. The lake has simply changed too much. The water is clearer, its warmer, and there are more pike and bass in the lake now than there used to be, plus not near enough perch to eat. Might as well put up a statue of a smallmouth bass next to the walleye in Garrison and embrace it.

A friend sent me that article last night, except he titled it, ‘No Schiit Sherlock’. The people that have been fishing ML have been saying that for more than a year. There seems to be a lag before the DNR ‘discovers’ anything about ML. Not just now. There was also a lag between the downfall and the DNR discovering that there was a problem, meanwhile the people that fished the lake regularly were sounding alarms to deaf ears.

Then the DNR admits that the people on the lake might know what they are talking about so they create a ML Fishery Advisory Committee (MLFAC) and completely ignore them.

And here we are again, three years into MLFAC with the DNR behind reality. It is so frustrating. I am hoping there is a DNR leadership reboot with the next administration.

gimruis wrote:

Just my personal opinion, but I don’t think its ever going to go back to the glory days where there were 1.2 million walleyes in that lake and you could keep 4 daily. The lake has simply changed too much. The water is clearer, its warmer, and there are more pike and bass in the lake now than there used to be, plus not near enough perch to eat. Might as well put up a statue of a smallmouth <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>bass next to the walleye in Garrison and embrace it.

The perch are coming back. My neighbor likes to target them. They aren’t big yet but they are there. Sunday I was casting shallower water for eater sized pike and saw lots of small (4″) pearch following my lures.

I agree that it won’t be like the days of old where a guy could keep 6 or even 4 walleyes. The advent of technology has made it easier for more people to have successful trips, even though the fishing pressure has been steadily declining.

I’d be happy to see a future of 2 or 3 fish limits, preferably with a “one over” rule.

Would most mille lacs regulars say this is a busier season up there as usual?

Leave it CPR as far I’m concerned. Open up night fishing.

Who’d make plans right now if they knew mille lacs fall night trolling would be open this year?

Nhamm,

i believe you can night fish this fall if you want as long as your lure is 8″ or longer. Just know the correct answer when stopped by DNR.

i would plan a trip this fall if I knew CPR was gonna be allowed with live bait during the day. (as it is now) I just don’t trust that is will stay that way.

Yup, and that was my intentions for last fall but when it comes down to it myself as well many others I’m assuming don’t want to go out and buy a bunch of 8″+ baits. Yeah yeah go big or go home, but it’s just good to catch fish no matter what size and the business sector I think would get a very nice summer end bonus if they do so which is a win win.

As long as it is open, I plan to be shallow trolling in the dark this fall, well until 9:45pm.

Saturday 10/6:
Sunset 6:45pm.
Twilight ends 7:14pm.

Let’s go fishing.

Kyhl wrote:

As long as it is open, I plan to be shallow trolling in the dark this fall, well until 9:45pm.

Saturday 10/6:
Sunset 6:45pm.
Twilight ends 7:14pm.

Let’s go fishing.

Same here, Oct full moon is on the 24th.

joe-winter wrote:

i believe you can night fish this fall if you want as long as your lure is 8″ or longer. Just know the correct answer when stopped by DNR.

Still illegal to target walleye. Northern and Musky only. I highly doubt this will change this year.

-J.

Kyhl wrote:

As long as it is open, I plan to be shallow trolling in the dark this fall, well until 9:45pm.

Saturday 10/6:
Sunset 6:45pm.
Twilight ends 7:14pm.

Let’s go fishing.

You will be fine targeting walleye until 9:45, the Mille Lacs special regs regarding night closure…

Night Closure: From 10 p.m. on May 14 through 11:59 p.m. on November 30. May 14 – June 1, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., no one may fish for any species or possess any fishing tackle on the lake. June 2 – November 30, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., fishing tackle may be possessed but not used except: a) muskellunge and northern pike may be targeted with artificial lures longer than 8″ or suckers longer than 8″. No other lures or baits may be in possession if night fishing for northern pike or muskellunge. No possession or targeting of species other than muskellunge or northern pike; and b) bowfishing for rough fish is allowed, but no possession of angling equipment, and only rough fish may be in possession.

IceNEyes1986 wrote:

I’m optimistic. But with that said, who knows.. There are a lot of factors to include. One being I’m not sure how the 3 year, under the table deal will effect keeping fish being we “owe” the band for keeping the season (C&R) open last year. Either way, it’d be nice to keep a fish or two. But I’ll still be fishing the Big Pond!

My exact sentiment Nick, like you took the words right out of my mouth…

nhamm wrote:

don’t want to go out and buy a bunch of 8″+ baits.

Tie a stinger hook onto the rear treble….8″ lure

The stinger hook must be within 3” of the lure. But if you add a feather to that…

Tuma wrote:

The stinger hook must be within 3” of the lure. But if you add a feather to that…

LOL!!!!

kayak yesterday from hunters to big point counted 33 walleyes floating what a shame

bobberstop4054 wrote:

kayak yesterday from hunters to big point counted 33 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes floating what a shame

That’s interesting.

bobberstop4054 wrote:

kayak yesterday from hunters to big point counted 33 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes floating what a shame

We will probably exceed our harvest quota again this year solely from mortality.
I have no regrets not fishing that lake.
I do wonder how many of those fish died as a result of the surveys done by the DNR? Assuming the surveys were done somewhat recently (they didn’t say in the article when it was done just they are finishing calculations).

bobberstop4054 wrote:

kayak yesterday from hunters to big point counted 33 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes floating what a shame

Did you paddle up to each and confirm they were eye’s and not tullies? Not trying to be Richard, but as stated in another thread they look similar from even a pretty close distance, and this is the time of year of the annual tullie die-off.

I’ve been optimistic on the Mille Lacs walleye population for years! Seems like if you can catch eye’s everywhere from 2 fow to 30 fow there’s probably not the doom and gloom they were selling. Also found it interesting that one of the Resorts said the DNR switched from traditional mesh netting to monofilament netting on their survey nets, thinking with the improved water clarity the mesh nets were being avoided, and lo and behold an immediate significant increase…

Can you imagine if they switched to fluorocarbon nets?

biggill wrote:

Can you imagine if they switched to fluorocarbon nets?

When the DNR set a 2″ slot for 3-4 years they wiped out 3-4 years of year classes, it will take at least that to re-establish a balanced year class.
Why can’t we anglers realize that if bringing fish out of deep water in the winter kills fish, it does the same in the summer.
Where are walleye being caught right now?

nhamm wrote:

Would most mille lacs regulars say this is a busier season up there as usual?

Leave it CPR as far I’m concerned. Open up night fishing.

Who’d make plans right now if they knew mille lacs fall night trolling would be open this year?

It seems about the same as it has been the last 5 years. On the north end anyways.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bobberstop4054 wrote:</div>
kayak yesterday from hunters to big point counted 33 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes floating what a shame

Did you paddle up to each and confirm they were eye’s and not tullies? Not trying to be Richard, but as stated in another thread they look similar from even a pretty close distance, and this is the time of year of the annual tullie die-off.

I’ve been optimistic on the Mille Lacs <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleye population for years! Seems like if you can catch eye’s everywhere from 2 fow to 30 fow there’s probably not the doom and gloom they were selling. Also found it interesting that one of the Resorts said the DNR switched from traditional mesh netting to monofilament netting on their survey nets, thinking with the improved water clarity the mesh nets were being avoided, and lo and behold an immediate significant increase…

I have seen a lot of floating fish last night and today. They were mostly tullibees. Saw one walleye floating, at least 12 tullibees.not counting the ones the eagles are picking up.

Most of the floating fish have been Tullibee. We had fish floating in this week with the westerly winds. I kept track of the species that I had to pick up. Not saying there aren’t walleyes floating but most are Tullibee.
18 Tullibee
4 Sucker
1 Walleye
1 Perch
1 Smallmouth

Ummm, maybe we need to drop a couple million $ on a study of Tullibee mortality.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bobberstop4054 wrote:</div>
kayak yesterday from hunters to big point counted 33 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes floating what a shame

Did you paddle up to each and confirm they were eye’s and not tullies? Not trying to be Richard, but as stated in another thread they look similar from even a pretty close distance, and this is the time of year of the annual tullie die-off.

I’ve been optimistic on the Mille Lacs <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleye population for years! Seems like if you can catch eye’s everywhere from 2 fow to 30 fow there’s probably not the doom and gloom they were selling. Also found it interesting that one of the Resorts said the DNR switched from traditional mesh netting to monofilament netting on their survey nets, thinking with the improved water clarity the mesh nets were being avoided, and lo and behold an immediate significant increase…

Agree, I was out Saturday too, west of bobberstop and I counted 4 floating tullibees and one walleye. Plus a lot of floating fry (1″) that looked like possibly shiners.