Mille Lacs Regulations – No Night Fishing

  • Ben Brettingen
    Moderator
    Mississippi
    Posts: 605
    March 25, 2014 at 11:19 am #1355809

    Well boys, James just came into my office and delivered some terrible news. I’m sitting here beside myself……

    For all of you Mille Lacs muskie junkies…say goodbye to night fishing this year.

    The night fishing ban, enforced from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., will begin Monday, May 12, and will be extended through Monday, Dec. 1, rather than ending in mid-June.

    This is a shame, as it destroys about 90% of my Mille Lacs fishing, especially in recent years.

    Plus this- The northern pike spearing ban on Mille Lacs also will be removed.

    I can’t imagine how many tong marks we will find in the back of our toothy friends, and how many instances a muskie will go home, and nobody will be the wiser.

    Wow…….That’s all I have to say.

    http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/2014/03/25/mille-lacs-walleye-regulation-to-stay-the-same/#more-14112

    Will Roseberg
    Moderator
    Hanover, MN
    Posts: 2121
    March 25, 2014 at 11:30 am #1373342

    Yep… This hurts. And as much as I’m going to miss the Fall fishing what I’m really worried about is the effect this will have on resorts/restaurants/bars back home.

    Many of them might as well shut down after labor day because without night fishing there won’t be enough business to justify the costs of paying staff to stay open in Sept/Oct.

    What I’m curious to find out is if (actually more likely when) we do hit the quota and the lake goes to C&R only will they consider lifting the night ban since fish couldn’t be kept anyway?

    biggill
    East Bethel, MN
    Posts: 11321
    March 25, 2014 at 11:31 am #1399091

    I just read this as well and I’m not really that shocked.

    Does anyone know if the DNR makes public the reports that lead to these decisions? Before I go and bash their decisions, I’d like to know why.

    Will Roseberg
    Moderator
    Hanover, MN
    Posts: 2121
    March 25, 2014 at 11:40 am #1399097

    Quote:

    I just read this as well and I’m not really that shocked.

    Does anyone know if the DNR makes public the reports that lead to these decisions? Before I go and bash their decisions, I’d like to know why.

    Take a look here http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/millelacslake/index.html

    joe-winter
    St. Peter, MN
    Posts: 1281
    March 25, 2014 at 11:42 am #1399098

    Will the nights be banned from netting as well?

    erick
    Grand Meadow, MN
    Posts: 3213
    March 25, 2014 at 11:54 am #1399100

    Quote:

    Will the nights be banned from netting as well?

    VERY GOOD POINT!

    Grouse_Dog
    The Shores of Lake Harriet
    Posts: 2043
    March 25, 2014 at 12:17 pm #1399108

    Ix the smallmouth limit still unlimited on the ‘ol Pond?

    Dog

    Mark Steffes
    Farmington, MN
    Posts: 1376
    March 25, 2014 at 12:34 pm #1399113

    Sharpening my spears now!!

    FishBlood&RiverMud
    Prescott
    Posts: 6687
    March 25, 2014 at 12:41 pm #1399119

    I feel bad for the good people that own resorts up there.
    Going go get real tough.

    ryan-mcmahon
    Twin Cities, MN
    Posts: 165
    March 25, 2014 at 12:57 pm #1399129

    With the clear water up there this will make musky fishing really easy!

    kroger3
    blaine mn
    Posts: 1116
    March 25, 2014 at 1:23 pm #1399137

    Quote:

    Quote:

    Will the nights be banned from netting as well?

    VERY GOOD POINT!

    Its all done before the night ban starts…

    Justin Schneider (Woods & Water Insurance)
    Hugo, MN
    Posts: 1938
    March 25, 2014 at 1:41 pm #1399143

    Quote:

    What I’m curious to find out is if (actually more likely when) we do hit the quota and the lake goes to C&R only will they consider lifting the night ban since fish couldn’t be kept anyway?

    This would make the most sense, but then again what makes sense on Mille Lacs rarely gets implemented.

    joe-winter
    St. Peter, MN
    Posts: 1281
    March 25, 2014 at 2:23 pm #1399157

    Or why not everything CPR during the night. then everyone can fish. (AKA muskie guys, walleye guys, etc) if anyone has fish after 10 then they get the book.

    joe-winter
    St. Peter, MN
    Posts: 1281
    March 25, 2014 at 2:25 pm #1399161

    More on my last post….

    as Will was saying about the fall troll.. no one does this expecting to get eaters anyway so why not CPR only at night??

    Ben Brettingen
    Moderator
    Mississippi
    Posts: 605
    March 25, 2014 at 2:35 pm #1399165

    Quote:

    More on my last post….

    as Will was saying about the fall troll.. no one does this expecting to get eaters anyway so why not CPR only at night??

    That would be way too reasonable!

    keepcasting
    Excelsior
    Posts: 445
    March 25, 2014 at 7:31 pm #1399246

    Quote:

    Or why not everything CPR during the night. then everyone can fish. (AKA muskie guys, walleye guys, etc) if anyone has fish after 10 then they get the book.

    ^^ I am afraid that this makes too much sense. My guess is that they will go with the argument that delayed mortality from hooking the fish will contribue too greatly to the quota. It really is a sad state of affairs up there. I feel terrible for the resort owners and the other businesses in the area.

    timmy
    Posts: 1960
    March 25, 2014 at 7:38 pm #1399247

    Quote:

    Sharpening my spears now!!

    The line forms behind me!

    I can hardly wait.

    Before anybody wants to hang me…..yes, I can tell the difference tween a ski and a pike. I am looking for a hawg….. A 25#+ pike. They are in there and it is nice to FINALLY have a crack at them. There are not going to be piles of skis swimming around with tine marks…..,

    ryan-mcmahon
    Twin Cities, MN
    Posts: 165
    March 26, 2014 at 8:35 am #1399369

    I think “What makes sense rarely gets implemented” is a product of laziness or lack of ability and/or funds to properly enforce any micro-legislation.

    What I mean is that it’s easier for them to just shut everything down at night and basically make just being on the water a reason to get stopped. Rather than have to sneak up on people and try to determine what species they are after (not that it’s hard to hear cowgirl blades clanking in the night).

    Laziness I tell ya!!

    Derek Hanson
    Posts: 592
    March 26, 2014 at 5:21 pm #1399516

    Quote:

    Quote:

    Sharpening my spears now!!

    The line forms behind me!

    I can hardly wait.

    Before anybody wants to hang me…..yes, I can tell the difference tween a ski and a pike. I am looking for a hawg….. A 25#+ pike. They are in there and it is nice to FINALLY have a crack at them. There are not going to be piles of skis swimming around with tine marks…..,

    I don’t have a problem with spearing as long as the smaller pike are targeted. What I do have a problem with is the spearers who go out everytime looking for a big pike and let the hammer handles swim away. Spearing the biggest fish in the system will only make the current Mille Lacs situation worse because then we are left with a bunch of hammer handle pike which feed heavily on young of year walleye.

    Personally, I don’t understand why someone would want to stab a big pike…no sport in that. Catch it with a hook and line and enjoy the fight! Release it so the next person has a chance to enjoy the thrill of catching a big pike. Just my 2 cents.

    average-joe
    Hudson, WI
    Posts: 2376
    May 4, 2014 at 9:33 am #1408278

    That’s really sad to hear

    All that Epic night time Walleye and Muskie fishing of the mid 2000’s sounds like a thing of the past

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