The proposal is not just for the Flowage, but for 21 lakes in NW Wisconsin that have historically been managed for walleyes and have had strong natural reproduction. In recent years, walleye recruitment has fallen sharply, and the WI DNR (including the local fisheries biologist, Frank Pratt) have proposed a two-prong approach to restoring these fisheries. One part of the approach is to keep sexually mature females (including the < 18″ ones) in the lake for several spawning seasons before they become subject to harvest. It’s a numbers game….there are more females < 18″ in the lakes than there are ones > 18″, so if we want keep more females contributing to the spawn, the smaller fish must be protected. The second part of the process involves liberalizing bass regulations to knock down bass predation on young walleyes. Here is some more info, direct from the DNR:
Quote:
Restoration of waters primarily managed for walleyes: Twenty-one lakes in Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, and Washburn counties are waters in which restoration of natural walleye reproduction is the primary management objective. Each had a walleye population sustained by natural reproduction within the past twenty years, but for unknown reasons reproduction significantly declined in recent years and stocking is now needed to maintain those walleye fisheries. Naturally reproducing walleye populations generally have an adult population 3-5 times greater than stocked walleye populations. To address this walleye population decline, the Department is proposing a three-component experimental restoration program.
The first component is a significant reduction in angler harvest of spawning-age and sub-adult walleyes in order to rebuild the spawning population. The department proposes to increase the minimum size restriction for angler harvest of walleyes to 18”, and reduce the daily bag limit for walleye from 5 fish to 3 fish.
During the same period, abundance of largemouth and smallmouth bass (black bass) has increased significantly in many northern Wisconsin waters, particularly in the northwest and including these twenty-one lakes. The cause of the increase is unknown, but we have seen habitat changes favoring black bass such as lower water levels due to protracted drought conditions, increased water clarity, and increased abundance of aquatic plants. Increased angler catch-and-release and more restrictive angling regulations also likely contributed to increased bass abundance. There is disagreement among fisheries scientists whether bass population increases caused the observed walleye declines, but there is evidence that high bass populations could inhibit recovery of consistent natural walleye reproduction through resource competition or predation on juvenile walleye.
Past survey information and current modeling suggest that bass were significantly less abundant under the no minimum size limit regulation in place before 1989. Growth rates of bass were somewhat faster then, but high angler harvest resulted in very few large fish. Implementation of other bass regulations such as reduced bag limits or the early catch and release season did not affect bass harvest as much as the implementation of a 14-inch minimum size restriction.
The second component is a significant reduction in bass populations in order to minimize predation or competition with walleyes. The department proposes a no minimum length limit for bass in each of these lakes.
Research shows that stocking in walleye lakes with good natural reproduction generally does not improve population numbers. However when natural recruitment becomes weak for an extended period, stocking of walleye fingerlings may be necessary to rebuild spawning stock numbers.
The third component is to monitor the walleye populations and stock walleyes as necessary to ensure there is an adequate spawning stock (subject to budget and hatchery capacity).
Restoration of strong walleye populations in waters formerly dominated by walleye is generally favored by the majority of anglers who fish these waters and is the goal of this proposed experimental restoration program. The Department strongly recommends that all three components: walleye harvest restrictions, black bass population reductions, and necessary stockings be used on each lake. Although this is an experimental program, The Department is not proposing a sunset provision and instead will monitor any changes and modify the approach as necessary
The lakes included in the proposal are: Bear, Horseshoe (T36N, R14E, S3, 115 ac.), Lower Turtle, and Upper Turtle (Barron County), Lake Owen (Bayfield County), Big McKenzie and Middle McKenzie (Burnett/ Washburn Counties), Big Butternut, Half Moon, Pipe, and Ward (Polk County), Chain, Clear, Island, and McCann (Island Chain of Lakes, Rusk County), Chippewa Flowage, Nelson, Sissabagama, and Whitefish (Sawyer County), and Long and Nancy (Washburn County).
I’ll be voting YES on April 12, both for this regulation change and the change to allow trolling county wide in Sawyer county (Question 27).
