The ice went off the lake yesterday-last night! Now with the open water comes the natives netting season….I saw a number of Wisc. band lic. plates on the road today and saw them placing nets on Mille Lacs out of the access north of Garrison. The lake is calm tonite and I would quess I’ll see boats with natives out front of my house tonite
ergggghhhh target practice ??????? 
Definitely a sore subject……………. a sore one indeed………..
The natives were out front tonite setting their net’s….
Notice- they don’t need lights on thier boats?
It just isn’t right having two set’s of rules………..
Is it legal to trapshoot in your frontyard???? 
Bob, I fully support your postion on this issue. It’s a shame.
Everyone can support the fight against the tribes by joining PERM at >>> PERM <<< Lot’s of good info there. I’ve been a member for 5 years now.
From the PERM website:
“PERM believes that allowing special privileges, for any group, to our public natural resources is unconstitutional. Allowing a non-public entity, in which we the public have no voice, management authority and control over publicly owned fish and game is not sound conservation policy. If the tribes’ claims for hunting, fishing and gathering unregulated by State law are successful, there will be unaccountability in management, a decline in fish and game, and great economic harm to the area.”
I 
applaud your ability not to act childish and cut the nets etc… If I had to witness this in my backyard, I’m not sure I’m mature enough.
Hey, they gotta eat too ya know. 
Bob, could you have invited them to shore and possibly talked them out of netting this year? 
Maybe we need to protest these laws they are breaking. Its the only way to get some attention. Its the principle of the whole thing. 
This gillnet was pulled to shore in the spring of 2000 after having become entangled in a crappie fisherman’s anchor on Mille Lacs Lake in east-central Minnesota. The net contains ninety-eight walleyes, in different stages of decomposition, still attached to the net. According to Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission personnel, the net had been lost by tribal netters for about a month. For thirty days or so, this net kept catching and killing fish.
Photo courtesy of PERM
Sad……for the average fisherman this would of cost him a $110 plus or minus fine per fish and a $30 restocking fee per fish times 98 fish gives the average fisherman a fine for wanton waste of a legal game fish at approx. $13,720. Since the indian tribes are soverign, I dought they had to pay any type of restitution. I know they will say it is thier hatcheries restocking these lakes, but it is with our tax dollars that they operate on. Some sort of accountability by the indian tribes should be enforced. 
The natives set 5 net’s out front of our house tonite They are setup to make a haul tonite……..three band members with a Wisc.license on the boat…………..
Are native americans from any band allowed to net? Or do they have to come from a specific tribe? It would seem to make even less sense to allow those not covered under the old treaties to net.
Thanks,
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……..three band members with a Wisc.license on the boat…………..
I didn’t know you had to get a license for a birch bark canoe, you would think the DNR would let that slide. 
I know quite a bit about tribal rights and the culture since I took a class all about it last semester. The tribal rights lecture was the hardest one to sit through, but I made it.
What bothers me most is that the “stewards of the land” harvest their fish during the spawning season.
Do they strip the fish of their eggs or do they just go to waste?
Do our MN natives go to wisconsin and spear their fish and then slap hands as they cross the border?
Newt,
Probably not….spearing is probably better in MN. Seriously, comparing the 2 states walleye fishery, MN walley fishery is heads and tails above WI. Also the WI bag limits for the non-native in ceded territories are from 1-3 fish, and in the past a few at a 0 bag limit. 
So is this something we have to look forward to? I sure hope not. I have read alot of these post relating to the netting issue and have held back posting anything of my own thinking that my anger would cause me to rant and rage too much. I can’t stand to see the full parking lots at the casinos when I drive by. How can anyone give their money to these people? If you need to net use your birch bark canoe and actually use the fish you catch.
Before I get too carried away I think I’d better stop now or this post will be several pages long.
I just talked with my neighbor who spoke with the natives this morning as they were picking their nets. The natives had seven nets out front of our house. Most were within 10 feet of shore……..they had around 60-70 walleyes in each net. The walleyes ran 16-18 inches in size, the nets are back out tonite for another haul……….just how many fish can one eat???
10 feet from shore….make sure you get those docks in to keep them away. Maybe turn on that sprinkler pump to try and scare some away.
Hearing about the 16-18 inches really makes me hungry to get on the water. Hopefully, they leave some for me.
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I applaud your ability not to act childish and cut the nets etc… If I had to witness this in my backyard, I’m not sure I’m mature enough.
It’s d..am hard………I really have to control myself to not pull the nets. Last night I thought about running the boat through them and cutting them up with the prop!
The Mille Lacs band used to always doing a little spring fishing…….no big deal than. Now we have all the Wisc. band of Ojibway here netting. The public landing north of Isle has tents and fences all around it. It’s not public for our use at this time? Whats wrong with this picture? Take the opportunity when you get a call or are speaking with a state rep. and ask them what they plan to do about this lakes problem (natives and casinos also)and the same on other bodies of water around the state of Minnesota.
Bigfife, please share some of what this class may have taught you? care to share some…….
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I know quite a bit about tribal rights and the culture since I took a class all about it last semester. The tribal rights lecture was the hardest one to sit through, but I made it.
What bothers me most is that the “stewards of the land” harvest their fish during the spawning season.
Do they strip the fish of their eggs or do they just go to waste?
Number one, and above all, Ojibwe’s consider themselves stewards of the land. They believe that we are all here to protect mother earth. I am guilty of driving around a car and throwing away garbage, but sometimes I wonder if they might do a little bit more. I have driven through a few reservations and there seems to be a lot of waste.
A lot of the class talked about their beliefs and where they originated from. Since they came here so long ago, it is unknown exactly where they came from. Many Ojibwe have different opinions about how they got to where they are. They believe heavly in talking to the gods. I commend them for being so strong in their religion. When they are sick, some will avoid medical treatment and go to a medicine man who uses nature and the gods to cure them.
Tribal rights are a whole nother subject. This is where I turned from casual learner to a little defensive. I believe all of the fishing and hunting rights were brought up by two young men. One day they were caught hunting or fishing without a license. They argued that under the treaty they were allowed to do it without a license. Many court rulings later we are where we are today. Our instructor was speaking like these rights were above all else. They are all god given rights that were given under the treaties. My arguement is that many things have changed over the years. They don’t fish out of the birch bark canoes of old. Technology is always improving for sportsman and with it comes new regulations. It seems funny to me that some people can get the new technology, but they don’t get any new rules. Sometimes I think these “rights” go against their goal of being stewards of the land.
I respect the Ojibwe culture a lot. I learned a lot more about my religion through this class. The Ojibwe are very strong people and I respect them for that. Just like any group, not everyone does the same thing. I just don’t agree with how some of them apply themselves today.
I got a call the other night, asking me to support the fight against legalizing state gambling. I asked them when would they quit netting fish out of our waters. No response of course. I then said I will support the state in every way possible to legalize gambling. He hung up on me.
I know the netting is a touchy subject.
However, I would recommend that all people with an opinion on this read the treaty in full. There are many other factors that are of larger concern than the netting/spearing.
Also, one question: Were not the Lakota Souix here before the Ojibway? Didn’t the Ojibway push out the Souix with the assistance of the the European settlers and the firearms that they gave the Ojibway? Were not the Ojibway originally from the East coast? If the Ojibway were originally from the east coast, how can they claim this as their “mother land”, when it was actually the Souix? Or, is it by the Treaty, that they claim this as their land? If it is because of the Treaty that they claim this as their land, then why don’t we follow the Treaty in full, line item by line item????
I seriously would like answers to that!
grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! ill shut up !!!!! to indians netting !!!!!!!! wheres a terrorist when you need one ? tents and fences at the landing !
Bigfife,
I have also taken a treaty rights course (at the U of MN a few years ago). We even were able to go on a field trip and see the check-in where all the fish were counted. I guess the class didn’t bother me at all. It was actually one of the better environmental policy related courses at the “U”.
I have to take issue with one of your statements though. You mentioned the “pre-spawn” netting. I had some good debates about this issue on another forum. I guess I’m not that good at facilitating my message, because it took a few posts to clarify it. I guess I’ll try again here.
I’m not sure if you have taken any fisheries and wildlife classes, but what I’ve learned is that it doesn’t impact reproduction any differently if the fish are harvested now or any other time of the year. How is it any different when you catch and keep a Walleye the last weekend of ice season, than if you went out today and kept one? I know I’ve personally caught Walleye full of eggs through the ice. The eggs just didn’t show up in the Walleyes yesterday.
The fact of the matter is that any fish harvested, regardless of the time of year, is no longer in the reproductive cycle of that lake.
I do have a problem with netting, but not because of the time of year. That picture of the “lost” gill-net makes me sick. When they pull up the nets, it’s all or nothing. I find it hard to believe that any Muskies or Smallies are properly released, if released at all. I personally would rather the natives spear. Spearing allows you to pick and choose the size and species of fish you want.
Was up to the pond this weekend Up at the public ;aunch next to Mcquids Ilooked up to see 4 people filleting more walleyes then Ihave caught in 2 years.The 4 of them with electric knifes where cleanibg for atleast1 1/2 hours and not even taking the cheek meat I probably could have gotten 10lbs ofcheek meat.They also had the next public access north of there about 3/4 full with all there vehicles What really hit me was I could see a big bulletin board for PERM right across from Mcquids where they were slaying those eyes. 
Gary, you are correct. Many people also do not know that the Ojibway stole from other tribes. They took what ever they could. Sad thing is, the elders of the tribe pass this down to the youth today. Stealing is part of thier heritage. Rape the resources and give nothing back. Contstant break-ins on the west side happen every year. At the boat launches and cabins and nothing will stop it. Its a sad issue. The youth have no future when the parents bring them up the way they do. There was an excellent feature in the Mpls Star Trib yesterday on the Leech lake Ojibway. Those Indian kids are sitting ducks from the day they are born and the cycle will never change.
For people who like to read about history. Heres a good book on the Ojibway. Theres a chapter on when Mille lacs was occupied by the Ojibway.
Book
It’s been blowing like a SOB on the eastside of the lake the past 36 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!great netting weather for the natives. The only thing that might make it any more pleasant would be rain!!!!!!!
I’m sure they are still out on the westside……..
only saw 1 boat go out and come in from the cove bay access today. looked heavy comming in. went over to see the catch, but they already had the boat on the trailor. they looked cold and wet. no mn dnr or tribal dnr to check their catch. too bad the wind is dying down. weather report for wed and thur is calling for more wind. blow baby blow!!!!! makes me feel a little better knowing that they are working a little harder in the big blow. to bad it isn’t raining!
That bothers me when I hear that the DNR are not there to record the netted weight. I would quess that they might call it in when that happens???????
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