mille lacs ice cover, will there be no netting?

  • jasono00
    cities
    Posts: 337
    April 26, 2013 at 11:32 am #1289682

    Just woundering with ice still locked up to the shores on mille lacs will there be netting this year, or will the fish finally be given a break this year? How long does the netting season for mille lacs go?

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    April 26, 2013 at 11:41 am #1166018

    In a typical year, the tribes get their quota well before opener. This year will be interesting. It could go a couple ways. Heavy netting in the few days between open water and opener. Or they could well just net through opener until they get quota. Netting and heavy night time boat traffic do not mix well.

    -J.

    Fife
    Ramsey, MN
    Posts: 4058
    April 26, 2013 at 11:48 am #1166021

    I hope there is no netting. I was driving around Mille Lacs on Monday and there is open water at the creek mouths. Those areas should open up quickly and give them areas to set the nets. I’m assuming the night ban would not apply to netting, so maybe they could place them later at night to avoid problems. I’m not sure what the nets are like, but the ones used out on Lake Pepin have 2 bouys and then the actual net is several feet below the surface. The are safe to drive over, but a real headache if you troll some crankbaits into them.

    jon_jordan
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 10908
    April 26, 2013 at 11:58 am #1166025

    The night ban does not go into effect until 5/13.

    If it meant no netting, I’d actually go along with a delayed opener on Mille Lacs.

    -J.

    puddlepounder
    Cove Bay Mille Lacs lake MN
    Posts: 1814
    April 26, 2013 at 12:00 pm #1166027

    i talked to a gal, that talked to a guy, that said that the mille lacs band was going to start to net through the ice. i haven’t seen that happen yet. same source said that the wisconsin bands were most likely not going to make the trip here this year due to the late ice. time will tell how good my source is. i have not seen any wisc tribal dnr in the area but there has been a increase in mn/tribal dnr driving by.
    on a side note, isle has a new warden assigned to that post, the onamia post is still vacant.

    kooty
    Keymaster
    1 hour 15 mins to the Pond
    Posts: 18101
    April 26, 2013 at 12:11 pm #1166030

    There will be netting, you can almost guarantee it. How much will be the key. I still have a hard time believing the lake will be clear before the opener.

    mbenson
    Minocqua, Wisconsin
    Posts: 3842
    April 26, 2013 at 1:44 pm #1166053

    They will still be netting, just like the WI Bands will still be spearing. I would suspect the WI Bands will be starting here in the southern part of the ceded territory in the very near future as ice out is starting happen in Central WI.

    Mark

    Will Roseberg
    Moderator
    Hanover, MN
    Posts: 2121
    April 29, 2013 at 11:54 am #1166555

    Quote:

    They will still be netting, just like the WI Bands will still be spearing. I would suspect the WI Bands will be starting here in the southern part of the ceded territory in the very near future as ice out is starting happen in Central WI.

    Mark

    There will be netting along the shorelines and river mouths before all the ice is gone. Hopefully for all involved they quit before opening weekend or at least take a break for the weekend and only net during night ban hours after that.

    To be perfectly honest I think this late ice may actually be a blessing for Mille Lacs.

    Will

    chris-tuckner
    Hastings/Isle MN
    Posts: 12318
    May 3, 2013 at 10:26 pm #1168165

    My bet is “We” get the night ban. The Natives get to net all night.
    How can this not be discrimination? What if “We” told other races in this Country that “We” can net during the spawn because our ancestors may have, but all other races couldn’t? He!!, take walleyes on Mille Lacs out of the equation! How about if someone of another race had to sit in the back of a bus? How about if they had to drink from a different water fountain…or eat in a different place or use a separate door? Sound familiar? Have we not been down this road before? People DIED to end discrimination. This is bigotry at its best perpetrated by our own Commander in Chief and his minions.
    We are lemmings. Letting it all happen.

    wheres_waldo
    The Big Pond
    Posts: 478
    May 4, 2013 at 2:03 pm #1168271

    Quote:

    My bet is “We” get the night ban. The Natives get to net all night.
    How can this not be discrimination? What if “We” told other races in this Country that “We” can net during the spawn because our ancestors may have, but all other races couldn’t? He!!, take walleyes on Mille Lacs out of the equation! How about if someone of another race had to sit in the back of a bus? How about if they had to drink from a different water fountain…or eat in a different place or use a separate door? Sound familiar? Have we not been down this road before? People DIED to end discrimination. This is bigotry at its best perpetrated by our own Commander in Chief and his minions.
    We are lemmings. Letting it all happen.

    While I respect your opinion and agree with many of your contributions to this wonderful website…did the gill netting just start 5 years ago? Was there no gill netting during our last administration? Just something to think about.

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22564
    May 6, 2013 at 12:07 am #1168549

    I seen the DNR had nets in Malone and Cedar Creek. I also heard the natives netting under the ice, hauled in 120 lbs. on one set. Also that they tried setting nets in front of the DNR nets at Cedar and the DNR told them “no thank you”… Looked plenty “locked up” yet from Hunters Pt last night

    drewsdad
    Crosby, MN
    Posts: 3138
    May 8, 2013 at 12:25 pm #1169264

    Quote:

    Quote:

    My bet is “We” get the night ban. The Natives get to net all night.
    How can this not be discrimination? What if “We” told other races in this Country that “We” can net during the spawn because our ancestors may have, but all other races couldn’t? He!!, take walleyes on Mille Lacs out of the equation! How about if someone of another race had to sit in the back of a bus? How about if they had to drink from a different water fountain…or eat in a different place or use a separate door? Sound familiar? Have we not been down this road before? People DIED to end discrimination. This is bigotry at its best perpetrated by our own Commander in Chief and his minions.
    We are lemmings. Letting it all happen.

    While I respect your opinion and agree with many of your contributions to this wonderful website…did the gill netting just start 5 years ago? Was there no gill netting during our last administration? Just something to think about.

    I think Chris is refering to the clause in the treaty where it states that the treaty rights can be ended at any time by the President. I don’t think he was refering specificlly to Obama, although Obama could do this too.

    dd

    steve-fellegy
    Resides on the North Shores of Mille Lacs--guiding on Farm Island these days
    Posts: 1294
    May 9, 2013 at 6:11 pm #1169678

    GLIFWC trucks (U.S. Government plates) are on the scene today. I suspect they are going to net whatever open water they can find. Malmo is the most open now. North Garrison has some open water too. See what happens tonight…

    Mille Lacs Band has netted about 1500 lbs. so far.

    Will Roseberg
    Moderator
    Hanover, MN
    Posts: 2121
    May 9, 2013 at 7:03 pm #1169684

    Also from the Outdoor News…

    Quote:

    Opening-day bullets

    Earlier this week, it looked like no one – state-licensed anglers or tribal netters/spearers – would be able to fish Mille Lacs this weekend, given the ice that remained.
    Sue Erickson, spokesperson for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, said the eight bands that net/spear Mille Lacs were still in discussions about fishing the lake, should open water be available. She said ice might make it a moot point, but if conditions allowed, some tribal officials were concerned about congestion at landings during the state fishing opener.

    “That (congestion) would be a big factor in people’s decision making,” Erickson said, adding that some band members likely would prefer to net/spear when there’s less chance of outside interference.

    But, she said earlier this week when ice still dominated the lake: “It doesn’t look very promising (for weekend fishing).”

    To a limited degree, members of the Mille Lacs Band have been netting, according to Erickson. She reported Tuesday morning that members of that band had netted 1,405 pounds of walleyes, and about 630 pounds of pike.
    A year ago, the eight bands had netted about 76,000 pounds of walleyes by the end of April, well before the state fishing opener. That turned out to be near the total taken by the bands last year.
    Erickson said there might be more emphasis by the bands on spearing Mille Lacs walleyes this year, for a couple reasons.
    “It’s (spearing) something that’s been done every season, but there hasn’t been a lot,” she said.

    But this year, tribal members from both states may use the method more often – so that they might target a variety of sizes of fish, and because spearing is a nighttime activity, primarily, and can be done when state anglers aren’t on the lake. It also would reduce the amount of net sets that could be interfered with by state anglers.

    Erickson said the capture of walleyes by tribal members thus far had been pretty much a non-event due to the lake’s ice cover.
    The total allowable harvest of Mille Lacs walleyes this year is 250,000 pounds, 71,250 of which belongs to the bands. Like the bands, state anglers’ allowable harvest (178,750) is half of what was allowed last year.

    liar
    Lakeville
    Posts: 170
    May 10, 2013 at 9:02 am #1169790

    Thanks for posting that article Will.I have 2 questions.
    Does the DNR set the mesh size that the bands use on their nets? Could they use a bigger mesh and target the larger fish if they wanted to?

    Okay 3 questions
    Doesn’t the law/rule/agreement, state that netting is to take place after ice out?

    Thanks to all of you (esp Steve) who are trying to do the right thing for the lake!!!

    steve-fellegy
    Resides on the North Shores of Mille Lacs--guiding on Farm Island these days
    Posts: 1294
    May 10, 2013 at 9:44 am #1169799

    Quote:

    Thanks for posting that article Will.I have 2 questions.

    Does the DNR set the mesh size that the bands use on their nets? Could they use a bigger mesh and target the larger fish if they wanted to?

    Okay 3 questions

    Doesn’t the law/rule/agreement, state that netting is to take place after ice out?

    Thanks to all of you (esp Steve) who are trying to do the right thing for the lake!!!

    No matter what the DNR has authority over or could play a role regarding the rules, they choose to not push for sound management.

    Yes….to your questions. But until this legal case is funded, history shows the Mn. DNR will do nothing to end this mess.

    If ALL sport anglers that fish the lake and have a concern for the future of the lake and insist on sound DNR fishery management at Lake Mille Lacs would put $25 or more to back up their concerns, things would change. Until then, all this talk gets everyone and the lake no where fast.

    http://www.savemillelacssportfishing.org/donate

    steve-fellegy
    Resides on the North Shores of Mille Lacs--guiding on Farm Island these days
    Posts: 1294
    May 10, 2013 at 11:13 am #1169822

    FYI–There were Tribal harvest boats out from the Malmo access last night…

    liar
    Lakeville
    Posts: 170
    May 10, 2013 at 12:41 pm #1169869

    Thanks for the answers Steve. I will be donating again soon. I will also be up there to fish no matter what the bag limits are. WE have to support the resort owners too!! I hope I can donate and get a trip in right after ice out.

    Donating comes first

    mbenson
    Minocqua, Wisconsin
    Posts: 3842
    May 13, 2013 at 6:07 pm #1170506

    Its going full bore over here right now too!!!

    Mark

    carmike
    Posts: 214
    May 13, 2013 at 11:44 pm #1170583

    There was an altercation on the northwest side between some guys shore fishing and some spearers. A few cops actually had to show up.

    I also saw a bunch of guys throwing rocks at the spearers last weekend.

    Not a healthy situation all around.

    steve-fellegy
    Resides on the North Shores of Mille Lacs--guiding on Farm Island these days
    Posts: 1294
    May 20, 2013 at 2:56 pm #1172096

    So much for no netting after the opener! Gill-nets in the NW side of the lake last night filled many tubs full of all sizes of walleyes. This group was from “Bad River” WI., picking nets around 10 am. today and loading them at the south Garrison access.

    http://www.savemillelacssportfishing.org/donate

    This will not go to court until it is funded!

    steve-fellegy
    Resides on the North Shores of Mille Lacs--guiding on Farm Island these days
    Posts: 1294
    May 23, 2013 at 10:58 am #1172938

    Gill-nets are stretched from Doc’s Resort all the way west to the Wealthwood access this morning–from last night.

    “targeting perch” with the same mesh size. LOL

    http://www.savemillelacssportfishing.org/donate

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