Great Article in the Mille Lacs Messenger

Link to Mille Lacs Messenger

Go to the article written by Gordy Stalker “Proper Management”

I wonder if the MN DNR will respond?

Words that should be saved to this server for future reference! Amen Gordy.

Proper management?

Well, it’s that time of year again. Because of the real warm weather of two weeks ago, the suckers came out of the lake and up the creeks in huge numbers. The kids in my family look forward to netting and spearing a few of these critters every spring.

I have to remind them that this “rite of spring,” this “time-honored tradition” that has been a part of my family for four generations cannot start until May 1 by law in Minnesota.

My kids ask why. I explain to them that this gives these fish time to lay their eggs and complete their reproduction process. My kids then ask, well then how come a select group of people can gillnet tons and tons of walleyes only hours before these fish can lay their eggs and complete their reproduction cycle. I can’t answer that one.

If in fact what the Mille Lacs Band and their friends from Wisconsin are doing is proper economic and resource management, then why aren’t area farmers killing their cows the day before they give birth to ensure a larger herd next year. And why aren’t we hunting deer in April so that we can kill the does before they give birth in order to generate a larger deer herd for years to come.

If what tribal members are doing to this lake in April is truly a “rite of spring,” a “time-honored tradition” and being done for “religious reasons,” why isn’t it being reported in this newspaper?

We have seen pictures and read articles in the Messenger in recent weeks about tulibee fishing and early spring crappie fishing, but not one picture of gillnets full of walleyes and northerns with an article explaining the positive impact that this fishing practice has on our lake.

We recently read about the 150-year history of the Mille Lacs Band, but there was no mention in that article about how the traditional spring gillnetting of walleye and northern has impacted the lives of band members.

A couple of weeks ago, we read in the newspaper about former Mille Lacs Band Natural Resources Commissioner, Don Wedll, who was instrumental in securing the right of band members to put gillnets in this lake, receiving a prestigious award from the EPA for his efforts in conservation and resource management.

We have yet to read about what gillnetting looks like in action. Why haven’t we seen pictures in this newspaper of the portable fish processing plants that are set up at our public boat landings with a caption that explains the positive public image this brings to our lake.

And why haven’t we read any thank yous in the Messenger to the Minnesota sport fishing public for catching and releasing thousands of walleye and northern so that they can be netted in April and transported to Wisconsin where they are so desperately needed.

If what we are seeing on this lake in the past couple of weeks is proper management of a resource, then it is the duty of this newspaper to report it that way so that my kids can understand it and jump on the band wagon of conservation for years to come.

And now a note to the Minnesota DNR fishery people. If you ever wonder what happened to the 36-inch northern with the black tags of #F166227 and F166228, she was caught, thrown in a dumpster, uncleaned and unused, along with several other large northerns. I have the tags if you want them.

We should all be proud.

Gordy Stalker, Wahkon

Gordy Thank you.

WOW, kind of stirrs that fire in your belly doesn’t it?!! I guess it’s time to write a few letters again. It’s too bad one of our local outdoor shows doesn’t do an expose’ on something like this. Wasn’t it FOX 9 who did the “bad resort owner” piece this last winter???

Quote:

---

WOW, kind of stirrs that fire in your belly doesn’t it?!! I guess it’s time to write a few letters again. It’s too bad one of our local outdoor shows doesn’t do an expose’ on something like this. Wasn’t it FOX 9 who did the “bad resort owner” piece this last winter???

---

Next year, about the end of February, we all need to start a big stink with the media. I’d love to see them cover the netting and would be happy to sit for an interview. This year, we are too late. It’s a done deal.

I’m with you 100% Jon. I’ll set a reminder in my calendar right now.

Well said Jon

Amen to Gordy. I’d be all for trying to set something up next year. It’s time to expose the pigs that do this netting. Greed and Money

Did a little digging on-line to make myself feel better.

“Mille Lacs Lake. Gillnetting in Mille Lacs Lake is allowed year around. Only subsistence netting may occur from March 2 – May 31.
Subsistence nets during this and other times may be up to 100 feet in length and 4 feet deep. The allowable mesh sizes (bar) for
subsistence nets during this and other times are 1.25 to 1.75 inches. From June 1 – March 1 both subsistence and commercial netting
may be authorized. If authorized by your tribe, allowable mesh sizes (bar) for commercial nets are the same as for subsistence nets (i.e.
1.25 to 1.75 inches); however, commercial nets may be up to 300 feet in length and six feet in depth. All nets must comply with lifting,
marking, and safety requirements. For gill-nets targeted at tullibee, only 1.75 inch mesh (bar) is authorized.”

The line that gets me is the Substenance netting from March 2-May 31. I would like to see the 3750 tribe members (number from Mille Lacs Tribe Website) use the amount of fish for their basic subsistence. The blood is boiling now.

The netting information came from:
http://www.glifwc.org/regs/owregsmn.pdf

Have a great opener guys.

So I’m sitting here, eating my sub thinking those lucky Son of guns all heading north for the opener. I decided to do a little reading on the treaty. I dug up these old articles, I got a kick out of them:

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199804/16_engerl_netting-m/

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199804/15_gundersond_walleye-m/

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/199804/14_engerl_race-m/

Amazing how things really haven’t changed in the last few 7 years since these articles were written. I’m new to Mn and this a “new” issue to me, so I’m trying to learn as much as I can. The little I’ve learned from these articles has had an interesting affect on my opinion.

Prior to today, I was 100% no netting period. However, after reading some of the things said, I do believe it would be OK for the natives to do some netting, strictly for substinence(meaning to eat). I also believe if they are doing this as a tradition, then it should be done in traditional ways. When was the last time we saw a picture of a canoe and a net in front of Bobber’s house? They may not like having regulations, but grow up it’s life!!! Many tribes have proven time and time again, they don’t care about the resource, not all, but some!

If this is such a huge tradition to their heritage, then do the netting traditionally I say. I can relate to the mystical powers the lakes have. Mille lacs has called out to me since the first time I fished it 5 years ago. I envy guys like Hooks, Bobber, Dman and Jon J just to name a few. These guys have all spent a ton of time on one of the best fisheries in the country.

I hope we(sport fisherman) can someday come together with the native americans to resolve this issue. Let’s all come together and do what’s best for the fishery!!

John

Thanks for the articles. More good reading on a hot topic.

Join PERM and join the battle!

Quote:

---

MPR: How do you go about netting? What do you do – what do you use?
Merrill: A canoe. Couple paddles. A net, two floatation devices: I like to use old Prestone bottles. Rinse ’em out and cork ’em up. I shouldn’t reveal my tricks – but I used to use a glass bottle, ’cause you couldn’t see it unless you were close to it. Drop your net down in the water – you gotta have two people, one to paddle you along as you string the net out. String it a hundred feet, a typical net size. Make sure it drops straight down, no tangles in it. And wait.

---

B and in B, S as in S!

I would be very carefull about any info you get from MPR!

-J.

John, I wonder if Collin Williams, the fella from OutdoorNews. That has done the nice articles on ecnock and Steve Plantz would take on this native netting issue?

Just a thought…