Wisconsin Conservation Congress results are in

http://dnr.wi.gov/About/WCC/Documents/spring_hearing/2013/2013_StatewideResults.pdf

Could someone explain why trolling isn’t allowed in all WI lakes?

Just wondering.

Some of those are alarming. I’ll bet it was an easy vote to increase non-res deer. Those bast^$%S!

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Could someone explain why trolling isn’t allowed in all WI lakes?

Just wondering.

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I read it goes back to when they used to slaughter the muskys pulling spoons.

SD raised their prices by 45% on deer licenses last year. Said they wanted to be more in line with out west hunting. It’s a rich man’s game and sadly the folks who are suppose to be helping us protect the resources are simply pricing many individuals out of it.

I read an official DNR article explaining the trolling ban. Back in the day before Outboards people row trolled drifted or hired guides who rowed. Well Mr Evinrude changed all that so the Guides of Northern WI banded together to make the only way that you could still troll was to row. Since most city slicker still rented boats they thought by banning motor trolling they would force the city slickers to hire guides to row them around still. When that didn’t play out those same guides lobbied that motor trolling is an unfair method of musky fishing yet row trolling is a fair method. So here we are 75 years later. with no motor trolling in the main musky waters of WI.

Mwal

At the Columbia County hearing that I attended, one person spoke out strongly against trolling statewide by stating (in a nutshell) that if it was legal then everyone would be pulling six planer boards on every body of water no matter how small and would interfere with others such as boaters and water skiers and other trollers resulting in mass conflicts everywhere.

Somehow we (mostly) manage to stay out of each others hair where it is legal so I can happily refute that charge.

Additionally, the local fisheries biologist (retired) warned that in deep lakes, big fish tend to spend alot of time in open water and would then become vulnerable to trollers and eradicated. I think this is partially true – by giving anglers a legitimate tool they would potentially be more vulnerable, but most fisherman I know that have the wherewithal to seek out, target, and actually occasionally catch these fish are generally conservation minded sportsmen who do not take issue with releasing a trophy fish.

A conservation officer present stated something to the affect of legalizing trolling would actually make his job easier because interpretation of “position fishing” can be difficult at times.

The biggest problem I see is lack of participation in these events. Some of the opinions expressed were alarming and without folks to refute these present, well, you get what you get. The number of folks who BELIEVE they should be able to take what they want, when they want and never be subject to funding the resources is utterly astonishing.

Additionally, alot of folks have lost faith in the process. They have seen overwhelming support of something ignored at the state level too many times. While I don’t doubt these claims, if they had hundreds or even thousands of people show up at each of these hearings – I’m guessing the will of the people may get more of a priority.

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I read an official DNR article explaining the trolling ban. Back in the day before Outboards people row trolled drifted or hired guides who rowed. Well Mr Evinrude changed all that so the Guides of Northern WI banded together to make the only way that you could still troll was to row. Since most city slicker still rented boats they thought by banning motor trolling they would force the city slickers to hire guides to row them around still. When that didn’t play out those same guides lobbied that motor trolling is an unfair method of musky fishing yet row trolling is a fair method. So here we are 75 years later. with no motor trolling in the main musky waters of WI.

Mwal

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Do you have a link to this or able to provide a source document? I don’t understand as backtrolling was in fact legal for a long time after this ban you claim was introduced by fishing guides.

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Could someone explain why trolling isn’t allowed in all WI lakes?

Just wondering.

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Because lakeshore property owners don’t want everyone cruising around on “their” lake. I’ve heard lakeshore property owners think their lakes are going to “turn into the Daytona 500 with everyone trolling around the lake and making noise.”

Seriously.

It’s about time Wisconsin does. Most people in the state have almost lost rights to hunting deer on private land due to mostly out of staters buying it up because most people can’t afford to own but maybe a 40 acre parcel. Bout time they get more from the people that don’t actually live in our state.

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Could someone explain why trolling isn’t allowed in all WI lakes?

Just wondering.

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Because lakeshore property owners don’t want everyone cruising around on “their” lake. I’ve heard lakeshore property owners think their lakes are going to “turn into the Daytona 500 with everyone trolling around the lake and making noise.”

Seriously.

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They wont compare to the pontoon flotila we already have.

I cannot remember where I read that. It was 20+ years ago. It may have been in the local Vacation Guide for the Hayward lakes area or something I got at Freshwater hall of Fame. If I find it I will post.

Mwal

Mwal, Guides had little to nothing to do with wanting to ban trolling on Class A Muskie waters in Wisconsin. In fact, this trolling ban went into effect straight from a member (at that time) of the DNR Board that pushed to have this legislation passed. When this concern started…we had a particularily cold spring and beginning of summer and muskies were not moving to shallow water areas….weed beds, rock bars etc but instead were suspending out over deep water in larger numbers than normal. Guides who were very knowledgeable fishermen, started trolling for these fish with planer boards etc and were quite successful. There was major concern as stated earlier that this would not only affect the fisheries themselves but was there really room on most of our class A muskie waters to have numerous boats “hogging” the water with trolling spreads. Then of course the we have had the position fishing fiasco. Difficult for both the angler and law enforcement. That is for another thread….. Have a great day…

Chris Beeksma

As much as I like the ability to use 3 lines, I’d trade it for single line, state wide trolling.

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Mwal, Guides had little to nothing to do with wanting to ban trolling on Class A Muskie waters in Wisconsin. In fact, this trolling ban went into effect straight from a member (at that time) of the DNR Board that pushed to have this legislation passed. When this concern started…we had a particularily cold spring and beginning of summer and muskies were not moving to shallow water areas….weed beds, rock bars etc but instead were suspending out over deep water in larger numbers than normal. Guides who were very knowledgeable fishermen, started trolling for these fish with planer boards etc and were quite successful. There was major concern as stated earlier that this would not only affect the fisheries themselves but was there really room on most of our class A muskie waters to have numerous boats “hogging” the water with trolling spreads. Then of course the we have had the position fishing fiasco. Difficult for both the angler and law enforcement. That is for another thread….. Have a great day…

Chris Beeksma

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They used planer boards in 1923?

“First some history of motor trolling in Wisconsin. From 1923, no motor trolling was allowed on inland waters of the state. Five waters were opened for trolling in 1958. During the next few years a few other waters were opened. In 1964, all waters in seven northwestern counties as well as Racine County were opened. In 1970, many waters larger than 500 acres were added, except for muskellunge waters.”

Cripes, your going to need a lawyer to fish. Well you already do for trout. Most people don’t read the regs. now. Why would they read even more regs.?