Another example of DNR ( Do nothing right )

For years the DNR would not open bass in Minnesota till 2 weeks after the walleye and nothern opener. The reason they always gave was it helped to get bass Thru the spawning season before they were targeted. Now this year on Mille Lacs they not only remove the slot they have had in place for many years but have allowed it to open early on the walleye and nothern opener ( Well before any spawning is complete ) As if their poor management of the walleye was not enough – Now they want to mess up what is one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the state. Whats next – no restriction or seasons for Musky.

It does seem somewhat kneejerk to attack the bass on Mille Lacs. I know why they think they are doing but not if that reasoning is legit.

Quote:

---

For years the DNR would not open bass in Minnesota till 2 weeks after the walleye and nothern opener. The reason they always gave was it helped to get bass Thru the spawning season before they were targeted. Now this year on Mille Lacs they not only remove the slot they have had in place for many years but have allowed it to open early on the walleye and nothern opener ( Well before any spawning is complete ) As if their poor management of the walleye was not enough – Now they want to mess up what is one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the state. Whats next – no restriction or seasons for Musky.

---

They did this because they want to reduce the number of bass. I can see what they are after. There are getting to be too many in there. The bass also don’t bring in tourism or money to the area like the walleye does.

It’s a walleye lake and they are going to try and restore it to one. Don’t know if what they are doing to the bass makes sense though, who knows.

The Bass will take the thumping on this. The DNR has a very close eye on the clout that Muskies Inc. has around the state. I wouldn’t look for them to do anything that would make MI mad.

Just my 2 cents.

Quote:

---

They did this because they want to reduce the number of bass. I can see what they are after. There are getting to be too many in there. The bass also don’t bring in tourism or money to the area like the walleye does.

It’s a walleye lake and they are going to try and restore it to one. Don’t know if what they are doing to the bass makes sense though, who knows.

---

Correction. It WAS a walleye lake.

There’s a reason there are “too many” bass in the lake. It’s because the lake has changed.

Everybody’s going to have their own whipping boy for why the lake has changed. The DNR, the Indians, the anglers back in the day who put every walleye they ever caught on the stringer, etc.

There’s a hard reality that people better start getting used to. Mille Lacs may NEVER be the walleye lake it once was because the lake has changed. The Zeebs, the more volatile weather patterns, different numbers of different species in the lake, etc.

Grouse

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

They did this because they want to reduce the number of bass. I can see what they are after. There are getting to be too many in there. The bass also don’t bring in tourism or money to the area like the walleye does.

It’s a walleye lake and they are going to try and restore it to one. Don’t know if what they are doing to the bass makes sense though, who knows.

---

Correction. It WAS a walleye lake.

There’s a reason there are “too many” bass in the lake. It’s because the lake has changed.

Everybody’s going to have their own whipping boy for why the lake has changed. The DNR, the Indians, the anglers back in the day who put every walleye they ever caught on the stringer, etc.

There’s a hard reality that people better start getting used to. Mille Lacs may NEVER be the walleye lake it once was because the lake has changed. The Zeebs, the more volatile weather patterns, different numbers of different species in the lake, etc.

Grouse

---

You might be right, but even according to the DNR, it is still producing walleyes like no other. Problem is they are not getting past a certain age. I find it hard to believe that a large sandy/gravel windswept lake with that much great spawning structure would ever not be a walleye lake without people, be it the DNR, the Indians, the anglers, or the bass and muskies screwing with it.

So was walleye fishing on Mille Lacs a fad?
Sorry, BK demanded I do it.
DT

Interesting I did not know they pushed up the season there. I thought the Bass community would like this as I keep seeing post’s complaining about the bass season.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

The bass also don’t bring in tourism or money to the area like the walleye does.

It’s a walleye lake and they are going to try and restore it to one. Don’t know if what they are doing to the bass makes sense though, who knows.

---

The Bass may be their only tourism they may have for alot of years – They better take what they can. the bass bring in more than a fair share of $ to the area. I know plenty of fishermen who take several trips to the area each year to chase smallmouth. The # of Bass is not the source of the Walleye problem but they need to blame something other than Poor management. The bass have just adjusted to the change in the lake better than the walleyes’s

Quote:

---

So was walleye fishing on Mille Lacs a fad?
Sorry, BK demanded I do it.
DT

---

You can get away with that stuff when you’re wearing a sidearm!

Quote:

---

Now they want to mess up what is one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the state.

---

They won’t mess it up, they are only being hypocritical and offering solutions that ignore the giant elephant in the room.

The catch and release ethic bass fishermen have will insure that the smallmouth population stays what it is today.

I for one am glad they did it because this will prove that having an early catch and release season in Minnesota will have a minimal impact on bass fishing in the state.

DNR had it perfectly planned. Slot limit 2 eyes, that’s fine, BC if you keep a couple 20″ SMB there’s probably a couple nice 10″ eyes in the belly for sandwiches, keep a couple 30″ northerns with at least 3-4 12-14″ eyes in that, and lastly a nice 50″ muskie gots 3-4 20-24″ eyes. Multi species angler could go come with potentially 10 walleyes!

That’s if its true what we are told.

Quote:

---

Do nothing right

---

This already leaves me without comment because of the narrowminded victim thinking.

The only thing that hurts Bass populations is WinterKill….NOBODY keeps enough bass to harm the populations….People fish for bass during spawn ALL OVER, bass are hearty…Only think killing or reducing a bass population is low oxygen.

Quote:

---

…NOBODY keeps enough bass to harm the populations.

---

except maybe pissed-off walleye die-hards on a mission

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

…NOBODY keeps enough bass to harm the populations.

---

except maybe pissed-off walleye die-hards on a mission

---

Not nearly enough of them to make an impact.

The bass aren’t the reason the walleye don’t reach an adult stage. It’s because everyone fishes the lake for walleyes do much that all the legal slot fish get plucked out and barely any get to grow. If you want the lake to improve you close it for walleyes for a couple years. Otherwise it’s just gonna be the same thing over and over.

Mille Lacs is one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the Nation. It’s honestly incredible. It brings in a lot for tourism and I know some of the guides out there are getting asked to take guys smallie fishing, not walleye fishing. They should embrace what they have and not try to change something that’s amazing because it simply “isn’t what it used to be” as it’s been said already, the lake has changed.

Quote:

---

Another example of DNR ( Do nothing right )

---

I could list many things the DNR has done right.

I also think the DNR would love to hand this hot potato to some of us guys that feel we could do a better job.

I just hope science wins out it this mess.

Belletaine, with the side arm thing? Were you talking about DT or Me?

Quote:

---

Interesting I did not know they pushed up the season there. I thought the Bass community would like this as I keep seeing post’s complaining about the bass season.

---

Not sure if Bass guys or for or against it – My point was that their reason to delay the bass season in the rest of the state does not make sense with what they are doing on Mille lacs. DNR and make sense – Who am I kidding

Quote:

---

I could list many things the DNR has done right.

---

I could list many things armed robbers have done right. Does that make armed robbery a good thing?

Quote:

---

I also think the DNR would love to hand this hot potato to some of us guys that feel we could do a better job.

---

I would simply like to not have to be forced to fund their fiasco’s. In the free market you’d be able to take your money to the competition if you’re unsatisfied with the level of service. In government your options are pay up or get beaten, tazed, your dog shot, and then you get thrown in a cage. All the invisible threats of violence just to manage a fishery.

Quote:

---

It brings in a lot for tourism and I know some of the guides out there are getting asked to take guys smallie fishing, not walleye fishing. They should embrace what they have and not try to change something that’s amazing because it simply “isn’t what it used to be” as it’s been said already, the lake has changed.

---

This is simply not true. If the bass brought in the tourism dollars you guys are claiming, then the resorts and area businesses would be booming. Right now, they are hanging on for their lives.
As much as some of you don’t like it, the walleye is king on Mille Lacs. Actually through all of Minnesota if not the entire midwest.

I’m not touching the mille Lacs walleye management issue…All i’m saying is that Bass guys should not worry. There isn’t a bass fishery in the nation that has been fished out…Though there are plenty that have been wiped out due to other causes.

There will be a tremendous small mouth fishery at Mille Lacs for a long time…Regardless of ANYTHING the DNR does.

Kind of like some lakes and catfish. Once they’re in there, it’s pretty hard to get them out. Not enough fisherman eating them and not much for predation.

I don’t think the early season open will hurt the population much. I do think removing the slot and raising the limit will. There are a fair # of smallmouth caught by other fishermen and I think with the lack of keeper walleyes bass will make up a larger share of fish that end up getting cleaned. I also belive with the larger limits and looser slot there will be more tourneys held on the lake and hooking and tourney mortality will slowly take a toll. I hope I am wrong on both.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I could list many things the DNR has done right.

---

I could list many things armed robbers have done right. Does that make armed robbery a good thing?

Quote:

---

I also think the DNR would love to hand this hot potato to some of us guys that feel we could do a better job.

---

I would simply like to not have to be forced to fund their fiasco’s. In the free market you’d be able to take your money to the competition if you’re unsatisfied with the level of service. In government your options are pay up or get beaten, tazed, your dog shot, and then you get thrown in a cage. All the invisible threats of violence just to manage a fishery.

---

Uh……………. what?

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Another example of DNR ( Do nothing right )

---

I could list many things the DNR has done right.

I also think the DNR would love to hand this hot potato to some of us guys that feel we could do a better job.

I just hope science wins out it this mess.

Belletaine, with the side arm thing? Were you talking about DT or Me?

---

I originally meant DT however in hindsight I’m not sure where you holster it without britches though.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

The bass also don’t bring in tourism or money to the area like the walleye does.

It’s a walleye lake and they are going to try and restore it to one. Don’t know if what they are doing to the bass makes sense though, who knows.

---

The Bass may be their only tourism they may have for alot of years – They better take what they can. the bass bring in more than a fair share of $ to the area. I know plenty of fishermen who take several trips to the area each year to chase smallmouth. The # of Bass is not the source of the Walleye problem but they need to blame something other than Poor management. The bass have just adjusted to the change in the lake better than the walleyes’s

---

YOu’re worried about tournament hooking mortality, but here you say that the resorts need to promote and increase visitors targeting bass…??

Quote:

---

Uh……………. what?

---

Hello youngfry, not sure which part you didn’t understand but will ask a series of general questions to maybe get a bearing. Is there any case in your personal life that you feel you’re justified to take money from other people by force?

For instance if you were unable to afford a nice fishing rod would you feel justified robing someone at gunpoint to fund your fishing rod account?

If not then would you feel justified robbing that person if you gathered 5 of your buddies and the robbery victim together and had a majority vote on whether the victim should be robbed to pay for your fishing rod?

If not then what number of people do you feel need to vote so that you feel justified taking money from someone by force? The Lessard Legacy fund for example was funded by having a vote. 60% of the people voted to take money from the other 40% by force of government. The money extorted from this effort is used to fund personal fishing, hunting, and “art” habits. Do you think this is morally justified behavior in a civilized society?

As a walleye guy who has fished the lake for 25+ years, I’ll tell you bass guys what I think of the new rules. The message is clear. Keep and kill all the legal smallies you can. The population needs to be reduced drastically. The DNR goes from a one fish (Trophy) limit to six fish. Got it, and I’ll do my part to help out.

-J.

Quote:

---

I also think the DNR would love to hand this hot potato to some of us guys that feel we could do a better job.

---

If they didn’t have both hands tied behind their back, they could get it done. But that won’t happen.

It’s the way they handle it that bugs me. Very similar to how the Vikings handled the Ponder/Cassell situation last year. You can only pretend that Ponder is the solution so long before people call BS on it.

Quote:

---

Got it, and I’ll do my part to help out.

-J.

---

This would worry me if I didn’t know you are a walleye guy…you need skillz to catch dem bass, son!