Potential Limit Changes on LOTW?

I heard through the grapevine about some potential changes to the bag limits up on LOTW due in part to the over-harvesting of walleyes. I responded by stating I had heard nothing about this at all but it did peak my interests in finding out some more. So, I googled.

What I found wasn’t my answer per se but some info on the MN DNR website that does in fact show walleye anglers are seriously over wha tthe DNR considers safe harvest levels. (I know, I know… sounds like another Mille Lacs Lake debate already!)

I’ve quoted that info below. Anyone else heard anything about this?

Quote:

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From the MN DNR website @ http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/fishing/low.html

Walleye are managed with a “long-term” average target harvest of 450,000 pounds. The average walleye harvest from 1997-2002 was 560,330 pounds. Seventy-one percent of the walleye harvest occurs during the summer, along the south shore of Lake of the Woods. The remaining 29% are harvested during the winter on Lake of the Woods, spring and fall on the Rainy River, and the Northwest Angle in the summer.

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I’m a little shocked to find out that the winter harvest consists of only 29% of the total. How on Earth would the DNR be able to come up with that type of data to begin with? I mean, it’s a gargantuan body of water and, although we’ve had our licenses checked numerous times there, only once have they asked about the number of fish we had kept. I guess I just find it hard to believe they could come up with conclusive data to report on an area that large. As far as I’m concerned, it wouldn’t bother me a bit if they lowered the limits a tad or kept them as they are. I just hope they are able to make the right decision to keep that fishery as outstanding as it currently is.

Mark

Hey, what happened to my profile pic anyways? Must be too ugly for the boards!

I don’t have a problem on the Minnesota side of reducing daily bag limits. However, my initial response is to leave the bag limits alone. Maybe, at best, drop possession limit down to 4 fish.

That is what Ontario has……….2 daily, 4 possession. Only 1 fish over 18. It works well.

As for ice fishing……..Well, you can take 6 eyes and 8 saugers…….Summer you can take 6 eyes and 2 saugers. Maybe 14 fish is over doing it a bit……….considering all the anglers that flock there, more and more each year???

Probably (only assumption) is that the biggest threat of over harvesting may come from the netting that is done on the lake. There are a ton of netters on the Ontario side.

Right now………for quantity…………LOTW is the place to go. No joke………70 to 80 fish in 6 hours between 2 poeple…………That is fly-in quantity. Now, all these fish were males and only the largest was 20″, but that is alot of fish.

The deal with LOTW, is that you can almost go anywhere and catch a walleye. It is that crazy up there.

The fishing on LOW this year has been poor compartively speaking. There is a huge year class from 2001 that really bit this winter and will make its presence known very soon.

However, it is only a matter of time before there is a reduced bag limit on LOW.

Scott;

that is why it is so crazy…………Yep, heard lots of reports of a “slow” bite……..but hey, we found them!!! No tunas, only a 26 for best. But we also hit it a bit early this year (3rd week in June) for our normal summer hunting. Most of our females were a bit “beat up” with cuts and whatnot from spawning. I even cut up an 18″ fish that I thought was a male and ended up being a female……..she still had eggs in her……….odd, considering the water temp was 58……….

Gary, you guys did well, but for the most part LOW has been slow this year. It is just one of those years. You would not believe what the harvest is from that South shore on a typical year. This year’s harvest is way down according to the reports I am getting.

However, this is accually a good thing because havest haseen exceeding allowable harvest the last few years. This year may help balance things out some.