Red Lake Fisherie Report

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now a couple other ?s
we have heard of sunnies being caught there–we have never seen them –but is the rumer true?

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Yes Upper Red does have a small sunnie population. The fish per acre is very low along with structure to relate to making these guys hard to locate and catch. I have seen sunnies out of Red Lake and watch the catch data coming out, you may be surprised.

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we know you have way more houses than me–how did your houses do on crappies and eyes, and how many houses did you and Jonny have out on the north end

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As far as houses on the north end we had enough out, not that many actaully. Common phrase is “We can put a bunch of houses on the ice but we can only put x amount on fish at anytime” That is why we run a limited number of houses. Yes we could cover the ice with houses but we work on qaulity of the house/fish and not quanity.

As for moving houses lets put it this way, our houses seldom freeze down, not enough time for the skids to cool down between moves.

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do you think that crappie frys (like eyes size) could have been released the same time eyes were–hatched the same way? guess it was never brought up to the DNR huh?

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Walleyes are hardcore predators, crappies are not.Different patterns and holding areas exsposing each species to seperate predotor/prey conditions. Growth rates also differ making this a hard trick to pull off.

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The Band should be applauded for trying this not have rocks thrown at it like was happening on this Forum. I cannot believe that the moderators, (if there are any) of this forum allow so many half truths, slanders and lies to be posted.

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Yup, plenty o’ moderators here just lingering in the background watching the hot air rise.

As for what we allow… we don’t get wrapped up in content… we only deal with conduct.

Content = points of view, facts or lack there of, opinions and / or stories. In short… what you say.

Conduct = language, attitude and / or intent. In short… how you say it.

To this point everyone seems to be quite civil to one another. From my interpretation, and I could be reading you wrong, you’re the only person here in the forum that seems to be “hot” about the topic.

My perspective is we have a couple groups sharing differing opinions in what looks to be a fairly uneventful exchange. [yawn]

I received your email about how I could “possibly allow these bigots to post?!” To that I’ll reply… because someone doesn’t agree with you or see things the way you see them doesn’t make them a bigot. It just means they don’t agree with you. It doesn’t make them right. It doesn’t make you wrong.

Def: big·ot

Pronunciation: ‘bi-g&t

Etymology: French, hypocrite, bigot

“one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance”

I haven’t seen anything posted here that meets this definition. Did I miss a post that I should be aware of?

There are Red Lake Band members that are putting everything they have on the line in an attempt to change things, to make things better. They deserve better then what was being posted on this Forum.

“colklink83, Do you realize that the take used to be 3.5 to 4 million pounds. Isn’t 1 million a lot better?”

Yup sure is but I think it is still to much.

Also not sure about you but my buddies and I have been fishing Red for a long time. So I like you and the rest of the in MN have a vested interest in what seems to be your lake. Which is funny. I buy a fishing lisc. every year. I also donate money to the DNR and I like many other people pay my taxes. So I think I should have a voice in the Red lake matter.

I understand that you must live somewhere near the lake. So I can see your concern for your “Hometown” lake. But I hate to point out the fact that it is just like any other lake. We all have the right to fish it and voice out opinions.

In response to your viewpoint and closing the lake for 5 years. Hell I say close it 10 if that is what it takes. Thats fine with me. It’s worth it in the long run. But when that lake opens back up I dont want to hear you say. Well the fish cant spawn because 300 boaters are catching them and they have a hard time spawning on the bottom of a boat. Talking about keeping fish. I think if fisherman there wanted to keep a few extra walleyes they could. But they dont. So I am not sure why you think we are all meat hunters? I have done it myslef and seen a ton of guy toss back walleye that are a 1/4″ to 1/8″ short. Ya it sucks but that is what the law says.

And sorry but it is just not right in my mind that tax payers are sucking wind keeping Red going.

The Red lake band funded blah blah blah well good they destroyed fish populations in the lake.

Oh well I think you and must be your friend Johnny P and the rest of the world are going to have to agree to disagree.

Sorry to lump everyone into the “Ghosttown” that I saw up there. Basis for my comments: I was in the area midday on a Monday and thought I would see a little more traffic. One rig parked at the public access on a 80 degree day with very little wind. I stopped in at West Winds to find the Bait Shop locked and one rig parked infront of the bar. Hillman’s was the same deal. Nobody was around so I got to talk with the owners for awile who have been there for 61 years (Sorry I don’t remember their first names, really wish I did). Anyway they showed me their new bar and pictures from the “Good ‘ol Days.” They were not happy with the DNR to say the least, but feel free to discuss that with them. Very nice people. At the gas station in Kelliher the lady behind the counter said things have been slow this year and echoed comments about the DNR. Bait shop across the road was locked up with no lights on so I didn’t get to chat with them.

I am not real familiar with the area, but I expected it to be busier on such a nice day. I guess I am used to seeing a lot more activity on lakes like Mille Lacs. Even after the tight slot, their were 10 rigs parked at the Garrison Public access that day. Good luck to all the businesses up there and I hope they all do well. As for the matter at hand, the only net I am a fan of is the Beckman I scoop my fish up with.

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Jon,

It is not right in YOUR mind. Don’t lump the rest of us in with you. The Red Lake Band has the legal right to fish 82% of Upper and Lower Red Lake as they wish. That is the hand we are dealt, live with it.

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I choose not to live with it. I will be on the side to overturn those so called rights as long as I can write and show up to vote.

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Before the walleye crash we had white “sportsmen” putting gillnets in the rivers during spawning run. Why isn’t anyone here talking about that?

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Probably because it is not happening today…..

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I hate to burst your bubbles here but we as white sportsmen are not on the high road wearing our white robes bathed in glory. The stench of what happened to the walleyes in the Red Lakes during the 70’s and 80’s clings to all of us! The time for throwing rocks, finger pointing yelling and fighting are in the PAST!

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Hate to burst your bubble. But from the desk of this white guy it certainly looks like history repeating itself!

-J.

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Hate to burst your bubble. But from the desk of this white guy it certainly looks like history repeating itself!

-J.

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Not sure that truer words have ever rang so loudly

Since everybody is in the qouting mode.

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What I get a kick out of is how this Red Lake forum is dead until a little trouble starts and out come the stones.

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Come walk a mile in our shoes in our neighborhood, I bet you would sing a different song when you where done.

so if you dont want to many more stones thrown
toss in things like the crappie beds some of us donated money and time to–post some positive things, how a group each winter and summer cleaned the lake and partied, guess i didnt see you there but Kelly stopped by later and almost died choking on an ice cube-we havent met you in the last 3 years while up there- toss in things like which meetings you went to;- tell us your input in those meetings- give us words like – we have been working on new ideas up here– give some names of who said what, what to the people that live there have to say, discuss the park, the bog, the walking trails, the swiming area park, the old post office being moved, the airport,Chances new gas station, wild rice you grow as your staple product–

I know some of those things and Kelly pretty well, Im not saying to not voice your opinion but why pick just tiny pieces of a quote apart, heck they dont know you and you dont know them, picking up a bigger stone to toss back doesnt help anyone get answers or understand;

a bull in a china closet sure doesnt help me sleep better and i only have 1 window in my house

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There are Red Lake Band members that are putting everything they have on the line in an attempt to change things, to make things better. They deserve better then what was being posted on this Forum.

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Hi Kelly;
Can you explain this in more detail for us?

The reason I ask is:
1) Why are the “some” band members, since you said “there are band members” (that means some in my book, not all) that are putting “everything” on the line?

What are they trying to gain? What is in it for them?

Also;
It is the “general population” that believes the Red Lake band over-harvested the lake with their commercial netting. “IF” that perception is true, then they don’t deserve to be treated better. However, I don’t believe 100% of the band was involved in the harvesting, only a very “SMALL” portion of people.

The reason I ask this is a few years back, I had the pleasure of sharing many-many-many with a Red Lake member who was fully involved with the netting back then. He made the statement that the netters “knew” that they were cleaning out the lake and it was a “last minute dash” to get it “now or never” at the end of it all, because again, they knew they were cleaning out the lake. This wasn’t the labor, this was the management of the netters. He told me the labor had no clue what type of damage was being done, they were just working, making a buck.

This isn’t the same group of people who…… “there are band members who are putting everything on the line”,….is it????

What’s preventing this from happening again?

Gary, Thank you for a chance to explain my feelings.
I hated just as deep a any of you, and deeper. While you heard of it I lived it, every second of it. I watched my home town and my family move away, and I hated. Waskish and Ponemah have always played hardnosed softball against each other. Many of them were commercial fishermen, many of them were the first ones to raise the alarm about the walleyes. Some of them died,,, ruled suicide.
After the walleyes collapsed and everything including the softball games ended we still bumped into each other. Both sides hating each other, both sides broke because the “Lake” was our income and both sides drifting around lost without the “Lake”. It turned out we shared more pain then hatred. We worked together, we both quit fishing, we donated all the time or effort needed, we brought the Lake back. I’m proud of what we did.

“What are they trying to gain? What is in it for them?”
Pride, a sense of redemption, fixing a wrong.

A poll was taken last year among Red Lake Band Members whether or not to bring back gill nets.
51% opposed
49% for
If feel that if we yell at them or throw rocks all we are doing is swinging it to gill nests again.

” He made the statement that the netters “knew” that they were cleaning out the lake and it was a “last minute dash” to get it “now or never” at the end of it all, because again, they knew they were cleaning out the lake.”
At the same time the netters were racing to get the last walleyes the whites were racing to beat the netters to the last walleyes. I don’t know who won, it was a dead heat to the last walleye. Maybe we both won,,, a lake with 1, yes one, spawning walleye per 40 acres.
In any case I feel that the Red Lake Band is at a cross roads. It needs time to change. Many of you dislike/hate me for the stand I am taking but,,,, my nose had been smeared all over my face, most of my teeth have been chipped, my hands look like a railroad car has run over them and I have never backed down from a fight,, even the ones I knew I would lose.
Every minute you are busy hating me is one more minute people have to change the future direction of the Red Lake Band.

Its plain and simple the Red lake folks killed the lake off they new what they were doing. There is a thing called ethics and integrity. Killing a few fish to eat or to mount is one thing. Killing off an ENTIRE POPUALTION is another.

Nice

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Fishin Minnesota called

From: colklink83

They want their #1 guy back. No need for him here on the better site……………………….

Cant wait for ICE and cant wait to run into you again.

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I see you have also cleaned up you post from its earlier content, busy guy.

Maybe I should have taken one of the many pleasant, kind and curtious offers to come onboard IDA as staff. I am freinds with many IDA staff but then again…

Kelly;
Thanks for the info!!!!

I appreciate it, for most of the fisherman in the state don’t see it from the perspective of those who have called Red Lake home for many years.

And;
I don’t think anyone hates you or dislikes you because of your opinion/stance you have on this subject. My belief is that the vast majority here do not want to see any resource get abused or over-harvested “again”, since we have all felt the pain of “no fish or little fish” due to over-harvesting. Even on the little “home town” lakes we have in our own back yards. So, when we hear of commercial harvesting, it raises red flags.

All is good sir and thanks again for the info.

YA well I still wanna fight ya Wellman , Your head is to big for your body and your body is to big for society! HA take that! (They need a smiley running for his life)

Hey buddy I see your banner has some changes shoot me an email, lots of war stories saved up for ya.

[email protected]

I got a few stories to pass your way too. Might just have to schedule a long weekend up there in December!!!!!

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Well where do I start?

What I get a kick out of is how this Red Lake forum is dead until a little trouble starts and out come the stones.

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Thats what I was thinking. The only time you here is to defend the Walleye elimination that is about to happen.

Also hate to break it to you but when I joined here you were the 1st to bash me not only in pm’s but here publicly for keeping a legal fish. OH WELL. I am not going to lose any sleep tonight.

Join the IDA staff thats no the issue. A lot of guys could learn from reading your reprots. I am not going to lie your one hell of a fishermen. I could learn from ya.

The deal is your on one side of the fence and the majority of people are on the other. Thats never going to change.

Agreed to disagree.

See ya on the ice

Am I naive? To wonder if more of those fish were left in Vermilion we still would have the 100 walleye days that we had 10 years ago?

I havent been on Red, but I hope to soon.

Sorry to really throw a kink in it but the fish in Vermillion came from Upper Red Lake! Yes I know this is turning into “who’s on third?” but Vermillion was stocked with fry from Upper Red Lake. That is why Vermillion was chosen as the brood lake for Upper Red this round, the genitics where correct.

So if Red Lake would have kept those fish instead of giving them to Vermillion where would be? My guess is right where we are now.

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Sorry to really throw a kink in it but the fish in Vermillion came from Upper Red Lake! Yes I know this is turning into “who’s on third?” but Vermillion was stocked with fry from Upper Red Lake. That is why Vermillion was chosen as the brood lake for Upper Red this round, the genitics where correct.

So if Red Lake would have kept those fish instead of giving them to Vermillion where would be? My guess is right where we are now.

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Hey JP… how’s the fishing on URL lately?

And yes, that was a serious question. There’s got to be something more productive to talk about. Like maybe those monster pike you guys have up there. I almost pulled the trigger on a trip up there back in August but the darn wind wouldn’t stop blowing and let the water clear up a bit.

The wind will not stop blowing, day 41 of heavy winds. Although if a guy gets a chance to get out it is defintly worth it. The big pike always go bonkers in the fall of the year.

I’ve been keeping tabs on those pike through a couple of friends. Some of the pics they shared from late June could have come from Manitoba.

Ya we have some tankers. Upper Red is like one big buffet for those pike. Shiners, whitefish, suckers and many other of the fatty class baitfish for these tankers to chew on. No shortage of feed for those fish making them grow fast and thick.