Been on the lake 7 yrs. I have been content with C&R and practice it the vast majority of time regardless of where I fish only keeping a few meals per year.
But coming from last Spring where we got to keep one fish, in a super tight slot, was at least a little exciting even if it was just the idea it was possible.
This year, I just can’t believe they reversed course again and we can’t even keep one fish?? How is that possible??
To my knowledge, the winter harvest/pressure was higher than it has been in the last 30 seasons. I assume because of the lack of good ice conditions further north, a lot of anglers went to Mille Lacs instead. More anglers = more fish caught = more harvest.
I personally do not usually have an issue with C & R at this point. My beef is with the large discrepancy between winter angling and soft water angling rules. Winter anglers actually get to fish the whole season, they can fish at night, and they can keep fish. Soft water anglers can’t keep any fish, they have a season long night ban, AND there’s a full July closure this season. I think the regulations should be more consistent all year long. And winter anglers definitely should NOT be allowed to harvest anything if there is a potential closure during the summer. I do not ice fish so I feel like I’m really being short changed in the soft water season at the expense of ice anglers.
I’d also rather have them declare the closure in advance so people can plan for it like they’re doing this season. Having it shut down abruptly last year 2 weeks after they said it would stay open in the fall is not well received.
Fishing walleye in the winter doesn’t make them die from warm July and August water temperatures. Agree the slot should be the same anytime it’s open but comparing ice fishing to the middle of summer is ridiculous. If they aren’t wormy, keep a couple bass. Hopefully the catching part will be good for you this year!
Fishing walleye in the winter doesn’t make them die from warm July and August water temperatures. Agree the slot should be the same anytime it’s open but comparing ice fishing to the middle of summer is ridiculous.
I agree …
To me it seems counterintuitive to allow a harvest in winter when hooking mortality is at it’s lowest, yet mandate an entirely C&R season during the warm summer months when hooking mortality is at it’s highest.
So…? You cannot keep one fish when it’s chances of survival are at it’s lowest, but when it’s chances are best of surviving C&R you’re allowed to keep one?
gimruis capsuled it well, and to add to that is the “safe allowable harvest” remained the same as the previous year.
My frustration continues to be the moving target of open/closed season more than just a C&R.
If I have to just C&R, fine. But the previous year walleye closed at the end…based on that I booked a trip in July, now this year July will be closed. Meaning no live bait or bobber fishing for grandkids to even try for perch or bass.
And by the time the DNR finally announced the 2020 regs, many resorts I know were already booking up for the summer months including July.
Oh well, I suppose there are greater problems now anyway. 
The discrepancy between the regs from winter to summer is my own personal beef because I don’t ice fish. I’m sure people that do would disagree with me. I just think it should be more consistent all season long.
You can still fish in July. You just can’t use live bait. No issue with that here. The only problem that creates is for the bobber people. Most bass anglers generally target them with artificial lures anyways.
I agree that it is unfair for ice fisherman to be able to fish 24 hours and summer fisherman limited to 10PM closing. Love to watch a lighted bobber go down. I have been waiting for ML to get some consistency because it is my favorite lake and have many years fishing it. I give up, this year going to find a new lake to fish and start making new traditions.
How is it possible? Well to boil it down our DNR does whatever GLIFWC tells them, then the resorts force the DNR’s hand so they don’t go out of business (winter is far more profitable than summer for them), and 99.99% of the actual people fishing the lake get to deal with it. If we want that to change, we will need to get organized.
We have owned a cabin on the lake since 1987. I feel that with all of the new technology and heavy fishing pressure that will occur with it being so close to the metro we will pretty much only have catch and release for the rest of our lives. If the lake was another 200 miles north and away from the easy commute it would survive with a decent catch limit as long as its maintained properly.
Just look what happened to the big pike fest and smallmouth regs during the last 3-4 years that was suppose to help save the resorts. That is all pretty much shut down with the current regs. I’m just glad that I’m in a bay where we can still have recreational activites and get away from the big waves when the wind is blowing.
If the lake was another 200 miles north and away from the easy commute it would survive with a decent catch limit as long as its maintained properly.
Just look what happened to the big pike fest and smallmouth regs during the last 3-4 years that was suppose to help save the resorts.
I agree with the first portion, the proximity of this lake to the biggest metro population in the state (plus St Cloud) is what applies more pressure than some of the others further north.
Not sure what you meant by the “big pike and smallmouth regs.” I don’t think people are actively pursuing those fish with the intent to harvest them (winter spearing perhaps?), especially big ones that take 10 years to get to that size. There’s nothing wrong with the pike and smallmouth regs as they are. Release the trophies, get a replica made, and keep a small one if you should choose to do that instead.
What I meant in regards to my pike comment was related to the increased ice fishing/spearing limits which took out a few too many I feel. The smallmouth push has increased the fishing pressure for them late May thru early June ten fold. It’s common to have a bass boat every 20 minutes working my dock and boat lift even if my kids are on the dock. 5+ years ago that never happened. I’m ok with catch and release if there are some fish to catch…
What I meant in regards to my pike comment was related to the increased ice fishing/spearing limits which took out a few too many I feel. The smallmouth push has increased the fishing pressure for them late May thru early June ten fold. It’s common to have a bass boat every 20 minutes working my dock and boat lift even if my kids are on the dock. 5+ years ago that never happened. I’m ok with catch and release if there are some fish to catch…
Ahh yes, thanks for clarifying. Yes, the bass pressure has increased ten fold. Lotta guys coming in from out of state down south (although probably not this season). The word is definitely out after being ranked #1 in the country for a while. I’m sure as a property owner it gets old having one boat pound your dock after the other at times. I like to bass fish and occasionally target docks but when I see someone one it or using it, I move along…
I agree with gimrius:
“I personally do not usually have an issue with C & R at this point. My beef is with the large discrepancy between winter angling and soft water angling rules. Winter anglers actually get to fish the whole season, they can fish at night, and they can keep fish. Soft water anglers can’t keep any fish, they have a season long night ban, AND there’s a full July closure this season. I think the regulations should be more consistent all year long. And winter anglers definitely should NOT be allowed to harvest anything if there is a potential closure during the summer. I do not ice fish so I feel like I’m really being short changed in the soft water season at the expense of ice anglers.”
In my opinion, another example of the regulations that are implemented not for biological reasons. Only thing is I do ice fish. But, this has bothered me for years.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jason wrote:</div>
What I meant in regards to my pike comment was related to the increased ice fishing/spearing limits which took out a few too many I feel. The smallmouth push has increased the fishing pressure for them late May thru early June ten fold. It’s common to have a <em class=”ido-tag-em”>bass boat every 20 minutes working my dock and boat lift even if my kids are on the dock. 5+ years ago that never happened. I’m ok with catch and release if there are some fish to catch…Ahh yes, thanks for clarifying. Yes, the bass pressure has increased ten fold. Lotta guys coming in from out of state down south (although probably not this season). The word is definitely out after being ranked #1 in the country for a while. I’m sure as a property owner it gets old having one boat pound your dock after the other at times. I like to bass fish and occasionally target docks but when I see someone one it or using it, I move along…
The bass pressure does get irritating. More than once while I was fishing from MY DOCK, bass guys have pulled up in a boat and asked me to move from my dock so they can cast around and under it without worrying about hitting me with a lure 
The bass pressure does get irritating. More than once while I was fishing from MY DOCK, bass guys have pulled up in a boat and asked me to move from my dock so they can cast around and under it without worrying about hitting me with a lure
Oh thats ridiculous. I am not a lakeshore owner but I have always tried to keep in mind what my reaction would be if I was. On one hand, the property owners don’t own the water and the angler is free to fish around the docks, under them, etc all they want. But a lot of them snag things and hooks cause damage. Also, there’s usually plenty of docks to target and not every one is going to have someone on them so its pretty easy to just keep going past ones that are occupied if you ask me.
The bass pressure does get irritating. More than once
from MY DOCK, bass guys have pulled up in a boat and asked me to move from my dock so they can cast around and under it without worrying about hitting me with a lure
[/quote]
Get one of those motion sensor activated lawn sprinklers, that are used mostly for dog control, and set it up on the end of your dock. When they pull up to fish your dock they set it off.
The best is when they wrap a line around the boat lift post or bounce a lure off from the canopy or boat motor and they have the guts to try to fetch their $1 wackey worm by coming right up to the dock/lift even when I’m in the front yard watching them. Yelling only goes so far…
Why not survey the public and let them decide the future regulations of mille lacs?
ass guys have pulled up in a boat and asked me to move from my dock so they can cast around and under it without worrying about hitting me with a lure
If you were fishing and they told you, that would be harassment.
If you were fishing and they asked you…They’re just…A bass fisherman 
Why not survey the public and let them decide the future regulations of mille lacs?
They actually have been surveying anglers at accesses the past couple of years. I was interviewed twice. One of the questions I specifically remember them asking was if I preferred a planned closure as opposed to an abrupt one. Another one was if I preferred to harvest fish and then have a closure or have it be C&R all season instead.
It appears that both of these are being implemented this season to a certain extent. Presumably because they were answered in this fashion by the majority of anglers interviewed.
How is that possible??
Politics + Money = your answer
They actually have been surveying anglers at accesses the past couple of years.
Oh come on. I’m thinking survey the public…Not the ones that actually fish it. Kind of like they did the Mississippi.
OK—Tongue in cheek.
There are a number of reasons we are where we are now, winter or summer harvest (IMHO) are way down the list. One of the top reasons is “us” as anglers. It’s easier for us to get mad and/or sarcastic. Critical or frustrated and rally around simplistic or unrealistic ideas. (these keep getting beaten to death over and over again). Blame the DNR, blame tribes/netting, blame AIS, blame the Governor, blame live bait, blame Muskie’s, blame Smallmouth. Blame is what we are good at. We’re also experts at getting worked up,then frustrated and then apathetic.
In AA meetings we keep reminding each other that a definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. I don’t have any real answers other then what I can do to be part of the solution. I’ve got no idea of what works for you? For me, I’ve appointed myself as an Ambassador for the Mille Lac’s situation and do what I can to reach out to those that might have a slim change of being part of the solution. Trudging over to the Capitol and trying to make myself heard by my and other legislatures. Ducking out of work to attend Game and Fish hearings/meetings, trying to get antiquated with Mille Lacs DNR Fisheries staff, subscribing to Outdoor News so I can stay abreast of issues. Joining Hook and Bullet groups like MN Fish and Anglers for Habitat. We need to understand that Mille Lac solutions are as complex as a fine Swiss watch, hundreds of moving parts. But hundreds of anglers making phone calls, writing commentaries, meeting with their Legislators (which is exhausting and seems pointless or unproductive) , can become a force to be reckoned with. If we could leave the blame game behind and do just 1% more then we did last year.
How about this Buzz………once, just once ask the DNR to ask our opinions and recommendations and implement even a small portion. They ask, they have meetings, they even have advisory committees but not for the reason you would think. You would think they care and truly would like angler input. But what I can see is they want to be able to say “we have meetings, we ask for input” and then they ignore everything anyway.
No Buzz, this lack of transparency has been going on far to long. GLIFWC plays the song and the DNR dances. You will never convince me otherwise, at least as long as they ignore their own advisory committees and conduct behind closed door meeting.
How about this Buzz………once, just once ask the DNR to ask our opinions and recommendations and implement even a small portion. They ask, they have meetings, they even have advisory committees but not for the reason you would think. You would think they care and truly would like angler input. But what I can see is they want to be able to say “we have meetings, we ask for input” and then they ignore everything anyway.
No Buzz, this lack of transparency has been going on far to long. GLIFWC plays the song and the DNR dances. You will never convince me otherwise, at least as long as they ignore their own advisory committees and conduct behind closed door meeting.
We have a governor who does not have time to meet with Mille Lacs county officials yet has time to go to the state of the band meetings! You want to keep a fish think about that when you go into the voting booth!!
Vote for whoever you think is best for the economy or whatever social issues you may be invested in. Don’t get fooled into thinking your vote is going to change Mille lacs fishing regs though
Vote for whoever you think is best for the economy or whatever social issues you may be invested in. Don’t get fooled into thinking your vote is going to change Mille lacs fishing regs though
I couldn’t agree more.
I my opinion neither political party wants things to change.
Actually that appears to be the case for many issues we have as a nation.
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