Mille Lacs: lemons to Lemonade

I’m curious why the Mille Lacs business/resort/tackle folks, haven’t found ways to make lemonade out of what they have to work with? What got me thinking about this is the Mille Lac’s Smallmouth Alliance and their free over 21in Smallie prints. Be a member, C&R a lunker and get a free print (photos and some rules pertain).

Why hasn’t the tackle or resort industry followed suit for Walleyes and pike? Why don’t they have show us your release fish forums and boards? I bet there are a dozen ways to find a Pony in what their dealing with?

Some businesses, guides, and resorts have adapted and done pretty well I think. Some others, not so much. I think more and more people are accepting it for what it is now though and the days of harvesting walleyes regularly are over.

Because there are businesses around the lake that refuse to adapt to the changes and take advantage of the opportunities available to promote and profit from, for example bass fishing. Some have done so and are doing well.

Keep in mind there is not the quantity of sales in catch and release bass fishing that will replace bait sales.
Also when fewer people fish walleye catch and release there is fewer sales.
Pictures and memorabilia can only cover a small percentage of income.

Ok, but it’s more then selling live bait. Restaurants, Groceries, shopping, the sheer mass effect of having thousands of anglers and visitors.

As I’ve been told in the past “rubber worms don’t make anyone any money”.

Funny, on lakes like Okeechobee(Mille Lacs south) there are resorts devoted to bass fishing. Fully stocked tackle shops, a crew of trained guides with fully rigged boats, etc. They make a killing! If it can be done there it can be done anywhere with a good population of trophy sized fish. The biggest hurdle would be getting the publicity, and back when the major BASS tournaments were being held there was their best and easiest chance.

I learn so many things from IDO. For example, I never knew people intentionally fish for bass.

In all seriousness, culture doesn’t change over night. I don’t care if it’s popular culture, fashion, habits, fishing expectations and norms, etc…things take time. People don’t just flip a coin and one day begin to redirect their business model away from what has been done in the area for decades. The walleye fishery that is Mille Lacs is still very much there and has a lot of living connections to the days of harvesting “limits” and heading right back out to the same spot the next day for another “limit”. I don’t think there’s going to be a day ever again where that lake has more than a 2 fish limit. It receives a lot of pressure, recruitment of young fish is tough with all the predators, and the water is warming and clearing. However, there’s still going to be some good fishing opportunities (especially for larger fish that are easy to catch) in the coming years.

The resorts that are making lemonade are not trying to attract bass anglers. They are focusing on other activities like ATVing, Golf and other water sports and outdoor activities outside of fishing.

Also, don’t forget. For every bass guy out there loving the bass explosion in Mille Lacs, there are an equal or likely higher number that would rater see them gone. You assume resorts should bank on bass fishing. To me, sounds like a losing proposition.

buckybadger wrote:

People don’t just flip a coin and one day begin to redirect their business model away from what has been done in the area for decades

Agree 100% with this comment!

-J.

Buzz wrote:

Why hasn’t the tackle or resort industry followed suit for Walleyes
and pike? Why don’t they have show us your release fish forums and boards?

Well, I certainly think they have. One only has to look at the many FB posts and Mille Lacs FB pages and find endless release photos by the posting public. Quite a few are posted by resorts as well as just individuals.

Jon Jordan wrote:

The resorts that are making lemonade are not trying to attract bass anglers. They are focusing on other activities like ATVing, Golf and other water sports and outdoor activities outside of fishing.

^^^ You forgot to mention meat raffles. Yeah, anyone who frequents the area establishments knows how packed they are during those meat raffles.

All in all, during the peak times most the bars/restaurants, resorts, baitshop and grocery are not hurting.

Ultimately, it likely will never be like it was 20-30 years ago but a lot has changed since then. Some businesses have disappeared but most of them likely would have folded up regardless.

munchy wrote:

Funny, on lakes like Okeechobee(Mille Lacs south) there are resorts devoted to bass fishing. Fully stocked tackle shops, a crew of trained guides with fully rigged boats, etc. They make a killing!

Now imagine what would happen if Okeechobee became overrun with those damn toothy walleyes.

-J.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

You forgot to mention meat raffles

Love a good meat raffle !

-J.

Its a walleye lake! next thing u know red lake will b one too.

lets keep it the way mother nature intended’ I wish

Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>munchy wrote:</div>
Funny, on lakes like Okeechobee(Mille Lacs south) there are resorts devoted to bass fishing. Fully stocked tackle shops, a crew of trained guides with fully rigged boats, etc. They make a killing!

Now imagine what would happen if Okeechobee became overrun with those damn toothy walleyes.

-J.

After being accustomed to catching 10lb bass they wouldn’t even realize a walleye was on the hook!

True, and the resorts would be empty, the bait shops closed and the guides would be broke or moved on to other lakes…. Kinda like what happened at Mille Lacs.

-J.

I’ve heard ‘rumors’ that some of the launch captains are purposely killing bass so I don’t see resorts evolving too much.

Well the point of my Post wasn’t meant to be about Walleyes or Bass, but about how little effort appears to be occurring to promote the reality of the lakes situation. Much is said about how we got where were at. More has been said about trying to turn back the clock. I’m curious if there isn’t more that can be tried to make the “lemonade” out of the lemons? Maybe the DNR needs to do more? Maybe there needs to be more cooperation between resorts? Maybe MN Tourism needs to do more. But if you believe all the chatter about the lake, most might come to the conclusion “Come to Mille Lacs lake and be disappointed that you can’t keep what you catch” Not the best byline for the area?

Buzz wrote:

Well the point of my Post wasn’t meant to be about Walleyes or Bass, but about how little effort appears to be occurring to promote the reality of the lakes situation

Buzz, do you follow Steve Johnson from Johnson Portside and his video updates on FaceBook?

-J.

Buzz wrote:

Well the point of my Post wasn’t meant to be about <em class=”ido-tag-em”>Walleyes or Bass, but about how little effort appears to be occurring to promote the reality of the lakes situation. Much is said about how we got where were at. More has been said about trying to turn back the clock. I’m curious if there isn’t more that can be tried to make the “lemonade” out of the lemons? Maybe the DNR needs to do more? Maybe there needs to be more cooperation between resorts? Maybe MN Tourism needs to do more. But if you believe all the chatter about the lake, most might come to the conclusion “Come to Mille Lacs lake and be disappointed that you can’t keep what you catch” Not the best byline for the area?

Hey Buzz, maybe contact that new organization that had their hands out gathering money to lobby. They might be overloaded right now but i’m sure you could get on their list for attention.

Geez kinda embarrassing that I can’t remember their name with all the difference they have made with the money they gathered up. Anyway i’m sure somebody will remember who they are or were.

Jon, yes I try to follow Steve. He’s doing what he can. His heart is in the right place. I’m thinking about the situation being promoted for what it will likely always be; on a broader level. Going beyond telling the Governor what he needs to do or being critical.

Dutch, OH Yea MN Fish is going to jump right in the meat grinder. NOT I don’t see them touching this with a ten foot pole. I’ve been lead to believe that the change must come from within.

Good news is I don’t think resorts were hurting last year and I thought I heard resorts may be already full for 2021???

That said, if the Mille lacs resorts arent advertising down south like in MO, KS, NE and so on, they missing out. When we fish way remote Canada, there are more guys from down south catch and release bass fishing. And, well, since Canada may be closed for a while…

And do any Mille lac resorts offer walleye diners? I’d be willing to bet if they offered a little walleye shore lunch with your stay, sometimes that’s all the vacationers want.

But I agree, they’re going to need some type of change to adapt with what the lakes putting out.

Buzz, the bass guys have the “Free the Fighter” campaign going strong up there. The walleye guys have or maybe I should say had the “Ban the Gill Nets” campaign for many years. Seems to have run out of steaam. Gets old being called a racist just because you have a ban the gill nets sticker on your topper.

There will be no solution to the problem until the root cause is corrected.

Buzz wrote:

I’m curious if there isn’t more that can be tried to make the “lemonade” out of the lemons? Maybe the DNR needs to do more?

I’ll be a little on the devils advocate side here. There are plenty of people from the city here who have no problem what so ever catching and eating bass. Maybe the DNR should promote that? Open the lake to the state regs – 6 fish limit and encourage these folks to come and stay for a while? Let’s call it a little lemonade?

-J.

b-curtis wrote:

I’ve heard ‘rumors’ that some of the launch captains are purposely killing bass so I don’t see resorts evolving too much.

I cannot say that never happens, but I’m relatively certain it is not a common practice. If it’s a legal harvest, so be it. But not much of any illegal killing bass in front of a boatfull of clients is happening if at all.

ClownColor wrote:

Good news is I don’t think resorts were hurting last year and I thought I heard resorts may be already full for 2021??

And do any Mille lac resorts offer walleye diners? I’d be willing to bet if they offered a little walleye shore lunch with your stay, sometimes that’s all the vacationers want.

Yes and yes.

As I said before, it’s not like what it once was…but there’s other factors to consider. Mille Lacs anglers were and always will be predominantly from the TC metro. Weekenders.

And the area is chock full of camper resorts. Metro folks that come each weekend to their campers and I can say they sure haven’t quit coming. Try right now to find a good available camper spot at a resort. They’re few and far between and when they open up, they fill fast.

I’m not really buying into this perceived economic crisis some are complaining about. Unless you only listen to the constant whiners.

And back to your other question, yes… all the resorts that have restaurants offer walleye sandwiches, walleye dinners prepared however you want. Yum.

ClownColor wrote:

Good news is I don’t think resorts were hurting last year and I thought I heard resorts may be already full for 2021???

One benefit of the covid lockdown.

ClownColor wrote:

That said, if the Mille lacs resorts arent advertising down south like in MO, KS, NE and so on, they missing out.

I don’t think any of the resorts on Mille Lacs have that kind of ad budget. More along the lines of the state tourism board.

ClownColor wrote:

And do any Mille lac resorts offer walleye diners? I’d be willing to bet if they offered a little walleye shore lunch with your stay, sometimes that’s all the vacationers want.

There are places to eat walleye around the lake. Places like Hunters Point will send you home with a few frozen filets after coming off a C&R launch trip. But that is a 2 edge sword. Those commercial walleye have to come from somewhere. Most if not all netted fish from Canada or The Red Lake band.

-J.

So you don’t think Mn Fish would lobby the tourism industry on Mille’s behalf?

Never say never. My sense is that want to increase spending on fishing related activities. ESP. Lessard-Sams funding. I don’t see high profile tackle companies getting down and dirty with what they see as local politics. Hope I’m wrong. But, just would you be asking them to do? Strike down the court case? Abolish the DNR’s ability to set limits? If I were involved with MN Fish I’d be asking them to focus 23-30 years down the road. We have shoreline and aquatic issues. New invasive’s, real division between riparian owners and public anglers. We have expanding populations and shrinking $$ being put into Natural Resources.

Muggs in Wahkon has a great walleye sandwich & also walleye fingers as an appetizer.
Wahkon Inn also has a walleye dinner.
Vet’s Club on 169 & 27 too.

Weekenders help the economy but ML is so close to the Metro that day trippers may not even drop a nickle if they gas up at home and pack a cooler.

I’m 3 doors over from a little mom & pop resort. They had a great year one of the owners said but it is a seasonal business for them. Their neighbor tries to run year round. It helps to have made a good pile of $$$ before going into the resort business.

There’s also plenty of pike in there and other surrounding lakes to keep if you insist on going home with something. And we actually need the pike to be harvested too, especially the smaller ones.

Snot Rocket patty! Yum Yum!