Fond du Lac Band plans to spear walleyes.

Fond du Lac Band plans to spear walleyes this spring in 13 northeastern Minnesota lakes

Article by: Associated Press
Updated: April 8, 2014 – 10:18 AM

CLOQUET, Minn. — The Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa has named 13 northeastern Minnesota lakes where members intend to exercise their treaty rights to spear walleyes this spring.

The tribe worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to set quotas and select the lakes, which are smaller bodies in territory where the band has rights under an 1854 treaty. According to a declaration on the tribe’s website, the band intends to take up to 1,949 walleyes from the 13 lakes.

The quotas for individual lakes range from 304 walleyes from Tait Lake north of Lutsen in Cook County to 59 for Cadotte Lake southeast of Hoyt Lakes in St. Louis County.

This will be the first time the tribe has spearfished in northeastern Minnesota since it began reasserting its treaty rights.

http://www.startribune.com/local/254366091.html

I guess the only hope is that enough toes get stepped on as it is only a small percentage of Minnesotans/Americans know of this race specific “right”.

I thought I read somewhere, “…One Nation, Under God, Indivisible…” Sounds like TWO nations, different rules for each? Be sure to patronize the other nations casinos!

If it’s in the treaty’s it’s they’re right to spear and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it.

Yes, but our government doesn’t have to give them money, they choose to. They want to be Sovereign, let them be totally independant, without our handouts.

Look up the budget for the BIA then tell me if you think that money will just suddenly dry up. Or tell me the name of a politician that will comit what equates to politic suicide by taking a stand against the tribes.

It will take a total independent. The democrats & republicans are to tightly tied to the money. It doesn’t matter anyway. There are to many people who are more willing to type or hear themselves talk then to take actual action.

Action speaks louder then words.

What would you suggest Brian? How do you plan to take away they’re rights?

Quote:

---

What would you suggest Brian? How do you plan to take away they’re rights?

---

I think he’s making a point for equality. Isn’t that what America is about?

Does it say anywhere what lakes they plan on spearing?

This gives the list of lakes and numbers declared.

http://www.fdlrez.com/2014SpearingLakesNotification.pdf

They also said that they will not be spearing on opening weekned.

Quote:

---

What would you suggest Brian? How do you plan to take away they’re rights?

---

I don’t intend to take away their rights. However I don’t intend for them to take ours away either.

Part of the settlement provides that the lake is managed by both sides to remain at a healthy level. Our side (DNR) is now telling us that the lake is very, very unhealthy. Which if true should be a concern for both sides. If the lake needs to have a adjustment of sorts doesn’t or shouldn’t that include a concession from the bands side? If we are being limited hook & line what is the bands concession? Where does the netting come into play? Seems like the netting issue could easily go away if the band quit netting for two or three years. Move to other lakes. Take your quotas there. I’m not saying to give up that right. Just move it. If after two or three years we see a bounce back of the lake coming then we have a definite claim that netting hurts. If not, then we have been barking up the wrong tree.
Seems like a relatively simple solution. Why won’t the DNR suggest that? Why wouldn’t the band agree to it if they believe netting does no harm?

What we have here is a legislature that fears the band and the race card to the point of letting the lake go down the drain. The DRN works for the legislature, if they get a marching order they are required to follow through on that order. The lack of action by the legislature is driven by money. The money that finds it’s way into the elections and the money they fear it will cost enforcing the management issue in court.

My question is……..what will cost more in the long run. The lost of a lake and all the jobs and livelihoods related to it or a inevitable court case?

To be clear…… I don’t care what the band does with their nets unless it’s during the spawn. A netted Walleye during the spawn will never spawn. There will never be babies added from those fish. Why couldn’t the bands shock fish a determined time (say 3 weeks) after the spawn and just go around and scoop up their fish. Other then not having the needle to stick us with what would that hurt?

Like the Fram guy said…….pay me now or pay me later.

I kind of see a chicken or the egg thing here. If you wait until after the spawn and take them they aren’t there to spawn next year. I realize they will have already dropped their eggs but I think removing them (big Females) before or after they spawn is equally harmful.

Maybe I’m wrong, certainly wouldn’t be the first time.

Question?

If I recall the quotas are set in pounds for Mill Lacs.

Wouldn’t it make sense to take walleyes after the spawn verses before when they are full of eggs and weigh more?

They should be just as easy to net leaving the spawning areas as they are heading to them.

Quote:

---

Question?

If I recall the quotas are set in pounds for Mill Lacs.

Wouldn’t it make sense to take walleyes after the spawn verses before when they are full of eggs and weigh more?

They should be just as easy to net leaving the spawning areas as they are heading to them.

---

Pounds only matter if anybody is keeping track. Which isn’t the case.

Glad to see they are only allowing spearing on those lakes. Im sure the neighbors dad will be out on one of them if his health lets him. He trys to go at least once every spring. Got a feeling a lot of the time hes just there to ride along in the boat.

Wonder if they are going to have to change regs on those lakes due to the spearing now.

Give the fish a chance to spawn not only creates more baby walleyes, but think of all the fry produced that is going to help the bait fish population sustain for quite some time. Will R. had his bait fish theory, if this is the case think of lack of forage for the perch come spring when the nets showed up for the first few years, and thereafter, and now the decline? But wait! Late ice had impact on the nets last year just a lil bit and people reporting good bait fish #’s now, coincidental?