News is in Catch and Release! for Mille Lacs

I’ll believe what PERM has to say about the power of a President over some internet commentator. 3 branches of Gov are NOT needed to make this thing go away…Just stop already…

belletaine wrote:

As far as catch and release only Steve Fellagy has come up with a brilliant idea. Clients that hire him to guide on Mille Lacs will be sent home with 12 walleye filets (per group, not person)
I think it’s a very clever way to overcome ” why would I go there if I can’t keep any” crowd.

Correct me if I passed this incorrectly Steve.

Not sure Steve is paying attention to this forum anymore. But on his behalf I had better clarify what you posted here. Yes, he is offering 12 walleye fillets per group who he will guide on Mille Lacs however the fillets will be frozen and packaged from another source. Certainly dont want anyone questioning that he might just go ahead and keep Mille Lacs walleye to make another statement.

This all started long before Dayton came to office. The only two things that haven’t changed since day one is GLIFWC & the DNR. Blaming the DNR is great sport and basically on the mark but we must remember GLIFWC hasn’t lifted a finger to improve or maintain sport fishing on Mille Lacs.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>belletaine wrote:</div>
As far as catch and release only Steve Fellagy has come up with a brilliant idea. Clients that hire him to guide on Mille Lacs will be sent home with 12 walleye filets (per group, not person)
I think it’s a very clever way to overcome ” why would I go there if I can’t keep any” crowd.

Correct me if I passed this incorrectly Steve.

Not sure Steve is paying attention to this forum anymore. But on his behalf I had better clarify what you posted here. Yes, he is offering 12 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye fillets per group who he will guide on Mille Lacs however the fillets will be frozen and packaged from another source. Certainly dont want anyone questioning that he might just go ahead and keep Mille Lacs <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleye to make another statement.

God I hope nobody thought they were Mille Lacs eyes, they’d have to be about ten years old.

I’m not surprised. There are two special interest groups at odds on this issue, anglers and the bands.

One is well funded, organized, in agreement on their goal, and has the sympathy of the current administration and news media on the issue.

The other is none of those things.

I don’t see things improving for anglers on Mille Lacs with all those handicaps in place.

But, I’m still going to fish the hell out of that lake next winter.

What are the odds of MN anglers having a fully open season, with 2+ fish limits EVER again?!?

To me, I think the writing is on the wall. I may hate change more than anyone on this forum, but the complaints, advisory committees, or political incentives of governors are not going to overrule treaty rights…or combat biology. Mille Lacs is facing the worst possible “storm” of immense pressure at times with netting of fish, introduction of invasive species, shortage of bait fish, corrupt politics, and rising summer water temperatures. I’ll continue to make a few trips and support the area through C&R fishing, or smallmouth fishing.

For people to blame the DNR is pure ignorance. The DNR is simply the messenger of regulations (decided by the Bands) and scientific data from surveys that may or may not be used by others who they cannot influence to make decisions.

Ever think this might turn into a big big issue?

Charles wrote:

Ever think this might turn into a big big issue?

This would be one of my love/hate issues with President Trump. He is so damn controversial, but I knew he would be and absolutely love watching the reaction or lack thereof on certain issues. Great things over history have been challenged, and need to be to really determine their merit. This whole Muslim travel ban with its reaction worldwide had me a little surprised, but that’s what is great about it, if its important the people will rise up.

Would be VERY curious as to how the nation, perhaps world would react to this government going to any of the Tribes(sovereign nations) in this country and start revoking rights we gave to them. The ND pipeline I think is apples to oranges comparison, too much big oil in that mess. But a game/fish/land/wolves/rice/etc headlines, that’s different.

IMO, that’s a hornets nest this administration might just look at and say lets not poke that one right now. Then again, Trump is President……

…and so it’s back for 2017! The Lake Mille Lacs Walleye sandwich…

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The guide providing fillets is a great idea! However, it doesn’t help the vast majority that want to take their boat out there and keep a fish or two.

It’s a major catch 22. If you under-regulate the lake it crashes and people are marching to the capitol with pitchforks, if you over-regulate it….pitchforks again.

I ask all of you, would you rather have a lake full of fish (sometimes world class size) you can catch but can’t keep or a lake full of nothing that you can’t catch or keep? To me it’s a simple answer.

I don’t have a problem with catch and release for a few years if it helps the lake. There are plenty of places I can go to get a meal of fish.

That being said, I don’t think that is really what angers people. It’s no secret what does.

It is what it is. I’ll still be at the lake place every weekend fishing for walleyes and smallies and enjoying the lake.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

…and so it’s back for 2017! The Lake Mille Lacs Walleye sandwich…

This could be the funniest thing I will see all week! Sad but true…

dtro wrote:

The guide providing fillets is a great idea! However, it doesn’t help the vast majority that want to take their boat out there and keep a fish or two.

It’s a major catch 22. If you under-regulate the lake it crashes and people are marching to the capitol with pitchforks, if you over-regulate it….pitchforks again.

I ask all of you, would you rather have a lake full of fish (sometimes world class size) you can catch but can’t keep or a lake full of nothing that you can’t catch or keep? To me it’s a simple answer.

Personally for me it’s all about GLIFWCS determination to kill the lake to prove a point. Unless the nets come out during the spawn nothing else proposed can succeed. So, I wouldn’t spend one more tax payer dime on that lake until GLIFWC comes to the table. By not one more dime i’m talking about fixing roads, plowing roads, providing fire and emergency services, police service. Not one nickle to be spent on the reservation. Let that Casino dry up and blow away. Now, before all you locals jump on and crucify me just understand what I proposed is exactly what GLIFWC is doing to you. They are intentionally drying up that lake.

Before Fellegy got ran off alot of these web sites he would posts quotes from GLIFWC detailing their intentions. He would post video’s showing the blatant wanton waste and raping of the lake. He would posts conversations with the DNR stating the facts concerning the lake. All those video’s and articles are still out there. I’m sure he has a facebook page although I don’t know how to get there. If you want a historical perspective of that lake contact him, he can provide reams of information.

So no, I wouldn’t concede a thing.

WE need to build a casino just for walleye stocking near Mille Lacs. I bet the song would have a different tone then!
To many big eyes! Yet can’t keep anything even over 28″. Like it’s good to have them out in the sun to measure, weigh and take pictures then release them back into the deep.
No enough bait fish, so let’s make tighter regs to protect the over populated eating machine bass which nobody keeps any way.
Always make special rules for others. If it’s shut for walleye it should be shut down for everything!
Funny how netting during the spawn has nothing to do with it but yet 2013, there was no netting because of late ice. The band has wanted to protect that class the last couple years!
Wouldn’t be so bad if it was just the Mille lacs Tribe but when you add the other 9 or so from Wisconsin are not watched.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox -I had to fix this for you.

There is a very simple solution to all of this. Let’s boycott eating walleye unless we catch it ourselves. Then there will be no business to be made by netted fish coming from mille lacs. The restaurants who purchase fish from natives will have no demand from the consumer, there for they will stop selling simply because they are not selling.(the statement is not serious).

All kidding aside mille lacs is probably the most studied body of water in North America and yet no body can figure it out. What I’m hoping for is that the younger generations of tribe members loose interest in the demanding work of gill netting and give it up.

BigWerm wrote:

Where are the results of the DNR netting/survey results, that the regulations are supposed to be based off of? We were told previously that those 2013/14 year classes were too small to show up in those, thus the biomass was significantly lower than angler reports thought. That should no longer be the case.

Just to follow up the 2016 Fall Assessment has not been published yet. Here are some charts showing historical results from the ML DNR. He emailed me their entire summary, and I would be happy to forward the full report to anyone who wants to read it. Just pm me your email.

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Has anyone heard the results of the mortality study that was going on last year? Was this discussed at the advisory meetings?

For starters why isn’t it mandatory to use barbless hooks on Mille Lacs when fishing walleye (especially since everything is returned anyways…)? I would assume that in and of itself would help with the Summer mortality. (I know lake Winnipeg mandates that…)

This whole situation needs to be approached the same way as any addict’s scenario. The Lake, Casinos, and surrounding economy are going to have to suffer from some “tough love” and hit rock bottom before any major changes will be made. Let the lake crash, immediately stop stocking and research efforts.

Until something is done that impacts the tribes financially, nothing will change.

roosterrouster wrote:

For starters why isn’t it mandatory to use barbless hooks on Mille Lacs when fishing walleye (especially since everything is returned anyways…)? I would assume that in and of itself would help with the Summer mortality. (I know lake Winnipeg mandates that…)

Agree on that!

-J.

buckybadger wrote:

This whole situation needs to be approached the same way as any addict’s scenario. The Lake, Casinos, and surrounding economy are going to have to suffer from some “tough love” and hit rock bottom before any major changes will be made. Let the lake crash, immediately stop stocking and research efforts.

Until something is done that impacts the tribes financially, nothing will change.

This is what the tribes want. Run the resorts out of business, drive all property values into the ground, run visitors out of the area. Then come in and buy up the property at “rock bottom” prices. It’s happening in full swing now. Don’t see an end to it.

-J.

I do see your point. However, continually pumping money (which ends up in the tribe’s pockets) and taxpayer resources into the problem isn’t going to fix it either. It’s laughable that we conduct studies with taxpayer dollars, which the Tribe can and will completely ignore or disregard for political reasons.

We are trying to bail out a boat that’s taking on larger waves each year.

How well is that barbless working for the big Winn? Couple threads here will show the type of hooks have nada to do with the big picture.

Whether nets from natives, nets from commercial Canadians (Winnipeg), or whatever else kind of contraption man makes to take fish, it’s the TAKE part that hurts a fishery.

Barbless hooks IMO have very little to do with people’s handling of fish to long out of water. Got to snap 50 photos, FB post, find your pliers, drop the fish, forget the fish is there bc punching in waypoints, etc. Barbless would deter more fisherman IMO than no livebait. Not bc barbs matter too much, just no other lake in MN is, and to go through all your baits for a day to fish one lake would be big PIA.

How would all those guys leadin during the summer feel about that? Pinching 6 barbs on all the different colored raps trying to dial in the color for the day?

Charles wrote:

Walleyestudent Andy Cox -I had to fix this for you.

Well thanks…I guess? Although the “fix” I and many others can only dream about would look more like this…ya know, with a Mille Lacs walleye fillet in there.

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Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>roosterrouster wrote:</div>
For starters why isn’t it mandatory to use barbless hooks on Mille Lacs when fishing walleye (especially since everything is returned anyways…)? I would assume that in and of itself would help with the Summer mortality. (I know lake Winnipeg mandates that…)

Agree on that!

-J.

It would certainly help mid Summer with throat caught fish. Definitely a good idea…

I find it interesting that the shut down is Friday 7/7 Thorugh Thursday 7/27.
Then Friday 7/28 starts a Two Day MTT Tournament.
Just Luck they scheduled it that way?
Guess that also means no Prefishing.

311hemi wrote:

Has anyone heard the results of the mortality study that was going on last year? Was this discussed at the advisory meetings?

At the last meeting they said they will be using a new formula to calculate mortality, so they must have figured out something.