You have blinders on if you don’t think this happens now. Culling fish is nothing new to Mille lacs. Almost impossible to stop it.
I too have been a huge supporter of total inches for the last couple years.
…not ALMOST impossible to stop. It IS impossible to stop. This format though would invite WAY more culling than the current slot. This comes directly from the DNR’s mouth at open to the public meetings. Their words not mine…RR
Sucker minnows? Weeds? We might have tried it a time or two.. 
Found this on Lundeen’s webpage:
GLIFWC (Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission) announced Tuesday that the total harvest allocation (tribal and state anglers) for Mille Lacs lake will be 40,000 pounds (again). There was no indication yet as to how the allocation would be divided between tribal and state anglers. Last year, State anglers were allowed 28,600 pounds.
Would it be worth it to drive up from the cities tomorrow for afternoon fishing? Ive never been to the big lake and my fishing partners bailed on me down here. Would like to be able to fish without having to walk far and I dont have a fish house.
Would have a couple hours from about 11-4 that I could be out there, but would hope I could hop on somewhere on the south side and be on fish without driving all over the lake.
Any and all advice is appreciated.
Booked a room at the Red Door for next weekend. 
DT
So not only did I rent a shack for my boys and I next weekend, My buddies and I are making a day trip there on Thursday and may get a house for Thursday night. This is how my Friday will go. Drive home from the Red Door, pick my kids up from school and drive back to the Red Door. 
Totally worth the 5 hour round trip.
DT
25″ Weed Walleye, Garrison Bay today.
Just an FYI – the public access is completely shot. The cement at the ramp buckled today, and a truck went through. It literally pushed the loading ramp up into a ‘W’ shape. It all happened this afternoon, made for an interesting trip.
yep, the picture stinks..
25in-Mille-Lacs-Garrison-Bay-2.15.16-001.jpg
Do you have a pic of the landing?
Raining at a 45deg angle due to the wind. I hope you folks with fish houses out there have them blocked up so they don’t flood.
While I like the total length limit, we have to take into the consideration, the entire population of people who are intending to harvest, and their ability to do math well enough. The DNR will not want to rely on everyone accurately adding up the inches. What would be easy for the majority of us, could be hard for a few to add these up. Not to mention, if you have 3-4 guys in the boat and a cooler full of fish, the dnr would have a difficult time enforcing this.
It’s clear as day easy in our minds to do this, but there are lots of people who struggle with basic math in the world.
Can’t refute this, but how do you navigate everyday life, if you can’t do simple addition? Not to mention, math plays an importance in pretty much every outdoor activity you pursue…
While I like the total length limit, we have to take into the consideration, the entire population of people who are intending to harvest, and their ability to do math well enough. The DNR will not want to rely on everyone accurately adding up the inches. What would be easy for the majority of us, could be hard for a few to add these up. Not to mention, if you have 3-4 guys in the boat and a cooler full of fish, the dnr would have a difficult time enforcing this.
It’s clear as day easy in our minds to do this, but there are lots of people who struggle with basic math in the world.
Total inches won’t work. If you have 3 guys in a boat putting fish in 1 livewell what inches belongs to who?
No, just get rid of the nets during the spawn and install a workable slot and the lake will be fine.
“Inches”/”Lbs.” = to accommodate Treaty Harvest QUOTA– will NEVER work. Inches/Lbs./slot limit would NOT be needed if the “agreement” went away. So all the options lead to the same outcome…disaster as long as you have to accommodate TWO “Harvests”. It is simply a waste of time/breath/energy to even consider other options until …..
“Inches”/”Lbs.” = to accommodate Treaty Harvest QUOTA– will NEVER work. Inches/Lbs./slot limit would NOT be needed if the “agreement” went away. So all the options lead to the same outcome…disaster as long as you have to accommodate TWO “Harvests”. It is simply a waste of time/breath/energy to even consider other options until …..
x-2 it is really just that simple and sad all at once!
Total inches won’t work. If you have 3 guys in a boat putting fish in 1 livewell what inches belongs to who?
No, just get rid of the nets during the spawn and install a workable slot and the lake will be fine.
The present day ” Treaty Harvest Allocation Agreement” doesn’t allow a “workable slot”.
With 3 guys in a boat and 1 livewell.. how do the DNR keep track of whose fish are who’s when the limit is number of fish vs. inches ? What’s the difference and who cares ? Limit would be 48″ x 3 = 144″, just like a limit of 4 each would be 12 total. Get rid of the “slot” that forces dead fish back into the water. There are WAY MORE people fishing and trying to keep a limit, than most people realize on here. 
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>sticker wrote:</div>
You have blinders on if you don’t think this happens now. Culling fish is nothing new to Mille lacs. Almost impossible to stop it.I too have been a huge supporter of total inches for the last couple years.
…not ALMOST impossible to stop. It IS impossible to stop. This format though would invite WAY more culling than the current slot. This comes directly from the DNR’s mouth at open to the public meetings. Their words not mine…RR
RR… do you really think it is better to catch 50 fish and put back 49 of them to get the one magic 18-20″ fish is better for the lake, then to let someone catch 3 fish, keep all 3 and be done ? With a minimum of 13″ fish, then when you hit 36″ of fish, your done. You then become strictly C & R, because a legal 13″ puts you over the 48″ mark. Is it perfect, hardly, but is todays slot working well for us ? If people would really look and see who is on Mille Lacs fishing and catching, MOST people are looking to stink up the pan with keeper fish.
G there really is no easy answer. I just want back the days (35 years ago…) when I used to go out to Shermans flat in dad’s 16′ red Lund with the 25 horse evinrude and anchor on the side of the flat and jig over the side of the boat. We’d catch fish every trip (not necessarily fill out but we’d catch fish…). No politics. Just a bunch of boats catching some fish. The lake was healthy. The lake was fun. The exact ‘rules and regulations’ (netting included of course…) that have been set up to keep the lake vibrant has ruined the lake. It is a shame…RR
We are on the same page… 
Tony Roach was on KFAN this morning. Not surprisingly, no discussion of netting. They focused on invasive species/water clarity, cannibalism and recent bait hatches.
Tony Roach was on KFAN this morning. Not surprisingly, no discussion of netting. They focused on invasive species/water clarity, cannibalism and recent bait hatches.
It ALL boils down to “image”. “Stay positive” and surely “do NOT bring in exclusive rights based on skin color and or ethnic origin.” He is well-intended but without a doubt, understandably but sadly, needs to protect his marketing value. Or he is simply drinking the wrong, not laced with DNR FACTS, Kool Aid….
“Image” concerns and the wrong “Kool Aid” are the two main reasons this saga continues with no end in sight as only band aids are used in the meantime.
Avoid the elephant in the room at all costs.
Some might have missed this read about a year ago–it’s long but enlightening:
Looks like the Red Door is doing some construction project (as seen on their web cam).
Hope you all enjoyed a short season this year.
We due yearly dredging of the mouth of the boat harbor. Its being done much earlier than in the past! as the ice is going fast with this warm weather.
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