Pool 2 Tournaments?

I just got off the phone with the Dave Zepatillo from the MNDNR and they are actually considering allowing fishing tournaments for Pool 2 as research projects for sauger, LM Bass, and SM Bass. There are details obviously that they are working on due to the catch and release nature of the Pool. Keeping the tournaments in the spring or fall will be the focus for the future to keep a very minimal mortality rate of the fish.

This is not a for sure set in place deal, but a valid thought that they have been thinking about and are considering to set in place. Their thought for this activity to help with fish’s stability in this pool, 100 anglers could do more for the DNR in one day than a couple under payed DNR officers could do in once or twice a year campaigns.

I would love to see it. Besides yourself DeeZee, there are a ton of great sticks that fish Pool 2 all the time. It would be curious to see what kind of weights they can deliver.

Just Sauger, not Walleye? That would make it tough on you DeeZee! I never see you pulling Sauger off those wing dams! lol

I like the idea.

Jon J.

I can see it now. DeeZee catches six 10 pounders off his wingdams but can’t weigh a single fish as they are ALL Walleyes!

Don’t let them get to ya Steve. I know a great spot for Sauger!

I have not spoke with Dave Zapetillo for a while… but I bet the tourney would be for both walleyes and saugers……. though I do remember they did not get good radio tracking data on the saugers last time because they stayed too deep to track.. and I think I remember him saying something about getting deep water transmitters… so maybe it would be just saugs that they are interested in…. but I bet they would let the tourney weigh both… he can always get measurments and scale samples from the
‘eyes… and that information comes in handy….

In my opinion pool 2 is an extremely unique fishery that needs to stay the way it is. I think opening it up to tournament fishing will be the first step in ending the total catch and release regulations on walleye and sauger. Let’s try and keep pool 2 the fishery that it is and should be!

The DNR accroos the country do these things to get a better judge of how the fishery is. they can learn a lot more in 1 day than many months. With as strapped as their finances are they need to get the best use of our dollars.

I agree! It would still be a live tournament, plus, one day of fishing pressure suh as this would not put the slightest dent in the population of fish in this stretch of the river. Plus, maybe the insight gained may spur the DNR into setting limits on walleye and sauger size in other parts of the river.
Tuck’s $.02

Rivereyes hit her right on the head. That is the primary reasoning behind a strategically planned tourney just for the saugers due to depths that these fish generally inhabit during the telemetry studies. There equipment could not effectively target sauger to get a good enough (fish) info for any accuracy to make the percentage game judgement.

Boy, that would be a bummer…maybe I need a can of black or brown spray paint to bring with me in my boat for a little pinstriping!

Just Like MFO mentioned, the DNR cannot compete against lets say 100 anglers that bring fish to the scales in one day to be released immediately after measuring. That is the entire reasoning behind having a tourney in the spring or fall to keep the fish very healthy and hardy due to the colder water temps. I do not think it will effect the fishing whatsover. The DNR has absolutely no expectations to open this Pool up for harvest for any time in the future. Its not even on the radar and they are extremenly happy with the way the Pool has responded over the years since the catch and release rule has been implimented in 1994. The smallmouth and largemouth are also one of the most important species that they want to target as they have very limited info on the status of both species and their well being.

here goes two cents or more like a nickel; a couple of random thoughts. I think and this is assuming the research value is valid that a tournment such as descrbed would be a great benefit in other ways too. considering the uniqness of this stretch of the river, an opportunity to showcase it not only as a fishery but as a recreation and natural area would be outstanding. putting it bluntly I feel bringing people to the pool would perhaps bring some buy-in by more folks to this resource. we have in our midst an incredable body of water. a ‘working” river that runs almost thru the heart of a large metropoliton area, that still offers the many opportunities this river has is simply amazing. I guess I’m selfish but I’d like to see more people interested in maintaining and protecting this pool and it’s watershed. hope I explained that ok I guess the only other thing that makes me wonder is the question of access, they may be thinking farther down the road but with 494 closed I’m not sure where a tournement could be staged from. there are options but to my knowledge some are quite limited. better leave that to those who need to think about logistical type things. anyway the weather is looking up good fishing to all, kenn

Im not a tourney angler… but I dont understand why a catch and release only rule should have to rule out a monitored tourney…. if done during a time of high survivablity, whats the problem? Though I do think that perhaps tourneys need to come up with some new formats that are good for nearly instant release, and still achieave the excitement of a tourney… this would allow tourneys during times of low survivability to not hurt a resource…..

They do this already with muskie and trout tourneys, but I can safely say that without a weigh in, there’s really no tension, no anticipation, no heartbreak, on and on.

Here’s an interesting question: Several people have supposedly reported catches of would-be state record ‘eyes from pool 2 since the total catch and release was implemented, but they could not enter the fish as a certified weight was not taken (would be illegal to remove the fish for this purpose). What if a tourney angler hooks into one, does it qualify if the tourney monitors who weight the fish are state-certified?