<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ajw wrote:</div>
ok so you don’t have the answer. thanksYour ignorance is really shining through. Andy already answered your question. You cannot answer mine or Jon’s. Keep digging though…. you’re doing great.
if we’re talking hypotheticals we should move the deer season out of the rut too
I think some here are missing the point.
Assuming the DNR has done the research and made sound biological decisions to set limits, set seasons, close areas in the spring to protect spawners. Lets all assume this is a good place to start because they have done this on every single lake in Minnesota.
Then allow a certain set of people to take fish out of season, no limits, and during the spawn and claim this is OK because it only happens on lake Mille Lacs?
Someone explain to me how this can happen? How can this be correct and true? Is the DNR wrong? If it has no negative effect on Mille Lacs as they claim, then lets do away with seasons, and limits on all lakes. Seem logical to me, eh?
-J.
for the record I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said. I’ve stated my views and got jumped on. what you have stated and what’s happening on that lake is incredibly hypocritical. I don’t know what the answer is. I’m just a curious observer that fishes the lake once a year or so.
Assuming the DNR has done the research and made sound biological decisions to set limits, set seasons, close areas in the spring to protect spawners. Lets all assume this is a good place to start because they have done this on every single lake in Minnesota.
Then allow a certain set of people to take fish out of season, no limits, and during the spawn and claim this is OK because it only happens on lake Mille Lacs?
But does the Minnesota DNR have the power to allow or disallow netting on Mille Lacs? Was that decision not made by the Supreme Court?
I don’t understand why so many people want to characterize netting as a problem created by the DNR. There have been other mis-steps and poor decisions (slot management), but netting isn’t happening because of the DNR.
In my opinion the DNR is pretty much over a barrel on this lake. They have no power. If they were to publicly start campaigning against netting (even if it was on a strong biological basis), the reaction from the GLIFWC could be extremely negative and results could be even worse for anglers and area businesses.
Just thinking aloud. As I’ve been told, I know nothing because I don’t own property there and wasn’t fishing it in the good ol’ days with the good ol’ boys. 
But does the Minnesota DNR have the power to allow or disallow netting on Mille Lacs? Was that decision not made by the Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court ruled the tribes have off reservation hunting and gathering rights.
The state court ordered the DNR to determine a safe harvest limit and split it with the tribes.
The supreme court nor state court have made any ruling on netting. The DNR could and should take the case back to court. Clearly they have failed the state court order. It should be reviewed.
-J.
I appreciate you explaining yourself a bit.
Now I’ll explain myself a bit more. I’ve taken biology in college. I read and educate myself on conservation matters. I hunt and fish year-round with a selective harvest mentality. I have a place on Mille Lacs Lake. I have first-hand experience on the lake for years watching all of this unfold. In 2013 we had very late ice out, the tribe could not net, and we had a record walleye hatch. We do not shoot ducks trying to lay eggs, nor do we shoot hen pheasants, you cannot even take a dog in a field during pheasant nesting season, you cannot spear a fish during spawn, you cannot even target fish during spawn. The DNR right now is closing lakes trying to protect the spawn.
Every rule and regulation regarding the hunting and fishing of all species is designed to protect the reproduction of that species and ensure future survival.
You will never convince me that dragging a net with walleyes full of eggs does not affect the spawn or overall fish population using ‘a dead fish during spawn is the same as a dead fish any other time of year’ argument. Sorry.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ajw wrote:</div>
I would love for you to explain to me how keeping a walleye in February is different than April froma biological standpointAnd I would love for you to explain why all of our hunting and fishing seasons / regulations revolve around protecting each species while they are trying to reproduce and how it doesn’t matter in this case?
Well actually…deer hunting takes place at PEAK RUT! Most big game is this way. Spring turkey hunt? Can u fish walleyes on the Mississippi right now?
Fishing opener has really nothing to do with the spawn. More with the history of resorts, winterizing and so on.
The 2013 record hatch. Correlation or causation? It is true the late ice out shut down the netting that year. But it also sets up a special set of circumstances. With the late ice out the sun was much stronger than it is during a typical spring. When the ice did go out the water temps warmed quickly and could of supported the kind of conditions for an extra successful spawn. In a typical year the water temps can go up and down and the spawn can be drawn out with different waves of spawning taking place. Many of the early spawner’s eggs don’t get the required temps for a successful hatch. In a late year most of the spawning happens in a couple of days. The stronger sun warms the shallows fast fostering the perfect conditions for a great year class recruitment.
For the record I am against the spring netting. And I suppose this makes me an armchair biologist.
The 2013 record hatch. Correlation or causation? It is true the late ice out shut down the netting that year. But it also sets up a special set of circumstances. With the late ice out the sun was much stronger than it is during a typical spring. When the ice did go out the water temps warmed quickly and could of supported the kind of conditions for an extra successful spawn. In a typical year the water temps can go up and down and the spawn can be drawn out with different waves of spawning taking place. Many of the early spawner’s eggs don’t get the required temps for a successful hatch. In a late year most of the spawning happens in a couple of days. The stronger sun warms the shallows fast fostering the perfect conditions for a great year class recruitment.
For the record I am against the spring netting. And I suppose this makes me an armchair biologist.
Completely agree with everything
The Supreme Court ruled the tribes have off reservation hunting and gathering rights.
The state court ordered the DNR to determine a safe harvest limit and split it with the tribes.
The supreme court nor state court have made any ruling on netting. The DNR could and should take the case back to court. Clearly they have failed the state court order. It should be reviewed.
Thanks for your response Jon. While I believe you’re technically correct that the Supreme Court made no specific ruling on netting, they did make a ruling on tribal rights to hunting, which includes fishing. Unless they explicitly gave to the state of Minnesota or the DNR or any other agency the power to restrict the tribes’ access at specific times of the year, or to determine the method by which fish are harvested, then I don’t see how the DNR could possibly be in a position to take this back to court?
If you believe the issue is that the DNR has failed the MN state court order to determine a safe harvest and split it, then wouldn’t it make more sense for the concerned citizens and business owners of the area to take the DNR to court for negligence?
I want to stress that this isn’t about my personal position about netting or tribal rights. I just don’t think people have an accurate sense of what’s legally realistic for the DNR to accomplish on this issue.
I see every reason for the DNR to go back to court. The original ruling included an opening to go back to court for adjustments based on conservation. If you would have asked 20 years ago what would it take to the DNR to take this back to court? And you said, well what if the walleye population got so screwed up that no harvest was allowed. You would have said well for sure if it got that bad. Well were here. And the DNR won’t even discuss it.
Maybe they know something we don’t and it comes under careful what you wish for.
Back to my armchair.
Agree with your “armchair biology” gizmoguy. There are likely a number of factors that contributed. Hatching success though is fairly consistent year to year, it’s the YOY survival that defines a a great, good, or poor year class. Another thing you did not mention was that 2013 also coincided with a bountiful forage hatch that coincided/contributed to a record year class survival.
There’s little argument though that this 2013 year class helped prevent a total population crash that was feared before 2013.
It will be interesting how 2018 year class turns out.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ajw wrote:</div>
I would love for you to explain to me how keeping a walleye in February is different than April froma biological standpointAnd I would love for you to explain why all of our hunting and fishing seasons / regulations revolve around protecting each species while they are trying to reproduce and how it doesn’t matter in this case?
Well actually…deer hunting takes place at PEAK RUT! Most big game is this way. Spring turkey hunt? Can u fish <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes on the Mississippi right now?
Fishing opener has really nothing to do with the spawn. More with the history of resorts, winterizing and so on.
And there is a limited number of does we can shoot, isn’t there? And how many hen turkeys do you bag?
It’s not the same thing, A fish caught in a net is a dead fish period. According to the dnr many tagged walleyes go a number of years without getting caught, if ever! hence many spawns for these fish. That analogy simply oesn’t work
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bob clowncolor wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ajw wrote:</div>
I would love for you to explain to me how keeping a walleye in February is different than April froma biological standpointAnd I would love for you to explain why all of our hunting and fishing seasons / regulations revolve around protecting each species while they are trying to reproduce and how it doesn’t matter in this case?
Well actually…deer hunting takes place at PEAK RUT! Most big game is this way. Spring turkey hunt? Can u fish <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes on the Mississippi right now?
Fishing opener has really nothing to do with the spawn. More with the history of resorts, winterizing and so on.
And there is a limited number of does we can shoot, isn’t there? And how many hen turkeys do you bag?
Hey, just responded to your quote that hunting and fishing revolve around protecting species when they reproduce…Which isn’t correct. MN DNR also has a limit on fish. The MN DNR also has slot limits which, in theory, protect breeding walleyes.
When deer populations drop, they issue less or no doe tags. Only been a few years that they ever closed down a season (or two)…but they’ve never moved the season off rut (which many would like…but that has to do with bagging big/dumb bucks, not protecting the deer herd numbers.
Can you imagine the outrage if they announced they were closing walleye angling for the first week or two of the season on Mille Lacs to protect the spawn. Sure would make for some good melt-downs on here.
Any melt-downs on this forum would pale in comparison to the ring of fire that would circle the entire Lake Mille Lacs if that were to happen.
The real possibility though this year will be more or less the same consequence, at least for opening weekend.
If it’s still locked in ice, launch boats not only not going out…but not even in the water. Canceled reservations, no bait or booze sales, no lunch crowds or dinners at surrounding bars/restaurants. There’ll be nothing going on.
Reminds me what a big deal this could be. Opening weekend is typically one of the biggest for revenues. Not good for them… 
You won’t hear me complaining about not being able to fish when I realize how worse it will be for others.
I wish as much as the next sportsmen that netting wasn’t happening on MilleLacs but it does and will happen for the foreseeable future.
I’m not going to attack all of the “biologists” in this thread but come on… do a little research before you go and make arguments about the walleye spawn.
WALLEYE SPAWNING PROCESS
Females spawn and quickly vacate the shallow spawning areas and move to deeper water. The males are there for a much longer time period. So in theory, all other political reasons aside, there is really no other time of year when the walleye are more segregated. There truly isn’t a better time of the year to capture mostly males in a net.
Granted I wish netting didn’t happen at all, but if we are going to complain about something to make a change lets at least be educated first. The argument about closing a non-quota water has nothing to with netting on MilleLacs. This argument just makes us (MN Sportsmen) sound like poor losers.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bob clowncolor wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ajw wrote:</div>
I would love for you to explain to me how keeping a walleye in February is different than April froma biological standpointAnd I would love for you to explain why all of our hunting and fishing seasons / regulations revolve around protecting each species while they are trying to reproduce and how it doesn’t matter in this case?
Well actually…deer hunting takes place at PEAK RUT! Most big game is this way. Spring turkey hunt? Can u fish <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes on the Mississippi right now?
Fishing opener has really nothing to do with the spawn. More with the history of resorts, winterizing and so on.
And there is a limited number of does we can shoot, isn’t there? And how many hen turkeys do you bag?
Hey, just responded to your quote that hunting and fishing revolve around protecting species when they reproduce…Which isn’t correct. MN DNR also has a limit on fish. The MN DNR also has slot limits which, in theory, protect breeding walleyes.
When deer populations drop, they issue less or no doe tags. Only been a few years that they ever closed down a season (or two)…but they’ve never moved the season off rut (which many would like…but that has to do with bagging big/dumb bucks, not protecting the deer herd numbers.
If you re-read my “quote” you’ll notice I said seasons and regulations. The regulations piece of it dictating things like how many does you can shoot and little things like not shooting hens. While dragging a net does not follow any rules, does it. It indiscriminately kills anything in the net.
But thanks, your making my point for me!
I wish as much as the next sportsmen that netting wasn’t happening on MilleLacs but it does and will happen for the foreseeable future.
I’m not going to attack all of the “biologists” in this thread but come on… do a little research before you go and make arguments about the walleye spawn.
WALLEYE SPAWNING PROCESS
Females spawn and quickly vacate the shallow spawning areas and move to deeper water. The males are there for a much longer time period. So in theory, all other political reasons aside, there is really no other time of year when the walleye are more segregated. There truly isn’t a better time of the year to capture mostly males in a net.Granted I wish netting didn’t happen at all, but if we are going to complain about something to make a change lets at least be educated first. The argument about closing a non-quota water has nothing to with netting on MilleLacs. This argument just makes us (MN Sportsmen) sound like poor losers.
Joe, I certainly respect what you are saying here and I have learned that you are mostly very knowledgeable in fish and fishing topics.
I think we can all agree or at least bring ourselves to accept…“that netting does and will happen for the foreseeable future.”
I will if I may respond to this…“I’m not going to attack all of the “biologists” in this thread but come on… do a little research before you go and make arguments about the walleye spawn.”
I cannot speak or alibi for others but I have in fact done a fair amount of research on this topic.
This statement you made, “So in theory, all other political reasons aside, there is really no other time of year when the walleye are more segregated. There truly isn’t a better time of the year to capture mostly males in a net.”
Yes, this is true and let me add that the mesh size of tribal gillnets is designed for targeting the smaller males or any “14-18” walleye. Smaller specimens swim through and larger ones do not get entangled and in theory just bump their way along to the end of the net and are free.
In reality this is not exactly what happens though. First, not all the larger fish females (or large males) have left the area when the nets are dropped. This has been witnessed and documented that a net pull will include various sizes of walleyes as well as northern pike and muskies.
So yes, on paper and perhaps at times most all that is remaining in net targeted spawning areas should be just small lingering males…that is not always the case. There can be or are larger females lingering at times depending on where they are in the spawning process.
And despite the mesh size, there are still plenty that do get caught up in the nets and they are not released.
I don’t know, topics like this can open a much larger discussion on hook and line anglers “ethics” and the potential negative affects to any given fishery.
Will we get to the point of questioning ourselves if we should keep a fish or even C&R it because of “hooking mortality” concerns? 
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bob clowncolor wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bob clowncolor wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>lindyrig79 wrote:</div>
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ajw wrote:</div>
I would love for you to explain to me how keeping a walleye in February is different than April froma biological standpointAnd I would love for you to explain why all of our hunting and fishing seasons / regulations revolve around protecting each species while they are trying to reproduce and how it doesn’t matter in this case?
Well actually…deer hunting takes place at PEAK RUT! Most big game is this way. Spring turkey hunt? Can u fish <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes on the Mississippi right now?
Fishing opener has really nothing to do with the spawn. More with the history of resorts, winterizing and so on.
And there is a limited number of does we can shoot, isn’t there? And how many hen turkeys do you bag?
Hey, just responded to your quote that hunting and fishing revolve around protecting species when they reproduce…Which isn’t correct. MN DNR also has a limit on fish. The MN DNR also has slot limits which, in theory, protect breeding walleyes.
When deer populations drop, they issue less or no doe tags. Only been a few years that they ever closed down a season (or two)…but they’ve never moved the season off rut (which many would like…but that has to do with bagging big/dumb bucks, not protecting the deer herd numbers.
If you re-read my “quote” you’ll notice I said seasons and regulations. The regulations piece of it dictating things like how many does you can shoot and little things like not shooting hens. While dragging a net does not follow any rules, does it. It indiscriminately kills anything in the net.
But thanks, your making my point for me!
Not really making ANY of your points. You CAN shoot hens…or females in most ALL bird species LOL. Again, I get it’s limited in SOME species but again, fishing walleyes and slots are aimed to protect females as well.
I’m not pro netting. I’m arguing your point of protecting species during the “reproductive” period and how netting is the only scenario in which we “allow” this and that’s not true at all. We allow it all over the board so something else also influences this phenomena.
You’d be okay if they netted pre spawn?????
The natives would argue it’s OUR fault the walleyes declined. Look how good the fishing has been since they closed it down to us??????
I’m done. Getting off subject. Have fun.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ajw wrote:</div>
Keeping a fish in April during the spawn is the same thing as keeping that fish in August, or February. It still dies. Cripes let’s makes all MN water c&r onlyThis is the most stupid rationale I’ve ever heard and getting very sick of people saying it.
Is shooting a deer or a moose while carrying a baby the same as shooting it in the fall?
Get a clue.
It really doesn’t matter if the fish is caught in August or spring before it lays eggs it not able to do so. The point is fish are more grouped up at certain times of the year which make them easier to target and more seseptable to over harvest. A deer killed in fall can’t make fawns so doesn’t matter if it is carring fawn if they never get a chance to be born.
The areas closed have been closed for many years. The point is if fish are grouped up it makes them easier to target and thus over harvest. A dead fish anytime of the year obviously can’t reproduce. But at no other time of the year are the fish grouped up more then during spring spawning run. So lindy I hear you. But you are very wrong about fishing during spawn hunting etc. the whole idea is hypocritical for the Dnr to close some areas claiming protection but allow another to harvest but we know this has nothing to do with management it is all political. The Dnr isnt as dumb as people think they just don’t have legal control over many things. I know many of the biologists and they just can’t make the changes they want because of the laws In place to protect the natives rights.
Yes, this is true and let me add that the mesh size of tribal gillnets is designed for targeting the smaller males or any “14-18” walleye. Smaller specimens swim through and larger ones do not get entangled and in theory just bump their way along to the end of the net and are free.
In reality this is not exactly what happens though. First, not all the larger fish females (or large males) have left the area when the nets are dropped. This has been witnessed and documented that a net pull will include various sizes of walleyes as well as northern pike and muskies.
So yes, on paper and perhaps at times most all that is remaining in net targeted spawning areas should be just small lingering males…that is not always the case. There can be or are larger females lingering at times depending on where they are in the spawning process.
Thanks Andy. I agree they are not 100% segregated by any means. But our best chance at leaving as many females in the water to spawn again another year is to let them net during the spawn. Anyone that disagrees with this please just do some reading.
(Of course stopping them from netting would save the most fish if that was an option.)
The areas closed have been closed for many years. The point is if fish are grouped up it makes them easier to target and thus over harvest. A dead fish anytime of the year obviously can’t reproduce. But at no other time of the year are the fish grouped up more then during spring spawning run. So lindy I hear you. But you are very wrong about fishing during spawn hunting etc. the whole idea is hypocritical for the Dnr to close some areas claiming protection but allow another to harvest but we know this has nothing to do with management it is all political. The Dnr isnt as dumb as people think they just don’t have legal control over many things. I know many of the biologists and they just can’t make the changes they want because of the laws In place to protect the natives rights.
Mike, you are spot on with your observations and assessments. Specifically regarding the “handcuffing” of the DNR and how they are puppets in most of these political wrangling’s.
I will still differ on a dead fish is not treated equally as far as it’s ability to reproduce regardless of time of year. A large female would or should be released, either by a protected slot or ethically and/or voluntarily released by a hook and line angler during all open seasons for state anglers. Therefore it would be available for the next spring spawn.
Yes, black and white…a dead fish cannot participate in reproduction if it’s dead. What needs to be considered is that a fish presumed to be dead would not be dead given regulations and ethical release of large females. This is that gray area.
If that fish then get’s caught in a net before or during it’s spawning exercise (even if unintentional) it is now out of production.
I explained this before, there is and can be a difference between a fish killed in July and one killed in April/May.
Does it really matter when the world has bigger problems? 
My point about the deer is that we do not hunt them in spring. Mother deer has baby deer and needs momma the first few months of life. By fall, baby deer has a decent chance to survive on its own and even then we carefully manage the herd and limit doe tags.
I could go season by season and explain various animals and reasons for laws and limits but I’ll save my breath.
Back to the fish….. So the reason we do not target walleyes during the spawn is not because of the spawn itself… but because they are grouped up shallow and vulnerable, because they are spawning. Gotcha…. totally missed that one.
Thanks Andy. I agree they are not 100% segregated by any means. But our best chance at leaving as many females in the water to spawn again another year is to let them net during the spawn
This is simply not true Joe. The *only* way this theory would be true is if the nets were placed after, and only after, the vast majority of females were done dropping their eggs. As we all know they don’t track the status of the spawn in regards to netting, nets can be set prior to the spawn starting and stay there through the end of spawn, weather/ice permitting. They do monitor the progress of the spawn in regards to fishing opener and closing areas to anglers to protect from over harvest however.
I understand how hunting works and limits etc. as for fish sure putting slots on can save some females but it also has adverse effects on a fishery. Too many large fish can hurt a baitfish population and in turn hurt production. Some larger fish need to be harvested as well. Slots are not helping Mille lacs it hurting it. Sure it has larger fish fun to catch but it isn’t and had never had that in the past because it in its natural state couldn’t carry that. Before nets went in it was stable. Now things changed and pounds of fish is how they feel it should be regulated. But taking larger fish mean less can be taken hense to keep it open they keep protecting larger fish. Some fish of all age structures need to be taken to keep a fishery stable. Again most of Mille lacs issues are due to political motivations not management practices that were used prior to netting.
But our best chance at leaving as many females in the water to spawn again another year is to let them net during the spawn. Anyone that disagrees with this please just do some reading.
(Of course stopping them from netting would save the most fish if that was an option.)
Yes Joe that is correct although not a popular concession to the many with an abbreviated understanding.
Furthermore, as some have suggested to push netting back post spawn would only exacerbate already heated tensions.
Imagine boat landings with state anglers and tribal netting operations side by side juggling boats in and out of the water.
And scenarios out on the lake with nets out and trolling passes and resentful boat operators (fisherman) sabotaging and renegading.
But this statement makes me think again what and who we should be looking at. Perhaps the mirror?
(Of course stopping them from netting would save the most fish if that was an option.)
If I change it a bit…”Of course if we stop keeping as many fish as we do, we would save the most fish if that was an option.” 
Consider me a hardheaded Scandinavian. I still believe the nets are bad. I still believe the DNR fears GLIFWC. I still believe the DNR hides things and is fighting more of a PR battle then a battle to improve Mille Lacs. As long as the narrative is “nets” there is no concerns with why can’t non-native people be present when the nets are pulled. Why isn’t there DNR personal doing any counting / witnessing when the nets are pulled. Why isn’t there any transparency in the DNR dealings with GLIFWC.
You will never convince me the DNR has the Minnesota sportsmans best interest in mind with what they are doing on Mille Lacs. BTW, the year Dayton allowed fishing past the quota……….why didn’t GLIFWC haul the state into court? Were they afraid of opening the can of worms again or did they know they could leverage the DNR into closing the lake down?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Joe Scegura wrote:</div>
Thanks Andy. I agree they are not 100% segregated by any means. But our best chance at leaving as many females in the water to spawn again another year is to let them net during the spawnThis is simply not true Joe. The *only* way this theory would be true is if the nets were placed after, and only after, the vast majority of females were done dropping their eggs. As we all know they don’t track the status of the spawn in regards to netting, nets can be set prior to the spawn starting and stay there through the end of spawn, weather/ice permitting. They do monitor the progress of the spawn in regards to fishing opener and closing areas to anglers to protect from over harvest however.
Ok BW, when would be a better time? You are correct in the fact that (who knows when the females are coming up to spawn) but the FACT of the matter (not my opinion) is that females go up shallow, lay eggs and head back to the deeper water. The males race around in the shallows for a much longer period of time essentially “looking for a net” at that point.
Females spend less time in the shallows than the males, this will with out the slightest of a doubt equal less females netted. Is it 100%? no but this is our best chance at leaving as many females in the water to spawn again another year. Nothing in my statement is an opinion…
But this statement makes me think again what and who we should be looking at. Perhaps the mirror?
(Of course stopping them from netting would save the most fish if that was an option.)If I change it a bit…”Of course if we stop keeping as many fish as we do, we would save the most fish if that was an option
The lake has been virtually Catch and Release since 2013, so are you proposing it just be closed entirely to anglers?
Ok BW, when would be a better time? You are correct in the fact that (who knows when the females are coming up to spawn) but the FACT of the matter (not my opinion) is that females go up shallow, lay eggs and head back to the deeper water. The males race around in the shallows for a much longer period of time essentially “looking for a net” at that point.
Females spend less time in the shallows than the males, this will with out the slightest of a doubt equal less females netted. Is it 100%? no but this is our best chance at leaving as many females in the water to spawn again another year. Nothing in my statement is an opinion…
Well I haven’t read the study that Gord references, but I’m fine assuming it’s accurate and can be applied to Mille Lacs. So assuming that applies to Mille Lacs, the best time to minimize impact on the females would be after the females do their deed correct? Rather than from basically when ice goes off until the opener as they do now. If we (the DNR or even GLIFWC) were able to monitor the netting, they could see the effectiveness of mesh size on targeted size, they would also have an accurate count of the actual take, and have an moderately better idea of the impact of gill-netting the spawn. But to imply that netting thru the whole duration of the spawn (which is what happens now) is the best at minimizing impact on females is your opinion and it is false, as every female that will be dropping their eggs will have to avoid nets, and by-catch of females (smaller females in particular) is all but guaranteed.
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