Thank you for your continued support on this issue Jack. I hope that this opportunity to make Mn. a World Class Muskie fishery isn’t being taken for granted by this generation of Muskie anglers. If they only knew the effort it took to get to this point. But time will tell. Thanks again Jack.

Steve Voigt

Ron

The reason many Muskie fisherman are worried about the Muskies in Mille Lacs is not because they are not doing well. They are doing very well as expected. Whenever Muskies are initially introduced into a system as prolific as Mille Lacs their numbers and size will skyrocket for a certain period and then level off. The Muskies in Mille Lacs and Vermilion and other newly established waters have done well. They are without a doubt peaking now. After a time however and things start to level off, the added pressure of being the hot new spots targeted by fisherman will begin to take their toll. To maintain what we have NOW. We need to protect what has been developed. I know Timmy thinks it BS but a crash on many of these lakes in the future is a real worry. Proactive conservation is the only way to assure a consistent population that has a chance at possibly maintaining their own population without costly stocking every year. At least these Muskie deserve a chance at maintaining their own population. A 40 inch minimum gives these Leech Lake females at best 2 but more likely 1 and in some cases 0 chances to spawn before being susceptible to harvest. Like I said before in this thread there are dozens of stock and harvest/put and take Muskie fisherys already established. Mille Lacs has a REAL chance to be a World Class Muskie fishery for decades if managed correctly. I just can’t see a down side for anyone in supporting that chance.

Steve Voigt

This is my last post on this subject. Do you honestly think that the Ontario Ministry is wrong for going to a 48 inch minimum on much of their trophy waters? How about total release on Wabigoon and Lac Seul to save those fisheries from total destruction? Regulation isn’t to benefit a few individuals, this regulation is to protect and maintain what could be a World Class fishery. I truly wonder what spectacular works nature could come up with if we would allow it to even grow up before harvest.

When I was about 6 years old my Grandfather took me to a lake that was freezing out. The DNR came and cut a huge hole in the ice and people were allowed to take everything they could get because the lake was freezing out anyway. People brought pitchforks, spears, and gunny sacks. They worked as teams and one speared the fish shoved the fish between their legs and their partner stuffed it into the sack. There were fist fights, shoving, swearing and total chaos. When we got home my Grandmother asked my Grandfather what we had been doing? He told her and she was upset and asked him why he would take me to see something like that? He said he wanted me to see exactly what people were capable of. A good life lesson. She then said that he could take me to church on Sunday if he wanted life lessons to be learned. (He hated to go church but he did).
Sorry but I’m not naive enough to believe that everyone will police themsevles. I’d rather rely on regulations over total chaos, but that just me.

I have tried to give you an honest account of what the situation is and now I see there is a hidden agenda involved. GET OVER IT. I grew up sitting in my Grandfather’s lap in his spearhouse buddy. Don’t sit there and act so high and mighty. Things change and we have to change also. If you want a resource in the future grow up and think a little. There is no way in hell the Pike population can withstand spearing anymore. I probably learned more about fish and their behavior staring down my Grandfather’s spear hole than anything else I have ever done. BUT that was a different time and different culture. Join the real world and become an instrument of conservation instead of expoltation.

Tim
We got to this point because of careful planning. In the early 70’s Gil Hamm, the founder of Muskies Inc. wanted to stock Muskies in Mn. lakes so we had a Muskie fishery here and not just in Canada. When the DNR said no, Gil and friends opened their own hatchery and stocked Muskies anyway. That took a lot of courage. The DNR realized Gil was serious and started to listen to him and other Muskie anglers. Over time a plan was developed to stock Metro Lakes as stock and harvest fisherys to satisfy the bulk of Muskie anglers from the Twin City area and then Bob Strand and others from the DNR with the monetary support of M.I. and the Mn. legislature researched the Leech Lake strain of Muskies and a decision was made to only stock that strain in Mn. waters. 20 years ago the out-state program(Mille Lacs-Vermilion and others) began. What we are seeing now is the prime effect of that program. It is now at it’s peak and vulernable. We need to muster some of the courage it took Gil Hamm to start this ball rolling and see it thru. If we don’t protect it now we will over time end up with whatever minimum is set NOW
Does that make sense to you?????????????

Do you realize that many Leech Lake females don’t become mature until they reach 42″? There are dozens of put and take / stock and harvest Muskie fisherys in the US. Look at what 30″ minimums for the last three decades has done for Wis. A lake’s size population thru attrition will naturally gravitate to the legal minimum. We don’t need another 40″ Muskie lake when we have the makings for a World Class fishery right now. Not supporting a high minimum on Mille Lacs and Vermilion and many other of the natural Leech Lake strongholds would be the biggest mistake in Muskie history. Please sit down and think about that for a while.

Have you been living in a bubble or what Dan? That half-witted biology you mentioned is what has put Mn. on the map as far as Muskie fishing goes. I wish I had a dime for every mile I traveled to Canada for quality Muskie fishing for the past thirty years. Now you have have it right here. Wake the hell up. If you think there isn’t harvest going on your WRONG. We must protect this fishery NOW.

“When they stop getting better – then let’s revisit the laws and change them, if need be.” quote by Timmy
That’s reactive Timmy and with a low denisty predator like the Muskie a reactive conservation approach doesn’t work. It will be to late then. The Canadian Ministry learned their lessons with the slaughter on Wabigoon and near the destuction of Lac Seul. Proactive conservation of a Muskie fishery is the only way to stop over-harvest. You seem very cavalier about a fishery that has taken a lot of effort and about 20 years to establish. Even the Wisconsin boards are warning us of what can happen if we don’t protect our fish. Don’t think there still isn’t groups of fisherman out there that will target a new hot fishery like Mn. Of course if we go your way and just sit back and see what happens, many of us will be able to say we told you so. I don’t want to ever say I told you so Timmy
Steve Voigt

From what I have read and understand 48 inch plus Muskies are the most prolific spawners and obviously genetically superior.

If you plan on starting or staying in this Muskie fishing game, one thing you all should consider is that sooner or later you may kill one unintentionally. Unfortunately there are a many ways that this can happen. Isn’t that the fish(regardless of size) that deserves to be mounted and displayed? Simply offered for your consideration.

Sorry if I came down on you hard before but many of us have fought for years and years for this fishery to become what it has. Release fishing is one of the major reasons we have the fishing for Muskies that we now have. We listened to excuses for killing Muskies much like yours for decades and watched as every Muskie fisherman kept their first, then their first 40 incher, then their first 48 incher and then anything bigger.(sometimes in inch increments) The nature and the numbers of the Muskie coundn’t survive that ethic and things didn’t get better until Muskie fisherman decided that the resource is more important than ego. Take a picture – learn correct release techniques and be happy you are starting in an era of the best Muskie fishing I have seen in thirty years. (maybe ever, yes now could be the good old days in the future)

I’ll trade ya a set of golf clubs gathering dust in my garage for your Muskie gear.(no extra charge for the cobwebs) Really sounds like the golf course is the perfect place for you. (this little guy is practicing wiping before he poops)

Jason
Ok we agree it isn’t forage. What then is your point that a 48 minimum causes the fish in Bald Eagle to be skinny. To many Muskies? I may be dense but I don’t see any correlation between a 48 inch minimum and a negative effect on the fisheries.

Jason
Do you honestly believe that there is a shortage of forage in Mille Lacs? If the Muskies ONLY ate Eelpout they wouldn’t even make a dent in that population not to mention all the other forage fish in that lake. Come on!!!!!!!!!!
Steve Voigt

As a Muskies Inc. At-Large Director in the 80’s, believe me when I say the amount of work and support given to the DNR during that time frame is now paying BIG dividends for the Muskie resource. People like Bob Strand and Rod Ramsell and many many others from the Mn. DNR put it all on the line for this program. How many of us would risk our careers for an ideal? It is time for us to stand up and have the courage to take the next step and support a 54 inch minimum on the Primer Muskie Lake(Mille Lacs) in the U.S. If you don’t believe me read some of the Wisconsin boards to verify. We need to make a statement with a 54 inch minimum to show everyone that we are committed to this resource and will back a large minimum to protect it.

Steve Voigt

1105-6th Ave.

Worthington, Mn.

56187-2203

stevevoigt_14(at)hotmail(dot)com