Mille Lacs proposed regulations

[CraigP83]

Hot button issue on Mille Lacs lake right now. For the past few years the walleye population on the lake has been shifting out of balance with reports of several large fish and very few smaller "keeper fish". The fishing community is concerned that the lack of young walleyes could potential lead to a collapse.

On the other hand while the walleye population seems to be struggling the smallmouth bass population has thrived, turning into what many consider a world class fishery. In fact Mille Lacs lake was named in B.A.S.S. top 100 bass fishing lakes.

There are several factors that could be negatively effecting the walleyes. Indian tribes netting during the spawn, Hooking mortality, and overall predator/prey ratio.

As it currently stands Mille Lacs has a possession limit of (1) smallmouth bass over 21'. Everything else is catch and release. To help tilt the predator/prey ratio back in the walleyes favor there are proposed regulations of opening up the smallmouth possession limit up to (6) which would be inline with the rest of the lakes in the state. However, many bass anglers are concerned that relaxing the regulations on smallmouth will destroy a very rare world class bass fishery, and also overlook other predators such as Northern Pike and Musky.

I've personally gone back and forth with my thoughts on the proposed regulations. On one side I see the value of conserving such a special body of water. On the other opening up a limit will allow tournament anglers to participate on Mille Lacs bring large amounts of revenue to the area and possibly a B.A.S.S. or FLW event. Whats your thoughts?

[fulldraw84]

I think there should be a slot on smallmouth just like walleye has on the lake. It would be nice to maintain it as a trophy lake for smallmouth and still let some eaters leave. A lot of walleye fishermen have put the cross ares on smallmouth as a fix all to the walleye population problem, but its obvious to me not being a walleye fisherman that you cannot sustain a fishery with the mentality of keeping a limit of fish every time you go out on the water. The netting goes on at the worst possible time also.

This should be a wake up call to fisherman to change with the times in order to conserve such a good fishery. I remember as a kid hearing of catch and release and being surprised that people do that. Then when I got in to bass fishing I realized it is mostly just us that do it. At least in my neck of the woods.

Bass fishing raises a ton of money for the state, I wish they would realize bass fishing in MN is only going to grow and promote the sport instead of holding it back.

[CraigP83]

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/03/19/walleye-rules-tightened-for-mille-lacs-lake/
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Anglers will be allowed to keep fewer walleyes when they fish Mille Lacs Lake this year.

Mille Lacs anglers will be able to keep walleyes only between 18 and 20 inches, or longer than 28. All others must be released. The limit is two, with only one longer than 28 inches. Last season all walleye from 17 to 28 inches had to be released.

But the state is loosening regulations for northern pike and smallmouth bass on Mille Lacs.

The lake's protected slot for northerns will be narrowed to a 33 to 40 inches, with only one longer than 40. The limit remains three. The smalllmouth limit has been raised from one to six. The new protected slot is 17 to 20 inches, with only one longer than 20 inches.

[fulldraw84]

That is better than I thought it would end up. Would have like to see the slot 15 to 20 inches though.

[CraigP83]

Very good article: http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/200536831.html?refer=y

Anderson: Two-fish walleye and bass limits obscure real issue on Mille Lacs
Article by: DENNIS ANDERSON , Star Tribune Updated: March 29, 2013 - 12:13 AM

The two-fish walleye limit this year is supposed to help fishing long-term but doesn't address the real problem.

When the bizarre becomes routine, people accept it as normal. Which might explain the quiet acquiescence among Mille Lacs anglers since the Department of Natural Resources recently announced its two-fish walleye limits for the lake beginning May 11.

Yet the walleye restriction, lowered from four fish last year, with a vastly different harvest slot in force this year than in 2012, isn't even the wackiest regulatory lasso the DNR threw around Mille Lacs.

That prize goes to its new Mille Lacs smallmouth bass limit, which a year ago essentially was zero and now is six.

First, consider that in 2012, Mille Lacs walleye anglers could keep four fish under 17 inches (in that bag, one could be longer than 28 inches), a slot that almost no one could hit, so difficult was it to find fish of that size.

This year, following DNR estimates that walleyes in the lake have skidded to a 40-year low, with disproportionately too few small fish among them, a vastly different harvest scheme is in force. Now the DNR says the only walleyes (in addition to one again that can be longer than 28 inches) anglers can keep must be between 18 and 20 inches, fish that should weigh between 2 and 3 pounds.

Additionally, the Mille Lacs walleye sport-fishing quota has been cut in half this year, to 178,500 pounds — perhaps 100,000 pounds of which (a DNR estimate), or more, will be accounted for in "release mortality,'' meaning that's the poundage of Mille Lacs walleyes that will die this year after being caught and released.

Remaining in the quota under those circumstances would be only 78,500 pounds of walleyes to be caught and kept by anglers in the coming season. Then the lake, perhaps, would be shut down to walleye fishing.

Unless, of course, the DNR knows something everyone else only suspects: that there are so few 18- to 20-inch walleyes in the lake that the quota never will be reached, no matter how many people fish it.

Meanwhile, the eight bands of Chippewa who net Mille Lacs during the spring spawn (their quota was also halved, to 71,250 pounds) have given no indication they will change the mesh size of their nets, which tend to target walleyes 18 inches and smaller, the same fish sport anglers are trying to protect.

All of which, no matter whose lens you view it through, is bizarre, in that the bands are using nets during the spring spawn to virtually ensure a highly effective harvest of some of the same fish that, come the sport-fishing opener May 11, everyone else will try to protect.

Why the protection effort?

Because the smaller fish, or many of them, represent the 2008-year class of Mille Lacs walleyes, behind which, for whatever reason, no robust walleye year class follows.

Consider also the lake's new smallmouth regulations.

Last year, anglers could keep one smallie from Mille Lacs, but it had to measure greater than 21 inches, a true hawg pushing the 5-pound range.

This was in keeping with maintenance of what in recent years has become a world-class smallmouth fishery that attracts anglers from throughout the Midwest.

So what does the DNR do?

In an attempt to replace some or all of an unknown number of walleye anglers the agency fears might not visit the lake and spend money, hurting the local economy, because of the tight harvest slot and two-fish limit, officials in a single season kick up the smallmouth limit from one to six (harvested fish this year must be under 17 inches, with one over 20).

Bye-bye world-class smallmouth fishery.

Meanwhile, among DNR Mille Lacs fisheries managers, practiced as they are in both public-resource and public-relations management, the "new normal'' is to theorize that so many factors affect the lake and its fishery that it's impossible to decide which among them is foremost.

The lake, after all, now has zebra mussels galore and a sampling of other invasive species, as well as burgeoning smallmouth bass and northern pike populations. Also, thanks to DNR regulations in recent years, the lake might have too many big walleyes that too effectively prey on what appears to be a fragile forage base, including small walleyes.

And on and on.

All of which are secondary worries.

Fundamentally, what bedevils the lake and its walleyes hides in plain site every spring, and will reveal itself again soon — routine now as ice-out, but nonetheless bizarre.

It's the nets.

[CraigP83]

Has anybody gotten up to Mille Lacs to chase the smallies? I'll be heading up tomorrow hoping to wrangle with a 5# bronzeback

[earldogg]

A guy i work with caught a 7lber last year, what a giant! now is a good time to go, before their all gone,gl.

[CraigP83]

Lots of smallies still out there, check out these pics: http://www.ultimatebass.com/bass-fishing-forum/index.php?topic=109088.0