MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The walleye population in Mille Lacs (muh-LAX') Lake has fallen to its lowest levels in 40 years, while the lake's larger walleyes may be having trouble finding food.
Officials aren't sure what's happening to Minnesota's most popular walleye fishery. But Department of Natural Resources fisheries research manager Don Pereira tells the Star Tribune (http://bit.ly/WG61Sp ) they're concerned.
Causes could be include the harvest regulations governing sport anglers and Chippewa netters, the explosion of zebra mussels in the lake, improved water clarity or a potential lack of prey fish such as perch and tullibees.
Pereira says it's too early to say if the DNR might tighten regulations on the lake in east-central Minnesota.
Business owners say further restrictions could undercut tourism.
DNR and tribal fisheries researchers will discuss the lake next week.
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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
Comments (10)
Add commentIDWD
I quit fishing that lake after the treaty. I have been hearing the perch & tullies are down. Have you seen that??
BTW a 20 ft'er. Hmm maybe obama will give me your boat. I only have an 18 ft'er.
Old farm boy, yes and no
I was out there at least 20 times...there was so much baitfish in the form of small tullibees and perch all over the screen on every single spot.
Adult perch numbers are down but I dont understand why. Last year was outstanding for perch in every size from 3 inches to 14. This year not so much. I caught 4 keepers all year and very few small ones. I would like to know the reason. Zebra mussels cant eat fish the last time I checked.
Tullibees were fun last winter and didnt have a problem finding them, especially out of Netti's.
I never seen the "thin" walleyes from lack of food all summer. Every fish I caught had the right body size for head size.
As for using zebra mussels for the reason for decline, the DNR will have to explain the explosion of walleyes on Erie after zebra mussels cleaned it up.
As for the clear water...it wasnt that clear.
Not too hard to figure out
Honor a treaty. Let the band decide when they want to net. They choose to net in the Spring during the spawn and one wonders why? But let's tighten the belt more on the hook and line.
I was listening to garage
I was listening to garage logic yesterday afternoon and they had someone on about the walleye numbers being down. I wasnt able to listen to the whole interview but one of the things they spoke of was fish numbers taken out of the lake by netting and anglers. The tribes take out 80,000 lbs and anglers take out over 300,000 lbs.
Yup and the tribes
are netting the spawning fish so are really taking 5 times as many future pounds. It works just like abortion. Then the slot forces anglers to release fish that are dead from the "bends" and they float up on shore. Quit with the slot and netting at spawn and set a number limit of fish of any size.
Overfishing, Musky, natural ?
Overfishing by all concerned, tribes and sport fisherman? Too many musky in the lake? Natural cycle? Whatever the cause I have no doubt that we will see a reduction in netting quotas and limits for sport fisherman next year.
Hopefully the DNR can find the cause and implement a solution before the fishery totally collapses. Maybe solutions won't be popular or politically correct, but hopefully the fishery is not collapseing already and it is too late for a solution.
It all comes down to the
It all comes down to the netting. They say that they take all fish but you can see piles of fish on the lkshore. They just want the walleye. So sad. They claim to be one with the earth......
Barco
SO TRUE!! But dont try to tell anybody that. It will not work. Red lake,Leech Lake & soon to be the big pond thats close. Unless of course the dnr/taxpayer gets involved & helps the Natives out because every Eye they keep is full of EGGS & they promise they will not net?? Can anybody say Red???
F&B I agree!! There is alot of dead fish floating (summer). What say IDWD? I am Dissapointed.
fun fact - not related
chief hole-in-the-bay the elder was killed by drunkenly falling off his horse and was run over by his own carriage.