rjthehunter
Well-known member
I've fished across the Midwest as well. Familiarize yourself with MN regulations and seasons for walleye. They're far more stringent here than in ND. Same with south Dakota, and Montana. Season closures aren't a thing most places like MN, the only thing MN has in terms of more lax regs is a 6 fish limit instead of 5. We have tighter slots, seasons, and possession limits.So wait… fishing is so poor that almost no one can catch a limit of a native sport fish, yet things are hunky dorey and nothing should change?
If habitat is such an issue that natural reproduction of a native fish is unsustainable, it seems to me the state should have reduced limits long ago? Speaking as a reformed fisheries person, this just makes zero sense to me.
Then what is the issue? Again, if 95% of fisherman can’t catch a limit, there is a significant one. What is the issue as you see it?
I will fully admit I’ve never fished MN. But I’ve fished walleyes in Canada, North Dakota, and Montana. Struggling to catch a limit is largely incomprehensible in those places, which all have more stringent limits. I have thrown back keepers all day in all of those places. I’m not understanding why all the resistance, particularly if the vast majority of folks struggle to limit out?
I get that you are passionate about this, but none of this makes any sense on even a basic level. This seems like an “opportunity” argument rather than a biological argument?
Populations in most lakes are healthy. Most lakes in the state aren't meant to have walleye in them. The ones that are, are thriving. (Leech, red, winni, mille lacs, lake of the woods, etc.)
Most lakes like the ones mentioned above, are managed at their own levels. For example, you can only keep 4 walleye on leech, 4 on red this year, 6 on lake of the woods, but only 4 can be walleye, the rest sauger.
The lakes covered by the blanket statement of 6 fish limits are lakes that aren't destination walleye lakes, or aren't on the radar for the DNR to manage the walleye numbers. They just keep stocking them.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/fishing/index.html
Pages 38-56 have all the special regs.
Do you think reducing the limits will make fish easier to catch?
Most lakes in mn don't have the big rock/ gravel shorelines walleye need to spawn.If there are only 270 self-sustaining walleye populations DUE TO SPAWNING CONDITIONS what is happening in the 11,842-270 lakes? That is 11,572 lakes that have impaired spawning. Why/how? I'm very curious. Of course, 12 lakes in Minnesota are bullhead lakes, so let's throw them out and look at the 11,560 remaining. You say they can't spawn. How so?
There's a huge difference between catching and keeping. I'm a fishing guide. It's what i do.Dare I say if you are catching “1000’s” of walleyes a year you are a part of the problem.
If it’s only due to poor spawning conditions what are you doing to improve them? Are you advocating for improved wetlands, dam removal, less pesticide and fertilizers on our yards? How about prairie plantings and erosion control?