Walleye limit change!!!

[ArcticCat21]

Notice of Upper Red Lake Walleye Possession Limit Change

As required by the Expedited Emergency rule published in the State Register February 5,

2007 (Volume 31, pages 986-987; Part 6264.0400, Subp. 59, Item , the walleye daily

and possession limit will change as specified below because the cumulative walleye kill .

estimate from December 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, is less that 134,000 pounds.

As of 12:01 am on July 14, the walleye regulations for state waters of Upper Red Lake

and associated tributaries will be as follows:

While a person is on or fishing Upper Red Lake and it's associated tributaries, the daily

and possession limit of walleye is four fish, of which not more than one walleye may be

over 26 inches in length. All walleye in possession must be less than 17 inches or greater

than 26 inches in length. All walleye that are 17 inches to 26 inches in length, inclusive,

must be immediately returned to the water.

This regulation continues until midnight November 30, 2007. The walleye daily and

possession limit will revert to two fish at 12:01 am on December 1, 2007. All other

fishing regulations on Upper Red Lake not inconsistent with this regulation remain in

effect.

Date: July 9, 2007

Dave Schad, Fish and Wildlife Director

This came directly from the MN DNR website and will take effect towmorrow. How sweet is that!

[hayseed]

Great news indeed.

Perhaps it's just me, but I have a bit of issue with the timing of this change. With the reports I've heard/read and experienced, a person will catch and release several dozen fish to catch two for dinner. This would indicate to me that now a fisherperson would catch double the amount of fish and during the time of highest hook/release mortality. Wouldn't Sept. 1st to Jan. 1 have been more practical? Just my thoughts.

[ozzie]

I think they should have kept the 2 fish limit and opened the slot to 18 or even 20 inches.......just a thought as it is tough to get 17 and under fish.....or even making it 4 fish but also relaxing the slot to 18-20 inches........

[sheephead24]

so if I understand correctly this winter we can only keep 2 but right now its 4? with the crappies dissapearing how are they going to get people to drive long distances to keep 2 small walleyes? we drive 5 hours every winter to ice fish up there, but if there are no crappies left and we can keep 2 16 inch walleyes, I would rather drive 10 minutes to the nearest lake and catch a couple walleyes.

[Random guy]

What I think you will see is they meat hogs or "grumpy guys" that have to fill a bucket every time they go fishing will not make the trip and head for the next hot bite to fill buckets. What we will continue to see is the true sportsmen that understand only Upper Red Lake can easily produce a trophy crappie, a trophy pike, numorous walleye along with several trophy class walleye all in one day of fishing. Red lake may slow down in numbers but the qaulity will continue to grow.

As for the question as to why they changed the limit when they did; It is my understanding that many factors play into this, everything from data gathering, laws and bi-laws, prevoius fishing pressure peaks and stacks and stacks of politics. To be honest I wouldn't want to be one of the guys in the meeting trying to make that decision.

[Powerstroke]

SO, you could catch any walleyes 2 years ago and you'd be fine keeping 4 but not 2? As far as I'm concerned I'm there to CATCH fish. If I keep a couple for the pan than fine. Its about having a quality, dare I say TROPHY fishery. You can't have trophies without numbers and you can't have numbers if you let a newly recovered lake get fished until the fish are gone. They used to say that wasn't possible until Red Lake did.

The fishing on URL is great. Read a Johnny P update and you'll see all your opportunities on this huge lake. Its not just about getting a few eaters.

[hayseed]

I agree, it's about quality and change from 2 to 4 is not going to alter any plans for those who appreciate a quality experience. I do not make the four hour drive for two fish or four fish, but for the experience. We have all seen those who just don't seem to get it.

I'm hopeful it will make no or little difference in the mortality. It seems to me that warm water has some effect on stress levels for hooked fish.

I know I've seen some effect it recouperation time for fish I have never even lifted from the water to release. Perhaps this could be used as an opportunity to study the effect for shallow, warm water lakes. My two.

[Pikester]

I make the 4 hour drive just for all the excitement up at WestWinds on a Sunday night. Right Kelly and Jonny?

[Random guy]

We may have a awesome lake and a great area but we still live in the small burg of Waskish, sometimes you have to stir the pot just to get a little something going.

[kgpcr4]

Thats a pretty arogant post in my opinion. Why am i a meat hog because i want to feed my family some fish? 2 walleyes doesnt feed the 4 of us when they are under 17". I mean why when we feed hundreds of dollars into the local economy would i want a meal of fish to bring back. we buy all our supplies up there as well as stay in black duck. also the true sportsman thing is a bunch of bull in my opinion. i have seen guys sit out there and catch 75 walleyes in a morning and then hear them tell me what great sportsmen they are killing who knows how many and they look down thier nose at me for taking 2 and quiting. Its a great lake and i want to see it do well. I just dont think i am less of a sportsman because i eat a few fish.

[kelly-p]

"Looks like i need to cancel then. I just wont drive that far for two walleyes. Not worth it. I think (Contact Us Please) will be where i go this year."

On 3-22-07 you posted that a 2 fish limit was not enough for you to drive that far. I would think you would be happy about the 4 fish limit. My gut feeling tells me that you never came here in the 90's when it was a 0 walleye limit.

[JollyT]

There are four of you, if you all fish, the legal limit will be 8 fish, 16 now. No, one person can't catch them all and haul them home, but everyone can go fishing. If you just want walleyes to eat, Cub sells them much cheaper per pound than what it would cost to catch them.

[Random guy]

Well as little as I feel I need to defend my post I will say this;

I spend everyday speaking and working with anglers from across the state and nation, from this daily contact I can tell you that the general census is split down the middle. 1/2 will stop coming to Red lake because they might not fully fill a bucket the other 1/2 could care less if they caught a fish or not, they just like to go fishing.

..and just so you know I keep fish, heck just got done cleaning my four fish at Westwinds cleaning house not to mention I let some go because they either fell into the slot or to small to keep. So where am I, sportsman or not?

[traveler]

Hey Jon, you missed a half:) I'm in the half that loves to catch fish (the heck with that "just getting out thing!) but I don't need to keep a bunch (or any) to have had a great day. BTW, I'm gonna call you up one of these days and come over and fish with you. Do you usually have some openings weekdays this time of year on short notice? My work schedule flucuates, and I get the occasional day off and can't think of a better way to spend it! Oh, and I think you probably slip into the "sportsman" catagory...:)

[kgpcr4]

No defense needed John. I have alot of respect for people like you and Kelly. I truly do. You guys are living the dream weather you know it or not and Kelly i have fished out of your houses and you are a real class act and run a quality operation. I say that after working for resorts on the big pond and having been to alot of resort fish houses. Kelly you are the best i have seen and i truly mean that. when we were up the crappies quit at 11:00 so we wound up the lines as we did not want to keep catching them and having problems getting them to go back down the hole. some were hooked deep. we dropped the lines back in at 5:30 and picked up some more crappies. I am not a meat hog. i too care very much about the lake. I just like to eat fish as well. whats better than a plat of broiled or fried walleyes, maybey a crappie sandwich, a nice slab on a piece of bread fried to a golden brown. keep the steak give me the fish. My only points are just because you want to keep some fish does not make me a meat hog and just because you catch 100 walleyes and dont keep any does not mean you are a "true sportsman" You just killed many more than the two i kept and quit fishing. I hate to see dead walleyes floating and know that there are guys catching them by the fistfull and not keeping any and they are killing alot of fish. i am the only one in my family that fishes as my son loves to but with collage it tight for time. My family loves fish and two does not feed them. if i get a few slabs in then we are good to go. i have no fished Mille Lacs this year after May as i did not want to contribute to the fish kill once the water warmed up. John and Kelly i in no way meant to slam you. Sorry if i implied that! I too love URL. enough to quit when i have my two walleyes.

[kelly-p]

No problem. The real question we all should be thinking of and puzzling about is this: Now that the limit is 4,,,, will "haled" ever get his limit again??????

[halad]

Kept 1/2 a limit this morning for supper probably go out tonight for the other half. Fishing keeps me out of trouble if i can get past happy hour.

[walleye101]

Wow, times really have changed on the Big Pond!

In the old days it would have been going out for the morning limit, then back in the evening for the second limit.

[kgpcr4]

Walleye there are still some that do and it sucks. I do struggle when i throw back a fish that is going to die and i cant revive it and i just have to let it float away. I was taught not to kill it unless you are going to eat it and never to waste a fish or any part of an animal that you killed. taking over your limit like that is a waste and then some.

[The Donk]

When the topic of fishing up there comes up, I tell people that haven't been up there to only keep the keepers you don't think are going to make it. When the bite is on, you can catch dozens of fish that are in the slot, and if you keep the first two you lip hook, you feel pretty bad when you throw back the 15th one you gut hook. People look at me funny when I say that, but there are plenty of fish in there, just have patience and the want to catch fish and you will end up with a limit if you want it. As far as what the limit is, I could care less; as long as I am sitting on a lake and having fun...

[Stan7600]

I thougt being able to keep 2 walleyes was pretty good since it had been 0. Everything is relative. We always have a little more fun when we can keep some fish. If you fish with a spinner and minnow on a 3-way rig you will almost never gut hook any fish. Sometimes it drives the walleyes nuts but doesn't work too good in the winter. Stan C.

[Chris Haley]

Yeah Kelly, You're living the dream.

New business idea. Advertise for all to come up and live the dream with you! For a mere $100 one can live the dream with Kelly P! You will get to pull fish houses around the lake, shovel snow against houses, drill a million holes, move the house in five hours after it's piled in on!! And all for $100.

Sound like a plan?

[LABS4ME]

You forgot: haul 'poo' bags!

Good Luck!

Ken

[KMR85]

the slot is set at that certain size because that size of fish can better withstand catch and release. think about it...when a human gets injured at age 13 to let's say 55 yrs old, they can take it way better than a small child or elderly person. i would never not go to URL due to what the fish limit is either. and yes i am aware that i used a double negative.

[halad]

Kelly's dreams!!! "frightening thought"

[kgpcr4]

If you are not living the dream then go get it!

[Random guy]

Quote:

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Kelly's dreams!!! "frightening thought"

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You are not kidding! I'm the guy that he comes to and points at some piece of twisted up iron or points across the lake looking at the plow truck and asks "can you weld that, I have an idea (dream)"

[kgpcr4]

NO JOHN!! Kelly's dreams TERIFYING!! 12LB SLABS 300LB SNOT ROCKETS. AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE

[kelly-p]

Quote:

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Kelly's dreams!!! "frightening thought"

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Not scary at all. It's just that often what is considered impossible is in reality just untried. Somebody's gotta try it just to see if it is really impossible.

[Sutty]

Greetings all,

This is in response to an earlier post asking how they expect anglers to drive for hours for x number of fish. They are attempting to manage the recovery of the fish. They are not trying to cost justify your vacation. As the fish population grows of breeding class fish they will continue to relax the regs.

On another subject, I was doing a little salmon fishing on lake michigan a week or so ago and ended up parking my boat next to Pat Fosters. Now he had left the day I arrived so I didn't bump into him, however I would just like to say that I am not entirely convinced that my liver can take much more of this. It started as a couple of weekends in the winter, than a spring trip to Red was added, now summer in Wisconsin.... Aye Carumba