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I heard a rumor about maybe stocking muskies in Tetonka. Has anyone else heard about this? I got all excited.

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I'm against it if they are. Not for the fact that I think Muskies ruin a lake, I don't think they hurt anything. I am not one of those Musky hating guys.

I am against it because it is a lake I fish alot and there aren't many musky lakes around. This would bring the pressure on the lake up tenfold, I believe. Look at French, it's a zoo during ski season. Just don't like fighting crowds out on the lake, that is all.

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I'm all for it. It will bring people to town and won't hurt the fishery at all. The campgrounds and bussiness's in town would only be helped. Most muskie fisherman fish the first few hours of the day and thats about it. From what i hear it would be 600 fingerlings a year. It would take a few years for there to be a real fishable population. I just wish people would have a more open mind on things and hear all the good and the bad before jumping to an opinion. I believe there is a meeting about this and it could be tonite but not real sure.

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 Originally Posted By: sheepheadslayer
Most muskie fisherman fish the first few hours of the day and thats about it.

That's when the walleye hunters are fishing too.

I guess if they are going to do it on a lake around here, Tetonka would likely be the best fit. It is a good sized lake, has lots of structure, and generally a good fish producer of all species. Like I said, I don't think it will hurt anything other than the lines at the landings.

Who knows, maybe I'd have to dig out the muskie stick more often.

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Muskies have been in Tetonka for along time, I have local maps from the late 60's that show it as a muskie lake, the numbers have just been low the last 30 years.

A few years ago I hooked into something that had a very long, dark shadow and it led me, frantically, around the boat with little care that we were attached by 14 lb Spiderwire before breaking it. This wasn't like a 30 minute battle with a big salmon, it was a 1 minute feeling of total helplessness, I was never in control of that fish.

So, if the DNR wants to bring me more memories like this, I am for it.

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sheephead, aren't you worried about the real fish eating the little skis? How you gonna pay for that skeeter if all the bass are skibait?

(Just kidding - they are already there, I wouldn't mind seeing more. I'd like to see them in Madison to feed on the shad over there, too.)

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 Originally Posted By: katoguy

(Just kidding - they are already there, I wouldn't mind seeing more. I'd like to see them in Madison to feed on the shad over there, too.)

Amen!

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I have witnessed ski's from cannon river, straight river, & Roberds lake I'm guessing all from the original stocking of french . I have caught plenty o ski's in my day and no longer target them. Actually I would consider it a nusaince to catch one. so I would have to be against it as well. but whatever

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I knew they were already in there. some huge ones have come out this year. I'm really hoping they get a stocking program out there. muskie lake 3 blocks from my house is a dream come true. get rid of some carp too.

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I think they are actually native to the Cannon river. Not a very big population of course, but I think there are some roaming. I had always heard that one year the hatchery ponds flooded and a few got in the lake that way. Whether it's true or not I don't know.

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Of course some will be washed down or move up, as do the eyes. Are the other lakes in this chain deep enough for cool enough water that the skis prefer?

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I watched a 45" muskie eat a 23" walleye back when I work at Cabela's, just think about that a minute...

put a few thousand in a lake. what do you suppose would happen ?

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Skis are a warmer water fish then a Northerns. Some small Skis have been hooked on Sabre.

I have caught 1 SmBass up stream of Tetonka but I can't see that happening to often. The river was up in August.

If making Tetonka a Ski lake would mean no spearing. I'm all for it.

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 Originally Posted By: luckycrank
I watched a 45" muskie eat a 23" walleye back when I work at Cabela's, just think about that a minute...

put a few thousand in a lake. what do you suppose would happen ?

Yea! BIG MUSKIES!

Oh! I got a weed on my line. No. It came to the surface to fast. It must be a Walleye!

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I have caught a few in the river before about 30-35". Fish have a fun way of getting into lakes from rivers more so when they are flooding in the spring

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Pressure on French is one very good reason to stock the lake. there are a estimated 20-25,000 Muskie Anglers in Southern MN and nothing for lakes to show for it. I'm very exited about these prospects. Muskies Inc Chapter 54 and the Minnesota Muskie Alliance have been working very hard to get some new water in So.MN (we've also become friends with many that 10 years ago we would have all been battling, we're not so different, some of the most common sense guys fish Muskie/Pike in the summer and toss a discriminate spear for a meal in the winter, both groups have individuals that need education and we all accept and work at that)also the DNR has been working hard to find out any negative effects on the 41 introduced lakes with all studies showing no effect or positive effects (the only exception was a lack of a Walleye year class on 2 lakes due to lack of stocking for 2-3 years) after the stocking, Chapter 54 will not support stocking any lakes that are determined by the DNR to not be viable fisheries, MI and the MMA will not seek any spearing bans or restrictions on spearing for NEW Lakes or additional bans on existing waters, I hope we can leave what done done and move forward, Ive never had any negative interactions with Walleye angler on the water while Muskie fishing, Ive had a few run ins with other Muskie fishermen though LOL, if you want numbers of Adult Walleye you want a low density of Muskie in the water, they do a great job of balancing the system.

John Underhill

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 Originally Posted By: luckycrank
I watched a 45" muskie eat a 23" walleye back when I work at Cabela's, just think about that a minute...

put a few thousand in a lake. what do you suppose would happen ?

Might cut down on the number of swimmers and skinny dippers. What can we do about the jetskies???????

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Potato guns work real good on jetskiers. Also, a good population of 40+ skis chomping at their feet, and or a large muskie bait being cast right at them when they zoom 10 feet from your boat. \:D

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Ad Francis to the list. I confident there has been a couple transplanted in there already. Whats a few more?

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Washington is already a tourist atraction as well. Ski's for one Ski's for all.

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 Originally Posted By: Muskiefool
...if you want numbers of Adult Walleye you want a low density of Muskie in the water, they do a great job of balancing the system.

John Underhill

Muskiefool - I was curious if you could expand on this statement a bit. I remember reading studies on Flathead in particular areas of cover, which practically denuded that particular area of fish (aka - "buuurrp). How do muskies (being the biggest and baddest fish in the system) and walleye co-exist well? I'm not trying to start an argument - just curious.

Thanks.

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Last Muskies Inc. meeting I attended, the MN DNR Fishery guy said that Mazaska, Shields, Francis, and Madison were possible candidates for muskie management. Tetonka was mentioned as an idea for a potential muskie lake at that meeting, but he said it was unlikely due to the Cannon River, and the likelyhood that they would spread to other lakes.

LUCKYCRANK... Please help me understand why you would consider catching a muskie a nuisance? Personally, I would consider catching a large dog fish or carp a good time if it gave a good fight. And the muskie that you saw eat a walleye in a tank at Cabela's wasn't in it's natural environment. As far as I know, muskies prefer soft rayed fished, not walleyes. I would be willing to bet that there are several state record muskies swimming in Mille Lacs, and yet this lake is one of the best walleye lakes in the country. How could this be?

No doubt, any new muskie lake to southern MN would bring a lot of pressure to any given lake, but is it a problem if that's what they're targeting? Is it going to effect the walleye fishing? Are muskie fisherman going to be buzzing 20 ft by your boat? All the serious muskie fisherman I know are true sportsmen and care about the fisheries and wildlife habitat.

I would like nothing more than to see more muskie lakes in the area, but those are just my thoughts...

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musky55,

all I am saying is musky fishing lost it's luster in my world I used to target specifically musky and no longer do It because i am bored with it. catch one great that was fun.... but like a carp catch the second,third,fourth,fifth and so on while your fishing walleye thats a p.i.t.a

Wait why were those ski's in with the eyes..? do you suppose it was the shad the walleye where eating..? not likley they where there to eat whatever was eating the shad in this case walleye....

I'm not saying it would be a horrible thing for the stocking of muskie hear in southern mn, in opinion french is over populated with them...and not managed just stocked beyond belief

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Kato, We should have enough time to pay for the skeeter before this actually goes!!!! Hey it might only take a year.... Or 10 crazy.gif You get a boat yet or are you waiting??? Sent the deposit last week so should be ready to go.

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Exactly man. Half the guys that fish French will come over to Tetonka.

I just don't want more pressure on the lake. French does get tons of pressure, lets leave it over there. That lake is pretty much ruined as far as fishing pressure goes past June 1. Like I said, I don't think it will hurt the walleye population or the fishing at all, but it will lead to plump full landings, tons of big rigs zooming all over and people fighting for spots.

Muskies are not native to Southern MN and haven't been here in the past, why do we all of a sudden need bunches of lakes to fish them on?

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