Muskies on Green!!!

[SlimN'Grizzly]

I do the creel census on green and have done it for two years. Ive seen more muskies this year than before. They have ranged from 20 to 47 inches so they are obviously reproducing. I agree that it would be fun to see muskies stocked into Nest but I dont think that public interest will support this as much as one might think. Once you mention muskies, the local walleye anglers will speak up. If you look at the controversy that has been caused on green because of the SMB, its probably not in the best interest of the DNR to stock Muskies right now! They are not "letting the WAE population go". It is of great concern but there are alot of factors that come into play. This year, weather being the main one in my opinion. FYI, muskies have been caught from 30+ feet of water on green, on lindys and crawlers much less. So you never know what to expect!

[topraider]

I never would fish green lake ever until i saw this post on muskie's. i live right by Fox lake in sherburn and have plenty of good muskie fishing here. but i now have my eyebrow raised to green lake and the monsters that swim in it.it is good to see all the support on muskies in green lake because there is a cult to destroy muskies in fox lake. they are saying that the skie's have killed all the walleye and all the crappies leaving only rough fish. that is B.S. much respect to the fisherman i share the lake with and i understand there fustration when they cant catch a nice fish. but muskie's dont gobble a lake to nothing. as for the walleye's and panfish i dont think the muskies make much of a dent in there population. i have seen the carp netter's out and what they bring in those nets is awsome. lots of big eye's a huge pannie's. so they are in there and alive and healthy. i hope muskie stocking can get going on green that is a very large body of aqua and could support the big girls.

p.s just because you like to eat walleye's dont meen the muskie's do to

[Muskie Treats]

Rino your part right. The DNR does have Green on the list and are waiting until the smally study is done. I know several of the DNR fisheries managers and Green will be "officially" stocked in the next 10 years, maybe 5.

As far as adding new waters, the DNR plans to add up to 5 new lakes in southern MN in the next couple years (hopefully starting next year). They're looking at the Cannon Flowage, Tatonka, and a couple more (don't have my notes with me.

I'm in charge of the stocking efforts for the Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies Inc and we've talked to the DNR about starting Green in the past. As it stands now, Koronis has already gone through the approval process (a couple years ago) and would be the first to get stocked. For everyone that wants to get a muskie fishery going in that area I think Koronis would be the easiest to get going.

I do love Green though. I used to spend my summers out there with my grandparents on the west side (next to the log cabin).

Lots and lots of suckers/red horse out there for muskies to eat. What has been found is that once muskies are introduced into a lake that has a large population of sucker, the walleye population increases. This is because the muskies reduce the sucker population that feeds on the walleye roe in the spring. Look at Mille Lac. Once the muskies really got going the walleye fishing picked up. Something to battle the "meat hunters" with next time they say the muskies are eating all "their" walleyes.

Shawn Kellett
VP Twin Cities Chapter MI

[LEECH21]

Pulled this girl in a month a ago. What a fight!!!

[topraider]

Leech was that fish caught on green lake cause if it was that fish has some awsome color wow love that fish. what did you get it on. LOL

[LEECH21]

I actually got her in Lake Waconia in August. It was my first musky and all I can say is...WOW! These fish are incredible. I believe that most of the people out there that are opposed to muskies in Green, probably have never caught a musky before. Ever since my first, I've had "musky fever". It would be nice to just drive ten minutes for a shot at a ski instead of an hour and a half.

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[LocalGuide]

LEECH21 I know what you mean. I haven't caught a Muskie yet, but I have caught some nice pike out of both Nest and Green. And them fish are Fun to catch!
One of these days I really want to catch a Muskie out of one of these lakes b/c it would be so cool.
I like to fish for walleyes more than pike/muskies. But if I got to drive 4 blocks (from dads place) to Green and fish Skis that would be awesome.

Next year I'm going to college in Bemidji. So since the campus is right on the lake, there will be lots of fishing going on. And probably since I'm up there I will also get hooked on Muskie fishing and I'm hoping to catch a few. So if green lake would get stocked I would be all for it.

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And keep those hooks sharp!

[EsoxCop]

My buddy caught and released a 37 inch Muskie on Green the 29th of October. It was his first Muskie ever, and he didn't have to drive an hour to get it. We need to get the lake stocked.

[jigginjim]

Be careful on what you wish for. Alot of people are

not real happy with the smallies starting to over run the walleye spots. On lake Harriet in minneapolis the muskies have eaten the walleyes down to the point that you only catch 1-2 fish out all day. Nest or long lakes may be a better option.

[goose89]

jiggin jim, are the muskies also to blame for the low walleye count in Nokomis?? 7-8 yrs ago it was a decent walleye lake. there are a few muskies in it, but not as many as Harriet. it's pretty easy going around blaming muskies for all the low walleye pops. there's plenty of large lakes like green that support decent walleye & muskie populations. I think there are many more factors for Harriets low walleye pop. than the muskies, IMHO. I think Green should, in time maybe, after some of the studies are done, be part of a muskie stocking program.

later. goose

[LocalGuide]

In My Opinion,

I think Green Lake can handle Muskies in it. But lakes like Nest I'm not so sure thats a good deal. In the fall I would almost consider Nest a Trophy Pike lake. I have caught a few really nice pike out of there in the last few years. This year I had a really good opener for walleye fishing. I think Nest is just a lake that starting to come around and be something good again. Having Muskies stocked with the forage available in the lake I would tend to think there would be some competition for food going on. Then who knows what could happen for fishing.

Green Lake on the other hand is more "unbalanced" I suppose you could say. It has a great small mouth population in it with a lot of trophy sized fish. The walleyes are out there and pretty spread out (year class wise), just not a ton of them like smallies. Pike are still there with a few and far in-between. And Sunfish/Perch/rockbass are pretty much the main forage in the lake and there is a lot available.

The past year I have noticed better fishing for walleyes finally. But the pike have still been kind of scarce, the ones I have c&r have been nice about 5lb avg. Dad caught one this year that was about 15lbs out there. So they have definitely grown and I think they are starting to come around too.

I think in the future, about 5 years or so down the road, Green lake would be a perfect candidate for stocking muskies in it. With the looks of people catching some now, being either 30" or 40 something inches. There appears to be some natural reproduction going on. Having its size, forage, and structure I think the lake could handle them fine.

[Guest]

Muskies are not to blame for the demise of walleye in lakes and neither are the smallies.

Yes, smallies do move walleye off of spots, but the walleye just find new spots, either suspended or deeper. Walleye is the last thing on a muskies list of desired food.

I also think Green, as well as numerous other lakes in Minnesota would be very good muskie lakes if the DNR chose to stock them. The biggest hurdle is the lake associations and the public who are misinformed about muskies in general. Old wives tales do nothing but confuse people of the facts and realities of muskies and or smallmouth.

[Guest]

One more thing to add....

Nest has had muskies for almost 20 years due to the infamous stock pond goof-up. Many have been harvested I'm sure by people who thought they were Pike. So to say Nest wont handle them, they have for quite some time already.

[LEECH21]

Well said Tom!

[LocalGuide]

Oh yeah, both Nest and Green Lake have had muskies in them for a long time. But is there a lake in minnesota that cant handle some stray muskies that already has walleye, pike, bass, panfish?

Well its pretty obvious that the smallies pushed walleyes into different spots on Green Lake. Thats why people have been complaining about not catching them as much. The fish have adapted now we need to.

Also doesnt a lot of it have to do with the amout of forage available? Green has a lot! I have taken my underwater camera down there and have seen huge schools of small perch and rock bass. They are all over. On Nest there isnt as much forage as Green. Or maybe that is because they become part of the food chain right away?

Not sure, its just one of those things that you can sit and ponder about while out fishing next time.

[jigginjim]

Guys don't get me worry about muskies in green lake. If the

lake could handle it, I would be all for it. I'll try to talk with DNR guys I know in the area and get more info about muskies in it. I'm getting my info from other well known people who fish many of this lakes and also have resorts on lakes with muskies in them.

I have talked with resort owners on Mille Lacs. Some say the smallies move into the shallows push out the walleyes from the normal spawning areas. The smallies tnen feed on the young walleyes. Or thats the belief.

This summer I guided people on metro area lakes for muskies and done real well. In fact, I had a nice musky get off along side my boat while fishing on green lake. The muskies are really fun. Almost like some salt water fish I have caught. I hope some day green lake can produce the large pike I remember as a young man growing up in New London. I had water all around my house in town 1 block from the hatchery. Seen some of the fish That U.S. fish and wildlife had taken from green lake for the hatchery.

[Guest]

Jim,

Often times people blame the fish and not themselves. Take Lake Alexander for an example. People blamed the muskies for eating all the walleye, but at the same time they would say that they used to go out every night and catch their limit...hmmmm..lets see, you go out every night and take your limit.....gee, I guess we can't blame ourselves, better blame a fish for the lack of walleye in your lake.

I do agree that smallies do push walleye off of spots, but the walleye do adapt and move to other areas. Green lake is FULL of eyes...you just need to look in different areas and use different tactics.

There are other reasons as well as to decline in numbers, but to blame muskies for the decline in walleye is reaching a bit. Look at some of the best walleye lakes in the state...most of them have muskies as well.

[LEECH21]

Mille Lacs being one of them. Filled with walleyes and also filled with a lot of HUGE muskies!

[jigginjim]

I spoke with one of the DNR people in Spicer. He told me "Green Lake has an over abundance of smallmouth, and can not handle beening stocked with muskies. The fish that are there came from the ponds in New London. The gates that drain the rearing ponds into the crow river had broken on 2 ponds releasing some of those fish into the river that feeds nest and green lakes." In 2006 smallmouth limits will likely change to try being the smallies in control again. He also added there are no future plans for stocking muskies in green lake. Saying"it would throw the food chain balance out of control."

[LEECH21]

Out of control??? I don't think they know what they're doing. They now made the smallmouth bass population out of control! I love to catch the huge smallies, don't get me wrong. But, its sure becoming tough to find a good sized pike or some nice walleyes now a days on Green.

[LocalGuide]

Well yeah who wouldnt say they are not out of control? Of course there is a ton of smallies in Green out numbering anyother fish out there. But the fish that were there before that are still there. Just got pushed out of the well known/traditional spots on Green by the smallies.

This year my Dad caught a 38.5" Pike out there. Couple years before that we caught a 37" Pike. I have caught a lot of Pike near the 30" mark every year trolling. In the winter Ive known a few people that have caught some really nice walleyes (26"-28"). This summer I caught a fair share of 14"-22" eyes. I havent broke that 22" mark yet on Green and my goal is to catch one eye over 28" sometime. Now catching these things has been tough too, dont get me wrong! Lots night/day fishing, lots of scouting w/camera, and it all amounts to time on the water.

The fish are still there, just give it time and the lake will open up again. It kind of amazing with all the smallies in the lake that the amount of bait fish doesnt decrease. I will still say that this year while using my camera I have seen so many 3"-6" perch and rockbass its unreal. Its no wonder some days I go out there and catch nothing, they are already full from feasting 24/7 on bait fish.

[Guest]

Hey Jim, just an FYI...

Those gates diddnt break, they goofed up and drained the wrong pond, now they say they broke to cover their own arse's...LOL

If they made the smallies fair game out there for harvest, I will almost be willing to bet that that lake will be all but fished out of smallies in a few years.

I'd like to see anything under 13" with only 1 over 21", then the trophies will still be there but there will be room for some harvest.

[jigginjim]

Tom the current reg's are all smalies between 14" and 21" be released with only 1 over 21" allowed in possession.

I know someone hosed -up on those gates. As a kid we always walked around the rearing ponds feeding frogs to the bass.

You have to turn this 18" wheel to lift the gates, back in the 70's I would help a couple guys work around the gates draining or filling the ponds.

[Guest]

Jim,

Did they hint to what the new regs would be?

[jigginjim]

No, he just said there is one more year on the special reg's then in 2006 the reg's will be more liberal.

Back to the old rules maybe. How that most of the resorts have closed the smallies may last longer.

I remember several years ago the resort owner would tell people how to find the smallies. The people staying at the resort would then go out and catch limit after limit.

Easy fish to catch and put in the fry pan.