sign at SYLVIA access

[eyepatrol]

I would agree with the others in that I don't think there's a problem with the panfish size & population. The only problem I have with the lake is....you can't get on it anymore! Well, you can, but get there darn early!

This lake used to be my favorite lake to tussel with panfish. Still is in fact, but there's just too much traffic. So I don't fish it anymore. Haven't for 2 years now.

So you guys go and vote for what you feel is right. Make yourself heard and get your vote in. If you don't, then there's no reason to complain. The only complaint I have is not with the fishing, but with the traffic. I think the traffic is there for good, so I find other waters to fish that are less traveled.

That lake used to be nice and quiet though. Used to be you could hear the loons from the opposite side in the middle of the day on the weekend.

[noodlerod]

eyepatrol , you couldnt be more right on the traffic thing , I've been an avid fisherman of the lake for many many years and that is by far the biggest change out there , just the last couple of years it has gotten out of control in the summer , the winter isn't so bad . I'm glad my main opertunaty to fish is from dec to march , in the summer I can only get out once in a while , and then I stick to mon. thru thur. I'm glad to see another agree about the panfish. As it stands now with what i know about the lake I'll be voting yes to everything including the muskies , except for the panfish that will be a no vote unless I see somthing in the report they are working on now that will change my mind.

[eyepatrol]

Yep!

And one thing I've always felt personally, is no matter what lake you're on, it doesn't hurt to keep some of those 6" - 7" bluegills or 8" - 9" crappies. Especially if there is concern of the lake being overpopulated with smaller fish.

Sure, it's a little tougher to fillet those fish, but they taste the same and can do a lake some good by removing them from the system. Don't need to keep the biggest pannies in the lake to have a great meal. Those smaller ones fry up nice and crisp as well....sometimes crispier!

[bassNspear]

there is a reason that its been a very popular lake, clear water and amazing places. There is not any lakes around like it that you can go out, enjoy the awesome looks of the shores and houses, and not be affaid of getting into the lake becuase its so horribly dirty.

[eyepatrol]

Except one year we fished and waterskiid and came home with chiggers or whatever those darn itchy things are!

[mike morris]

Sylvia is fine if you avoid the weekends (if you can). It's absolutely insane during the weekends when everyone is at their cabins and such. The access fills up along with the overflow lot.

I usually don't run into too many people during the week. That's when the fishing is at its best anyway!

Noodlerod is right.. It's not bad in the winter. Unless there is a hot bite and word is spreading across the county, you won't see many fish houses out there.

[fishinalot]

BnS... Though putting a slot and fish limit into place would help Sylvia a lot, the number of fishermen fishing the lake would increase like crazy along with it. If it would turn into the goldmine you're thinking it would, it would develop into the talk of Central Minnesota.

Not true. You will find out the pressure will go down with the drop in limits.

Have been fishing a few lakes that they dropped the limits, and the pressure is gone as well.

[noodlerod]

Not true. You will find out the pressure will go down with the drop in limits.

Have been fishing a few lakes that they dropped the limits, and the pressure is gone as well.

If this were to be true I'd be all for the new limits and restrictions just to fish in peace . And less pressure would mean a better fisherie , correct ??

[fishinalot]

Correct!!

[noodlerod]

AWSOME !!!

[noodlerod]

I think for fathers day I,m going to take my dad and go to a lake in the area were the sunfish limit has been at 5 for a while and see how we do . I heard thru the gapevine I,ll catch a lot of LB size fish !!! we,ll see .

[fishinalot]

Great Idea!! I'm thinking of doing the same.

If you need a few lakes to try out let me know!!

Spell Check:

I,m...I'm

were...where

I,LL...I'll

we,ll...We'll

Just love these posts!!!

[bassNspear]

fiishh, its okk, everyoen maks mistkes

lol

[AceintheHole]

I'ts o'k tooo makke aa mistakees whe alll doit.

[fishinalot]

Hi hearr yah!

[Frank Boling 41]

I get up to MN in the winter to ice fish,I see the panfish bite is good in the summer on this lake, but how is the blue-gill bite in the winter?...I like fishing for walleyes but my true love is fishing for blue-gills.

Thanks.

[noodlerod]

Hey fishnalot gemmee a break I wasn't even done with my first cup of coffee yet !! and besides I KNOW I'M NOT an english major , LOL !!!! I was thinking of trying carneilian or mink/sommers ????

[noodlerod]

If you can find them it's very good !!!

[bassNspear]

thats is right, there is alot of awesome ice fishing here if you can find the fish. There is sooooooo much water for ice fishing, if you get on them and find them, its out of this world.

[noodlerod]

DON'T FORGET TO COME AND VOTE SEPT. 13 11:00-1:00 SOUTHSIDE TOWN HALL !!!!!!

[Gadgetman]

Sorry to get in on this discussions so late, been in Canada fishing. I have to get my .02 cents in on this. I hope this doesnt turn into a long ramble. A number of years ago (5-10) it was proposed to put muskies into the lake. At that time one of the officers of muskies Inc. had a place on the lake(probably still does) and they proposed putting muskies in at that time. Meetings were had and the proposal died. At that time one of the unanswered questions involoved the carrying capacity of the lake. I wouldnt mind muskies in the lake but not at the expense of the walleye population. there is only so much forage in the lake...If indeed there are cisco, herring, whitefish or what ever you want to call them abundantly swimming around in the lake how come we never see them or cathc them. Have you ever cleaned a fish and found one of the above species in the stomach? I havent. What I have found are long pencil thin minnows with a huge eyeball. These minnows are called brook silversides and are believed to be the dominant forage in the lake. They are not nearly as high in fat as ciscos or other minnows and dont contribute as much nutrition as some of the other species of prey fish mentioned earlier. I have caught a number of these minnows and sent them to Paul Diedrich for identification. If you fish the lake very often you have probably seen these swimming around, or picked them up on your graph as a big blob. Muskies do prefer soft rayed fish(suckers etc) but in their absence what do you think they are going to eat? To the best of my knowledge we dont have a large population of soft rayed fish in Sylvia. What do you suppose is the cause of all the hammer handle northerns in the lake? Could be lack of a protected slot, could be lack of forage, could be a number of things. I dont think that introducing another predator at the top of the food chain is going to help the situation at all. I personally would prefer to not have muskies put in the lake. As for the panfish slot I cant see that we have a sunfish problem, other than possibly too many on the smaller end of the spectrum, and I suspect that the solution to them is to get people to take them home with them. I have noticed a decline in the size of the crappie population in the last 15 years and would contribute that to angler pressure. OK rant over, sorry

[zzz]

very nice lake put slot size on the lake

[chris63]

There is a small population of Tulibee in sylvia.The DNR did a study specifically for tulibees just before ice up in 2001 and captured three fish.(not a ton but they are present).In the 1970's they stocked Twin/sylvia(now renamed east/west sylvia)with muskies,the last known/reported catch was as recent as 1996.So,when people are saying"keep the muskies out"ooppss to late........just food for thought info is from the DNR lake finder info page.c63

[bassNspear]

either way, great lake, and slots would help.

[Gadgetman]

I'm aware that they put muskies in nearly 40 years ago but they didnt "take" and I am sure that they are pretty much all dead now. In the 20 years I have lived and fished on the lake I have never heard of anybody catching one. I have nothing against muskies, I just dont want them at the expense of the walleyes!

[bassNspear]

I agree. I dont think this lake needs to have them IMO. Im sure it might help the lake in some way shape or form, but i dont think alot of the people that spend alot of time on this lake would like it.

[noodlerod]

There was a big write-up in the St.Cloud Times today about the proposed changes on sylvia and a couple other lakes in the area if anyone is interested. dont forget to come and vote on the 13th of sept.

[candiru]

If you ask me, it is just an attempt by lakeowners associations to discourage people from fishing "their" lake. I don't want to see the DNR caving to these groups.

[rockman]

What is an attempt by lakeshore owners? Please elaborate.The DNR meeting is standard practice by the state of MN for public input of the proposed changes. Everyone is entitled to an opinion,whether anyone else agrees with it, or not.

[candiru]

If you look on earlier pages of this thread, this proposal does come from the Lake Sylvia Association. I have also heard of this type of proposal in other lakes, also coming from the lake associations. I look at that as selfish on the part of these associations. I really don't think that every lake in MN needs its own special regs. and this type of complex regulations is not in the overall best interest of the sport of fishing. If limits need to be reduced, do it across the board. Save the special regs. for "significant" lakes.