Walleye Regs

[ShoepacSally]

Restricted walleye regulations extended on Namakan Reservoir

Experimental walleye fishing regulations on lakes Kabetogama, Namakan, Sand Point, Crane and Little Vermilion are being extended for another six years.

Updated: January 29, 2013 - 8:54 PM

Experimental walleye fishing regulations on lakes Kabetogama, Namakan, Sand Point, Crane and Little Vermilion are being extended for another six years.

The regulation, which requires anglers to release all walleyes from 17 to 28 inches, was put in place in 2007 and reviewed in 2012. Normally, a special regulation remains in effect for 10 years, but in this case a shortened timeframe for review was agreed upon when the regulation began.

"The walleye fishery has responded well to the current regulation," said Kevin Peterson, Department of Natural Resources area fisheries supervisor in International Falls, in a statement. "Walleye numbers have stabilized or increased on all the lakes, and so has the abundance of fish over 17 inches.

"Extending the current regulation will allow these benefits to continue and provide additional time for us to evaluate its long-term effectiveness."

The DNR held a public input meeting last September 2012. And there was " public support for staying the course," Peterson said. Another regulation review will be done in six years.

[unilder]

Thanks for update, I liked the news that the slot was not going to change.

[Basswood]

This is good news. We have been fishing Crane and Sand Point every year since 2007, and it seems like every year, the fishing is better than the year before. Apparently, the limits are working very well. Good decision by the DNR.

[Xplorer]

Thank you! I imagine these will be for another 5 year period up to 2017. Keeping the regs the same as Rainy makes things so much easier for enforcement and consistentcy.

I've averaged 20 days per summer since the year before the initial slot went in (1997) and the walleye fishing has been improving all along.

Kudos to the committee on this one.

[SledNeck]

rather see it at 18 and rainy at 19

[live-2-fish]

The slot has not worked that great on Kab

[Farley]

I disagree. The problem of the fish "being too big" is a problem I'm happy to have.

[h8go4s]

The slot has not worked that great on Kab

"The walleye fishery has responded well to the current regulation," said Kevin Peterson, Department of Natural Resources area fisheries supervisor in International Falls, in a statement. "Walleye numbers have stabilized or increased on all the lakes, and so has the abundance of fish over 17 inches."

So.... what data do you have that conflicts with the DNR data? Just the facts, please.

[magnum mike]

I disagree. The problem of the fish "being too big" is a problem I'm happy to have.

+1

[bubs02]

While catching "fish being to big" can be fun, it makes for an empty frying pan. I'm only going on my own experience over the last few years on Kab, the fish you can keep are hard to come by. I like to eat fish as much as catch them. Call me a neandrathal.

[live-2-fish]

I went to the DNR meeting in Orr after the 10 year mark of the slot, I think it was 2007. The DNR said Kab was in the worst shape since they have been keeping records. Also the lake was out of balance with a lot of male walleyes. They said we are not have very good year classes coming, can't figure out why the young of the year keep vanishing.

You should go to the DNR web sight and look up Kab in the lake finder and read the DNR survey on Kab. They still don't know why they have such low recruitment. They put died fry in Kab from vermilion to see of those would survive.

The test net from the DNR before the slot were always 10 to 12 and sometimes higher, now they are in the 8 range.

In Kevin Peterson's statement he was talking about the Namakan res. as a hole, not specific to Kab. I agree that Namakan and east are doing good,

those cold dark deep lake to the east are different then kab. Ask Kevin to make a statement specific to Kab.

I've been fishing Kab since 1988, and have my own opinion on why the slot isn't working on Kab, but that would not be fact.

[fishkab]

Kabetogama regs.

The purpose of the slot was really two fold. One was to increase the catch rate and also increase the size of the fish. Both of those things have been accomplished with the slot. At the meeting last fall here at Kab. The overwhelming number of people were definitely in favor of continuing the current regs and were very happy with the work of our area DNR fisheries people.

The fishng the last few summers has been very good to outstanding both in numbers of eaters and size. Lots of fish for the pan and lots for the camera. If you are finding something different, maybe you need to figure out what techniques work for different times of the year.

The reason the slot stays at 17 inches is, generally a high number of fish over that length are fish that are spawners. We don't want those fish harvested.

Finally, of you only fish the lake a couple of times a year, there are lots of factors that affect the bite. Wind, temps, hatches, fronts, etc all play into the bite. The folks who fish the lake often find overall wonderful days and great fishing. It is hard to have folks judge the fishng unless you put in the time. Remember this is a great lake.

Fishkab, proudly fishing Kab for over 60 years!

[Dock Boy]

Nicely put Fishkab!! In a few weeks I'll be catching 40-60 4-7 pound fish off the dock. Not sure why anyone would complain about that and a few weeks after that the eaters come in! Not to mention the scenery is as good as the fishing!

[live-2-fish]

Off to big stone for the walleye opener. I'll reply to your post when I get back to my computer.

[bluewater2]

I'm still not sure if the reg. help or not,but me and my husband have been coming up to Kab. for one week a year for about 5 years and the regs. do not stop us from eating fish when we want.You can keep saugers and they taste the same.

We are coming up and staying at a different Resort then we did last year and I'm sure, with the advise you get from the resorts and your willing to work at it you will get enough fish to cook.

This year we would like to look for crappies just to try something different. But what ever happens the scenery is out standing.Can't wait to get up there.

[SledNeck]

I fish kab all the time and Id rather see it at 18". Lots of fish caught right on 17" last year.

[Xplorer]

I dont think you will see different slots for the group (Kab, Rainy, Namakan,Sand Point, Crane) ever again. I remember talking with a certain retired DNR LEO about the issues of having a different slot on Rainy than on the other lakes. He said it made it very difficult with the number of boats that portage over at Kettle Falls, especially in later summer when east end Rainy reefs got crankin, and Kab/Nam had the "one over 23" slot.

We had a great year for eaters last year, one of our best ever. But we do fish Nam almost exclusively, unless we portage to Rainy.

[Farley]

I fish kab all the time and Id rather see it at 18". Lots of fish caught right on 17" last year.

same here. But we always seem to get a meal and take some home sometimes, so I guess I would love to see it moved to 18" but wouldnt really bother me either way.

[Xplorer]

Thing is all those 17 1/8" 'ers last year are now going to be 18 1/4" this year, so they would still be out of an 18" slot

Nam had a great batch of 16" fish last year for us, but I'm guessing those will be "just over" slots this year. Oh well, they ran the gauntlet for a few years, they can make some more now for the future.

[jay83196]

Go to cub if you want to eat fish! Be cheaper than the bait and gas!

[Xplorer]

Some of us dont need to go to cub for fish, we can catch FRESH ones for the frypan.

Some folks kids, sheesh!

[live-2-fish]

Any comments on the 2012 DNR survey results for Kab?

You can read the report on the DNR web site under Lake Finder.

[live-2-fish]

Paragraph from 2012 DNR report:

"The 2006 Walleye year class has driven much of the harvest fishery on Kabetogama in the past couple of years (Vondra 2012), and made its mark as the first strong year-class of walleyes to recruit to the gill nets since the 2001 year-class did so in 2004. Aside from the two very strong year-classes in 2001 and 2006, every year-class from 1999 through 2009 appears to be very weak. Preliminary data suggests 2010 and 2011 will also be weak. If the 2010 and 2011 year classes do in fact recruit to the fishery as weak year classes, it will mark the longest gap between strong year-classes in Lake Kabetogama in its history. This is likely to create a void of harvestable size fish available to the anglers in the next few years as a majority of individual fish from the 2006 year-class now appear to have grown into the slot. Thirty-two of 44 fish caught in the gill nets in 2012 (73%) from the 2006 year-class were 17 inches or longer."

[live-2-fish]

No comments?

[bubs02]

I don't get up there as much as I used too, but I would concur with that assessment. It is not as healthy a fishery as it used to be. I'm not a trophy fisherman, I just want to go out and catch dinner. I have to say it is not an easy thing to do anymore. You seem to have to go through a lot of fish to find some to keep, and it's been going on for years. My family used to come up for camping trips for nearly 30 years and we always were able to have a nice fish fry. That stopped about 10 years ago. There have been times where weather was a factor and that has always happened. I think the slots aren't working here the way they thought. Used to be a guy would go out and you would keep whatever your personal size of fish you wanted and go home. Now you're stuck targeting a certain size fish and there are less fish.

[bubs02]

Cont: I think lowering limits but keep different sized fish so we aren't keying in on a certain size might work better. I am not a biologist or a professional fisheries person but what is happening isn't working in my opinion. I'm sure I'll be opening up a can of worms but that's all I have to say about that.

[SledNeck]

Its true. I catch wayyyy more fish 17+ than under.

[Lostbay]

I think the slot has worked just fine. Fishing the past 6 years has been very good overall on kab. Granted this year is a bit slower but it's really been a strange year weather wise that may have some impact. In addition compared to 3-4 years ago and the great fishing then, it would be hard not to tail off a bit some years. I know the shallower I fish, the bigger the average fish. So when we look for eaters we usually go quite a bit deeper. If all else fails there is a great class of Saugers that sure taste great. It seems for whatever reason kab has difficulty having good or great year classes on a regular basis. And right now there are two dominant year classes. At least when there is a good group, it seems to provide great fishing for several years. I know ice fishing the past few years I've caught many walleyes less than 11", which is a good sign down the road.

I'm not an expert but I believe the slot has really helped kab and the lake is still a great fishery.

[Xplorer]

Look at the survey date. Then go and read the report for Namakan which was done at the same time. Reads like night and day, nam is in wonderful shape while Kab is is down the tubes. I believe fish move between the lakes constantly.and depending on when a survey is done makes a big difference. Fishing has been great again this year for me and my family, lots of nice eaters and a good mix of others. My .02 ...