Wakanda and Big Kandi

[delta hunter]

Anyone been having any success at all lately on either of these lakes. Looking at heading that way this weekend. Any info would be helpful.

[slurpie]

Wakanda had a freeze off go to big kandiyohi.

[MinnEyes]

Thanks to the DNR and it's poor management of the Aeration system on Wakanda..All the good fishing is gone!

[pulsar_nx]

I've always herd that airiation systems were operated by lake associations and sportsmen's clubs.

[jentz]

Was the freeze out this yeAR? I know it froze out in the past few years.Its been restocked since.2012 2013 freeze out??

[mulefarm]

There should never been an areration system installed. Wagonga and the chain of smaller lakes it attaches to should be designated as shallow water lakes. They should be allowed to freeze out. Lakes like this use to be major stops for waterfowl and people wonder why waterfowl hunting has declined so much. Not every lake needs to have walleye in it!

[King Canada]

Historically all those lakes were able to hold approximately 5' more water before ditching and tiling. The Grass Lake Basin at the south end of Willmar should be restored to act as a buffer for the storm water that surges down through the system.

[RumRiverRat]

Walleyes have ruined a lot of lakes near Willmar.

[gwiff100]

HA!

do elaborate...

[RumRiverRat]

HA!

do elaborate...

Not every lake needs walleyes.

Why waste time with Wakanda and all those shallow lakes stocking fish in them?

Let them freeze out, kill the rough fish and watch water quality dramatically improve amd eventually the duck hunting will be better.

The MN DNR and the Almighty Walleye are responsible for more wetland degradation in this state, second only to farmers.

[gwiff100]

and how would you like the MnDNR and Farmers to fix this problem for you? Other than not stocking shallow lakes? Should we go MAKE all the birds fliy further east? Quit using the Missouri flyway and come back to mn? Im not a huge duck hunter by any means but I also see MANY sloughs in the area that are NOT stocked nor tiled out and the # of ducks still has declined....

IF you are really that bothered by what the waterfowl are doing I suggest getting involved with your local Ducks unlimited.

And don't throw farmers under the bus or this is going to open a whole can of worms.

[RumRiverRat]

It is all about water quality.

I can remember huge rafts of divers on Big Kandi 10 to 15 years ago.

Does not happen now because of poor water quality and degradation of wetlands and small lakes in Western MN.

The small sloughs and lakes like Wakanda and Little Kandi should be allowed to freeze out

Massive runoff from wilmar and farms along with the DNR stocking walleyes and bait dealers converting small ponds to minnow rearing tanks has ruined much of the habitat in Kandiyohi County

[chub]

It is all about water quality.

The small sloughs and lakes like Wakanda and Little Kandi should be allowed to freeze out

Massive runoff from wilmar and farms along with the DNR stocking walleyes and bait dealers converting small ponds to minnow rearing tanks has ruined much of the habitat in Kandiyohi County

Yup.

As to the person that said the water levels in those lakes were "historically" higher, I'd be curious to hear where you get your information. I can assure you with Little Kandi, and Wakonga at least, the water levels have been considerably higher since the new dam was installed under Cty rd 8 on south side of Little Kandi, back in the 80's.

[King Canada]

By historically higher I mean the original surveys in the 1800s show the level of Big Kandiyohi to be 5' higher. The difference in elevation between all these lakes is very slight. The Dakota used the name Kandiyohi to refer to all these lakes south of Willmar. I have read that before 1900 in the spring sail boats could travel from Lake Lillian to Willmar. I think my sources are on the bookshelf on the Island. I'll pull them out the next time I'm there.

[MinnEyes]

Sounds like a pretty interesting argument between those who enjoy hunting and those who enjoy fishing! Back in the 80's and early 90's when the duck hunting was great on wakanda, you would see approx. 5 or 6 groups out there hunting on all private land any given weekend. When the fishing was great the last few years, you could count 40-75 fish houses on the lake! Seems to me alot more people get to enjoy this public resource when the lake is stocked well and managed correctly!

[chub]

Seems to me alot more people get to enjoy this public resource when the lake is stocked well and managed correctly!

Managed correctly being the key phrase. Wasting money stocking shallow duck sloughs with walleyes, and letting the rough fish thrive is a splendid idea!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

It's funny how shallow lakes and sloughs all over SD can hold great fish populations, yet also offer great duck hunting as well. I would say that is a lot better example of "proper management" than what MN offers up in the way of shallow lakes management. I can't remember the last time while fishing a lake in MN that I had shrimp come up the hole when drilling. Whereas in SD, it's routine to have shrimp and other bugs come up the hole. MN could learn from how SD stocks these shallow waters. Monitor water level and invest in fish stocking during high water, but allow for winter kill to keep undesirable fish numbers low. Instead, there are too many bodies of water that have water levels unnaturally maintained, coupled with aeration, allow for the bullheads, carp, and fatheads to propagate and dominate the fishery, which also evaporates the food supply for the ducks. The walleye is indeed king in MN, at the expense of a lot of other possible benefits.

[chub]

It's a pretty complicated concept... Lol

I'm sure the dNr would need to do a twenty year study on it.

These lakes rebound fairly quick with a hard winter kill.

[mulefarm]

I would say a big reason why Mn doesn't have the fresh water shrimp amd other bugs is the water quality of are shallow water lakes. With more and more tiling in SD and ND, I would say it is a matter of time before their shallow lakes look like ours.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

I would say a big reason why Mn doesn't have the fresh water shrimp amd other bugs is the water quality of are shallow water lakes. With more and more tiling in SD and ND, I would say it is a matter of time before their shallow lakes look like ours.

But the Hefty Bros just said on "Ag PHD" the other morning that drain tile releases "drinking quality" water.

[hamrej23]

Ever see water coming out of a tiled field?

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Ever see water coming out of a tiled field?

Sure. Have plenty of tile on our land. I've offered the Culligan man numerous times that he can fill up the tanker at the tile outlets. He's never taken me up on it though.

[RumRiverRat]

Managed correctly being the key phrase. Wasting money stocking shallow duck sloughs with walleyes, and letting the rough fish thrive is a splendid idea!

The almighty Walleye has destroyed many shallow lakes in MN.

Walleye are an invasive species in many lakes.

MN residents and the MN DNR have an unhealthy obsession with Walleyes.

The Walleye stocking program is a huge waste of money considering some the sewers and potholes masquerading as lakes that the DNR chooses to stock.

[Greenhornet84]

Ya much rather eat some mud ducks maybe there almighty because it's what the majority of people like to chase and eat.

[mulefarm]

What are mud ducks? Coots?

[RoosterRedneck]

I guess I'm not sure about Big Kandi that lake has been a fair walleye lake for many years. Wakanda on the other hand, Little kandi, Kasota flipping die out every other year it seems like. Instead of stocking those lakes go put the fish in Green, Diamond, etc. and stop wasting money on trying to keep fish alive were I guess they just weren't meant to be.

[mulefarm]

Any guess when the ice will go out?

[King Canada]

April 20th

[jentz]

Dwn2earth,You must have looked at stocking records?? I looked at them earlier today, spring itches!!! Lake finder the DNR site below the find a lake is stocking records.I checked the county lakes from 2008 to present.They sure dump lots of fish in BigKandi and wakanda.All the populated lakes get heavy stocking. It blew me away on the years and numbers and Bigkandi geta every specie.Where would the lake be without all that stocking$$$$$ WOW thats it just WOW!!

[erikwells]

The stocking efforts make little sense to me. They pile the fish in some while they stopped stocking walleyes in lakes like Games 2 years ago? They will continue to pile them into duck sloughs only to watch them freeze out every 2-3 years. Seem's senseless to me but what do I know?