2020 Alexandria-Miltona area Fishing Reports ( Lake conditions)

[scsavre]

He was with a guide, not his fault... if there is even fault to be had. So seems like you guys wouldnt be mad if the guide was keeping his fish too, either way they are dead according to you guys.

12" is small, so hopefully there werent many of those.

Also i know of many people all over the country that fish walleyes that deep. I have read a few studies that show the rate of mortality to be no more than fishing in lets say 20-24' of water.

What ever happened to a guy being able to go out and catch a few walleyes for the fry pan, seems like you get yelled at for doing what you are suppose to.

[carpmanjake]

WWIII? Not even close, Jake's always pushing the envelope when it comes to fishing.

no no no. its u walleye worshipers that get so worked up and start jumping to conclusions

[elkrivermn]

Dead fish are like dead people when the carcass starts to decay it causes the buggers to float to the top of the water. If it were the case that fish were dying that were caught in deep water and released I believe that the DNR would use a different system then the one they currently are. But hey kids thats just My opinion!

[hamrej23]

Jeez I would of had lots of limits if I kept 12 inchers.

Im glad Im a 14+ guy though. Those foot longers are too small to keep and I'm no Strictly walleye guy.

Ufda

[Z-520]

Don't worry guys the DNR will just stock more in there next year to make up for all the ones that got taken out by the people who just follow the crowds. It may take a few years but the action will pick up and the crowds will be back.

[fishinphilth]

All of your personal habits and standards are great, but why attack and ridicule someone for fishing well within the laws. If I am correct it doesnt say anything about how deep you can and cant fish. Just because someone is catching fish and not to your own standards there is no reason for you to criticize him. Does it meet my standards, no, but I dont care as long as he caught them with in the laws.

Nice catch Jake and thanks for sharing.

[HossFisher]

Instead of jumping all over the kid how about we try and be informative and teach. Its obvious by reading his posts that he has a passion for fishing and for the outdoors. Some of you guys on here have 20-30+ years of water experience than the younger generations and i'm sure have more knowledge than I will ever have about fishing. Instead of ridiculing how about we try to educate.

Jake, catching fish on the lakes this time of year is something to be proud of. Just look at the walleye photos thread, it's completely hijacked by the river fisherman.

[EyeGuide]

Quote: “He was with a guide, not his fault...”

He wasn't with a guide. Chad is a local fisherman that just took Jake out. Most guides in the area know the ramifications of fishing deep and would NEVER teach a customer to do so. Instead we would show them how to locate fish that are feeding in shallow or shallower water where we can comfortably catch and release fish all day long.

Quote: ” Dead fish are like dead people when the carcass starts to decay it causes the buggers to float to the top of the water.”

Well there's not too much decomposing going on in 40deg water, so no they won't float. Hence the reason it took until Spring for the poor Muskie fisherman to surface on MilleLacs last year. They would float come the following summer, but they're long gone be then.

Quote: “not how slow he cranked his up. i kept all mine since i cranked them up faster”

Fact reeling fish up slow doesn’t help. In fact it’s harder on the fish. When a fish is caught it tries to hold itself together. They cannot expel the air that fast enough even if you reel slow. Have you ever put a healthy looking fish in the live well and then check on it 10 minutes later and the bladder is poking out its mouth? This Is because it couldn’t hold its bladder in any longer.

Quote: “they are eaters, not small. 12"+”

The size of these fish out deep are barely 12", maybe a 13” here or there. You will also catch plenty of 8”-12” fish that you’ll be forced to keep. If you fished shallower your average fish would be a lot closer 15”-16”, with a nice mix of bigger 16”-19” fish. The larger fish are simply not located in those deep holes on Miltona in the Fall. I’ve found large schools of fish in 30FOW or less that are almost all 15”+. As for where… literally all over the lake. You just need to have the will power to leave 10” fish to go search for them.

Quote: “but I dont care as long as he caught them with in the laws.”

No moral standards? Shooting a deer at 200yds running is legal but is it ethical? Fishing deep is very similar. You are killing at least half the fish reeled in without knowing how big they are. Legal?? Yes. Moral? I can’t believe anyone would think so. If you want to fish deep that’s fine. I just hope you catch your 6 dinks and get off the lake.

Quote: “I have read a few studies that show the rate of mortality to be no more than fishing in lets say 20-24' of water.”

I pulled the data below from another site. I’d be interested to see a published article that states otherwise.

[Field Science-Minnesota Department of Natural Resources biologists at Rainy Lake, where many walleyes are caught from 30 to 50 feet of water in late summer and fall, gathered data to gauge fishing mortality.*

From July through September, volunteer anglers that landed a walleye from deep water called a chase boat to transport it to holding cages that extended from the surface as deep as 56 feet. Fish were measured and dropped in at the surface, simulating anglers releasing walleyes within the protected slot limit. Anglers reported fishing depth and method, handling time and other factors. Cages were monitored for 120 hours.

In total, 31 percent of the 319 experimental walleyes died. Walleyes caught in 30 feet of water had about an 8 percent chance of perishing--fish from 40 feet 18 percent mortality, and fish from 50 feet 35 percent mortality. For each additional 10 feet of depth, mortality roughly doubled. Experimental handling time was an additional factor, with linger handling increasing the likelihood of mortality.

If anyone has further questions about the consequences of fishing deep I’d be more than happy to help. Fishing shallow will allow you to safely catch nicer fish all day long instead of killing MANY MANY fish just to find six, 12"-13” fish to keep. Together we can inform others to make good decisions and help keep our wonderful fisheries healthy. Even if fishing deep isn’t technically illegal we can still choose to do the right thing. Thanks Joe

Here's a client with a nice bunch of 16"-19" fish caught shallow in 10-25FOW.

Picture fish.

[scsavre]

If people are going to be so particular, you could argue pretty much everything. Like your pictured fish. Arent you taking out larger fish, where if females would have much more and successful spawn/eggs than the 12inchers would have.

Also i cant tell how big the larger walleye is, but in your post you state that time out of the water was also a factor for mortality. To me that fish looks plenty big enough where i would let it go. Does taking the time to get camera out, pose, focus, etc increase the fishes chance of dying? then wouldnt you be putting that fish at risk and being what you say unethical?

I am just making the point (not really criticizing for the pics) that people shouldnt be so hard on what looks to be just a young man. Teach and educate first, if that doesnt work, yell away.... i guess. You can pick something out of everyones game plan that you might think is unethical. I now spend most of my time musky fishing, so trust me i share many of the same frustrations with ethics. They say the fish of 10,000 casts, its more like the fish of $10,000.

[carpmanjake]

just an update on my research project on zebra mussels

the water in le homme dieu is DARN cold for sure. i went wading out on government point to get pictures of some live zebra mussels

look at the giant on the bottom right clam shell. its about 3 years old.

[Prairiefire]

Here's one from Miltona last night.

30 1/8" and very thick. She's back swimming out there. We anchored in 19' with slip bobbers and caught plenty of fish. No need to mess with the 60' stuff.

[EyeGuide]

Now that's a walleye, way to go Prairiefire!

[CJH]

What a pig!!

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

Great job (fishing reasonable depths), and one heck of a fish to boot!!! How many fish did you guys catch last night?

[Prairiefire]

We caught about 20 fish, but we only fished from about 4:00 to 5:30. My 4 year old landed about 10 of them. I tried a circle hook under the slip bobber for the kids and found it worked pretty well. We kept 4 for a meal and let the rest go.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

Great job, Thanks for sharing.

[Finlander]

Good job Dad!

[Sifty]

Great job and pics.

Sifty

[Acemac]

fyi your all extremely hypocritical. If you don't want to kill fish you should not fish...

ya ya i know the rebuttal... we are trying to conserve. well get off the guys back he kept all the fish he caught stop being a smug elitist!

I buy a fishing lisc every year and if I am in the laws you cant tell me i am not.

I bet i could point out numerous studies that say barbs on hooks kill fish or that multiple trebles kill fish, so maybe we should stop using those things.

talk about the pot calling the kettle black. take the stick out of your eye first!

[BrdHunter01]

fyi your all extremely hypocritical. If you don't want to kill fish you should not fish...

ya ya i know the rebuttal... we are trying to conserve. well get off the guys back he kept all the fish he caught stop being a smug elitist!

I buy a fishing lisc every year and if I am in the laws you cant tell me i am not.

I bet i could point out numerous studies that say barbs on hooks kill fish or that multiple trebles kill fish, so maybe we should stop using those things.

talk about the pot calling the kettle black. take the stick out of your eye first!

^^^^ Agree, However I don't agree with keeping 12" eyes (so i personally don't) I know others that do and if its within the laws there is nothing that I can do. expecaill since I fish Mille Lacs most of the time during the summer months, I've noticed that the "size limit" doesn't contain a 14" length limit anymore.... Now I see and know people that keep those 12"s and if it was really hurting the lake I don't think the DNR would have taken the 14" min away.... I wish they wouldn't have taken it away but they did and now people keep those little guys. Theres nothing I can do about it, as these fish are kept within the laws. Until there is a law (statewide or not) that sets a min. length you can expect people to keep them....

As for fishing deep water I really don't know because I never fish that deep but i can only suspect what is happening with those fish... But again no law containing a depth fish may be taken from and I really don't think there ever will be.

If you don't need the net to pull a "keeper" walleye in the boat it deserves to swim.... JMO

BTW: nice catch jake... I see nothing that breaks any laws, although I would recommend fishing sallower and throwing those 12 and 13"s back.... Just my 2 cents

[carpmanjake]

Originally Posted By: Acemac

fyi your all extremely hypocritical. If you don't want to kill fish you should not fish...

ya ya i know the rebuttal... we are trying to conserve. well get off the guys back he kept all the fish he caught stop being a smug elitist!

I buy a fishing lisc every year and if I am in the laws you cant tell me i am not.

I bet i could point out numerous studies that say barbs on hooks kill fish or that multiple trebles kill fish, so maybe we should stop using those things.

talk about the pot calling the kettle black. take the stick out of your eye first!

^^^^ Agree, However I don't agree with keeping 12" eyes (so i personally don't) I know others that do and if its within the laws there is nothing that I can do. expecaill since I fish Mille Lacs most of the time during the summer months, I've noticed that the "size limit" doesn't contain a 14" length limit anymore.... Now I see and know people that keep those 12"s and if it was really hurting the lake I don't think the DNR would have taken the 14" min away.... I wish they wouldn't have taken it away but they did and now people keep those little guys. Theres nothing I can do about it, as these fish are kept within the laws. Until there is a law (statewide or not) that sets a min. length you can expect people to keep them....

As for fishing deep water I really don't know because I never fish that deep but i can only suspect what is happening with those fish... But again no law containing a depth fish may be taken from and I really don't think there ever will be.

If you don't need the net to pull a "keeper" walleye in the boat it deserves to swim.... JMO

BTW: nice catch jake... I see nothing that breaks any laws, although I would recommend fishing sallower and throwing those 12 and 13"s back.... Just my 2 cents

once again, i didnt have a boat, i was out with chad, and i didnt know the lake. so would you all rather me release those fish, or keep them since they are going to die anyway?

[firefish_12]

geez---this all started just b/c I asked if anyone would mind sharing a starting point or two. Jake--thanks for the spot--I was looking for something shallower but apprieciate the advice---yes lots of pots calling the kettle black

good luck to all when we get some walkable ice

[KrappieKiller]

Does anybody know what the ice conditions are like on Miltona? Has it skimmed over yet?

Thanks

[Wayne Ek]

I noticed that Carlos was still open on Sunday, so I would be surprised if Miltona had capped yet.

[KrappieKiller]

With some snow coming, maybe its a good thing if it hasn't capped yet.

[hotrod1]

I looked at Miltona on Saturday and it looked like the whole lake had ice (I didn't have binoculars but it looked like it was capped).

I measured 2 inches of ice out of lucky acres when i went back on Sunday to check ice.

[KrappieKiller]

Thanks for the info hotrod...hopefully the snow doesn't mess things up too much and we can be out soon.

[minnfish89]

First of all...good for you Jake...you really seem to love fishing and are good at it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I and I'm sure many others enjoy all the pictures and adventures you post... and you did nothing wrong by fishing deep and keeping those walleyes.

I think others on here can learn something from Jake, i bet not many of you go out and target carp or suckers or dogfish and have so much fun like he does.

And I think everyone should take a break from critizing him and do a little research instead. Yes many of those walleyes from the deep may die and yes he kept some smaller walleyes. But are there going to be any devastating effects from him and the others that also fish this way. Not likely. The truth is, the lakes are loaded with these small walleyes, and a lot of them are going to die before they reach what most people call "keeper size" due to natural mortality anyways.

In some cases keeping these small fish can help a fishery. How?

By keeping some of these small fish, that have a high chance of natural mortality and may die anyways, you are freeing up forage for the surviving fish, which in turn speeds up their growth and may increase their health and chance of surviving.

In some cases minimum length limits are good, but in this instance for example there are so few walleyes being harvested or dieing that it is only a drop in the bucket compared to whats out there.

I am sure by now you are wondering how many small fish I keep. For me it depends, if I'm on a lake and catching tons of smaller fish, i may keep a few 12 or 13's, and this is in the summer to. If I'm not catching many then I don't.

Beleive me i'm not trying to start anything, just think us sportsman should all be on the same page.

And looking forward to hearing and seeing more stories from you Jake.

[Fred_Bear]

So how do you you guys target fish in 60 feet of water?? It looks like there's some good fishing to be had in deep water, and I really want to learn how to catch eyes out in the deep. [sARCASM]

First of all...good for you Jake...you really seem to love fishing and are good at it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I and I'm sure many others enjoy all the pictures and adventures you post... and you did nothing wrong by fishing deep and keeping those walleyes...

...Beleive me i'm not trying to start anything, just think us sportsman should all be on the same page.

And looking forward to hearing and seeing more stories from you Jake.

Lets maybe just let this argument die out as it's obviously not going anywhere. Time to get this thread back to "Alexandria Area Fishing Reports" huh! How bout some ice fishing reports. Anyone??

[carpmanjake]

people are already fishing on reno and cowdry from what i have heard. i have been busy muzzleloading, so i have not had a chance to check the ice. but i will likely check le homme dieu this weekend