News - DNR seeks comment, announces meetings about potential muskie lakes

[Rick]

The Department of Natural Resources is seeking public input to help determine if new muskellunge lakes spread geographically throughout Minnesota should be established in 2016.

“The DNR is committed to seeking broad public input as it considers new muskie waters,” said T.J. DeBates, east metro area fisheries supervisor.

The DNR posted signs at accesses of candidate muskie lakes and began talking with local angling groups and lake associations last summer. Comments are now being taken at public input meetings and online.

Lakes being considered are Big Marine in Washington County; the Fairmont chain in Martin County; and Gull chain in Cass County. Two chains of lakes in Otter Tail County are under consideration – Franklin and Lizzie chain, and Loon chain – although no more than one of the three lakes within those chains will be chosen. All but Big Marine are chains of lakes, which would allow some movement of stocked muskellunge to connected waters.

Meetings to collect public input will be:

• Big Marine: 7-9 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30, at the Scandia Community and Senior Center, 14727 209th St. N. in Scandia.
• Fairmont chain: 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Martin County Library, 110 North Park in Fairmont.
• Franklin and Lizzie chain, and Loon chain: 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the Lake Region Electric Cooperative, 1401 S. Broadway, in Pelican Rapids.
• Gull chain: 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the Crow Wing County Land Services Building, 322 Laurel St., in Brainerd.

A Twin Cities area meeting to discuss all proposed lakes will be from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 9, in the Oak Room at the Bunker Hills Activity Center, 550 Bunker Lake Boulevard NW, in Andover.

People can choose to comment on each lake online at www.mndnr.gov/muskie. Comments also may be submitted via email or postal mail to the following area fisheries offices:

• Big Marine: DNR east metro fisheries, 1200 Warner Road, St. Paul, MN 56401, [email protected].
• Fairmont chain: DNR Windom area fisheries, 175 County Rd 26, Windom, MN 56101, [email protected].
• Franklin and Lizzie chain, and Loon chain: DNR Fergus Falls area fisheries, 1509 1st Ave. North, Fergus Falls, MN 56537, [email protected].
• Gull chain: DNR Brainerd area fisheries, 1601 Minnesota Drive, Brainerd, MN 56401, [email protected].

Muskie fishing is one of the fastest growing segments of Minnesota sport fishing. Estimates suggest that more than 30 percent of Minnesota’s anglers either already target muskies or want to try muskie fishing.

Several years ago, the DNR prepared a long-range plan designed to balance interest in expanded muskellunge fishing opportunities with those that oppose muskie management and continued stocking. The plan called for eight new waters to be stocked with muskie by 2020. Three of those lakes – Roosevelt, Pokegema and the Sauk River Chain – already have been stocked.

“Fisheries research work in Minnesota and Wisconsin shows that muskellunge coexist with healthy populations of walleye and other important game fish,” DeBates said.

In Minnesota, muskie populations are managed for low densities, mimicking what would be found naturally.

The proposal’s goal is to provide additional muskellunge fishing opportunities by stocking a handful of additional lakes with low densities of muskie.

Additional information on the proposals is available online on the muskie page.

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