Dnr harvest monitoring

[BlackArrow1]

Haven't read through all the fishing reports but there's no tag on this. This last weekend I rented through an outfitter out of Rogers. It was a bit slow but we did catch our limits fairly easy in the evenings. The DNR check/survey shack was at Rogers landing. We ate our limits the first night. Second night we had another limit that I went to clean at Rogers. I pulled into the DNR check to have my fish registered. The agent said he didn't wanna see em since I was cleaning fish at the resort and heading back out when I was done. He said they only want to count fish from people leaving the lake and not coming back? I'd like to know some input on this method for DNR poundage info? Non of my fish taken were aged or tallied...... We ate our limits on the ice and took home our limits legally a day after. There must be some math equation they use for anglers on ice cuz IMO their survey methods are poor. 

Every fish that leaves the lake should be taken into account if you're running a DNR check point IMO. 

[Weathertite]

I would have to agree with you on what I would call questionable management . I believe they also have a crappy system for registering deer . You used to have to take them to a registration station and have someone verify , Now you can just log on to your computer or call it in on your Phone . Now I know that all sportsman are supposed to be Honest but I do also believe that this system allows for people to not necessarily follow the laws as they were written. All fish need to be counted for accuracy.

[kelly-p]

Here is how I understand it works. Seeing as some of the walleye consumed on the lake are cleaned on the lake there is no way to get an accurate creel assessment of those fish as far as size so those fish consumed on the lake are given the size of the average harvested walleye.  When fishermen are LEAVING the lake they are asked how many they consumed on the lake. For example 2 fishermen report eating 6 fish while on the lake. Average harvested size is 1 pound so that is 6 pounds harvested.

For the 14/15 winter season on ice consumption was estimated at 24% of total harvest or 33,621 pounds of walleye.

[Red Lake Remote]

The equations look something like this chalkboard. Creel is only a portion of how fish population is measured and monitored. Yes it has a percentage of error to it, and some of that is contributed to non-factual angler particpation. This margin is figured in just as catch and release mortality and other variables. The local fisheries also perform fall net assessments, spring electro fishing, trap assessment for some species, seining runs and a plethora of tests and habitat monitoring to try and keep the lake healthy. 

[onceacop]

I live in Squaw Lake, not far from Red. I see every Friday the Ice castle convoy headed up Hwy 46. I am now counting them on my way into Grand Rapids. It's not uncommon to see 200 in that 45 miles. I only fish Red a few times each winter but as I near the finish line to retirement I look forward to the outdoor opportunities we are blessed with in MN..

The Red Lake dilemma which I call it, is this. Super heavy fishing traffic, safer ice earlier in season than southern lakes, [new technology] a now Ice Castle wheeled fish house explosion which results in 24/7 fishing because a town has sprouted above the fish. All this is great for the economy and It's exciting to see many happy anglers especially the children getting action.

From my view I see the increasing traffic. When fueling at the Cenex in Deer River I often ask the anglers where they drove up from and how the bite was and what their thoughts are on other destinations. Same answer every time. The lakes south are shot, Red is the only game in the state, there is almost a guarantee to get fish fry and limit home or MORE???? It's the lack of or the perceived lack of decent fishing opportunities that drives some of the quest to go north.

You just gotta wonder how long a fisheries can sustain this? As I said it's wonderful for the communities and local folks that reap a good living from the success story of Red Lake. Having grown up in Bemidji and fished the lake for 50 years and seen the cycles which included tremendous abuse of the lake, I have my worries about the future going forward if Red Lake is the only game in town for the majority.

I saw the DNR take off from the airport in Grand Rapids a few days ago, Red and White Cessna 185 on skis. I think they flew Red for a fish house count and some other items on the laundry list. It will be interesting to see how the impacts on the lake, the pressure and the creel data is used to make long term decisions for Upper Red.

The next time I fly on a weekend I will take some aerials and do a house count just for a post here.

I don't want to sound pessimistic but slide rules and 4 year degrees from Stevens Point WI doesn't guarantee a healthy fish population. It's much more complex than that.

Good luck on the ice!

Edited January 19, 2016 by onceacop

[kelly-p]

1 hour ago, onceacop said:

The Red Lake dilemma which I call it, is this. Super heavy fishing traffic, safer ice earlier in season than southern lakes, [new technology] a now Ice Castle wheeled fish house explosion which results in 24/7 fishing because a town has sprouted above the fish.

From the Creel Census for the 14/15 winter season There were 27,000 "Day trips" to URL averaging 6.5 hours each producing 173,000 hours of fishing pressure. There were 38,000 sleeper trips to URL averaging 41 hours producing 1,580,000 hours of fishing pressure. If I figure it out right this means that just over 90% of the winter fishing pressure was from hard houses whether skid or wheel houses.

  The explosion of wheelhouses has changed everything as far as fisheries management. We can now harvest a lot of fish fast now.

  The other related issue that concerns me is the explosion of litter, garbage and human waste that this change of fishing styles has created. If some fishermen do not care about the lake enough to pick up their garbage and dispose of their human waste properly do they care about limits or the health of the fisheries?

  I do not to want to hijack this thread into garbage issues so I will put a new post in the "Another record" Topic that shows how little some fishermen care about the lake, the area and other fishermen.

[onceacop]

Kelly-p

Nobody cares about the lake more than someone like you. Not everyone fosters stewardship in our youth or practices it themselves. That is evident with spring thaw and ice out. A really good thing can be a double edged sword. it's a constant struggle to manage a large body like Red and those that do are learning as factors change. Come spring I'll shoot you a PM and let's take a flight. You can show me those Reindeer corrals and bombing areas in the bog and we can look over the shoreline real good.

Edited January 19, 2016 by onceacop

[Paradice]

You're darn right the rest of the lakes are shot.  I couldn't have said it better.  When red goes under again, what's next to take the brunt of it?  15 years ago it was strange to travel more than 20 miles to fish.  You could stay in your home county and find all sorts of fish species. 

[fishin4sum]

It is really quite simple.  So many people blame the DNR and not enough look in the mirror or around themselves.  The technology, shelters, clothing, equipment, (and social media spreading the word on the HOT Spot in real time fashion ) aren't just twice as nice as they were 15 years ago.  They are exponentially nicer!  This has allowed the fishing pressure to drastically increase with drastically more success.  Quit spending so much time on the water, quit catching so many fish, and quit telling people where your catching them.  That will help to make the DNR look "Golden."