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Changing Limits On Lake Of The Woods- Rainy River


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I too have read all of the posts. I fish LOW about 2-3 times a year, less recently but it is my favorite lake.<P>Part of the harvest issue is LOW is the "hot lake". The masses are coming in droves. Mille Lacs has been poor the last year. Leech too. Metro lakes are heavily pressured. And guys just want to get out and catch a fish or two and be able to keep them once in a while. With the success of Red Lake for crappies, you can combine LOW and Red and have a good few days of fishing.<P>I have fished with the charters downrigging. To me, during the summer, charters are alot safer than my 16 foot boat. Whether they use a large ball of lead or an angler trolls, same effect. Fish are caught. The appeal to ban downriggers seems to be more of a blame somebody else mentality. Cut back on the others, just let me keep doing what I am doing. Downrigging is just crankbait trolling with a more mechanical and precise approach.<P>Winter is the issue, not summer. 14 fish is way too many and the lake is too pressured. You can't get a room at a resort lately. And the resorts tell you to keep fish if they touch both sides of the bucket. My point is not to slam resorts, but our desire to get the limit by taking fish before they reach a harvestable size. And yes I know I can throw them back if they are too small. But you know I drove five hours, right smile.gif<P>The solution would be to cut back the winter harvest to 6 or 8. And set a 14" minimum on the walleyes, at least in the winter. Getting the saugers out of the system and keeping them in check has a positive effect on the lake and the preyfish balance and making sure all fish have food and can grow. And winter does that. The DNR needs to convince the public the only difference between walleyes and saugers is average size, that is it. Saugers are not second class fish. Taste just as good. <P>The north part of the state depends on their fisheries for jobs. The resorts industry appears to employ a significant number of people. So let's not kill it. Just reduce the winter take and throw the small walleyes back, keep the saugers in the winter. After all, they taste just as good.

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  • widetrack

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bturck and bobd --lets see if this gets past the guys ..real name is michael j fox --thats right not the actor,,,,I had the name first ---spent 3yrs at sportsmans ,seven yrs at border view, and last 2plus yrs helping around the area. On the marine band you will here me as foxy or flipper. I really enjoy this site. Very honest discussion for all sides without slamming people or professions. Nice to have a good debate.....<BR>P.S. by the looks of the grand forks herald article today looks like they will move the dnr meeting to a new locale...apprears they are not ready for a full public meeting .<BR>foxy

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I only get to fish LOW once a year,in Jan.at the Angle.A group of us drive 12 hrs.to get there.Been doing this for 15 years,and not once have we cared if we brought home a limit.Dont keep the 13" fish,nor any over 19.5".We fish for three days for the FUN of it.What a great place just to get away to.It could be strictly C&R and I would still go.I also fish a lake in N.W.Ontario in the summer that has a one over 18" rule.However,the camp owners association on this lake adheres to stricter rules.Anyone observed cleaning anything over that length,gets the boot.I,ve seen it happen.The size quality on this lake has increased dramatically in ten years.As have the numbers.A great number of the fish each day are the 22-25" fish we all care about as breeders. Its difficult to find shore lunch between 15 and 18". I buy the conservation permit,which is take home of two fish.I,m not trying to be a goody two shoes,but I just like to catch em!So whatever the limit goes to on LOW to keep it a great fishery,I support it!

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This site is the epitimy of a rocken site (if I may coin a pfrase from BT I believe) and Bill, the hangen on pfrase is way cool in my book too! <BR>Charterboss I have enjoyed much your valueable posts so far too , whether you know it or not your candid view points reek honesty, integrity and well wishes to all fisherpeople I appreaciate that, Thankyou very much. <P>Did I miss something again though about a 'public meeting'?? <p>[This message has been edited by Buckets (edited 03-08-2004).]

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Buckets: Go back to page one where this thread began. there is information as to a meeting coming up this week regarding the future limits etc. on LOW. Good luck and HANG ON!!! Bill

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charterboss you sound like a guy who fell out of a boat netting a fish once i named him flipper. He follow me around the lake when he was training. (i like to come here and see how ignorant some poeple are) hey stevie million pounds should get some facts before get everyone so fired up. hey curt and of course you charterboss you guys speak the facts ROCK ON

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I've fished LOW for over thirty years, summer and winter. I fished the lake when the nets were still on the Mn side and after. The biggest diffence I have noticed is in the sheer numbers of fish and average size since the commercial harvest was stopped. Some years the average size is smaller...some years larger. Representative of the largest year class of fish in the lake on any given year. I don't believe for a minute that we are profusely "overharvesting" on LOW. I would agree that we are harvesting more than "we said we would" in our agreement with Ontario. In two years when everyone is catching mostly 16 and 17 inchers we'll all say the lake is in great shape...the truth is you will be catching the the same HUGE year class that is currently dominating the harvest. My question to the MNDNR fisheries would be...."What is the sustainable harvest of LOW?" ALL POLITICS ASIDE!

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Went to the meeting and it sure sounded like a million to me gotbigone!

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Curt stated the facts from the D.N.R and it wasn't a million pounds of walleyes. Iwas at the meeting also, didn't see ya, there figures weren't a million pounds either.We were 100,000 over projected harvest,which is just a projection that they feel comfortable with the amount of harvest without hurting the lake, with the projection of the very strong year classes coming up from the test netting the lake is at a very strong population. The lowering of future limits is a way of perventive maintance to help with the rise in fishing pressure.

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Hmmm, you must be blind in one eye and can't see out the other like me then.

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Grand Forks Herald papers states from an interview with MN DNR, printed March 30, 2003;<P>"Larson said this winter's expected harvest, combined with good fishing last summer, will push the Lake of the Woods walleye harvest over 700,000 pounds. That's nearly double the DNR's annual "target" of 430,000 pounds ..."<P>"According to Larson, this winter's walleye harvest will be about triple the long-term ice fishing average of 100,000 pounds."<P>This equates to 300,000 pounds for winter fishing, 350,000 for summer, NW Angle 21,000, Rainy River Fall 20,000 and Rainy River Spring 9,000. All are normal "target" pounds with the exception of winter and a slightly higher summer. This is ONLY walleye harvest, does NOT include saugers.<P>So, this being said, they are looking at a limit reduction and a possible slot for walleyes. It's a possibility to have the same as the river out to 4-Mile bay starting March 1st. OR to reduce limit to 4 or 6 walleye with no fish between 20" - 28". There is no official proposal at this time. It is still something that is being looked at and studied for probably 2006.<P> grin.gif<BR><P>------------------<BR><A HREF="http://www.clementsonresort.com" TARGET=_blank>www.clementsonresort.com</A><BR>Fishing on the Rainy River<P>Fish tomorrow where you didn't catch fish today!<P>Rainy River Fishing Reports

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A meeting to discuss the harvest situation on Lake of the Woods between people who make<BR>their living on the lake and the people<BR>whose job it is watch and keep tabs on the<BR>lake. A very good meeting!<P>It was made very clear several times that there is no new plan in place at this time.<BR>The DNR did a real good job of spending time<BR>with each of the methods that had been brought up at an earlier meeting (evidently)<BR>showing the pros and cons of each.<P>There will be other meetings regarding this<BR>issue in Baudette, Warroad and Roseau in the<BR>near future.<P>Mike Larson, the Baudette fisheries chief,<BR>said IF everyone decided on a solution and<BR>everything went smoothly any new regulations<BR>would be hard pressed to be in effect in<BR>2005. Since we are on square one with this<BR>issue there is along way to go.<P>Of all the suggestions, ranging from expanding protected slots to closing seasons<BR>earlier, to catch and release only, the one<BR>thing that the DNR reps said would get the<BR>harvest back to near quotas with fishing<BR>pressure staying about the same is a 6 fish<BR>limit in the summer not more than 4 Walleyes,<BR>and 8 fish in the winter again not more than<BR>4 Walleyes. I dont have the slot info here<BR>with me now so I cant say for sure if that<BR>would change or change much.<P>I talked to a couple area guides after the<BR>meeting and they thought it would be a good way to go.<P>It was mentioned that a statewide 4 Walleye<BR>limit was not too far off, so the 6 and 8<BR>fish limit would still be generous compared<BR>to anywhere else in Minnesota.<P>I had mentioned in an earlier post about<BR>Ontario and impending flack from them on this<BR>subject. It was announced at the meeting<BR>that they too were over quota.<P>FishingMinnesota website was mentioned several times at this meeting (mostly in <BR>a good way). With the internet news travels<BR>fast, misinformation travels fast, lies travel fast. Rick Paquin as the owner of<BR>this website made a least one real smart<BR>decision from the beginning. You must register to post here so at least HE knows<BR>who you are. That keeps just about all of<BR>the real B.S. off of this site.<P>A good group of people attended and a very<BR>good positive get together.<P>------------------<BR>Curt Quesnell<BR>NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

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Curt: Thanks for the update. Good report for those of us who have an interest in this fishery, but are too far away to join the discussion.<P>One question, did you get any feel for which way the DNR might be leaning, not withstandign the fact that they are still in the discussion stage? If they had to make a decison tomorrow which way do you think they would go, if you can even tell. Bill

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I talked to the DNR after the meeting, I missed it due to another meeting scheduled for the same time.<P>They seem to think a reduction with a slot will help. The river regulations for March 1 - April 14 may go out to 4-mile bay. The lake would still have a higher limit of 4? - with nothing kept 20-28" ??<P>They have a few things on the table as we have heard here on the forum. Sounds to me, a reduction and a slot will be the ticket. <P>BUT . . . we won't know until the DNR announces it and have public meetings if so desired.<P>------------------<BR><A HREF="http://www.clementsonresort.com" TARGET=_blank>Clementson Resort</A><BR>Fishing on the Rainy River<BR>in Lake of the Woods Area<P>[This message has been edited by Sandee (edited 03-12-2004).]<P>[This message has been edited by Sandee (edited 03-12-2004).]<p>[This message has been edited by Sandee (edited 03-12-2004).]

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The main thrust of this meeting was to go<BR>over some of the ideas that had been presented to lower the harvest.<P>In a nutshell, the Fisheries people at the<BR>meeting said that the 4 Walleye limit with<BR>added Saugers was the only way to do it<BR>with the current fishing pressure.<P>Its was explained very well, I thought, as<BR>they went thru the list one by one and<BR>showed why it would or would not work.<P>The resorters that were there were very<BR>open minded and seemed to absorb all the<BR>information.<P>If something had to be done today they would<BR>probably start the 4 Walleye limit with<BR>2 bonus Saugers in the summer and 4 in the<BR>winter (of course this is the agrate limit<BR>working again with 6 or 8 fish with not more<BR>than 4 Walleyes).<P>They did say that a statewide 4 fish limit<BR>was not far off into the future.<P>------------------<BR>Curt Quesnell<BR>NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

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Sandy and Curt: Thanks for the info. The way I read the info this would begin probably at the earliest in 2005. One other question does this action by the DNR take legislative ruling or do they have the power to make changes as they deem necessary? Bill

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It more than likely wont be 2005, more like<BR>2006 because of all that needs to be done<BR>to make the change.<P>I think they (DNR)makes recommendations to the legislature which acts to make the law<BR>and hand it back to the DNR to implement and<BR>enforce and watch.<P><P>------------------<BR>Curt Quesnell<BR>NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

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I also heard the DNR said there wouldn't be enough time to implement any changes in 2005. Actually there is time, the rivers' spring 2-fish limit went from proposal to the books within 6 months, at most.<P>If there are objections on the proposed regulations, you can request a meeting with an Administrative Judge with a written request of 25 people minimum. This forces public meetings to present your case against regulation changes.<P>The DNR would take it before legislation only if they were to implement a "tagging" system.<P><P>------------------<BR><BR><A HREF="http://www.clementsonresort.com" TARGET=_blank>Clementson Resort</A><BR>Fishing on the Rainy River<BR>in Lake of the Woods Area

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
      Nope not me.  May want to go nextdoor and ask around?  
    • smurfy
      Looks to me like Leech brought his chair home!!😅😆
    • Brianf.
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    • SkunkedAgain
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    • LakeofthewoodsMN
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    • CigarGuy
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    • PSU
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    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
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