What do you think of the "proposed" new slots .

[Guest]

I live 20 miles from Mille Lacs. I have seen the Native Americans come into my fathers yard 30 years ago to sell fish. As far as I am concerned it sucked then. It also sucked when Muskies,Inc. decided to force their values about fishing on us in the early 70's when they stocked M-L. I personally love to fish & hunt responsibly but the $1000.00 I put into PERM, NRA, & my local sportsmans club annually will never be enough when some of US SPORTSTMEN continue to go to the CASINO. Can you hear me?

[Guest]

To all,
Red Lake #2 sounds good to me. I can see myself pulling up 15 of those Red Lakies. Furthermore, this might get the Tribal Indians to be a little more loose with the Walleyes.
Just humorous injection, no harm intended.
Good fishing..

[Guest]

UH ten of those Red Lakies...or have you forgotten the Crappie limits for next year? LOL

[fish]

I told myself I wasn't going to read this thread because my emotions and opinions on the subject are pretty strong. I am concerned with the biological health of the lake. I don't like the idea that one group of people can have their own set of rules. I don't know if there is a solutions that will please everybody. I think that the only way the majority of sportsman are going to be happy is if the Band deceides not to let greed and pride get in the way of common sense for livelyhood of the region. We need to have both the Band and the surrounding counties to be good neighbors.
I don't know what needs to be done with getting, maintaining and strengthing of a relationship but I hope that cool heads will prevail. I know that Mille Lacs County is in a constant battle/law suit regarding boundries. Kanabec County wants to build a casino.
Buy out? I would pay for a Mille Lacs stamp but money isn't the Bands motive. The Supreme Court reaffirmed the Bands Rights and it looks as though there is no going back. They have their Rights and they will certainly exercise them. I think that the Band is going through an identity crisis right now. The could have an image of being resonable neighbors who care about the health of the region and the lake. The band certainly doesn't have that image in my eyes. Maybe they just don't care.

[Guest]

Money isnt the bands motive? Why is the Wisconsin band going to sell their catch for $2 a pound this year?

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MILLE LACS AREA GUIDE SERVICE
651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/

[fish]

I meant that money isn't an underlying motive . Just my thought, I think that they are trying to do anything they can to push the rights as far as they can. I think that the state could easily generate a few hundred thousand dollars to pay them off, but my thought is that wouldn't satisfy them.

[Guest]

D-Man,

I'm from the metro area and do not know the Mille Lacs area too well (not at all except the east resorts' entrances to the ice). My question is "Does the tribal Indians who's reservation comprice of parts of Mille Lacs own the Grand Casino Mille Lacs or does it belong to another tribe?". If they own it, why would they need to make money from selling Mille Lacs walleyes? Like I stated, I'm not from the Mille Lacs area.

[GullGuide]

Very simple Basshunter-
If you owned a buisness that made you a lot of money, would that stop you from getting involved in other ways of making even more?
Diddnt think so.

[Guest]

2nd time for me,hope this goes through. I used Indianitis for my user name for a reason. I am a faithful watch on this web page. A lot of fisherpeople had the time of their lives this ice season on ML. A lot of people have questions about how to keep this fishery so great. I believe this a once in a 20 year bite. BUT believe one thing-their are 8 Ojiwe bands from Wisconsin, Michigan & Minnesota that are harvesting from the slot just above our's. How anyone can think that you can take everthing in a size group & have anything left to reproduce in the future-- tell me. LETS ALL GO TO THE CASINO--

[Guest]

Bass/ The Wisconsin tribe does not own a casino. But, the Mille Lacs band does, but they DO NOT get profits direct(yet). The Mille Lacs band seems to want to work with us(state,resorts,you and i,) Its the Wisconsin tribe thats got the $ sign in their eyes's. They have full rights to commerical net Mille Lacs. Meaning they can sell what they net, but they cant make it another Red

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MILLE LACS AREA GUIDE SERVICE
651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/

[Guest]

Fish/ The Mille Lacs band asked for 1.5 million to give up their rights to net in 1989. The state said forget it. Lyle Burman came along and started Grand Casino, the rest is history. State should have jumped on that one.......but they took it for granted

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MILLE LACS AREA GUIDE SERVICE
651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/

[This message has been edited by D-man (edited 02-23-2002).]

[mr marbles]

I feel a little sad every time i drive by the casino and see fishermen stopping there, should boycott that place.I for one don't gamble and never will! Their is better ways to spend money.

[Guest]

Personally, I think they(DNR) should quit stocking ML and de-regulate it. Let everybody go in and take what they want(no limits and no slots). Then after all the fish are gone tell the indians "Oh darn, we must have over-harvested it. Can't your casinos pay to restock it?" LOL Paybacks are H_LL!!!

[Scott]

HtchEyeCatcher,
The beauty of Mille Lacs is that the lake does not rely on the DNR to stock it, it's all natural reproduction. It's a shame that something can't be worked out with the Wisconsin tribe so that the slot can be relaxed a bit, but either way right now it sure is a blast to be able to catch the size and quantity of fish. Get out there and take advantage of it.

Scott

[james_walleye]

Why do people think that a year class or size class of walleyes can be totally fished out of a lake? I have been too Mille Lacs twice this winter and hammered on the 18 1/2"-20" walleyes. All of those size fish that you guys are all catching have been in the slot and they were slot sized fish for a couple years. They all survived...looks like to me more than plenty survived. Another angle to this...all the slot fish that are being kept...well if there was a bigger slot limit these fish would STILL all be kept...along with all those 18 1/2 - 20"ers. Slots are a good thing! Its been proven on more than 1 lake! You dont have to keep a limit of walleyes to have a successful outing!

[Guest]

I can see where the WS band would like to sell their take of walleye from Mille Lacs. It's alot more profitable than ripping the copper plumbing out of your goverment supplied housing and selling it.

[Guest]

Cap,tn Curt You hit it on the head. Years ago my relation built homes for the Nat. Am. & the ripped out the plumbing. Now my son in law does footings for the Nat Am. FEDERALLY FUNDED homestead sites on the reservation lands & they have to make sure that they are soo thick & wide that they can be able to withstand new housing on the footings within 5 to 10 years. Why? Because the BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, which we all pay for as a citizen of the USA has no say in, & the Native Americans laugh their ass off as OUR representitives & legislators take their PAC MONEY. This new bill just about to pass in Congress will let the Indians have unlimited money go to lobby our congressmen, but it cuts us- NRA, for example to pennies!!!!!! PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT & be informed. I **** you not. Why Can They Have More Say With Their Vote When They Are SUPPOSED TO BE A sovereign nation, PLEASE, for our sportspeople's rights. Call your representitives & let them know that this is a blassphemy to our 1st Amendment rights!

[Guest]

Capt'n Curt and Indianitis,

Please play nice. You are walking a very fine line.

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Paul
[email protected]

[mr marbles]

Nothing wrong with the truth! I also have seen what happens on the reservations.

[Guest]

I think that I've ruffled enough feathers, but please stay in touch with what is happening with OUR rights. carry on-

[Guest]

The top fifth of the lake is showen to be outside the ceded area on the DNR's special regulations section of their website. A year ago I ran into a CO at Knife lake and asked if that portion of the lake was being speared and netted, but he could not tell me if it was.

Does anyone know?

[This message has been edited by Labrat (edited 02-27-2002).]

[Guest]

FYI: Did you know that 3 or more indians together off the reservation is considered a "war party". It's still in the books!!!
...thought you guys would get a kick outta this info.

[Guest]

Guess who's the minority now? Lets wake up!!!!

[Guest]

I read alot of posts asking us to boycott the casino's. It is not going to happen. There are too many greedy people out there trying to turn their $50 into $500. Ironically these same sportsmen that frequent casino's, are the ones I hear whine about not being able to keep the 25" walleye they caught to supplement the 15 fish rotting away in ther freezer already. I would love to see them compete on an even playing field, but there are too many Sovereign Nation dollars in Democratic coffers. Sportsmen please, please remember to vote every election available. Better yet tell everyone you talk to in a day to remember to vote Republican in November, it is the only way we can return this country to the ethical, moral, non-Socialistic, Christian place in which it was founded, by yes white-European males.

[Guest]

Frozen,

If you are talking about the "Whitemen's burden" forget about it. Let's leave that in the past where it didn't belong, but did.

A freezered walleye is never a wasted walleye.

What is the Republican stance on the issue this time around? Not a republican, more democratic, and just a voter who didn't vote for Jessie.

Norm seems like a good fellow to vote for.

[Guest]

Basshunter: I guess I miss the inference, I don't read cryptic message very well.
As for the Rep. vs. Dem. thing, just take a look at the rollercoaster voting record of Sen. Roger Moe. Just in time for the elections, he is in favor of a state-run casino.

[Borch]

Back to the propsed Walleye limits for Mille Lacs. Have these been finalize yet. I understand that the DNR are strictly managing for the quota. But does anyone else see the long term problems of such a small slot? Several have already pointed out the issues with forage base which we are already seeing n this lake. But lets say this managment approach continues for the next 7-10 years. One, maybe two year classes getting hammer every year. Lots of big, old fish eating up the forage base and dieing off as they reach the end or their life cycle.

The problem is there is little to no walleyes to replace them as they have systematicly been removed from the system. I know that fisherman will not remove all the fish from each year class. But is 50-60 percent out of the ballpark? Then throw in a couple of poor spawning years(remember these older fish become less able to spawn and figure mortality into the equation). What is this lake going to been like in 10-15 years if we are strapped with the current management strategies? It gets a bit scary when you look down the road. Fishing is great now but I can see trouble from where I stand.

[Guest]

Anyone going to skip Mille Lacs this spring because of the slots??

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MILLE LACS AREA GUIDE SERVICE
651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/