Netting Walleye's

[Chad Anderson]

Getting bcak to this topic, I would just like to say something and see what everyone else things. When I saw the indians netting last year it really made me sick. Now I understand that thet're for-fathers netted the fish and they believe they should be able to do the same today. Now I think that is fine but I think if they want to do it like they're fathers, they should do it like they're fathers. First off they should be out in canoes instead of alumicraft boats with evinrude motors, also they should have to weave they're own nets like they're fathers, not use gill nets. This isnt how they did it in the olden days. One more thing that I didnt like was they said they dont net the big ones, they try to get the small ones. Well when I saw them net I saw a few 10 pounders+, and they had one northern but that just got thrown to the side and probably was thown away later.

Just would like to know everyone elses opinion on what I said. If they say they net like they're for-fathers, they're wrong.
Also I wonder where the walleye comes from during the all-you-can-eat buffett walleye dinner at the casino!

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eat, fish, try to sleep

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

"Ignorance is a plague on this society of ours." - Big Island Dude

Not trying to offend anyone, I just thought this needed to be said

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Bring on summer!

[Roosterslayer05]

Chad- the walleye they serve at the casino is comercial caught fish they bought from a dealer. Its illegal for the Mille Lacs Band to sell the walleyes they catch from the lake.

[Big Johnson]

Don't take this wrong, I'm not defending game fish spearing, but this argument of why aren't they doing it the way their forefathers did doesn't wash. Do you fish the way your forefathers did, in a rowboat with a steel rod and a backlasher, without a flasher or a video camera? I don't think so, so why should we demand that they do.

[ogfisherman]

big johnson is right i dont see anyone all work up about babe winkelman taking deer with the use of two way radios or questioning were his wife got the deer steaks she prepared on his show now do we i think ignorance is a part of this disscussion

[kander65]

can someone please define the word NATIVE for me. did they not migrate to america like the rest of us.

[MuskieSlayer]

Unlike some other boards I frequent, it’s refreshing to hear people expressing their views from both sides.

Like the noble Denny Green once said, “…that’s the great thing about America, everyone has an opinion but you don’t have to listen to them.”

[hanson]

Guess its just that time of year to get everybody riled up again!

I'm not too familiar with the specific language of their treaty rights or the intent behind it but if the intent is to allow the tribes to preserve their heritage & traditions, by all means they should be out there in birch bark canoes with hand made nets, rods, or spears catching fish. No boats & motors, no electronics, no spotlights, no commercial nets. If the Indians fished in this manner, I'd have no problem with them fishing year round, keeping whatever they like, etc. Basically following the game regulations that existed before the white man came. There were none so they could do what they wanted.

If the Indians wanted to fish the way we fish today- modern boats, electronics, superlines, glow in the dark tackle, etc.- I believe they should have to follow the same set of rules the rest of us have to follow.

[Guest]

I think the point of how the fish are harvested (whether it is the way they were harvested in 1850 or now) is a very valid point. To say we don't fish the same now as our forefathers, so why should the indians have to use techniques that were being used at the time the treaty was signed doesn't wash. Our forefathers never signed a treaty with those fishing methods being the only ones known or imagined at the time. Would the government even have ever offered the treaty knowing today's modern techniques? Who knows, but probably not. This is the same kind of issue fought about daily in our government about the Constitution and even some laws. Everyone wants to interpret things to their benefit, rather than stick with what the original intent was. If the treaty was upheld as intended by all parties involved at the time the treaty was signed, I don't think any of us would even be talking about this. The intent of the treaty is the issue as far as I'm concerned.

[Bigfife]

I agree with the arguement about fishing like their forefathers. Technology is changing every day in the fishing industry. This is the reason that we have new laws and restrictions every year. I think with the new technology, the native netters need to be restricted also. I believe the amount they are allocated has increased over the years.

What do they do with all of that fish at one time? I think they should stretch their netting out more. Fish does keep well in the freezer, but I think fresh fish always tastes better.

I have never seen the netting take place, but I was wondering if there are young men and women out there learning. This is a part of their culture and I hope they are passing it on if preserving their culture is really the point of all this.

[willowcat]

I'm just wondering, with over 100 nets out on the lake and 50 to 60 fish hulled in per net. What are they doing with all the fish if they can't sale them? You would think that they would be just as concerned with preserving our resources as the rest of us. Or do they want to kill the lake off to keep us away from their land. That too would be dumb, because they profit from tourism as well.

[marbleihunter]

The bad thing is who would think that a resort on the Big lake would shut down,but they do and it's all cuz of the strict regulations that are placed on Mille Lacs so they hurt tourism up there but they have no problem expanding the waste of time,money losing casino.The indian people of that day and age needed to hunt and fish to survive back then,so enough with the heritage B.S.I'm sure they could move on in life without netting and spearing, and what ever happened to equal rights for everyone. But then again who knows how much money is sent out to washington to keep the lobbyist happy, kinda funny how we can't even use one of the best natural resources in the world to promote tourism cuz of restrictions TIME TO FACE THE ISSUE AT HAND, Mr.Pawlenty in your pockets!!!!!!!!! (and they do sell the fish--Wisconsin bands want to get their gas money back that way,how about stay home and buy some at the store like other people do????????)