regs on green

[peerchking]

Did anyone read the paper this morning,It seems our county commissioners are asking the D.N.R to get ridd of the special regs on green. I dont remember the exact numbers of eyes to bass caught but it was like 44000 eyes-3100 bass in 1995/to 9900 eyes-20000 bass in 2004. Thats a big change in 10 years. I think its long overdo!

[LEECH21]

I strongly disagree!!!

They are going to literally KILL a World Class Smallmouth Fishery.

To completely remove all regs would be mind-blowing. I do believe that the regs should be altered with new slot limits, including a slot on walleyes. How do you think the bass fishing got to be so good? Maybe they should put walleyes at catch-and-release only for a few years!

[LEECH21]

I almost forgot to add "and the smallie vs. walleye forum battle begins!"

[jimBo]

I don't understand?When you can catch 100 smallies to 1 walleye in a given day that you can say that the lake is balanced.And puting a slot on would just starve out the eyes.That have survied thus far.

[LEECH21]

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When you can catch 100 smallies to 1 walleye in a given day that you can say that the lake is balanced.

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I never said that Green was a balanced lake. I agree that it is a little out of wack. I AM saying that by completely dropping all the regs on the bass, it would destroy the most of the 4-5 pound class fish in the lake.

Thus, by altering the slot limit on the bass and placing some type of slot on the eyes, not sure what kind, would be very benificial to the problem. Just my 2 cents. Thank you.

[Fishprobe]

I agree with the comment of things are a little out of whack but what really scares me is now the County Commissioners and State Legislators are trying to tell the DNR what to do. Just what we need is more government.

[peerchking]

Leech21

I do agree with you that Green is a great smallmouth fishery,and that the regs need to be changed to something other than where it is at. There has got to be a good comprimise somewhere in there.15 years ago green was called a great walleye fishery,And if it takes local goverment to get the ball rolling. Well its a start.

And I do like fishing for both.

[Stockednotnatural]

It scares you that they are trying to tell the DNR what to do...? Green isn't a science kit for some everyday Joes with some biology degree from Southwest State to mess around with. It is an important lake economically to the region. When they put in place special regs that lead to absolute undisputed DISASTERS (like the lake being overrun with a fish that is much less desireable to the majority of the people in the area) then someone has to step in and slap the DNR and tell them how to behave. The fishing hours and $$ and people coming to the lake has declined significantly. The DNR is now trying to save face and blame everyone but themselves. Check the latest conservation volunteer. They try to explain it away to WATER CLARITY forcing walleyes down deeper. Here is the water clarity history for green lake. I guess 2004 is responsible for the decline of walleyes.

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/clmp/clmpSearchResult.cfm?lakeid=34-0079

[Fat Rap guy]

I get the impression many of you guys want Green lake to be a great walleye fishery, but are completely unwilling to personally do anything to bring that about other than whining on a message board or to the DNR.

Worried about balance? Do something about it. Start throwing fish back. The DNR isn't the only group that has an effect on the fish in the lake. Instead of thinking about what you can take from the lake, think what you can give back. Instead of cutting the other guys down, build yourself up. How many days of awesome walleye fishing have been ruined by greedy fishermen who keep just about everything they catch? Until I see some personal responsibility it's hard for me to take the outrage at the DNR seriously.

[GullGuide]

Stockednotnatural,

I was going to stay out of this, but your name shows what you THINK are the facts. Let me give YOU some facts....

The smallies on Green ARE natural. Green is one of the few lakes in MN where smallmouth bass were found before the white man began stocking them all over. Green is connected through the river system to the Mississippi where the smallmouth is natural. Green was always and hopefully will continue to be a smallmouth lake.

And where is your PROOF that there are less people using the lake? Every time I go by the accesses they are full and dont you think the closure of the lake's resorts over the last few years had an affect on the boat traffic? Also do not try to say that the resorts closed because no one was coming to the lake either. Indian Beach was full to the end and they sold to make a buck...what's worth more? An old run-down resort or 1 million $$ condos?...hmmmmmmm.

And no, water clarity does not push the walleye deeper, but 30 ft weedlines do. Weedlines caused by the exessive run-off from all the "palace's" lawns that go right to the water's edge. If you do not believe that, then you explain why weedlines that were once 15 feet down are now going down over 30 ft.

Fat rap, I'm with you. Seems the people who complain the most are the same people who keep every walleye they catch and then they wonder why there are no fish to be caught.

P.S. NEWS FLASH....there are still TONS of walleye in Green.

[chub]

Time to get me a beer and some popcorn

GullG, until you start fishing the lake everyday, quit propagating the myth that the lake is still full of walleyes. I got news for ya.........it aint even close baby.

Not even close to what it was two years ago.

As for it being a "world class" smallmouth fishery, that's laughable. There were alot more big bass in the lake 5 or 6 years ago than there are now. Numbers wise, there's more fish, but the size has been steadily decreasing every year.

Y'all can preach your DNR/Bass lobby rhetoric all you want, but there is a core group of local anglers that spend tons of time out there, and are quite adept at angling for walleyes(and still do ok) that can tell you that the lake is SNAFU'd.

As I've said before, I don't totally place the blame on the Leaping Green Carp, but there is a few too many out there it would seem. That's fine though, I'll keep catching them.

[LocalGuide]

News Flash: NO ONE IS GOING TO WIN! Sit back enjoy the ride, it may never end.

So to say, there are tons of walleyes in green lake, no kidding! It just happens to be the lake is also 5,000 acres so that makes the "tons" nowhere close to where it should be. This isn’t much of a fishing lake anymore. It’s getting to be a recreational lake. All those vehicles you see at the landings. Well those are called speedboats, pontoons, and sure the occasional fishing boat. Even during the week you see people out skiing/tubing.

The small mouth fishing isn't always going to be that great. By that, I mean it still is good this year, but not as good as the last few years. It’s going down hill a little bit. The walleye fishing on the other hand has entered the dark side of things.

So what’s it going to be a smallie fishery with the help of special regulations or walleye fishery with the help of stocking like every single other lake in the state?

Everyone acts like once the smallies open to harvest the fishing is going to crash in the snap of a finger. RELAX! I don't even know a person that would keep a smallie. Now sure you get the people up on vacation that will keep (Contact US Regarding This Word) near anything. The smallies will always be in green lake along with the walleyes. The question is who is going to reign over the other? The future will tell us that one.

[GullGuide]

Chub,

[Please read forum policy before posting again]

If you think you and your "core" group of "expert walleye fishermen" are so great, then why can I, a "novice Green Lake fisherman" who only hits the lake every so often can go out and catch walleye any time out there? Explain that one!

Local guide,

the smallie fishing has gone down hill because a certain "core group" has been catching and killing....more like catching and stabbing, slitting, gouging, whatever you may call it.

This argument is'nt even worth the webspace it is taking up. It is a NO WIN deal for either side and.

[LEECH21]

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News Flash: NO ONE IS GOING TO WIN! Sit back enjoy the ride, it may never end.

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I agree, it may never end....but debating over the issue at hand is fun

Green Lake smallie fishing going down hill in the past few years...I disagree. This year already alone, I've caught more 19+ inch fish than I thought I'd catch in a lifetime. This year has been incredible.

As for the walleye numbers on the decline. Yes, they are down. Due to the bass, perhaps. Due to understocking and not being able to keep up with anglers throwing fish on a stringer, Yes. The supply and demand caught up with the walleye population to the point where a natural fish population has to start from the beginning all over again.

As for dirty water pushing eyes deeper...that statement just makes me laugh. I've caught many good sized walleyes out of Ringo in a foot of water. And that lake is like coffee.

You may be right about not too many people keeping smallies to eat. Yea, sure it might only be the out-of-towners that keep them. But, think about this, which fish are they more likely to keep; a 19 or 20 inch smallie or a 14 incher? It won't take long and all the good sized spawners will be gone. Then Green will be over run with stunted small bass. Remember the bigger bass prey on smaller bass. They are your freinds...for all you walleye nuts

This debate may never end....but I definately feel better now

[LocalGuide]

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I agree, it may never end...but debating over the issue at hand is fun

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I agree its kind of fun to see what other people have to say. In addition, sometimes everyone thinks they know everything, its funny.

I have to agree that this year I have also caught more 19" fish than I ever have too.

I just think that the numbers of smallies are down, they all grew up now and I don’t catch a lot of 12-16" bass anymore. Could it be because of the slot? Could it be because of a lack of natural reproduction the last few years? I can’t answer those questions.

Haha! Green lake is one of the clearest lakes in the area. No way is it dirty and resulting from that the fish are deeper. Resulting from the clear water fish are deeper, yes. However, they also are found shallow and pretty much all over the water column. That is if you can find a walleye, lol.

[searchinforeyes]

gullguide, your smallie here before the whiteman line is off, if the smallies got to green from the mississippi river, than all the waters the smallies would have passed through to get to green would also have been polluted with them.

[Please read forum policy]

[GullGuide]

"Poluted"....interesting term.....

Lets see, Green is one of the only lakes along that watershed that has prime smallmouth structure. Fish will find what is the best habitat and we're talking 1,000's of years of undisturbed migration. I'm sure other waters had them in as well until people "Searching for eyes" came along and fished them all out, or "polluted" the lakes with smallmouth-eating walleye...lol.

And who's starting the argument here?...look in the mirror.

I'm stating FACTS.

[Please read forum policy]

[Note to Gullguide - next time you feel the need to defend yourself while name calling, please use the Contact Us link below and refrain from posting the name calling!!!]

[Core Group Founder]

[Please read forum policy before posting again]

[Shad rap]

Like everyone else says this debate wont stop until the lake get some kind of balance to it.

I would put the blame on the DNR or the biologist in charge of the lake. There aren’t many people catching that many walleyes out of the lake to worry about them fishing the lake out. My average trip out on green this year is 1 or 2 eyes. And that’s fishing hard for 4 to 6 hours. The walleyes that we have been catching are fat and they have plenty of bait fish in the lake. I put the camera down and as far as you can see its little bluegills, perch and rock bass. There are also a good number of shiners out there.

If you are bass fishermen you got to admit the lake is out of balance with to many smallies in there. I don’t think we are saying to take out all the smallies but to get it back into a balance state. I think opening up the slot to an extent would be ok. This lake can handle both walleyes and smallies in it but it needs a better stocking program for walleyes.

Gull guide. If you can go out on green and catch all the walleyes you want on any given day, I’d like hookup some time so I can see what the rest of are doing wrong.

[searchinforeyes]

[Please read forum policy before posting again]

[GullGuide]

Searchin,

This year, because of work and gas prices, I have not spent much time on the lake, I'll admit that, but in the previous years I was out there quite a bit, once, maybe twice a week, more so in the fall. Heck I usually dont even touch the lake until September...way too many jet ski's and pleasure boaters for my taste.

I do know the lake, I have been fishing it for over 20 years and have been around on it long enough to see the changes.

It is out of whack, depending on your point of view.

As for the comment about being able to get as many as I want, I think what I actually said I never have had a problem catching some each time I've been out. Then again, I'm not fishing using "traditional" methods either. I'll NEVER drag a lindy or pop a jig out there if I'm targeting eyes. I'm fishing at night, I'm fishing prime moon phases, I'm fishing the wind and at times I'm fishing over the deep basins.

We can all complain on here all we want, but either way, someone will come out on the short-end when it is all said and done, which will probably be a while.

[Fat Rap guy]

People will take you more seriously if you make a statement and provide something to back it up rather than saying something and spewing expletives at anyone who disagrees with it.

[GullGuide]

And that was directed towards......

[Fat Rap guy]

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And that was directed towards......

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Searchinforeyes. He doesn't have a post in the thread without multiple personal attacks/expletives in it. Posting like this just makes a person look childish.

"i do like arguing with DA's like you"

"gullguide, your smallie here before the whiteman line is a bunch of B.S."

"put your tail between your legs and take off for home."

"quit pretending you have any idea what the he11 is going on out there."

[LocalGuide]

See, now this is entertainment! LMAO

Green Lake has great structure, to bad, it’s great for the smallies and can be great for the walleyes. That’s the problem.

There are walleyes to be caught on green, yes. However, as Shad Rap says, his average is only 1 or 2 per outing.

That’s about what my average is too. I do get into the fish every once in a while but this year I have not caught more than 6 fish in a day, I will admit it. I’m just learning the lake all over again since I started to fish it hard this year. I have fished for only 5 years and then it was just sporadic and more night fishing than anything. I’m in set of finding fish during the day and trying new techniques to catch them.

I know some other people have using the famous lindy rig and shinner/fathead/redtail and just have days that they can catch 10-15 fish. However, I too have been trying to go away from that.

I will never be one of the "locals" that have fished green for 10, 15, 20 plus years. I just want to be able to catch walleyes like I can catch smallies. I’m sure that’s what a bunch of the other "locals" want to. Even if that happens who knows maybe the smallies will keep a long hard fight and stay in there. Like I said, the fish just don’t disappear.

Walleyes in green lake are now down to a low number. You just can’t go to a bunch of spots anymore, catch a ton of fish, and move on. It involves a lot of “searching for eyes” as gull guide would say and its TOUGH! Even makes it tougher with the little 3” perch out swimming around, I’m sure they are quite tasty and there are tons and tons to be eaten.

The lake is out of balance and it needs to be fixed. It’s a simple solution for a big issue.

[LEECH21]

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See, now this is entertainment!

LMAO

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Right on!!!

[delta bravo]

Ha Ha You so funny! My money's on Chub.

[chub]

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Chub,

If you think you and your "core" group of "expert walleye fishermen" are so great, then why can I, a "novice Green Lake fisherman" who only hits the lake every so often can go out and catch walleye any time out there?

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Well, from one Einstein to another.....dag nabbit, that smiley don't work here...LOL. I aint questioning your fishing skills there Tom, I'm sure you are quite the "complete fisherman"....LOL. My point is that it's getting old hearing all these "experts" wink at everyone and say that the lake is full of walleyes and it's a great fishery(walleye). It just isn't so. Just calling a spade a spade. Not to put you in this category, but the guy with impecable timing that shows up once or maybe twice a year and catches a few walleyes, and claims it's the best walleye fishing he's ever had(and maybe in his case it is), but in the overall scheme of things, it don't mean a thing.

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Local guide,

the smallie fishing has gone down hill because a certain "core group" has been catching and killing....more like catching and stabbing, slitting, gouging, whatever you may call it.

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Harsh accusations there GG. I would say that the population has probably peaked(hopefully), and things are swinging the other way. Like the stunted bluegills, lakes full of hammerhandle pike....etc...

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If anyone is getting worked over this "innernet battle" I suggest taking another nitro pill and join a scrabble league. Aside from "sharing different viewpoints", ya gotta admit it's better than the WWE

[LEECH21]

Wow Chub, I'm not even on the same side as you, but I have to admit that was pretty darn good,LOL

SMALLMOUTH ROCK!!!

[GullGuide]

There are a number of points here to make and it may look like I'm rambling on here but bear with me....

First off...

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I'm sure you are quite the "complete fisherman"....LOL.

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I'll challenge you any day to a head to head multi-species showdown on a nutral lake and we'll see who's a "Complete Fisherman"...LOL!!

Let me ask you...What do you consider a good fishery for walleye. You cannot expect a lake the size of Green, that gets as much pressure as does Green to be a good fishery comparable to Mille Lacs, Leech (and yes, Leech still has plenty of walleye, in fact they are biting quite well as I type), Winni, just to name a few. Green will never be on the same level as the top lakes in the state, just does not have the capacity to be and it gets more pressure per acre than most.

Sure, the smallies may have had something to do with a so-called decline, but let's be realistic here. You have to admit, even if you do not want to, that this area has more "meat-hunters" per capita than any area in the state. I've seen it on Wagonga, on Solomon, on GREEN, and many other lakes where if you catch it you keep it no matter WHAT size it is. Guy's with limits of 12" walleye and stringers of 5lb plus fish is the norm. You cannot continually take-take-take and expect good fishing without massive re-stocking efforts. These lakes are not capable of producing fish on their own in the numbers needed to handle the pressure they receive.

What Green needs is NOT a free-for-all on the smallies. What Green needs is a massive re-stocking effort and a tight slot for a number of years on the walleye, if there is a problem.

Someone said they do not know of anyone who would keep a smallie. That may be true, but there are a lot of people out there who would, believe me. In-Fisherman named me as a contact for smallies on Green a few years ago (I was actually re-named this last year as well) and I got a TON of phone calls from all over the country wanting info. 90% of these people lost ALL interest once they found out it was catch and release and then later a tight slot. They were out looking for smallies to keep. I will bet you everything that if they took the slot off the bass on Green, you will have more out of state rigs at the landings than you could ever imagine. I'm sure some of you would like that though...them taking out the "trash fish".

Lets talk a little about the walleye....

There is plenty of data to support the notion that there are different "types" of walleye.

You have your structure walleye, the kind that live adjacent to bars, reefs, etc.

Then you have your weed walleye that relate mostly to weeds, either in them or along the edges. Many have theorized that these fish are actually pond-reared fish that grew up in the shallow weedy rearing ponds and therefore relate to the weeds more during their life than a walleye that is naturally produced.

Lastly you have your suspended walleye. Some have said that all walleyes at certain times will go out over the basins and suspend following the food source and others have suggested that these fish spend 90% of their time suspended while other "types" of walleye relate more to weeds and structure.

In my opinion, the structure and weed walleyes receive the most pressure, therefore are depleted faster than the suspended fish. Not all lakes will have all 3 types, all depends on the make-up of the lake, but I know Green does have all 3 types, with the fewest number being weed walleye.

It does not take long to figure out that the fish that relate to the structure are going to be harvested a lot quicker than those that suspend. I also believe that many fish that relate to structure will move off the structure when heavily pressured and will temporarily suspend during the day to avoid harassment and then will return to the structure at night.

There is probably only a handful, maybe less than 10 people that have actually gone out and targeted the suspended walleye on Green. I'm sure a lot have tried, but have given up quickly. It is NOT a limit producing tactic by any means, but you will catch fish if you stick with it long enough.

Another thing is lakes do go through natural cycles, and this may be just a down time for the classic structure walleye, either because of poor year classes or over harvest (which I tend to think is the case here).

Whenever people cannot catch fish in a lake they always seem to try to put the blame on an external factor whether it be bass, muskies, tourists. Most of the time they can never accept that the cause for decline was or is because of their own actions. Don't you think that when Green was producing a lot of walleye that a lot of fish were taken out day after day night after night that that did not put a pretty large dent in the population? A dent that is now being felt by those who fish the "structure walleye"?

As for my "serious accusation" it's not an accusation at all. I have seen and have talked to others who have seen bass on the shore or floating that either had gills slit or bellies punctured. I have also heard people talking about doing it, which you cannot prove they actually did do it so why call TIP right?

Someone also said my statement about Smallies being native to the lake before the white man came was B.S....Think what you want to think, but I actually wrote a paper on it for my Minnesota History course in college, and I do have a degree in History by the way, and have extensively researched the subject.

And BTW...I get as many "last posts" as I want...LOL