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Letter to the Editor


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I sent a letter in to the outdoor news. I also started a petition. This is what the letter read....

Remember When....

Do you remember when you could catch a large number of fish on any given lake? I don’t, but I want to enjoy the great fishing that my grandpa did. I am a strong believer that we can bring great fishing back to Minnesota, by doing a few simple things.

We need slot limits on all species of fish statewide. Look at how great the fishing has been on lakes that slot limits are implemented. For example Upper Red Lake, and Mille Lacs. Even a few lakes in Canada have added some slot limits. It wouldn’t hurt to lower daily limits and possession limits either. Fishing pressure is hurting our lakes especially in the more populated areas where there are fewer lakes. We can make fishing any lake in Minnesota a great outing. Let’s bring Canadian fishing to Minnesota!

Now you ask “how do we do this?” Well, it’s simple! Practice catch and release, talk to your local conservation officer about adding slot limits across the state, and start a petition for added slot limits at you local bait shop or keep one in your tackle box and send it to the DNR. People if we can do this we will see improved fishing across our great state within 5 years. We can do it! Please I ask for your help, let’s improve fishing across the great state of Minnesota.

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I'll go for that! but how bout our waters, every year the list of impared lakes & rivers,streams, increases.In the future there may be great fishing!because you wont be eating your catch if you would follow the consumption advisories.If the fish can survive the poluted soup were're creating

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The only slot limit I find hard to swallow would be on panfish. Alot of people will not keep sunfish under 7" inches long. Yet those are the ones we should take more of, to not have stunted panfish. I can show you several lakes wheree that has happened. Then the DNR stocks the lake with muskies hopeing for the skies to thin the pannies. Only to have anglers come out fish the muskies where many of them die due to guys not fishing proper Equipment. But it would be nice to see those pound plus sunfish back in the crow river we fish out as kids. To bad we didn't know how we were damaging the ecosystem at that time.

But I'll sign.

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State wide slot limits for northern, walleye & bass I'm all for it. Would it be possible to have somebody post a draft of a petition that all FMers could look at and add insite to see if we could come up with some common ground. Maybe this needs to be done on the outdoor discussion.... forum.

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Jiggin one of the lakes I fish has those sunnies with the hump on there head I catch em fishin for walleyes! they fight better than larger walleyes,But for eatin sunnies Its Long,Nest,Calhoun where ya get lots a fish fast!

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I have a petition printed out which I have a copy of the letter with it. I was thinking of leaving one at yellow strip sports in Olivia here. I thought about posting one on here, but I dont know if that is ok with the forum policy so i thought I better not, and I think for it to actually work it needs to be hand signatures. Do you guys think my letter was well said or not. Feel free to tell me what you think.

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I would personnally like to thank yo for taking the next step. Sorry to anyone I ticked off. I'm just so adiment about the future of fishing. When you think you have a good idea and then people start jumping down your throat it put me in a defensive mode. It's nice to see most people think in much the same way I do and then yet to have someone take charge. I also personnally know the guys at fisheries and could get about any info you want. I would even do it for you sparcbag. What about Diamond do you want to know? Agree to disagree.

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fish-4-fun... WAY TO GO. That is what I was talking about,somebody taking action for what they believe in.....doesn't get any better than that.

Try to contact the keepers of the site about getting it on here.

Sorry to see eyekiller go....I didn't take any of his shots personally, just his opinion.

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Thank you for all your support guys. Hey harvey lets get a petition going on this site huh?? If you guys want I can surely email you a copy of the letter and a petition. If you want to pass one around or drop it off at a bait shop.

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Thanks Hey: about Diamond tho I go over to the fisheries but I only ask info,Got in to some good catfish talks with the taller blond guy bout 55 or so.anyway what date will the DNR be on Diamond doing the fish surveys this year???

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A quote from the DNR "Improved fishing technology and increasing fishing pressure have caused fishing quality to decline in many waters. Catch-and-release fishing offers anglers a way to enjoy their sport with less harm to the resource."

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Man, you make a good point. But do you not think that you are preaching to the choir here. Everyone that is here, or least 90%, agrees. Most of the anglers that read and respond to this will sign it. Most of them already practice the system. And it has paid dividends. Look how long the system has been practiced. It has made great differences in the population and quaility of fish in this area and many others. Some of the greatest stories are down south as well as in Canada. So great that you took the time to do what you and keep doing it. So here is your pat on the back. And hope that it gets printed. That will reach the people that count, since most of us practice that already. Slots Will help but the big difference will be made when all these people from the good days stop thinking that they need to bring a limit home in order to jusify them having a good day of fishing.

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Thanks!! But I also have this post going in the ice fishing forum and no one seems to agree with me there. Atleast i know the sprtsman in my neck of the woods feel the same way i do. I have found so many different articles now that support my idea. Just look at the back page of this weeks outdoor news and they feature Coon and Candwick Lake which the DNR has done a slot limit experiment that worked. I might just try and plan a camping trip there this year and get in on the action. The Dnr website offers alot of information that supports slot limits and catch and release too. You all need to check out my post on the ice fishing forum I am amzed at the negative feedback i am getting from the people on there. They just don't get it. I also just watched Midwest outdoors and gary roach was talking about how slot limits have improved alot of our fisheries. I feel strong about this and I won't give up. I will keep giving people my opinion and will keep searching for mor facts to support my opinion we can do this!! Thank you everyone who supports me! grin.gif

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The next step has been taken!!! I am developing a website to offer more information about slot limits and hopefully get an a ptetion going on that site!! It will take me some time to get this completed though because I do work full time and I do need to make time to fish!! So be patient. I am very excited about it though. The domain name has been purchased and I am now working on putting it all together.

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I support what you say but like you found out there are alot of people against it. THey are the ones that do not leave the lakes in thier backyards or have not been to a lake with slots. I am for it, but at the same time believe maybe just a Minimum on the size my work as well. Go for the fight I hope we get something accomplished in the next three years. Keep up the GOOD FIGHT!!!!! :

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OK OK I am starting to believe that a statewide slot limit will not work the more I do research, but I have found alot of good info and believe that we can implement some slot limits on alot of our local lakes. We may need to get a group of people to start a group of people to help the local DNR develop management plans for some of our lakes we just need to decide which ones we would like it done to, start a petition for these lakes and present it to the DNR. Atleast from everything I have read on their website this is how it needs to happen. So who's with me here and who wants to help??

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Maybe it just takes getting kicked off this site 5 or 6 times like I did before the idea sinks through. I will head over to forum and try to keep the keyboard under control. This thing has a mind of its own sometimes. If I remember right there was a lot of negativity around here also.

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I have read a ton of good articles and papers now. If anyone would like a copy of some of these post oyur email. I am going through all of them and I will probably write another paper when I'm done.

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Fish; thru the DNR its called "Request to Adopt" Email the DNR In cc area wright in this name Linda Erickson-Eastwood this is how cat fishers are tring to get a bullhead for bait rule increased from 7 inches to 10 inches.Little steps are more acceptable than big leaps!Be prepared to wait till next year for anything if at all to be hashed over by DNR then a period of informal meetings,asking for public input,then if it looks acceptable-- more input ITS A LONE ROAD! Be prepaired for a long ride & lots of time,I'll help if I can but remember everyone has different Ideas Thats always a problem dealing with public matters.

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Thanks sparce. I'll send an email in. I know how there is 2 sides and that it will take time. And the DNR would know better then me if slot limits would work on these lakes, but I think we should atleast give it a try in our area and see how it goes if it doesn't work after a certain number of years they can drop it.

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Hey sparce I went to their website and can only find the adopt a river program nothing about lakes. Do you have an email I can send to?

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Fish I was on there site 1/2 the day looking for new rules that may be adopted could'nt find anything.left a email at [email protected] Got an email back within 1 hr.Saying they have no new rules they are looking at!But try that address you will get through, and I got a reply!

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