Letter to the Editor

[fish-4-fun]

My letter made the paper!!! I am pumped! Thanks all for your support

[chewy630]

I agree on slot for all Lakes in MN I just got back from LOW with a group of 12. We caught 33 walleyes from 19.5 to 29in. which 5 were 29in. 31 of these went back into lake.

It does WORK!!!!

[fish-4-fun]

OK I got a letter back from Bruce Gilbertson of the DNR. He told me kinda what needs to happen to start implementing slots on some of our lakes. And he gave me the different state proposed options for limits. We need to get area angler approval and lake association approval. We can do it!! I was wondering if anyone out there is willing to work with me on this?? We need to decide which lakes we want to try limits on and what kind of limits we want. The DNR is very willing to work with us. The process usually takes a few years. He told me why which I wont get into on here. Please I would like to get a group of guys together on this and we can sit down and talk about what we want to do here and how we are going to do it.

[sparcebag]

Hey Fish what letter? what paper?

[fish-4-fun]

The letter to the editor that i wrote to the outdoor news. And then I contacted the DNR by email. They are really willing to work with me I would just like a couple more guys to help me out. Any body interested?

[slotlimit]

I started this topic so I'm in. I don't hsve lots of time but I will do what I can. Now I gues we will see who talks the talk and who wlaks the walk.

[fish-4-fun]

Thanks slot. We could use one or 2 more guys. Anybody??? Once we get another guy or 2 we can setup a time and place to meet to get things going.

[basssmasher*]

I wanna be able to show my son the great art of fishing when hes older,, count me in!!

[walleyeking#8]

fish4fun.........I think it is great what you have started doing and i am in 100%. I am willing to help just let me know when and where. Way to go!!!!

[fish-4-fun]

Great!!! Glad to hear that guys. Is what we have to do now is look at a couple of lakes that we want to try some of these slot limits on. My email is [email protected], if you email me I can send you the list of options that the DNR has given me, then we can decide which lakes we want to try this to, and get a petition going and talk to the lake association and so on. Keep the lakes in our area. Go to the DNR website and look at lake info stuff on some of your fav lakes and decide which ones need our help. We can meet up sometime and go over all of this or we can do this more over email let me know what you guys want to do. You have my email now. I will try and check it daily. Thanks again guys.

[fish-4-fun]

Any more volunteers?? Please email me [email protected]

[fish-4-fun]

Just wondering if any of you guys have come up with some ideas for which lakes you wanted to try the slots on?/

[sparcebag]

Fish; Do you haveSportsmans connection West Metro LakeMap Book? A LakeMasterCD or chip? Any way to see lakes and info other than DNR.What I'd suggest is to get together with some maps & data and procede from there I've sportsmans LakeMap book and by Fri. the CD LakeMasterProMaps.How many people are involved with your plan?

[slotlimit]

Green

[walleyeking#8]

I second Green. I guess I would like to see either diamond or big kandi and wouldn't mind seeing a slot on long or florida also. Any start would be great. Let me know F4F if you need help with anything I am willing to help in any way.

[J'sBait&Sport]

F4F,

I won't mind helping with what I can. Like the idea of slot limit, seems sensible way to keep the tradition of fishing going for our kids.

J.

[eyewarrior]

F4F Long north of Willmar would be an ideal trial lake for slot. Shallow water should mean high survival rate for released fish. Not so sure about Green, but I guess it would be a good barometer.

[slotlimit]

Like the idea of Long Lake. Though I think an open season on The Black Fish eaters would help that lake out even more. Dang I dislike those birds. They used to have pictures of them dead with 13inch walleyes in them at 71 bait.

[fish-4-fun]

Quote:

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Fish; Do you haveSportsmans connection West Metro LakeMap Book? A LakeMasterCD or chip? Any way to see lakes and info other than DNR.What I'd suggest is to get together with some maps & data and procede from there I've sportsmans LakeMap book and by Fri. the CD LakeMasterProMaps.How many people are involved with your plan?

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I have the lakemaster cd on my computer. And you have a good idea here I will send out an email to everyone that has emailed me and we can get a time and place setup to meet.

[bturck]

I'm not in your area guys, but I've read this entire thread. Hats off to you for taking the time. My own personal opinion is establish a slot Statewide, 12" walleyes and 6" crappies are not exactly trophies, put 'em back and maybe next year they will be. Personally I was also happy to see the adjustment in the panfish limits a few years ago, it was long time coming. Go get 'em and good luck. Bill

[fish-4-fun]

Thanks alot! I'm glad to hear you feel that way. People like you make this much easier for me. I like to know I have support.

[Dr. Walleye]

A slot on Green would be worth a try. And perhaps Diamond. I suppose this won't be too popular on this thread, but I would also like to see a return of a protected slot for smallies on Green.

[fish-4-fun]

Hey I hear you on the bass. They are a fun sport fish. I do know that most of the green lake fisherman don't care much for them though as you said. I would like to see green become a lake that could either sport a bass tourney or walleye tourney. It would even be better if they could handle both. That would be fun, then we would have a lake to be proud of!

[eyewarrior]

Quote:

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I do know that most of the green lake fisherman don't care much for them though as you said.

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I'm not so sure about the "most" part but there are some for sure. Personally I like to catch smallies whenever I need to get the "coils" stretched out of my line

[slotlimit]

The Bass are always biting. Yet when the word is out on a lake that the walleyes are biting the parking lot is full. When Green was managed for walleyes there were no complaints and if their were they where not published. As soon as the walleye fishing began to decline their where articles in the Willmar Paper every week. People were talking about it all the time. So when f4f says "most" I would have to agree. Yes we all care about fishing and the fish in the lakes, but the walleye is what the majority care about and being a democratic society the majority rules.

[eyewarrior]

Slot

So you dont believe that Green lake can be managed successfully for more than one type of fish?

[Dr. Walleye]

It's not all walleyes all the time for everyone. Many people fish for species other than walleyes. In fact, I would wager that in Mn. more people fish for panfish than walleyes. Nationwide more people prefer panfish and bass to walleyes. But, also, why does one fish species have to be elevated more than another? If someone wants to fish only for walleyes, good for them. If someone wants to fish only for bass, good for them. If someone wants to fish only for carp, good for them. If someone wants to fish for whatever is biting, good for them. Why should it matter? Mn is overwhelmingly managed for walleyes. But it seems the walleye exclusive guys are the only ones you ever hear complaining. PS, I love to fish for walleyes, and bass...and muskies...and notherns...and panfish. How much money is spent on walleye stocking and management? How much on bass, or northerns, or muskies? I don't know, but it seems like its 90% plus on walleyes.

[slotlimit]

Eyewarrior & Dr. Eye,

Sorry for the confusion. You can manage a lake for any fish you want and more then one if you want. What I was saying is I don't believe someone need to manage a lake for bass. Most people don't keep them. It's mainly fishing just for fun...which is great. Yes many people fish panfish to eat but they are also some of the fastes reproducing fish. I do believe in a slot for panfish. But the walleye is what gets the hammer dropped on them from fishermen. SO we need to keep a better eye on them. No pun intended. I bet if you talked to Brad or J and asked them how many times someone comes in to ask where are the bass biting compared to where are the walleyes biting there would be no comparrison. Because the bass are always biting in every lake that has them. If the majority of people where fishing bass and keeping them for the table then I would say yep even though I want walleye more people are fishing for them and cleaning out the lakes lets put our money towards that species. How many examples would you like? Everytime the walleye bite is on that lakes parking lot is full. How many times in the summer is the panfish bite on. Try every day. You don't see the parking lot full. Take peterson Lake by my home. 2 years ago is was listed in the outdoor news as a top five Walleye Lake in MN. There isn't even a boat ramp or a parking lot and the people where lined up by the dozens down the road every day for a couple years. (Quit funny trying to watch the big boats trying to unload and load). The panfishing is still great yet you might only see a boat out there once a week since the walleyes are mostly fished out. So when money is tight and there has to be a choice between any fish and a walleye you have to go with what the majority are fishing for the table.