new regulations are bad

[scott35]

i was very disappointed at the new regulations. there are 4 of us who go up there every opener for the last 7 years and now i will not be going because of the new slots and # of walley combined w/saugers. i spend atleast $300.00+ going up there to barely get my limit with the old slot. so together we spend over $1200.00 just for 5 days(not including gas for the trip up there)i would like to say that you guys got hosed and i hope that nobody goes out of business up there because every resort Pine Aire Sandy Point and the resorts on the Ash river we stayed at, the Gateway store, everybody was just wonderful and very helpful it was just great to be there. thank god i love the wilderness up there because thats the only thing worth going up there for now(whenever i get the chance to go up there again) so good luck and hope everything goes well for everybody up there.

[Big-Al]

When the original experimental regs were put in place, there were alot of folks with the attitude that you have and the crowds eased a bit. As the chance to catch 20-25" walleyes increased (and it sure did) a lot of those folks started coming back. If I see a decrease in the number of folks again I sure don't have a problem with that although maybe the local businesses may notice.

But I will be there and so will a lot of other folks I know. When you hear of a group catching a half of dozen in the 25-28" range, you will be back too.

[89Bronco]

So you're not comin' up because of 2 fish? If you "barely" got your limit before the new regs, I would think dropping it to 4 would make it easier to get your limit.

[fishkab]

Scot35,, Sorry to see your post and the dismay you have for the new slots... Here are some thoughts for you.... Rainy Lake 4 walleyes, Lake of the Woods 4 Walleyes, Ontario 4 walleyes, a very popular option in Ontario is the conservation license 2 walleyes, spring Rainy River 2 walleyes under 19.5, all of these places are very popular with fishermen and women who enjoy the fishing, the frienship of fishing partners, and the memories of a great day on the lake. Also, in the future of all Minnesota lakes a very probable 4 walleye limit.....If you have made decisions based on 2 fish, I feel bad for you... If your group has 5 people and you catch 20 fish a day,,, you can't eat them all and you can't possess them all... So I guess I don't understand your real problem.. The businesses here will do fine,,, and the people who use this great area will have a great time..... You may miss it... Think about the future of the fishery, that's what this is about...... Fishkab

[Dock Boy]

Your exactly right FishKab, The slot falls inline with every other great walleye fishery in Minnesota. With Kabetogama being one of Minnesota's top ten walleye lakes we need to protect our resources. The protected slot will protect the larger eyes that spawn the most and will intern produce more fish for the future. I think it will be business as usually up thier. Scott sorry to hear that you won't be up thier, but you will open up dates at the resort you stayed at that I'm sure are already full. Take Care Dock Boy

[89Bronco]

Scott35 I re-read my first response and it kind of sounds like a smart @XX answer...it really wasn't meant as that. Personally, I would rather drive the 4-5 hours and fish on the Crane-Rainy chain of lakes or LOW and be able to keep 4 walleyes instead of fishing around the Saint Cloud area and keep 6 for the very reasons you describe in your post---the friendly people, the scenery, and the overall experience. Fishing down here is battling other not-so-friendly anglers, boaters, jet-skiers, crowds. The atmosphere is highway traffic, boat traffic, cabin on top of cabin around the entire lakeshore. I guess what I'm saying is that I'd take the tranquility of the area and 4 fish over combat fishing for 6 walleyes everytime.

And if you really need the extra fish to eat, take a northern or two, fillet them up, cut out the bones, cut the fillets into nugget size pieces, beer batter 'em up and deep fry....MMMMMMMMM MMMMMM GOOD!

[Hockey Guy]

Scott35, Your KILLING me! Absolutely KILLING me! Your saying that you were traveling to the most scenic place in the state, spending a few days hob-knobbing with good people, getting in some quality fishing without a bunch of boat traffic, watching eagles and other wildlife in their natural habitat, and fishing without cabins every ten feet along the shore. But, what will make your group cancel their plans and give up all of that is TWO fish? How long does it take the guys in your group to eat two fish? I certainly hope that the 10 minutes of enjoyment you would get by eating those two fish is worth it!

Maybe I’m just getting old, but it sure seems like your fishing with a group that has screwed up priorities! Sure, I like to catch a lot of fish as much as the next guy. But I’m not going to cancel a trip because I can only keep two less than I could the year before. Fishing is for the serenity, thrill of the chase, and memories spent with friends and family. Not about how many fish you can keep.

Personally, I would like to see the entire park have a 1 fish limit for shore-lunch only. That way, in 10 years when I’m sitting back with my son enjoying the serenity of fishing, we would be catching nice fish all day long. Good luck to you guys. I seriously know of a place that is surrounded by a railroad track, power-plant, and sewage-plant where you can pull nice Walleye out all day long. The limit there is 6 but your not going to find me canceling any trips to VNP to go there.

[Kab Kid]

Scott35.

Hot topic! Good luck where ever you go...like everyone else, Kab and the lakes connected are a very unique and special place to me, and I will not every away to long. I am excited about the new regulations and feel it is a step in the right direction. Our walleyes should be bigger and more abundent 5 years from now, and don't forget the saugers...Kab has a healthy population of saugers to add to your "limit" if that's what you need to make the trip worthwhile.

[Wade Joseph]

The limit means I can only keep 4, Hell, I can catch 500 as long as I only put 4 in the livewell. So it goes like this, catch 3 keepers, then fish the rest of the day for that last fish for my limit.

Just for the record, I can eat 4 walleyes (8 fillets)in the 15-19 inch range NO PROBLEM! ESPECIALLY cooked over a fire for dinner or shorelunch.

I have often wondered though, how many people who are what I call "fish hogs" catch 3-4 fish, eat them for shore lunch, then catch their limit to bring home?

[Down Deep]

Four fish is not going to stop me from fishing Kab. When the spring bite is on the fishing is awesome. If the DNR thinks that a 4 fish limit is the ticket, then I don't have a problem with it. Having a couple of shore lunches over a 4 day weekend and bringing few fish home to cook up for the wife is one heck of a deal. If someone needs more fish they can always switch over and pick off a few northerns to pack for home.

The one limit I find hard to deal with is the one walleye daily limit on the Canadian side of Rainy. Makes having a shorelunch almost impossible.

[Bearfan1963]

Scott35, I too was a little shocked by the new slots at first. But after being able to dwell and also get a few responses from my own post concerning them, I'm inclined to agree with every reply here. For 10 years in the late 80's to early 90's I travelled to Canada which had slots in place, which I thought were there to impede fishing, but for 10 years the fishing got better and better and better. Now I have been fishing the Kab/Nam area for 4 years running and again the fishing has been better and better. I have to assume DNR have some clue as to what they are doing. I have taken my kids up there with me every year and I want them to be able to take their kids and grandkids and enjoy the experience just as much as I am today. The drop in limit is okay, but you still get 6 if you count the Sauger, not to mention the Northern and Smallies. I'll be up there again this year and I'm sure I'll see the just as many there with me again. If not, that's just a few more holes for me to explore.

[kunk]

Maybe I'm getting old, but my trips up north for walleye have always been for some good eating. From Grand Rapids to Kab all I've asked for is a meal of fish to bring home for my wife, me and my parents to enjoy. My parents are too old to go now, and, if we aren't lucky enough to catch 8 in the slot, we won't be having a walleye dinner. When I want to catch and release I'll fish for Bass and Northern. I can do that much closer to home. Looking for a new lake.

[Bluegills1512]

Agreed Bronco, I am to from the St. Cloud area but now in the Bemidji area, and have fished Kab, Crane, Namakan, and BWCA. I use to fish down there but its a joke seeing all the people and cabins, and the fishing isn't like it use to be either with all urbanization going on in that area and more people fishing those lakes. When I come home for to visit my parents I will usually make the treck to Mille Lacs or to some of the smaller panfishing lakes in the area with my dad, thats about it. You can't beat the scenery and the fishing up there period. I know what Scott is saying and I can relate when Mille Lacs was always changing their regulations, but its for the better of the fishery and gives already nice fish a chance to grow and spawn to make more fish for the future. I just wish the DNR would do something with bluegills, like you can only keep your limit of 7-8" and 1 over 9" or something like that and give them a chance to grow.

[Dock Boy]

I'm not sure why this slot is becomming such a big deal. People are leaving resorts they love and have gone to for years because of a couple of fish. Lake of the Woods, Rainy, Rainy River, Canada all have slots like these. In one year nobody will be talking about this on this forum except to let us know that they have caught more fish then ever because of the slot.

[booter]

I am confident the fisheries personnel have a bead on improving the Kab & Nam situation. I've been keeping a record of every walleye my wife and I have caught on these lakes with their measurements. In the last few years the number of smaller (under 12" fish) walleye has declined as a precentage of the total walleye we have caught. Not a good sign.

We must be old school, it's not about the number of walleye or sauger we put in the hurt locker, it's about the time spent in a special place. In any event, life is short and people should spend their time where they are happy.

booter

[Lucky12]

I agree totally.

[Satchmo]

The only thing that dissappointed me with new regs is the fact that they eliminated the minimum size. Hope it doesn't lead to a lot of 10-12 inchers going under the knife.

[Wade Joseph]

I ain't filleting anything under 13-14. Too much trouble, unless they are yellow with green stripes.

[guts]

Satchmo, I believe alot of fish will be kept that wouldn't have been legal under the current reg. Smaller fish generally have a much higher mortality rate then their bigger companions. Now when you gut hook, or wound a small fish, you will legally have to keep it I think, if you toss it overboard to the gulls that would then be wanton waste which is a ticketable offense. When you figure in the wanton waste factor, and the juvenile mortality rate, the new reg should work. One of the reasons the new reg is for a 5 year span rather than 10 is to review the new reg publicly so the opinons and results can be discussed and the reg could be modified ealier on.

[JKing]

I'm in favor of the new regs. I like the idea of getting rid of the minimum 13" reg. just to simplify things. It seems that fish can shrink if they die & I would rather just have to worry about one length when talking to the CO. If the majority of 17" plus eye's are the female spawner's then I'm more than willing to release them for the better of the fishery. As far as the one over slot I wouldn't be keeping any in that range unless its going to end up on my wall & that would probably have to be closer to 29" before I would do that.

[Satchmo]

That is a very, very good point Guts. I never even thought about the "GULL FACTOR". By forcing people to keep the small fish that would die anyway, it may actually put less pressure on the rest of larger population including those 13 to 17 inchers that have been so prized in the old slot. Thanks--Satchmo

[tearin' lips]

I kinda came in on this post later, but I am trying to understand why people are upset about this. Kab/Nam are great fisheries and the new regulations are only designed to help make it better. Rainy is a phenomenal fishery and look waht the regs have done for it. I realize there will be a few people putting 11-12 inch fish in the live well, but I would rather have that than those fish being released and dying. As a Biologist I can concur that they would have not changed the regulations if they didn't feel that there would be a benefit towards the overall health of the ecosystem. As far as the reduced limit, four fish is plenty, I have never found a reason for having more than 4 fish per person.

The new system will benefit water that has already been great at producing walleye. I for one am looking forward to seeing what the slot/limits will do 5-10 years down the road.

Take Care Guys and Good Luck Fishing!!

[fishkab]

Tearin' lips,,,,,, Thanks for the good post.... I agree, the purpose here is to have better fishing as the years go by...Better eating those smaller fish than to have them floating on the water.....Great fish sandwiches!!!!! Good fishing!!!! Fishkab

[papabear]

All I can say for my fishin daughter and I is Thank you all. Reading these posts that are supportive of slots and reduced limits for the sake of the lake is very encouraging that my daughter will be able to teach my kids how to fish instead of telling stories of what it used to be like. Thanks again. I know some people are fishing for the purpose of fishing not taking.

[NBR]

After fishing Nam for about 20 years I was transfered to New England and the trip just seemed too far. I missed three years and then returned to find the slot limits and I want to stress better fishing.

More bass, bigger bass, more walleyes just plain better fishing. If your purpose for a fishing trip is centered around hauling a load of fish home you will save a ton by going to the fish market.

We go for two weeks, eat fish four or five times and go home with an empty cooler, great memories and pictures.

[double_dog]

I like the new regs.

The limit on Red Lake this year was 2 walleye (for different reasons all together). That didn't stop alot of people from going up there and catch alot of walleyes.

I'd rather catch twice as many fish as before and keep 1/2 as many than the other way around.

[scott35]

well i'm glad that i got all of these responses. i do like the slot limit idea it makes the fishing more challenging i just would like to keep the original slot limit, and the 6 walleyes. heres an idea for when the 5 years are up (please do not take offense to my idea). keep the slot like it is now(2007) when you have people who live south of milacs they can keep the 6 walleyes and the people who live north of milacs can keep 4 walleyes and 2 sauger. i will be up there again hopefully soon. see ya around wolf

[Xplorer]

Quote:

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heres an idea for when the 5 years are up (please do not take offense to my idea). keep the slot like it is now(2007) when you have people who live south of milacs they can keep the 6 walleyes and the people who live north of milacs can keep 4 walleyes and 2 sauger. i will be up there again hopefully soon. see ya around wolf

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You are kidding, right?? Cause as Larry would say, "that there is funny".

No reason to take more than 4 eyes home. If you have a family of 3, that allows you to take 24 fillets home, more than enough for 2/3 fishfrys. Need more, take some out of your local lakes.

[overdalimit]

I am agreement with the majority of the posts here. 4 walleye and 2 sauger is plenty. I mean that is still six fish. I have always combined my limit so this is not even an issue with me. I am more concerned over the low water level right now. I just don't understand why you need all six of those fish to be walleye to have a good time??? I am excited for opener and I hope we catch lots of fish out of the slot just to have the photo ops! I usually spend 3-4 weekends working on a limit and then have a fish fry with the family once that is achieved and then start over.

[JBMasterAngler]

I like the new limit just because of the fact it may prevent some people from going fishing there. I'm going up there memorial weekend, so the less people the better.