Fishing

“Mille Lacs Lake has been behaving more like a normal year,” Brad Parsons, Minnesota DNR Fisheries Chief said during the Mille Lacs Fishery Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, Aug. 27 held at Appledoorn’s in Isle.

Biologists suspect that since 1990, the water in Mille Lacs Lake has become warmer and more clear. While this may be good for some species inhabiting the lake, it may not be good for the walleye. The Mille Lacs Band Department of Natural Resources has received a grant to test the hypothesis that thermal habitat may be contributing to the decline of juvenile walleye.

Brad Parsons, a 31-year fisheries veteran and current central region fisheries manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, has been selected as the new fisheries chief for the DNR. He begins his new duties Wednesday, July 25.

In early May, more than 20,000 walleye were tagged in Lake Mille Lacs. The effort will provide a better estimate of the lake’s population of walleye 14 inches or longer and help guide how many fish can safely be harvested in future seasons, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Members of the Mille Lacs Fisheries Advisory Committee (MLFAC) met with Department of Natural Resources fishery staff on Monday, May 7. Brad Parsons, DNR Central Region fisheries manager, reiterated the 2018 walleye season would be catch-and-release only. The Fisheries Technical Committee has not yet reached an agreement as to the safe harvest level for state and tribal. The state was asking for 150,000 pounds while the tribes suggested 120,000 pounds. Discussions will continue, Parsons said.

Since the late 1990s, Mille Lacs Lake has become an increasingly popular destination for anglers who want to catch trophy-sized smallmouth bass. Until now, it wasn’t known how many of these fish – prized more for their fight than their fillets – called the lake home. A population estimate completed in 2018 shows there are some 67,000 smallmouth bass in the 128,000-acre lake.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced plans for the 2018 walleye fishing season on Lake Mille Lacs that seek to maximize fishing opportunities for anglers while protecting the health and sustainability of Mille Lacs’ improving walleye population.

Valentine’s Day was all about sunfish, crappies and northern pike for Rippleside fifth graders, who spent three hours on Hanging Kettle Lake hoping to demonstrate their ice fishing skill. The fifth grade’s first outing was last year which was bitter cold; this year was gorgeous with plenty of sun and temperatures in the 30s.

More than 500 people competed in the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber annual ice fishing contest on Serpent Lake in Crosby on Saturday, Feb. 3.

You won’t want to miss the opportunity to net some fish and cash at the Minnewawa Sportsmen’s Club Fishing Tournament scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10, on Lake Minnewawa. The event will be held from noon-3 p.m.

Mille Lacs Lake tourneys

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr and DNR Planning Program Supervisor Judy Grew attended the Mille Lacs Fishery Advisory Committee (MLFAC) meeting at Appeldoorn’s on Wednesday, Dec. 6, in an effort to hear directly from the members on issues surrounding the group’s charter and function.

During a meeting designed for members of the Mille Lacs Fishery Advisory Committee (MLFAC) to express their feelings towards the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Twin Pines resort owner Bill Eno thanked Rep. Sondra Erickson (R-15A) for being instrumental in procuring the “walleye welfare that is helping us to survive,” Eno said.

Ever since he was a kid, he wanted to be a professional bass fisherman. At 29 years old, Brandon Palaniuk, the young man from Idaho is living his dream as he captured the title of Bassmaster Elite Angler of the Year (AOY) at the tournament held on Mille Lacs Lake Sept. 14-17.

A document with an agreement between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, tribal DNR officials and Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Committee fell into the hands of members of the Mille Lacs Fishery Advisory Committee last week and has left the MLFAC members feeling betrayed by the DNR.

Walleye season closed on Mille Lacs Lake after fishing hours concluded on Monday, Sept. 4. Anglers fishing for all other species from shore, dock or pier may use live bait during daylight hours through Thursday, Nov. 30.

It was nearly standing room only for the Mille Lacs Fishery Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, July 31. Committee members posed questions to Dr. Chris Vandergoot of the U.S. Geological Survey station in Sandusky, Ohio. Vandergoot is a lead fishery biologist at Lake Erie, which is another complicated, multi-jurisdictional walleye fishery.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced on Friday, July 21 to extend the walleye closure until Aug. 11. High walleye catch rates on Mille Lacs have increased the original fishing projections from DNR staff. That, coupled with a hot walleye bite attracted more anglers to the lake, resulting in angler effort that is about double what it was in 2016.

Mille Lacs Lake walleye fishing is closed July 7-27, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Fishing for all other species, including bass, is open. Mille Lacs was recently named the number one lake for bass fishing in the nation by Bassmaster.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced this week that the agency will initiate an external review of Mille Lacs Lake walleye management and harvest strategy. The review is part of the scientific process of adaptive fisheries management and will help to increase transparency with the public.

Predicting angling success on walleye opener is like predicting which team will win the World Series before spring training begins. There are a lot of good theories. Always predictable, though, is that thousands of anglers will trek north this weekend, marking the beginning of the 2017 walleye season on Saturday.

A catch and release only for the summer open water walleye season in 2017 was expected for Mille Lacs Lake. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had said back in February to expect that to happen. The DNR has added a temporary shut-down during the hottest portion of the season.