Band’s M Lacs Spearin Clarified

[Lee Borgersen]

    Fond Du Lac Band’s Spearing On Mille Lacs Clarified
 
 
March 29, 2016

  ......
Brian Borkholder, fisheries biologist for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, said there has been some misunderstanding about an item in this past Sunday’s Outdoors pages about the band’s spearing on Mille Lacs Lake this spring.

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Here’s a summary of the band’s harvest plans for Mille Lacs, according to Borkholder: Overall, the band has an allocation of 2,034 pounds of walleyes. On the first night of spearing, 20 band members will be allowed to spear 20 walleyes each, but only two of those walleyes may be less than 15 inches long. The restriction on spearing walleyes under 15 inches long is designed to protect the abundant 2013 year class, which state and tribal biologists are hoping will help the troubled Mille Lacs walleye fishery rebound.

“We’re going to encourage band members not to take small fish,” Borkholder said. “Our goal is to protect the 2013s, just like the state is doing.”

On the second night of Fond du Lac spearing, the band’s remaining allocation will be distributed among an as-yet-undetermined number of spearers. Their limit probably will be less than 20 walleyes, Borkholder said, and will include a restriction yet to be determined on walleyes less than 15 inches long.

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Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials announced open-water regulations for Mille Lacs this past week. Anglers may keep no walleyes and must use only artificial lures during the open-water season starting with the May 14 fishing opener. The only exception to the artificial-tackle rule is for commercial launch operators who acquire a permit from the DNR and agree to provide data to the agency for a hooking-mortality study.

Management of the Mille Lacs fishery is administered jointly by the DNR and eight Native American bands, including Fond du Lac, that retain harvest rights under an 1837 treaty.

[Cody Gruchow]

Yes protect the 2013 year class fish BUT do not spear the breeding fish! If it was only the Mille lacs band spearing/netting this wouldn't even be a issue!

[Lee Borgersen]

                                             

                   They looked like walleye under water 

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[glenn57]

Pot stirrer!

[gophergunner]

So they're not going to keep fish under 15 inches huh?  I've heard that spear and release doesn't really work out all that well........