Estimated M. Lacs w/e pop

[Lee Borgersen]

Estimate of Mille Lacs walleye population underway

 May 31, 2018

In early May, more than 20,000 walleye were tagged in Mille Lacs Lake.


  .....
The effort, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 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.

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The DNR conducted similar population estimates six times on Mille Lacs Lake. Those estimates have placed the lake's walleye population as high as 1.1 million fish in 2002 and as low as 249,000 fish in 2014. A decline in the walleye population has led to restrictive regulations aimed at protecting existing adult fish and a particularly abundant year class of walleye that hatched in 2013. Fish from that 2013 year class are now large enough to be counted in the population estimate.

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"We understand the importance of Lake Mille Lacs. Gathering this information will enhance our knowledge of walleye populations and allow us to provide the best walleye angling opportunities possible," stated DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr in a news release.

Tagging concluded May 10 and was conducted by the DNR, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and citizen volunteers. Walleye were caught in trap nets and via electrofishing. Each fish 14 inches or longer was outfitted with two yellow tags near the base of its dorsal fin.

Since May 20, DNR fisheries staff have been recapturing tagged walleye using gill nets that are set for less than an hour. As the nets are retrieved, tag data is recorded and all fish are released.

Based on the number of walleye originally tagged and the total number of tagged fish that turn up during the recapture, the DNR can make an accurate estimate of the lake's walleye population. This type of population estimate is used in addition to the gillnet survey conducted each fall.

"We anticipate the population estimate being conducted will show a stable walleye population dominated by the 2013 year class," said Don Pereira, DNR fisheries chief. "The population estimate that is underway also will give us valuable information to help evaluate how well our population model is working."

Recapture work will continue until late June, so anglers should be aware of DNR netting activity, which may be occurring during the evening. DNR nets are marked with labeled buoys.

Walleye fishing on Mille Lacs Lake is open to catch-and-release angling only through the summer 2018 season. Handling fish gently and releasing them as quickly as possible will increase chances that released walleye will survive to be caught again.


More information about Mille Lacs Lake can be found at www.mndnr.gov/millelacslake.

Help from anglers:

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Anglers who catch a tagged walleye are asked to leave the tags in the fish and record numbers on both tags by writing down the numbers or by photographing the tags. Consider recording the length of the fish and the location where it was caught. This information can be reported at www.mndnr.gov/tagged-fish. In return, anglers will receive information collected at the time the fish was tagged and any information submitted by anglers who may have previously reported the fish.

Jim Eckhart (left) and Everett Eaton fish in the rain Wednesday, May 30, on Mille Lacs Lake in Garrison.

         

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[LPS]

This whole walleye netting by the tribes and the DNR's bogus evaluations are for one purpose.  The State of MN and the DNR are paid off by the tribes to show bad walleye levels even though the catch rate has been very good for the last few years by anglers.  The DNR says that is a sign of low walleye numbers????:  Who buys into that bogus theory.  The end result of all of this is to make all of the white man's resorts go belly up so the Indians can buy it all.  Man did we screw up by letting this happen.  Our union does not have the festivities at Casinos anymore and you need to thing about spending a dime there also.  We don't do any family get togethers there anymore neither.  I used to like going to Canterbury once a year and meet friends there but we don't do that anymore neither.  Too bad too it was fun.

[snow1]

Well  said LPS~ Spot on.

[snow1]

Anyone see this video from portside,isle Mn.

https://www.facebook.com/JohnsonsPortside/videos/10156329514001870/

[LPS]

Great post Snow

[glenn57]

Wow just friggin WOW.

[Jerkbiat]

so so sad.

[Steve-o]

I guess Ted Nugent was wrong...

The Indian needed food,
He needed skins for a roof.
But he only took what they needed, baby.
Millions of buffalo were the proof.

  -- Great White Buffalo

[dew2]

One or a million nets, There is a quota. reading into so many nets can be confusing without the quota mentioned.
 I wonder why so many conservationists dont push for what we do to our oceans???WAY Over fishing,Plastic laden,trash pit for so many! Or maybe our ground water filled with nitrates! Polluted rivers etc.

[snow1]

Quota's mean Jack to the natives as we have video's of netters leaving our public accesses with tubes of walleyes unaccounted for and I mean 100's and 100's,its like the fox watching the hen house natives are stealing us blind while our weak folks in office and dnr manage the lake for the netters as we non natives are in the 3rd year of catch and release and the natives keep boat loads of walleyes.