Anglers adjusting to Minnesota’s new northern pike zones.August 27, 2018 by: Javier Serna
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St. Paul — Minnesota’s new northern pike zone regulations are on their maiden voyage, having began with this year’s open-water season. But it could take more than a decade before the desired effects will be seen.
While there’s been skepticism
expressed from people who don’t believe the regulations will work as intended (increase the size structure and/or reduce the number of pike in certain lakes), the general attitude among anglers is a bit more optimistic.
“I have heard from some people that are OK with it and from some people that don’t really understand it, but I think overall, it’s been pretty well accepted,” said John Underhill, co-chair of the Minnesota Muskie and Pike Alliance. “Most people are hopeful that it will work, especially on those lakes that are having problems (with too many small pike). On the lakes that are already OK, it probably won’t make a big difference. But most lakes have a pike issue. They have been pounded for 100 years.”
Rather than a statewide rule, the new zones attempt to take into account the factors affecting pike populations in three different parts of the state. The regulations are tailored for the conditions in each zone.
Under the new rules, there are north-central, northeast, and south zones.
In the north-central zone, there’s more of an issue with an overabundance of smaller, “hammer-handle” pike – fish that are so numerous that the population becomes stunted, but also can impact other species, such as walleyes. The majority of the state falls within this category, where anglers may keep 10 pike, but not more than two greater than 26 inches. All pike between 22 and 26 inches must be released. Spearers in this zone may take one fish in the protected slot or two larger than 26 inches.
“Most people think it’s only about pike,” Underhill said. “It’s going to help pike, but it’s also going to help (the stocking of) walleyes.”
Brad Parsons, the Minnesota DNR’s Fisheries chief,
agreed that high numbers of small pike can hurt walleye-stocking efforts.
“When you’re dealing with an abundant, small pike population, walleye stocking is more challenging,” Parsons said. “They’re feeding on the same things that walleyes and bass are feeding on: yellow perch.”Pike also have been known to feed on small walleyes. And Don Pereira, the recently retired fisheries chief, said when discussing a new walleye-stocking regimen that will rely more on fry than fingerlings that the use of fingerlings could be evaluated on an individual-lake basis where pike numbers respond to the new pike zone changes in the future.
But Parsons cautioned that it could take a while before the effects are seen, particularly in this zone, where there’s the most to gain.
“If you think about it, when we have done special regulations in the past, we have them in place for 10 years before we expect to see changes,” he said. “And we recognize that not every lake is going to benefit from this. I think it’s a matter of patience and people taking advantage of the opportunity to harvest more smaller fish.”
At Fishermen’s Village on Deer Lake in Otter Tail County, resort owner Dave Thompson said he’s had only one customer complain about having to release a fish inside the protected slot.
“I told him I think it’s a positive change overall,” Thompson said. “People are able to take more fish home, but just have to release a few fish in the middle.”
Thompson said he’s not seeing many of his customers actually keep 10 fish.
“Very few take their limit,” he said. “Most just want to take a few fish home.”
The other two zones are a bit more restrictive.
In the northeast zone, some large fish already exist thanks to lower fishing pressure. Here, anglers are able to keep two pike, with a protected slot of 30 to 40 inches. Only one fish over 40 inches is allowed, and spearers may only take one fish over 26 inches.
Parsons said the goal is not to create a top-heavy, trophy fishery, but to maintain the quality fisheries that exist in many lakes in this region.
In the south zone, the regulation is intended to increase pike abundance and improve the size of fish harvested. Anglers may keep two fish, with a minimum size limit of 24 inches.
“In the first year of anything new, there are questions,” Parsons said. “People want to make sure they’re doing the right thing.”
Attempts to find out how the new rules were being enforced by conservation officers were not answered as of press time, but typically, Minnesota DNR officers take an educational approach in the first year of a major rule change.
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Topic: Adjustin ta pike zones (Read 4915 times)
