2010 spring hearings complete questionaire

Hi everyone,

Click on this link to review the complete 2010 DNR/CC questionaire that will be voted on this April 12th.

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/nrboard/congre...re%20FINAL.pdf

Of interest to us Chippewa Flowage fisherman;
Question #27- Allowing motor trolling
Questions#29, and #30- They deal with the ice fishing regulation and panfish regulations now in force.
Question#45- This seeks to raise the min. size on Walleyes to 18" with a bag of three, and to remove the min. size limit on both Large mouth and Small mouth Bass.
Question#56- this deals with removing a fish refuge now in place.
Questions- #89, and #90-Moving Sawyer county to the Southern Bass managment zone, and seperating Large, and Small mouth Bass for regulation purposes.
Question #95- Managing Crappies seperate from other panfish species in Northern Wisconsin.
One more question that should get everyones support is #82. It deals with making the head of the DNR chosen by the NRB, not the Gov. So take a gander at the questions. They have complete explainations of why they are on the docket. Than come back and make a comment or express your opinion. Then go to the Spring hearings on April 12th to let your voice be heard.

Walleyemaxx

Hi everyone,


I was wondering how people felt about the trolling proposal. Personally I think if the trolling is allowed with just one pole apiece instead of three to eliminate boats from having big spreads of planner boards, than maybe it would work.

I have done a lot of fishing in the U.P. of Mich. and have had boats with big spreads of planner boards motor around my boat while I was anchored Walleye fishing. That is annoying.

Perhaps the biggest concern I have is the negative affect trolling will have on the Musky fishery. If trolling is allowed, I fear you would see a musky tournament being held every weekend. nothing wrong with a few tournaments, but I fear it could get out of hand. What's your opinion?

Walleyemaxx

I agree that the proposal for motor trolling with the ability to usemore than one line per fisherman would be a bit of a problem. Especially on the Chip. It simply isn't the right body of water for planer boards. I too would be concerned about the Musky impact. One line would be enough if at all.

Hi eneryone

Thanks for your opinion RK. One other proposal that has me wondering is the 18" mim. size limit. I think that regulation encourages the keeping of too many of the bigger Walleyes. We should try to protect the bigger ones more.

I think a 1 over 18" would serve better. I relize they are not seeing as many young of the year Walleyes now, but if you remove the prime spawners, we won't have any.

Lets keep the prime Walleye spawners in the lake and remove more Lg. mouth Bass. The removal of the size limit on the Lg, mouth Bass is a step in the right direction. Now if they would allow the harvest of them on the general opener, that would be huge.Anyone want to share your opinion, please do so.

Walleyemaxx

Hi everyone

Looking at the questions, #89 asks if we would favor moving Sawyer county into the southern Bass regulation zone. That would open the Bass season with the general opener.

Question #90 asks if we would favor seperating Largemouth Bass from Smallmouth Bass for regulation purposes. Well that's a no brainer!

If those two amendments pass, we could see the Largemouth Bass harvest season open with the general opener in May with no size limit, while they could delay the harvest of smallmouth, or even no harvest of smallmouth. But a 1 over 18" trophy regulation I think would be the best.

If the DNR implemented those two regulation changes, we could see a reduction in the Largemouth Bass numbers.I encourage everyone to keep the Largemouth Bass. Filleted properly they are good table fare.

just a reminder, 64 days till the opener on May 1st.

Walleyemaxx

hay maxx,I heard the DNR change the questions to vote on,at the April meeting, lumped some questions together. Have you heard anything? Bughead

Hi Blaine,

I get weekly DNR updates and have not heard of any changes. If you click on the link I provided, you will see the whole questionaire in it's entirety. I high lighted some of the questions that will have a direct impact on the Chippewa Flowage on an earlier post.

I also think people from out of state can come to the meetings and vote. The rules for doing that are explained on the link to the questionaire. You can't vote on the conservation congress, but on the general rules I believe you can. Even if you can't vote, you can attend the meetings.

I plan on attending the meeting in Sawyer county. I urge everyone who has concerns to do the same. The meeting will be held at the,
Winter High School
6585W Grove street
Winter WI. 54552

Let me know if you are going to attend Blaine. We can meet before hand for dinner.

Walleyemaxx

WM et al:...Been reading this thread for about a month now, and have found the input to be very good. Just a few thoughts on the walleye/trolling/size limits, etc. Since the original post stated that the regs would involve all 7 of the northern counties, it might be more important to look at the picture for all of the bigger impoundments and lakes. First of all...walleye size limits of 18". The best fillets come from the 15 to 18" fish in my opinion, leave the larger fish for breeding. Catch a wall hanger...take a bunch of pix & measurements, and take them to the taxidermist and have a carbon made of it...they cost the same anyway. Trolling is for people who don't want to fish! Never have liked it, and since most of the good bodies of water are Class A Musky waters, allow drift fishing a dnr form of trolling controversy (which most of us do anyway) and remove the problem of having a sucker hanging off the back of the boat. Most of the lakes you drift for walleye anyway while you jig (vertically).
Bass...I believe I read a study last year that actually stated that the smallmouth do not compete with the walleye, ie: fry munching. We all know that fish eat each other, and the amount taken that way won't reduce the fishery as a whole. However, with the later start to the season for bass, I personally have seen a boom in their numbers. But removing the size limit all together?...I don't see it as an answer, other than "true" walleye fishermen see them as "junk" fish. I favor a 10" limit on both large & smallmouth bass. I have been fishing LLL since the early '50's, and only first started to catch smallmouth about 10-15 years ago. Now they are a growing fishery there. We are now catching them up to 18-20" there. Bass in the 10 to 16" class are great eating. After that their taste wains as far as I'm concerned.
Maybe since I have been brought up with the casting regs we have on most of the Hayward area lakes, I find that it is most enjoyable to run around the lakes checking out the "hotspots" you have acquired over the years. I still use "dead reckoning" to find a lot of the bars I fish, admit that the sonar helps with the depth, but even I am switching to a sonar/gps this year. With all the tech we have today, finding the fish is part of each trip. The only thing trolling does, is allow you to burn up a bunch of gas, while covering huge areas. How many fish do you really pass up with this method, and my big question on lakes like the Chip is the same as already stated...just how will it impact the Musky population there, or any of the "A" lakes for that matter. Since I now live in Michigan, it would be hard for me to make the meeting, but would love it if you could read my post to them for me. Thanks for allowing me to use up all this space. Nick Kanauz

Hi Nick,

Thanks for your input . Most people I talk to have similar opinions. Hopefully the DNR will listen to the masses and at least tell us how we're wrong.

I know they are well educated, but a few things like an 18" minimum on walleyes really confuses me. How is making people keep the prime spawners going to increase the population of walleyes? I realize the numbers of YOY fish are scarce. But killing the prime spawners will put a complete end to them.

I'm planning on attending the meeting so I can get educated. Hopefully there'll be a good turn out. I'll make a report of the proceedings so those of you who cannot make it can learn how things went.

Walleyemaxx

WM-
Thanks for your kind words about my entry.
I don't get the YOY fish on certain waters. I fish the Turtle Flambeau Flowage the second week of the season each year with my brothers, and the last few years have seen quite an increase in them. We call them "cigars" because of their size. The guides have been saying that we are due for a few banner years there as far as size goes. Now... in June, my family moves over to Hayward. In fact, on LLL we have seen a large increase in YOY while crappie fishing. The stocking program has really helped. The population really seemed to dive after the ceded territory started, but has recovered well! Have been on the Chip with a guide, and have had several "big" walleye chase Musky lures all the way to the boat. My question then is...is the DNR relying on creel surveys they conducted a couple of years ago, or on fyke or seine netting the conduct in the Spring for their reports. Are they taking into account the sportsmens findings or discounting what we tell them upon being stopped for a creel check. Leave things as they are now on a lake by lake basis for trolling.In fact, most of the lakes I fish in the Hayward area are too shallow for trolling anyway. Nuff said, we can hash this over and over. Please speak out loud and clear at the meeting for those of us who are too far to attend. We even have one of us who works in Switzerland! I know he won't be back till summer...but he will be back! Hang in there buddy...and thanks again!

Hey Tom,

As Nick mentioned above, I won't be back in Wisconsin in time for the meeting, but I do feel strongly about a few of the items.

#27 - Absolutely no - there are a few lakes in Sawyer county that permit motor trolling (e.g. LCO). If anybody wants to troll they can always choose those lakes. I have no interest in trolling, and would prefer if others didn't troll on the lakes where I fish. When I beat Nick for the largest musky of the of the 2010 season, it will be done casting. :-)
#82 - Absolutely yes - there is no room for a political appointment here. This a serious role and it needs to be treated as one.
#89 - yes, if #90 is also approved
#90 - Absolutely yes - Smallmouth are indeed different and should be managed separately
#95 - yes - Catch as many sunfish as you want, let's manage the crappies for some size

Vote loud and strong Tom. I've loved Sawyer county all of my life and want enjoy the fishery for the rest of my life.

Best Regards,

Dan

Hey Maxx, I am 100% with you on keeping these 18" plus fish. I had to memberize myself today just so I could vent a little bit about this. Why would they want to target the fish that would be the up and coming spawners. Maybe they should take a look at how they are managing Mille Lacs. This lake sustains much much more walleye fishing pressure than the Chip plus it is gill netted annually, the Chip is not. I really hope they rethink this 18" minimum. It should most definately be the opposite. Try a slot first like (3) 15"-17" fish. Once a fish breaks the 17" barrier it is free to swim until it reaches 28" in length. Even then, how many of us would actually keep a 28"er?? I just really think this is a big mistake. As far as trolling, I do not want to see this happen either. Although if they do it, I agree with you Maxx, one line per angler. Ahhhh, now I feel a little better.

Hi guys,

Good to hear from you. I just read an article from the SAWYER COUNTY RECORD of a meeting held Monday evening at the Hayward high school sponsered by the HLVCB

. About 80 anglers attended and voiced their opionions. From what I read, they all pretty much echoed what we have said here. The head of the fisheries program for the Hayward region Frank Pratt informed the crowd he pretty much agred, but the decisions were made in a committe at the DNR head quarters in Madison.

One attendee in the crowd said he had heard that committees at the DNR headquarters in Madison had decided to make the Chippewa Flowage an experimint with the 18" size limit.

Frank Pratt and the Hayward area fisheries biologist Dave Neuswanger informed the crowd that they had suggested a one over 14" rule on the Big Chip to protect the bigger Walleyes.

They also have suggested more liberal rules for the Bass, but the fishery heads in Madison have rejected most of them.

I think it's time we all write letters to the DNR in Madison and voice our opposition to experiminting with the Chippewa Flowage, and let the Hayward area fisheries manager Dave Nueswanger do his job. He wants to improve the Walleye fishery. Lets all support him. He has the right ideas, and knows what it's going to take to restore the Big Chips Walleyes back to prominence.

I couldn't find the e-mail address I needed, but I found the address for the DNR headquarteres in Madison.
101 S. Webster Street
P.O. box 7921
Madison WI. 53701-7921
Telephone# 608-266-2621

Write, or call. Let your opinion be known. I'll work on getting the e-mail address, and post it soon.

Walleyemaxx

Hi everyone,

Here's the results on the questions that deal with the Chippewa Flowage. Remember, these are not binding. But will weigh heavily in the decision making process.

#27- Allowing trolling- Sawyer county voted "NO". But the rest of the state passed it.



#29- Allowing ice fishing for game fish except musky and Walleye. Sawyer co. -"YES"- rest of state- yes.

#30-Changing the daily bag on panfish to 10 during ice fishing.-Sawyer Co.-"NO"- rest of state-yes.

#43-The rediculus question-18" size on Walleye, No size on bass-Sawyer Co.-"NO"- but passed by the rest of the state.

#56- Eliminating fish refuges in Sawyer county-Sawyer Co.-"NO" rest of state-yes.

#82-Appointing DNR secretary by NRB, not the gov.-Passed overwhelmingly by Sawyer Co. and rest of state.

#89-Moving Sawyer Co. into the southern bass management zone? Passed by both Sawyer Co. and rest of state.

#90-Seperating large, and small, mouth bass for regulation purposes? Passed overwhelmingly by Sawyer Co. and rest of state.

#95- Managing Crappies as a seperate species- Passed by both Sawyer Co. and state.

As you can see, the isues that are near and dear to our hearts, we voted down, but being a state wide vote, we got shot out of the saddle. Maybe we should start a petition.

Walleyemaxx