DNR Spring hearings 2012 Results

Hi everyone,

I attended the Sawyer county DNR Spring hearing last night. First thing the panel emphasized is that absolutely no rule changes were going to be made this year. Sad to see how the over paid stuffed shirts in Madison are ruining a public forum designed to allow the sportsman to help in the decision making. We were told over and over that these questions were just "generalizations" and they wanted to know how we "felt" about these questions. Get a "pulse" on how we "feel". Nothing was definite. How do you feel about this-yes or no. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

The most discussions came from managment zones for fishing, allowing continuos seasons instead of closing any season, and changing a boundry line on a dmu in Sawyer county. And oh yes, an old lady actually stood up and cried a river about shooting her sand hill cranes. She had actual tears running down her cheecks. Thought we were talking about doves again. But, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Surprisingly, not much discussion on the three trolling questions. Just a few comments. Statewide results of the voting- for whatever it was worth- will be released Wednesday. I'll post results of the most interesting ones then.

I had a chance to talk with the fisheries manager for Sawyer county and my big question was if we will have some kind of size limit for walleyes on the Chippewa Flowage. NO. It will be three years minimum before we can possibly see that happen. With the way the people in Madison have changed the rules process, it takes a minimum of three years to enact any kind of change. SAD SAD SAD. I'm an optimist, so I still hold out hope that the fishery manager will be able to use an emergency type of rule to put on a size limit for the walleyes. The good news from him was that last fall the DNR saw a marked increase in YOY walleyes in their shocking surveys. He also emphasized the importance of keeping LMBass for the table. With the walleyes on the ropes, it makes sense for people to keep LMBass for the table and release walleyes.

Even with the walleye population seemingly lower than past years, I still offer my "WALLEYE GUARANTEE". I have a system that has enabled me to catch walleyes even when most other people don't. "THE WALLEYEMAXX SYSTEM". I have 52 years on the Chippewa Flowage and have seen the populations of walleyes swing up and down many times. The walleyes will bounce back. They always do. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

Walleyemax,
Not to start problems but, was it not the DNR that imposed a catch and release season on Lrg mouth and Smallies till the 3rd week of June? Since that time has anybody else noticed the decline in Walleye population since then all across Northern WI. Now they are telling us, the tax payers and the people that purchase license's to eat Bass.

Hi Wally world,

Yes the DNR is the ones who made that rule. Now a lot of lakes are experiencing low walleye numbers because of it. At the hearing last Monday night, the Sawyer county fish biologist explained what they have found in their studies is that LM Bass eat a lot of walleye fry. The problem is worse on the NW part of the state because of the different kind of lakes then the NE side of the state. Now he wants to fix the problem.

He also explained that the LMBass are stunting at 10"-12" and why that is happening. That is why they removed the size limit on the Chippewa Flowage for LMBass and why they made a proposal to remove the size limit on all NW WI. lakes. If we start to keep and eat the LMBass, especially the 10"-12" LMBass, you will see a better LMBass fishery emerge. Sounds wierd, but the better size structure on the LMBass fishery will help the walleyes. The fishery manager has proven in the past that the 10"-12" LMBass eat more then the bigger LMBass because of their metabolism rate being much higher and their increased activity forces them to eat more then the bigger bass. To make matters worse, the 10"-12" bass target the walleye fry in the Spring because they all inhabit the same places in the lake ie the shallow emerging weeds and shore line wood. To make matters worse, the walleyes that do survive the onslaught of the maruading 10"-12" bass eat the same forage as the bass as they grow. So the forage is reduced considerably faster and everything suffers.

In short, EAT BASS! The smaller ones taste better, and you will help the entire ecosystem by removing those smaller 10"-12" bass. In a few years if we successfully remove enough of those stunted bass, you will not only see an increase in walleye numbers, but a much better bass fishery with many more larger bass. Good luck fishing.

Walleyemaxx

Hi everyone,

I just saw the results of the Spring hearings held last Monday night. Just to highlight a few of the more interesting questions since nothing really meant anything anyway
1- In Sawyer county the people voted to allow the fish and game managers the flexability to change management zones when and where they thought neccesary. It was also carried statewide.
2.-In Sawyer county the people voted yes to allow the continous season on any species of fish if the biologists determined there was no reason to close any season. This does include walleyes and bass and muskies. It passed statewide too.
3.-Trolling. On the questions of using 3,2,or 1 line while trolling, all 3 failed in Sawyer county. They also failed statewide.
4.-The question to change the DMU in Sawyer county passed. Also statewide.
5.-The question to allow trolling while position fishing(such as trailing a sucker while casting for musky) passed big time. it also passed big time statewide.
6.-The question of a 25MPH limit on frozen lakes failed by a wide margin in Sawyer CO. It also failed big time statewide.
7.-In Sawyer Co. the vote to hunt Sandhill Cranes ----was a tie. I quess if you cry hard enough..... Statewide they voted overwhelmingly to blast "em"
8.-The question to allow motor trolling statewide passed in Sawyer CO and statewide. It is pretty much the same question that failed in the three questions of 1,2,or 3 lines.
9.-The question to eliminate the late opener for LM Bass in NW WI. and open the season the first weekend in May passed almost 5-1. In Sawyer CO. and statewide.
10.- The question to return the size linit of musky to 40" in Spider lake was passed by a wide margin in Sawyer Co. and statewide.

Of interest, 5 questions about trolling and 3 were no and 2 yes. The bottom line is that no rule changes can occur this year. All this was just a good excuse to gather and talk about hunting,fishing,trapping, and why we should blast Sandhill Cranes. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

Hey walleye max,

I am very glad to hear that yourself and the majority of people state wide feel the same way that I do about question 9. I know it won't change for this year, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for next.

Wall World

Hi Wally world

The regulation worked to well causing the LM Bass to stunt at 10"-12". let us eat those Bass too as well as an earlier season so we can harvest them sooner. The lakes will then be in beter balance. Hopefully by next year the rules wil get straightened out. Good luck fishing

Walleyemaxx

Although the dozen or more LMB I caught last Fall didn't appear stunted, I couldn't say for certain short of looking at their scales to determine their age. But the usual indicators like their eyes are too big for their bodies looked normal to me. They didn't appear any different than any of the other bass Ive caught in Northern Wisconsin since I started fishing there in the late 50s as a kid.
I never did understand the season for LMB up there since not that many people fish for them. If you have an over population problem, I don't think that a few locals are going to put any significant dent in it.
Off the top of my head.....Things that might help:

1. Have the Lake Assoc. court tournament circuits to bring tournaments to the lake. There is always some mortality with tournaments. At weigh ins fishery biologist could continue to monitor bass health. Fish released at resorts would become easier targets for children and other guests fishing off the bank. Also if the biologists had a plan, fish could be moved to another lake.

2. Turn several bass loose in the lake with tags that could be redeemed for cash or local merchandise. Get people use to fishing for them and they might learn to enjoy it. Course you may have to change your nickname to BassMaxx then. lol

3. Have resort owners tell guests they will have a fish fry for all of them but they need to bring in bass for it.

I'm sure there are other better ideas but these were just a few that came to mind quickly.

Hi Nitroboats,

I like your ideas. It would be a good idea for resorts to have LM Bass fish fry's so their customers know that the LM Bass from the Big Chip taste very good. The stunted info came from the Sawyer County fish biologist. During their studies the last several years they are seeing the stunting problem. I know in walleyes the stunting usually results in a much skinnier fish. Big head, skinny body. If we get the LM Bass population down, it will help the walleye numbers and produce a better size structure for the LM Bass. Good luck fishing everyone.

Walleyemaxx

Tom...Ive always tried to keep a few LM when I'm up for a fish fry. They fillet out great, and as with walleye, I release the smaller ones, and anything over 20". LM are sweet and tasty when beer battered! Yum!

Hi Walleye Max,
I had forgotten about the old time receipt for doing bass.
1. Fire up the grill to 400 degrees
2. Open a beverage
3. put a cedar plank on the grill for 1 minute
4. Have another beverage
5. Put the bass filet on the cedar plank close grill
6. Flip the bass over after 4 min.
7. Have another beverage.
8. Take the bass and the cedar plank off at the same time.
9. Throw away the Bass an EAT THE PLANK!
10. Have another beverage you'll need it. LOL

Hey Wall world,

I'll need more then 4 beers with that!(: Seriously, the LG Bass do taste good. People just have to start eating them to see for themselves.

Walleyemaxx

Tom

Had another idea along the bass tournament line to help control the LMB populaton. The 1st Annual Chippewa Flowage Wounded Warriors Foundation Charity Bass Tournament. You could plug in the charity of your choice but couldn't think of a better one myself. Wouldn't need the Annual part in there either since it would only needed as long as the bass were overpopulated or until the community would wish to not run it anymore.
Would take a lot of volunteers and time to get it done right. I would be willing to help from down here in the flatlands as much as I could.