Regulation changes in 2019 for Walleye

[Bigfatber]

Reinhard wrote:
According to the original post the goal of the slot of 18 to 26 inch [released] is to cut down on larger walleye’s for a variety of reasons. Well the 17 inch to 26 didn’t do the trick and why would the 18 to 26 inch make any changes. I’m no expert and this is a forum also to ask questions with fellow posters who fish this area.

I have a hard time catching walleye’s under the slot. I will call the folks Chris mentioned and ask them about it. I’m only one person so like I said before, my results by no means are science. Putting back 18 to 26 inch would be the opposite of what the goals should be. But then I don’t keep anything over 20 inches anyway. So I will call and see what the deal is. good luck.

Reinhard not sure if typo on your part , but the present and soon to be old slot is 17”-28” goes back . The new slot will be 18”-26” goes back … slots don’t make sense when you can’t differentiate a male vs female fish by looks . The slot is to save females , but in reality it saves males also . Not sure why slots don’t have any minimal size such 13” or 14” to help the lake . It just goes back to special regs cause problems when the keeping of fish is part of the equation on that lake . Every special regs lake in Minnesota has to many big fish that deplete the forage .. Back in slot infancy the thought was hey by having a slot we will have big fish for all to catch which sounds great , who doesn’t want that they said , and I would agree it sounds good ,BUT with time it’s obvious , it ain’t workin .

And Chris63 you stated if one had ideas/Imput that the lake specialists will listen . Been there done that ,deaf ears is the outcome . Also as for allowing anybody , any angler fish , catch ,drag anchors , disturb spawning fish is absurd . I thought there already are laws that make this type of activity illegal , is there not .. again money is the root of all evil . Our states management practices are based on money , and/or economics over biological decisions way to often , sad , but true ..

[arneb04]

Bigfatber wrote:
Our states management practices are based on money , and/or economics over biological decisions way to often , sad , but true ..

You do realize that’s how the system is set up right? Like fishing license sales pay for the work that the DNR does and the DNR can’t do that unless they sell fishing licenses. If it were all about biology and not some about economics and angler satisfaction none of them would have jobs. And again, they don’t just make willy-nilly decisions about slot limits and special regulations. They have a goal, they use the best available science they have based on research (like actual research, not just hanging out in a boat with a rod draped over the side postulating about how they could make the world perfect).

Think about the slot limit this way – the best reproducing females in the lake are 20-28″ in length. The slot limit essentially limits the taking to 1 fish larger than 18″. Therefore protecting the best breeding population from mortality. Yes, males are included but that’s how it goes. If the DNR has decreased the upper limit, it may be because in a fish community, the more larger fish – those greater than the optimum breeding size, the harder it is to reach a population goal because fish are cannibalistic and will eat younger fish when forage is in short supply.

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[chris63]

Check out the PDF rethinking length-based fisheries regulations by d Gwinn 2015…almost a full page of references at the end of the PDF. (A treasure trove of information) . A fisheries biologist pointed me in this direction. The DNR does put time and effort into what they do. It’s not ALWAYS effective but that’s life. Keep on keepin’ on!c63

[BrianHoffies]

arneb04 wrote:
It amazes me how demanding people can be when it comes to fish and game management. I think people need to understand “management” means long term viability, and not optimal success year after year after year. Fish limits have changed over the years as agency staff and researchers have learned stresses and corresponding responses of game populations. We don’t have 20 fish limits anymore because they learned. Also keep in mind that agency staff and researchers have to deal with the constant development of tools that allow fisherpeople to be so much more successful than they ever were before. Bigger boats that get more places faster, bigger screens with better data transposed on them, and cameras you physically stick down an ice hole so you can watch when your bait gets bit. Not to mention the studies of fish and game ecology that helps produce lures and attractants that tap into basic physiological responses more efficiently than before (think of plastic lures that look, smell, and taste like the real thing). It’s an impossible job to keep on top of all these things, while effectively managing peoples expectations of how productive a lake “should be” vs the reality of nature, cycles, pressure etc… And also, just because you think it should be done differently doesn’t make you any more right than anyone else. It’s not a job I would want, and I think folks need to be happy that we have a structure in place that provides for some management whether it’s stocking or trying to build the fishery base during low cycles because without that, no matter how ineffective you think it might be, there would literally be nothing left.

Much of what you say can apply but not to Kabetogama. Kab doesn’t have the year round pressure of Mille Lacs, Leech, Red. What they all do have is a history of failed slot management.

[Reinhard]

I agree. Well said. good luck.

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Die young as old as possible.

[Farley]

Been good for us, the last 4 or 5 years especially, catching walleyes of all sizes. And the perch are getting huge. The slot helped get Kab to what it is today, no question about that, I remember the 80’s up there, terrible. but maybe we werent as good fishermen back then, but seemed like it was nothing like it is today. I am with the OP in that regulations need to be adjusted as the fishery changes. Just not sure I’d want to mess with it right now seems like its working to me? I have no complaints.

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