|
|
Posts: 134
| Just went to a meeting last night about the lake kill at 3-Mile lake in Southwest Iowa. It is slated for removal of limits in April and the Actual kill in September with a draw down. Muskies are slated to be re-introduced beginning in Spring 2018. So if you want to get one this year will be your last chance for awhile. reasons for kill are yellow bass and common carp. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 20
Location: Park Rapids, MN | I grew up in Iowa and live in northern MN now. What size are the fish in 3-Mile. Used to fish it years ago before they introduced muskys. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | I wonder why they didn't consider trap netting them and relocating those muskies to a small impoundment and reintroducing them after the kill, or move them to another muskie lake.
Could they capture and move them when they do drawdown? Seems like logical thing to do to save a fish that will take 5-10 years to reach a fishable size. Maybe Iowa muskie club's could assist, it seems like a waste of some valuable fish to me. Maybe some intelligent conversation and strategic planning between the Iowa DNR and muskie clubs will save some of those fish.
https://www.facebook.com/Heartland-Muskies-Inc-Chapter-10-1994798967...
http://nwiowaoutdoors.com/2015/09/15/upper-great-plains-muskie-club...
They should be able to get them via airboat(s), as they easily will run on the wet muck, and they should be able to reach the fish stranded by the drawdown...if I have mine up & running by then I'll bring it down & help...
Its not much different than WI DNR relocating the fish from Butternut to Neshonic Lake. The God's Country Muskies Inc. club had a big role in helping get that done w/ support from the muskie fishing community.
They could do same with other desirable fish like large mouth bass, etc. Just killing everything seems like a huge waste of resources. See fish stocking tab..lots of money went in, shame to see it wasted.
http://limnoweb.eeob.iastate.edu/fishpub/length.aspx?lakeCode=THM88
From Iowa DNR webpage:
Contacts:
Corey Carlton, Conservation Officer; 641-414-2173; [email protected]
Andy Jansen, Fisheries Biologist; 641-464-3108; [email protected]
Good luck!
Al
-----
Al Warner
"All Water is Zalt Water"
"My advice to anglers who hold fish up vertically by the gills is to eat it." Dr. Colin Attwood, Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Roggebaai, South Africa.
Edited by ESOX Maniac 3/17/2016 10:06 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 134
| Baldy ~ there were some 50+ caught last year with several 40's
Maniac ~ Andy Jansen was the one presenting at the meeting. I brought the question about transporting them up to him at the meeting. For us to do it as anglers it is illegal per Iowa law under transport of gamefish. As far as them doing it they don't want them in any of the nearby lakes or ponds and it is cost inefficient to transport them further. They have started their shocking program to re-locate fish and I know they shocked a 42 up yesterday but turned it back loose. I wouldn't discourage contacting him to propose any Ideas you may have to try and save them. As far as your air boat idea, they are only drawing the lake down 12-20feet and then using Rotenone to kill it.
Another fun fact, there used to be smallmouth in the lake, they are not planning on re-introducing them. If you are going to contact Andy please mention you would like these back.
Edited by BBT 3/17/2016 9:23 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Why not drain all the way and clean up the lake bottom by removing all unwanted trash & improve habitat, add fish cribs etc. sounds like good opportunity to restore and improve the lake versus just killing everything and restocking...
I'm just interested from the perspective of someone who cares about the resources and our children's, children's future in being able to enjoy fishing and nature..we destroy to much without any rational thought..
Is it feasible for clubs & Iowa muskie fishing community to pay costs of transporting longer distances, etc... This sounds like government bureacracy at its finest!
Have fun!
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 3/17/2016 10:18 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 346
Location: In the slop! | Al, the problem is the Iowa DNR is NOT what you would call 'pro muskie'! My thoughts only here, the only reason we have muskies in Iowa is so the DNR can farm them to trade to other states! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 134
| ESOX Maniac ~ They did talk about the need to do all of those projects you are talking about, however there isn't enough funding at this time to do so. The cost for that project was $4mil. The big rush on getting it done this year is to prevent the spread of yellow bass to the surrounding lakes they have renovated. The lake is on the list to have that renovation project done but not until somewhere around 2022 depending on funding and other "priority" lakes. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 793
Location: Ames, Iowa | The only reason? Iowa trades muskies with other states yes but they manage lakes like West O, Clear, Brushy and Pleasant for muskies too. Not great muskie lakes when compared to top states, but there are some big fish in those lakes. Renovating Southwest Iowa lakes really got popular in the 90's when yellow perch, gizzard shad, yellow bass started showing up in lakes like Anita, Manawa, Green Valley, Prairie Rose. The fact that almost every lake in the state is created by damming the local creek- and is a soil trap- doesn't help. 3 Mile is a big lake in Iowa for a kill. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | BBT - 3/17/2016 2:28 PM
ESOX Maniac ~ They did talk about the need to do all of those projects you are talking about, however there isn't enough funding at this time to do so. The cost for that project was $4mil. The big rush on getting it done this year is to prevent the spread of yellow bass to the surrounding lakes they have renovated. The lake is on the list to have that renovation project done but not until somewhere around 2022 depending on funding and other "priority" lakes.
LOL! Are the people of Iowa that stupid? Where' is $4 million dollars going? Give local fishing club's the $4 million and they'll do what I said should be done...the end is a better resource for local resident's and your children's, children!
I would have thought gizzard shad & carp were a bigger concern...
LOL- "2022, if man is still alive!" I don't susbscribe to long range plans by our government, look what they did to social security! If you think the government is going to take care of you, look at the Native American's.... Everyone else is an immigrant!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlNhD0oS5pk
The Butternut Lake fish here in WI were relocated ~200 miles away into Lake Neshonic (man-made lake). The term "renovation" seems to be a bit misused here. Isn't this really destruction to facilitate a false sense of prevention of a less desirable species invading other lakes. Many species are spread by waterfowl transporting the eggs from shallow spawning area's in adjacent waters, how long until they are back in the lake? I know of a cranberry marsh sand pit that was never stocked, it was created ~15 years ago, and has bluegills in it today.
Also, here is another man-made WI lake (Lake Redstone) where gizzard shad were never introduced by DNR, muskies, and other species were. It now has a large gizzard shad population, the muskies are handling the situation pretty well, but are there enough other predators to balance the gizzard shad population?
"FISHING REPORT
7/14/11 3:08 PM CST
Everyone- wanted to let you know that last night I attended a Lake Protection District meeting for Redstone. The D.N.R. was there and gave the Executive Summary on the fishery which was very interesting. In short this is what was said: Walleye population and growth rates are well above the state average. Largemouth and smallmouth bass were doing well, though the sample rates were low since the nets were not in areas conducive to the fish at that time of year. However they did say the smallmouth are a huge success story in the lake. Musky- the size limit will be changing to 50" in 2012 to encourage fish above the 45" range. Panfish: again the numbers may be somewhat skewed as they were used to seeing white crappie outnumber black crappie however it went to a 3.4:1 ratio in favor of black crappie. They also addressed the gizzard shad saying that once a fish gets large enough there is no competition between the two. Though they are somewhat worried with fry and small fingerlings competing. Overall the lake was above the state average for growth on almost every species. This data will again be presented at the Protection Districts annual meeting in August. Any questions please feel free to msg me."
http://lakeredstonepd.org/uploads/ckfiles/files/Newsletter/2011%20F...
Lastly I'll offer this to the people of Iowa who live around and use 3-mile Lake. I think its a pretty valid perspective, e.g., the Iowa DNR can't do everything, maybe there could be a exception made for transport of fish by non-DNR staff from 3-mile Lake? All they would need to do is supervise the removal and restocking elsewhere..IF Iowa residents & fishing clubs, etc. step up to the plate. Please excuse some of Muskie Mark's spelling, he's like a tornado when he's on a roll!
http://www.muskiemarks.com/pages/posts/increase-your-conservation-e...
Look at the satelite view of 3-Mile Lake, it looks like the major issue facing it could be non-point source phosphorus ingress - does it really algae bloom in summer?
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Three+Mile+Lake/@41.092855...
Just some random thoughts for consideration.
Have fun!
Al
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 134
| Esox~ You make some good points in your response there. I laughed most of the way through it because at the meeting I went to I asked and brought up most of the same questions and concerns to the presenter(Andy Jansen) He made it VERY clear that they do not want any of those muskie (can't remember how he worded it, but made them sound like a problem) in any of "his" surrounding lakes. I brought up that the locals and bass tournament fishermen could move them to other lakes for them and to lakes that they preferred but they wouldn't have the manpower or the funding to control such an effort. As far as your google image, that is what they are saying the carp are doing(which will also die when they kill it) Agea bloom, not really green valley here in union county yes it does. I can't legally say but if I catch one this summer and it will fit in my livewell well it may happen to disappear out of the lake. The DNR response to the smallmouth is they don't do very well this far south(HAHAHAHAHAHA) um? really? All I can say is if you ever have fished or will ever fish 3-mile please send your comments to Andy, he is in charge and the one who controls what goes in and out of "his" lakes.
Andy Jansen, Fisheries Biologist; 641-464-3108; [email protected] |
|
| |
|
Posts: 322
| This is an email that I just sent Andy with the DNR. I will post updates if any I receive any response from him.
Andy I am an avid fisherman from Indiana and read a small article on a fishing forum I am part of. I read that 3 mile lake will have a controlled kill off this year. Also that no muskies will be retrieved or attempted to be retrieved during this process. For a muskie fisherman this if greatly depressing due to lost time. As I am sure you are well aware of it takes years to grow these fish to trophy lengths and at great costs to taxpayers. Muskie fisherman are a different breed of people and with minimal outreach I am sure you can get as much support with transportation and collecting of these fish as needed. Please consider this option as I am sure the community would greatly appreciate it and respect you for doing so.
If you have any questions please let me know
Thanks for your time
Daniel Austin
812-691-0118 |
|
| |
|
Posts: 785
| Iowa does have some fair musky lakes but keep in mind the DNR here does not consider them a priority and from the conversations I've had they already receive a fair amount of complaints about muskies being too numerous. The majority of Iowa anglers are looking for fish to eat and not trophies. I personally think the better goal is to see fish barriers implemented on the dam structures as mature fish washing out has been one of the biggest problems on lakes like 3-mile and see the length limit increased statewide... both things the DNR is currently unwilling to budge on. As far as relocating fish (while of course I'd like to see it happen) there is no way they are going to pay to transport fish 75 miles to the next closest muskie lake. Besides if we ever do press an issue I don't think it should be that issue, other things would have a longer positive impact on the fisheries.
On the plus side some renovated lakes really boom afterwards, hopefully 3-mile becomes one of the success stories... and maybe we could twist some arms and get a fish barrier installed in 2022 
Edited by musky-skunk 3/18/2016 1:05 PM
|
|
| |
