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| Hello all,
It appears that things have stalled in the Pokegama/Gull Lake muskie program and we'd like to get some support from the muskie community as a whole. If anyone has time I'd like you to send an email to Ron Payer (Head of Fisheries) and Mark Holsten (Head of the DNR) outlining:
1. Their current (and past) success of the MN muskie program
2. The increasing out of state us of the MN muskie resource
3. The need to increase muskie opportunities in MN
Keep things positive as they have been doing a great job, they just need a little push. Feel free to send several emails (different versions) as bombardment can be a great method of getting what you want in government bureaucracy's.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Thanks for your support. |
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| emails sent!
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| Emails sent |
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Hey guys;
We were told by a DNR head that letters carry more weight than e-mails.
Not sure why this is so, maybe it's because they take more effort to send, maybe because they figure e-mails could be coming from the same people.
I don't know, but they actually have some kind of formula equating 1 letters worth 10 e-mails (for example, don't know the exact numbers they use) as far is public opinion tallies.
Just a thought.
John
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| The last I heard, was that they simply halted the stocking temporarily while new criteria is drawn up that states what type of body of water is best suitable for the stocking of Muskie. Once that is completed, they would then move forward with the project. I heard those lakes may both get fish by this Fall. If anyone knows more about this situation, or if I have any of the information wrong, please correct me.
By the way, I also sent e-mails to both of them. I actually sent Ron an e-mail when this was first being discussed. I think it would be very beneficial to both of those lakes to have Muskies stocked. Hope it happens soon.  |
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| John, do you have addresses for them? Or does anyone? Thanks. |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Here is what I wrote...
"First of all, I just want to say thanks for all of your services over the years
in creating a very solid and successful Muskie Fishing program for the state of
Minnesota. We have seen many lakes "come of age" producing not only numbers
of fish, but quality sizeed fish as well. So far, I feel the stocking that has
taken place over the years has been not only needed, but it has added to the amount
of people traveling to Minnesota just to fish muskies. It is indeed a great time
for Minnesota muskie fishing!!
I do want to stress, though, that with the success of our fisheries in existence
right now, we are seeing an significant increase in the amount of pressure these
lakes receive. With the popularity of muskie fishing skyrockting, I am hoping we
can not only continue the stocking of our current lakes, but also increasing the
number of lakes we have available-particularly Gull Lake, The Whitefish Chain, and
Pokegama Lake. All of these waters are big and quite diverse in their structure,
and they all have good forage in order to sustain a quality fishery not only for
muskies but for any predatory species. Pokegama alone, with it's proximity and
(I believe) connection to the Mississipi River would be a very logical choice.
The waters I call home are in the Longville area, and I can assure you, those waters
all see a significant amount of pressure. These fish see baits almost every day
throughout the open water season. In esscence, what I feel this does is reduce
the quality of the fishery because of competition for places to fish, and with increased
pressure, the fish are less apt to show themselves and/or strike. I also feel that
with the increase of pressure, we see a decreased population size since there is
some mortality that takes place with fish being caught and mishandled, kept, etc.
Baby Lake, for example no longer receives muskie stocking, since it is considered
a stable population...but over my 20+ years of fishing the water, the success rate
has dropped dramatically since the public access was installed in 1997. Multiple
fish days were very common a few years ago....today, multiple fish days are becoming
a rarity let alone catching one. On opening day, we will see in excess of 20 rigs
using the lake specifically targeting muskies. This does not include those who
own land on the lake and are fishing muskies as well. The lake is rougly 700 acres.
On any given day, we will have a filled parking lot at the ramp.
In a nutshell, the point I am trying to drive home is that we need more lakes across
the state to sustain the increased popularity of muskie fishing. Even though we
have approximately 80 lakes with fishable populations, we need more due to the increase
in outstate visitors coming to Minnesota. This is a testament to the success we
have seen so far, but with success comes demand, and the demand is great!! This
all traces back to you in your services...and you are probably not thanked enough!!
At the present moment, two of the 3 lakes mentioned have been considered for muskie
stocking, and although we may see some resistance from other anglers who do not
target muskies, these lakes would be able to sustain a fishable population without
hindering the other predatory species in those waters. I also know that most of
these decisions are data-driven, which can make for a good sell or potentially a
hard sell in the public eye.
It is my hope that you are able to continue with the tradition of successful muskie
stocking but also have the ability to add these lakes and others to our list of
premier muskie waters in the very near future. We have a rock solid program currently,
and adding to that program will not only increase the diversity of our muskie population,
it will spread out the increased fishing pressure making every body of water produce
more and larger fish in the long run, and inevitably, spread out the income that
neighboring towns and cities along and the state of Minnesota see due to increased
tourism from other states.
Keep up the great work!!! and especially....thanks for all that you have done for
our great muskie waters!!"
Steve
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Posts: 3149
| In regards to 'GULL" at the public input meeting last fall one gentleman made an excelent point,,,,Were not introducing muskie to the lake were "Reestablishing" muskies ,,,,Muskies swam in and out of gull from the Miss/tributaries before they put the dam up,,,good point to include in letters and email |
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Posts: 175
| Ron Payer
Fisheries Manager
Mark Holsten
Commissioner
Box 12
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155 |
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| Thanks cphilli. |
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Posts: 3149
| We just heard at the TC chapter that a decision on Gull/Pok will be made this week..were trying to get a last minute call in push.
Mark Holsten,,MN DNR
952-259-5555
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Posts: 291
Location: Minneapolis | happy hooker - 5/22/2007 9:41 AM
Mark Holsten,,MN DNR
952-259-5555
Happy, I just called the above number and got a "Not in service" message. Maybe you have a typo. If so, can you correct it? Thanks.
RP |
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Posts: 3149
| Treats/Shawn Just found out,,,,Actually the meeting just got set for tomorow so calling is not nec anymore,,thanks |
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| Here's the correct #. 651-259-5555 |
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| Here is the reply from Ron Payer to my email:
Thanks, Matt, for taking the time to comment on our muskie program. We have worked closely with muskie fishing interests in many partnerships, and anticipate that will continue. We will be meeting with folks supportive and in opposition to stocking Gull and Pokegama lakes in August, and hope to have a decision shortly after that so we can plan for 2008 stocking. Thanks again for your comments and support. Good fishing. Ron
Ronald D. Payer, Chief
Fisheries Management Section
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Ball Cap - 5/22/2007 11:48 AM
Here is the reply from Ron Payer to my email:
We will be meeting with folks supportive and in opposition to stocking Gull and Pokegama lakes in August, and hope to have a decision shortly after that so we can plan for 2008 stocking.
Ronald D. Payer, Chief
Fisheries Management Section
So is a decision being made tomorrow or are we still looking at late summer at the earliest? Either way, I made a phone call today. It's always good to show your support!
Aaron |
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| I believe the decision will be made by Ron Payer and Dave Schad, although a call to the commissioner is good, he has the ability to derail any project, a call or letter to Ron and Dave is as if not more helpful, this decision I'm sure feels 2 pronged if they don't stock we will be angry, if they do stock SFPMM NI and MNDAA will be angry due to Mr. Schnitker's stance on the issue, and his unwillingness to budge on any stocking issue till he sees a new criteria, he has allot of powerful influence but we do too, the key to this and the future has to be our support of any decision they make, like it or not at this time, we need to win the WAR and fight every battle they toss at us, the bottom line from my perspective is we need more lakes, we need to maintain stocking quotas, we need to protect our regulations, our designated lakes and our relationships with the MN DNR the MMA and M.I., I made my calls please make yours, and express your understanding that this is a hard decision and we support stocking and the men making the decision. |
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