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Posts: 152
Location: Roscoe IL | March 30, 2026 :
As of March 30, 2026, the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Council has implemented an emergency ban on walleye and musky fishing for non-members on lakes within the reservation to protect fish populations. The restrictions are enforced by the Tribal Natural Resources Department, with closures remaining in effect until deemed safe to reopen by the Tribal Fish Hatchery.
Im not clear if this is a ban on KEEPING fish, or if this is a ban on Catch and release as well. |
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Posts: 1168
| Oh boy, this will be sure to start some fights... |
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Posts: 1666
Location: Brighton CO. | I've been in Wisconsin on a non reservation lake and at night the Tribal DNR was doing electro fish survey. (it was late Sept. or early Oct.) Years later I heard they totally over speared this lake.
I've been in Wisconsin in the fall on a non res
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| The other part of the edict was that it bans forward facing sonar for trolling by non-tribal members. |
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Posts: 1168
| 1) Is catch and release still allowed or this is an altogether closure?
2) "Ban on Forward Trolling" means backtrolling still allowed? LOL.
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 LDF notice1.jpg (90KB - 11 downloads)
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Posts: 7119
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Their land, their rules.
Only leaves 382 similar lakes within an hours' drive. |
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Posts: 1168
| Slamr - 3/31/2026 11:10 AM
Their land, their rules.
Only leaves 382 similar lakes within an hours' drive.
True. To be honest, I've never fished any of the lakes listed and I'm not about to start. I don't need my tires slashed trying to prove some kind of point. It will no doubt fuel the division between natives and the general public though. Anyone who has property near that area is probably not too happy. |
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Posts: 7119
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | MartinTD - 3/31/2026 12:57 PM
Slamr - 3/31/2026 11:10 AM
Their land, their rules.
Only leaves 382 similar lakes within an hours' drive.
True. To be honest, I've never fished any of the lakes listed and I'm not about to start. I don't need my tires slashed trying to prove some kind of point. It will no doubt fuel the division between natives and the general public though. Anyone who has property near that area is probably not too happy.
is it POSSIBLE that you're saying things like "I dont need my tires slashed" out of "hearing stuff" from others since you've "never fished any" of these lakes? |
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Posts: 1168
| Of course it is. I've "heard stuff" about people getting their vehicles and/or trailers damaged while fishing lakes on the reservation. Which may be partially the reason I have not fished any of these lakes. It's just a risk not worth taking. I think it's fair to say the media release can be interpreted as; they don't want the public fishing their lakes. I also believe things can get pretty sketchy on the reservations. Even Mike Keyes has made comments about things he's encountered. I'm sure you are well aware they're not real friendly to outsiders. |
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Posts: 152
Location: Roscoe IL | Slamr - 3/31/2026 2:37 PM
MartinTD - 3/31/2026 12:57 PM
Slamr - 3/31/2026 11:10 AM
Their land, their rules.
Only leaves 382 similar lakes within an hours' drive.
True. To be honest, I've never fished any of the lakes listed and I'm not about to start. I don't need my tires slashed trying to prove some kind of point. It will no doubt fuel the division between natives and the general public though. Anyone who has property near that area is probably not too happy.
is it POSSIBLE that you're saying things like "I dont need my tires slashed" out of "hearing stuff" from others since you've "never fished any" of these lakes?
its mostly because its all true, Stop acting like they do the things they do for noble reasons. They're "angling" for an advantageous negotiating position on something else. I have family that are members of another tribe in wisconsin, they dont even like what the LDFT and bad river bands are about. |
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Posts: 363
Location: Western U.P. | I live not too far from LDF (and Bad River) waters, and have fished them a decent amount over the last couple of decades with no issues. I've heard the stories of people having problems with their vehicles, but they've pretty much always been at least 3rd or 4th hand, so I suspect they may be more hearsay than anything. I've had decent luck on some of the waters mentioned. Hopefully their decisions to limit access are based on science to benefit the fisheries, and since those bodies of water fall within Res jurisdiction, it's their decision to make. Their house, their rules. As Slammer said, there are several hundred more options to choose from in the area (a lot of them being better options), so I don't really get the need for anyone to get their undies in a twist. Just my take on it. |
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Posts: 190
| Cedar - 3/31/2026 5:15 PM
Hopefully their decisions to limit access are based on science to benefit the fisheries
Do you really think the walleye and musky populations of these lakes are in danger such that they need to close the season entirely? I do not. If they really are it'd have to be from mismanagement of the lakes. Too much fishing pressure by the general public is unlikely when people afraid of the launches as noted in this thread, whether that's a valid concern or not doesn't matter. My guess is that the Fence Lake fish population will eventually need protection as well. |
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Posts: 1309
Location: WI | Sure seems like a lot of drama over that way. |
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Posts: 8866
| My only experience up that way was an emergency pee stop on the Bad River Reservation. I had to pull off going across Hwy 2 and do the side of the road thing. I tried to find somewhere inconspicuous, but at that point I had consumed 32 oz of coffee. Gotta go, and I gotta go NOW! It looked kinda sketchy, but not South Side of Chicago kind of sketchy. By the time I was done peeing, there were people coming out of houses on both sides of the street and none of them looked happy. (Granted, I'd be kind of miffed if I saw some dude pulled over peeing on the street in front of my house in broad daylight, but I did NOT get the vibe that they were just curious. Those were some angry MF'ers.) What struck me was that all of them were clearly dirty, and only half the kids had clothes on. The other thing I noticed as I was hauling arse out of there is that reservation housing is NOT something I'd want to live in.
I tend to think that whatever they have to deal with is way worse than what it would be if we had left them alone. |
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