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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | If you have fished in Michigan recently and even if you haven't fished in Michigan please consider taking the time to view this information and completing the survey. We are very excited to have a chance to limit harvest of muskellunge from the current possession limit of one/day to one/season with a tag. This with a combined longer harvest closure to protect spawning fish until early June is very important for our waters that rely on natural reproduction. More information below: For Immediate Release
March 26, 2012
Contact: Kregg Smith, 269-685-6851 or Ed Golder, 517-335-3014
DNR invites public review of Michigan’s muskellunge regulations
The Department of Natural Resources’ Fisheries Division is asking for public input on the management of muskellunge in Michigan by reviewing some proposed regulations.
Over the past year, Fisheries Division has been working with the Warmwater Resources Committee, a public advisory group, to discuss muskellunge regulations and to review muskellunge regulation proposals submitted by angling organizations. As a result, several regulation options have been developed. The regulation options are a compromise agreed upon between Fisheries Division and the Warmwater Resources Committee.
Public review is being sought to determine which regulation anglers think should be accepted to manage muskellunge populations in Michigan. Four regulation options have been proposed with a combination of season, size limit and possession limits:
1. Maintain the current fishing regulations for muskellunge.
2. Change the harvest season and allow for a few waters currently managed with the 42-inch minimum size limit to be managed with either a lower or higher minimum size limit.
3. Change the harvest season, reduce the possession limit to one (1) fish per season (with a harvest tag), and allow for a few waters currently managed with the 42-inch minimum size limit to be managed with either a lower or higher size limit.
4. Change the harvest season, keep the possession limit the same, and increase the minimum size limit for most waters, but allow for a few waters to be managed with a lower size limit.
The public is being asked to review these regulation options through an online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MuskellungeFishingRegulations
You can also take the survey over the telephone by calling Debbie Robinson at the Plainwell Operations Service Center at (269) 685-6851. The online and telephone surveys will close on Friday, May 25.
To read more about the muskellunge regulation review, please visit www.michigan.gov/fishing .
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr .
Public Meeting Dates:
Western Lake Superior Management Unit
April 3rd from 7 to 9 pm (eastern time) Ishpeming Township Hall, Highway M-28 in west Ishpeming
April 4th from 6 to 8 pm (central time) at Gogebic Community College – Lindquist Center in Ironwood
April 5th from 7 to 9 pm (eastern time) at Michigan Technological University, Isle Royale Ballroom A-2 in Houghton
Eastern Lake Superior Management Unit
April 12th from 7:00 pm at the library in the Tahquamenon Area School in Newberry
April 25th from 7:00 pm at the Snyders Restaurant, 400 Cedar Street in Munising
Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit
March 27th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm (eastern time) at the Bay College Heirman Center, Room 952, 2001 N. Lincoln Road in Escanaba
March 28th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm (central time) at Bay College West, 2810 North US-2 in Iron Mountain
Central Lake Michigan Management Unit
April 18th from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Carl T. Johnson Center at Mitchell State Park in Cadillac
Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit
March 26th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Delta Township Library, 5130 Davenport Road in Lansing
March 27th from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Portage Library, 300 Library Lane in Portage
April 23rd from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Plainfield Charter Township Office, 6161 Belmont Avenue NE in Belmont
Northern Lake Huron Management Unit
April 5th from 7:00 pm at Lake Superior State University – Cisler Center, 621 West Easterday Avenue in Sault Ste. Marie
April 12th from 7:00 pm at the Cheboygan Sportsman’s Club, 13516 Seffren Road in Cheboygan
April 16th from 7:00 pm at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 500 W. Fletcher Street in Alpena
April 19th from 7:00 pm at the Grayling Nature Park, 100 James Street in Grayling
Southern Lake Huron Management Unit
April 23rd from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Bay City State Recreation Area Visitors’ Center
Lake Erie Management Unit
April 30th from 7:00 pm at 43825 West Oaks Drive in Novi
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Posts: 143
Location: La Crosse, WI | Done! |
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Location: 31 | This is been a long time coming, excellent work Will! I hope everyone reading this takes a minute to help, actually it takes less than one minute. Even if you don't fish Michigan, please help.
Edited by Jerry Newman 3/26/2012 1:08 PM
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Here are the details and the proposed regulation options:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Muskellunge_Regulation_Propos...
We believe Option 3 provides the best possible options for management.
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Posts: 347
Location: eagle river,wis | just filled out.good work Will.
jeff |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Done. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Thanks guys, keep them coming. Though the spearing crowd might not like anyone from out of state giving their opinion on the survey I would like to have as many as possible. Afterall, if we can make muskie fishing better in Michigan maybe we'll eventually remove some pressure from Wisconsin and Minnesota. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | They may not like my input, but I know the area businesses like my $$$. |
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Posts: 2331
Location: Chisholm, MN | DONE!!!!!!!!! |
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Posts: 32889
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Done |
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Posts: 163
Location: lake st clair michigan | done .....and thanks WILL |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Complete. and Sent |
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Posts: 203
Location: Minnesota | Done |
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Posts: 243
| Boundary Waters Musky Club is also pushing for Option 3, so I'll reiterate our appreciation for any help on that front. As Will mentioned, input can be given by out-of-state fishermen, and we were assured during our committee sessions with the DNR on this that their opinion would definitely be taken into account (the data will be sorted by in-state versus out-of-state responses, that's why the survey asks for your zip code).
Our inland fisheries could be impacted in a very positive way if this goes the way we hope! |
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Posts: 717
Location: Grand Rapids, MI | 340 Views. Man, I hope all the views also did the survey! *wink*  |
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Posts: 256
Location: Janesville | Done
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Posts: 909
| support from 15473! |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | I did, and didn't say anything till now. I'm sure others have also. They could sure have written a much better survey with more pointed questions, but this should be a good start. |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | The survey is based on the regulations options presented, I agree that the survey being done without reading the paper outlining the regulations doesn't make much sense.
This is the link to the MI DNR site that presents it correctly:
Please take the time to read through the Muskellunge regulations paper before you take the survey. It will give you the basis for the questions:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10364-274232--,00.html
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Posts: 164
| done |
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Posts: 202
| Done! And Will what you and your club does for Michigan's lakes is amazing. You are truly an amazing ambassador to the sport! Look forward to sharing a boat for a day again this year. |
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Posts: 4053
Location: Land of the Musky | Done Will!
James
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| done |
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Posts: 458
| Done and didn't take long to complete. Please take a few minutes to support the effort in MI and the musky gods will smile upon you! |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | SpencerBerman - 3/28/2012 2:54 AM Done! And Will what you and your club does for Michigan's lakes is amazing. You are truly an amazing ambassador to the sport! Look forward to sharing a boat for a day again this year. Blush... Thanks but I'm just doing my part to leave it better than I found it. |
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| Huge thank you to Will and anyone who helps out. This is HUGE for the state of Michigan and any help is greatly appreciated. For anyone who doesn't know much about MI this state has tremendous musky potential and this is a big step towards taking advantage of that potential. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | Great work to all the people who helped make this happen. Survey completed.
Edited by MuskieMike 3/28/2012 1:51 PM
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Posts: 64
Location: Crystal Lake, IL | Never Musky fished in Michigan, but you got my support, survey completed! |
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Posts: 3
| Done~! |
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Posts: 158
Location: Carney, Mi (in da UP eh!) | Attended the public forum in Iron Mountain, Mi tonight there are people in the public that do not see our views, Mr. Holmes the president of the Michigan Darkhouse Association (spearing group) and he is also a member of the Michigan WarmWater Steering Committee (which Will is a member of) was also in attendance. One gentlemen even suggested we go back to the recomendations of the Michigan United Consveration Clubs (MUCC) of having a 32" minimum size limit(MSL). Benji Wood-Vice President of the Boundary Waters Musky Club gave a great explanation of the proposed regulations to the audience. Please let all your friends know about this survey. There is strength in numbers
Randy Pearson-President Boundary Waters Musky Club www.bwmuskyclub.com Thanks |
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