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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | I just got word that the plan has been approved and that the press release will be out this afternoon. This represents the biggest step forward the MN DNR has taken with their muskie program in decades! While it's not everything we wanted, it's still a great compromise that is giving us a tool to improve the muskie/pike fishery for years to come.
I'd like to take this time to thank the DNR, members of the Esocid Round Table, and individuals out there that gave their input to make this happen.
I've forwarded the plan to Muskie First and I'm sure they'll make it available in a timely manor. I have no idea how to post a PDF file to a post.
Shawn Kellett
President
Twin Cities Chapter
Muskies Inc. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | It's 82 pages, I was going to copy and paste it, but instead I I tried to post it as it as an attachment. That didn't work either. Hopefully the powers that be can make it happen.
Edited by MuskieMike 8/19/2008 10:17 AM
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Here's Ron Payer's email to the Esox Round Table group:
Good Morning,
Later today the Department of Natural Resources will announce the
finalization and adoption of the Long Range Plan for Muskellunge and Large
Northern Pike through 2020 (final draft attached). As a participant in the
workshops you've been instrumental in helping to shape the final plan. Your
comments and questions helped us to improve the plan by clarifying
information and decision criteria, and describing the public input and
decision making process. While the plan is modest in many regards, we
believe it sets the stage for working with stakeholders to improve angling
opportunities in Minnesota.
Managing recreational fisheries is an evolving and dynamic process, based on
the best available science, and public perceptions and desires. Finding the
right balance among public interests is part of that challenge. While the
plan lays out some broad goals and directions, there is much work yet to do,
including continued monitoring and evaluation of our fisheries,
communicating with interested stakeholders, and seeking public input for
future management actions. As we move ahead to implement the strategies and
actions in long range plan, the Department is firmly committed to involve
the public in the decision making process.
With the plan now complete, the agency decided to move ahead with the
proposal to stock muskellunge in Pokegama Lake but not Gull Lake; we will
instead look for other opportunities in the Brainerd area. We anticipate
stocking Pokegama this fall. While both lakes have the physical and
biological characteristics to support a "trophy" muskellunge fishery, there
was significant strong public opposition to the Gull Lake proposal.
Our statewide evaluation of northern pike regulations is yielding some
interesting and strong positive results for improving northern pike
populations. We anticipate a lot of interest in these evaluations and look
forward to sharing this information with you and other interested anglers in
the coming months and years.
Again, thank you for interest and advice. We look forward to future
discussions on these and other important issues affecting the quality of our
fisheries.
Sincerely,
Ron Payer |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Did the plan change from the one hosted on the MN-DNR site??
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_wildlife/fisheries/plans/muskiepi... |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | I haven't had a chance to compare. The big differences were in verbiage and further fleshing out the process to add new lakes from what I've been told.
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Posts: 2089
| A HUGE thank you to all those involved as well as those who left comments on the DNR website. Strength in Numbers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Steve |
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Posts: 3165
| great victory!!! getting it approved
I predicted last year it was going to be a good news /bad news deal with Pok and gull, you get this one but not that one,,Does Pok count has one of the 8 new waters??? we tried to say it shouldnt has the survey work was done years ago.
it will be intresting to see what Schnitkers SFRMM posts on their website disapointment over the plan or victory in stopping Gull |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Great news that the plan passed. But disappointing at the same time with Gull not going through. When you consider that there was 85%+ support for the Gull proposal when it was on the table for public input in 2006, you wonder if that lake ever had a chance? It's a shame, as it's hard to imagine a much better option than Gull.
Pokegama should not count as one of the 8 new waters in my opinion. Not only was it on the table before all of this. But it's also part of the Mississippi River and already has a small population of fish to begin with.
I also want to thank everyone that stepped up and got involved with this. Hopefully next time we have the opportunity to speak up that even more people will speak up so it's all good news instead of split.
Aaron |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | Treats sent this to me, I uploaded it here for all . . .
http://rapidshare.de/files/40275978/Esocid_LRP_2020_Final.pdf.html |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | Yeah the Gull thing sucks. I guess the only other lake that would be appropriate would be the Whitefish Chain. Wait, isn't that the lake Kirk S DIDN"T want muskies in? Funny how by fighting us on Gull he's opened himself to getting Whitefish stocked.
As God as my witness I will do all in my power to stock THAT lake with muskies!
As far as Pokegama, we're going to be talking to the DNR about that being one of the eight. I don't know if that's a done deal yet. One thing to consider is that funding is going to be the biggest obstical from here on out. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to start a new lake. That's money the DNR doesn't have. We're going to have to get creative if we're going to realize all 8 that are in the plan as it is. |
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| For those that have bashed MI repeatedly for whatever their reasons are, here is one of many real world examples why it is important for us to work together. Wheter you like MI or not, it is the only collective large scale voice for people who love muskies and want to see the program grow to support the increasing number of new anglers.
The people who were fighting this proposal had their own lobbist so it is not a surprise we didn't get everything we hoped for. It is time for us to work even better together and grow our numbers of members so we don't look like only 8% as outlined in what the opposition was positioning -
http://www.muskytroubles.com/musky-facts.htm
ps. Take note in the above that it isn't just MN they are targeting for reduction in muskie programs, they are also quoting passages that look like the WI musky is a target too. |
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Posts: 20
Location: st boni, mn | just wondering if anyone knows what the 8 bodies of water are |
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Posts: 299
Location: Nowheresville, MN | Congratulations and Thank you to all involved. A particular Thank You needs to be given to Treats. Good jod Dude! It should be noted that this plan will serve as GUIDANCE for muskie management and lake selection. The plan doesn't say anything about guaranteeing 8 lakes by 2020. Public support and effort is still needed to ensure MN's muskie program is expanded. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | What Mike said.
There are some lakes that we've been kicking around from before this started. There's a lake in the St.Cloud area and the Waterville area that shall remain hush-hush until we get a little further.
No need to single me out. There were a number of people who also worked hard. John Underhill, George Selcke and Rob Kimm to name a few that spent plenty of time at this. In fact John was my motivator that kept me going when things were getting ugly. George and I originally started the dialog with the DNR that got the Esox Roundtable group formed back in 2005.
The difference between now and the past is that in the past we were lazy. We let Frank Schnider fight our battles for us. We let him spend his time in the legislature while we were out fishing. To be quite honest we wouldn't have ANYTHING today if he wasn't out there paving the way. Today we have more people involved. We have people that can take on issues on multiple fronts to get things done. We don't have enough people to do everything we want, but we have a more cooperative effort now then we we ever have. We were able to get this done with a few people working at it. Imagine what we could have gotten if we had a dozen?
Thanks to everyone who helped in the effort. Just remember, now that we've got the plan in place we have to have the people available to implement it. EVERYONE will be called upon in the coming years so be ready.
To |
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Posts: 670
Location: Otsego, MN | THAT IS GREAT NEWS! Thanks to all of you that worked so hard in putting it together, |
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| Thank You for your dedication and commitment to the fishery Shawn, I truly appreciate the kind words; the support was definitely mutual.
Its just the beginning I feel, now we have to show our worthiness to the plan and to the work as Shawn said from Frank Jr.
This plans construction solidified Muskie and Pike anglers that care about the resource, there were some that chose to go down a crooked path I'll never understand, I'm sure if they don't now they will regret those poor choices when they see what the plan will yield in Large Pike.
Thanks to everyone that helped with input and e-mails also to those dedicated MMA members that helped make calls and spread info by word of mouth in the final days.
Minnesota Muskie Alliance, the respective chapters as well as the unaffiliated participants conducted themselves honor and dignity, never backing down from the challenge and we were challenged many times, I think we were even threatened once last January for standing our ground, we have become truly united.
Just think of the fun we would have had putting operation F.S. into play Shawn HAHAHA I still have the blueprint jus in case 
Thanks for your help
John Underhill
I'm gonna sip one |
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Posts: 223
Location: Minn. | Great news! I know John has worked very hard on this. Thanks to the many who wrote and called the DNR. I'm excited not only with the Muskie side of this proposal, But also the pike management of the proposal. When I was a lad we use to catch 40" northerns in southern Minn. on a regular basis. Now they are few and far between. THanks again Ramond |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Shawn,and the rest of the round table : Good Work... Pokagma is a good body of water for muskies but I beleive that Gull would just be Tonka of the north because of the jet skiers and pleasure boaters... Gull deafently is a "Tourest" type of place and there fore wouldn't be a good place to put Money and muskies into... How about Kabtogama north of Vermilion and just south of LOTW. What a beautiful part of God's country...... I apoligize for not being on the Gull bandwagon, but I've been on that body of water several times during the last few sumers and can say from experence that Gull IS a preasured water even with out MUskies in it ...
Regardless of what lakes are allowed to receive Muskies I'm in to help out any way I can.
Great Job, and keep it up guys.
Jerome |
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| I know that the plan included changing some of the tiger lakes in the Metro to pure strain lakes. How many lakes will be changed to pure strain stocking and which lakes? |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | The Calhoun chain is the first such body of water they're looking at. Most of the tiger lakes aren't good candidates for pure strain and will stay as is. The only change in those lakes is that we're gunning for a more frequent stocking from 1x every 3 years to every other year. That should keep the class gaps closer and provide better fishing.
Everyone is focused on the new lakes which is a great thing, but the underlining gem in this deal is the improved management. Just think what kind of fishery Winny would be if we stocked it like Mille Lac? How would the muskie population increase if we stocked 2 year old fish in lakes with heavy pike populations? What about a 48" state wide? This are all possibilities now that the plan is in place.
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Posts: 3
| On the issue of fund-raising, has there been any further discussion about a Muskie Stamp in Minnesota? Those revenues could be targeted directly into the program and obviously would come from those who are using the resource. I, for one, would be delighted to buy an annual muskie stamp for this purpose.
Steve V
Edited by SteveLV 8/20/2008 10:23 AM
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | It's been kicked around. The question is whether it would create a revenue stream worth of the admin costs. |
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Great news on the plan. Hard work pays off, and you guys should be very proud of your dedication and determination.
On the issue of revenues for stocking. It's going to take a lot of private money.
It's time for many of you who aren't MI members to step up to the plate and get involved to help raise that money.
We can do a lot of it, but we're gonna have to find ways to raise more cash, and I wouldn't count on the state to be able to help out in that dept. with a stamp or other revenue generator.
JS |
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Posts: 33
| Just wondering what some of the lakes are that the DNR is thinking about trying to get into a muskie fishery? There are many great lakes in the state that could support muskies. Being that I live in Willmar, it would be nice to see a muskie lake closer than the Alexandria area. I would be in favor of stocking into Green and Minnewaska. I know that many people are opposed to stocking in these two lakes. What are some other lakes that would be good to plant muskies in? |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | cjmuskie - 8/20/2008 9:19 PM
Just wondering what some of the lakes are that the DNR is thinking about trying to get into a muskie fishery? There are many great lakes in the state that could support muskies. Being that I live in Willmar, it would be nice to see a muskie lake closer than the Alexandria area. I would be in favor of stocking into Green and Minnewaska. I know that many people are opposed to stocking in these two lakes. What are some other lakes that would be good to plant muskies in?
GREEN LAKE would be hands down the Best Muskie Lake in the State if they stocked now if only we could squeeze that by the Darkhouse Clowns! |
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| Please do step up as JS stated - this is the beginning. We do not want lack of funding to stop us when we get our lakes named and are ready to stock. If you do nothing more than join MI and help out with the fundraiser once a year, it still helps. Local clubs are more than willing to contribute financially - we need people to get involved. |
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