DNR eyeing consistent Mille Lacs fishing regulations

In the past 10 years, anglers have started the walleye season on Lake Mille Lacs with seven different fishing regulations.

And twice those regulations were changed midseason.

The reason: to try to balance the walleye take with the annual safe walleye harvest quota set by the state and Ojibwe Indian tribes as part of the management plan for Mille Lacs -- the state's most popular walleye fishery.

The frequent regulation changes and the uncertainty of exceeding quotas can be frustrating for anglers and business owners alike.

Department of Natural Resources officials and local business owners said last week that it's time for a change in strategy to bring long-term stability to the Mille Lacs regulations.

"We want to get to a situation where we get a consistent regulation year in and year out," DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten told about 40 local business owners and residents, including the Mille Lacs Lake Fisheries Input Group, which met in a town hall Thursday night.

The group discussed the status of the walleye fishery, the accuracy of last fall's DNR netting survey, which showed a dramatic drop in walleye numbers, and potential regulations for the upcoming open-water season.

Most supported an 18- to 28-inch protected slot -- meaning walleyes in that range would have to be released. One fish over 28 inches would be allowed in the four-walleye bag limit. That's more conservative than last summer's 20- to 28-inch protected slot -- but the hope is that it could be a long-term regulation because it would consistently keep harvest below quota levels.

Because of very high harvest last May and June -- and concern anglers would exceed the quota -- the DNR dramatically tightened the regulations mid-season to allow only fish 14-16 inches to be kept (along with one over 28 inches).

"We don't want to have to do that again," Holsten said.

"The question is whether you want stability or to maximize annual harvest," Ron Payer, DNR fisheries chief, said Friday. The later means regulation volatility, Payer said.

"The group said they would like regulation stability," he added. "It's certainly a change in strategy from a short-term vision to a long-term vision."

While the DNR hasn't yet decided on the 2008 regulation -- and hasn't crunched numbers to see what regulations might work long-term -- Payer said the 18-28-inch slot "has a pretty good chance of being a long-term regulation."

Steve Johnson, owner of Johnson's Portside bait and liquor store, was among the local business owners who said they could live with that.

"I like the idea of a long-term regulation and the stability," he said.

The 18- to 28-inch slot isn't much different from other major walleye lakes, and it shouldn't deter anglers from coming, Johnson said. Leech Lake has an 18-26-inch slot, Rainy Lake has a 17-28-inch slot and Vermilion has a 17-26-inch slot.

The DNR is expected to announce the 2008 Mille Lacs fishing regulations soon.

Still no explanation DNR officials told the Mille Lacs group that they still have no explanation for last fall's net survey that showed a dramatic drop in the walleye population. Officials don't know whether some factor skewed the survey or whether walleye numbers indeed have fallen. Some locals said they are doubtful of the results, and they expressed frustration. The DNR said it must err on the side of caution. The safe allowable walleye harvest was cut from 549,000 pounds in 2007 to 430,000 pounds this year. Anglers will get 307,500 pounds, 142,500 less than last year.

'Conservation' fishing license? Among the bills affecting outdoor enthusiasts introduced recently at the Legislature is one that would create a "conservation" fishing license. Holders could keep half the usual fish bag limit, and pay two-thirds the cost of a regular fishing license. Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, the bill's author, said the license would promote a conservation attitude and reduce harvest. He said any loss of revenue for the DNR could be dealt with.

Other bills would:

• Reduce fishing license fees for senior citizens age 70 and older.

• Prohibit hunters from shooting albino deer in Mille Lacs County.

• Require a label warning of toxicity on lead sinkers, jigs and lures.

Forest Lake ice fishing The big winner in the first Fishapalooza Ice Fishing Contest, held last weekend on Forest Lake, was Arnold Rudenick of Forest Lake. His 5.6-pound northern earned him a new four-wheel-drive truck. At least 6,000 anglers participated, said Dan Luger, one of the organizers. The contest replaced the Golden Rainbow Ice Fishing Contest at Forest Lake, for more than 20 years one of the largest winter fishing contests in the nation. Ice conditions were ideal. Luger said he hopes to hold the contest again next year, but no date has been set.

Did you know? • And then there was the report conservation officer Jim Guida of Nisswa received: Seems someone saw a great horned owl catch a rabbit and then fly into a power transformer, causing immediate death to both animals.

• A bill that passed a state House committee last week calls for $14 million in bonding for state wildlife management area acquisition and improvement. That's $4 million more than Gov. Tim Pawlenty's budget calls for.

• Minnesota received $9.4 million in Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration funds and nearly $15 million in Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Funds, generated by federal excise taxes on purchases of firearms, ammunition, archery and angling equipment and boat motor fuels. The money will fund fish and wildlife conservation efforts, boat access, shooting ranges and hunter education.

• Wendy Krueger has been named the DNR's Talcot Lake/Slayton area wildlife supervisor.

Doug Smith • dsmith@startribune.com