Gov. Dayton, DNR Talk Walleye With Mille Lacs Lake Resorts, Businesses
GARRISON, Minn. (WCCO) -- It's been a frustrating and costly ride for Mille Lacs Lake business owners dealing with the ever-changing fishing regulations on one of the state's storied walleye destinations.
For years, Mille Lacs Lake was a favorite among walleye anglers, due to its close proximity to the Twin Cities and reputation for producing nice stringers of walleye.
But more recently, walleye populations have plummeted, causing the Department of Natural Resources to impose severe fishing regulations.
This season, the DNR imposed a catch-and-release only fishery and even closed it down entirely over a recent five-week stretch. Regulators feared the state's allotment of walleye had been reached earlier than expected through the estimated hooking mortality numbers.
Five weeks ago, on the weekend of July 8, the frustrations boiled over. Governor Mark Dayton was on a launch to help promote the lake as a bass fishing destination, to show that there were angling opportunities other than walleye.
That's when a group of business owners and walleye fishing enthusiasts encircled the Governor's boat to vent their frustrations. They intended to show him that the restrictions were hurting business in the area and keeping away customers.
Said Twin Pines co-owner, Linda Eno, "The anglers have gone from six fish to four fish, down to two and then none. And now no use of live bait."
The state's strict walleye regulations on Mille Lacs Lake are intended to counter abnormally low walleye populations. But resorters and businesses say it's having a far more dire effect: It's killing them. A number of resort and business owners in the area report revenues down anywhere from 50 to 80 percent.
"It's been a very painful experience for these good people," Governor Mark Dayton said.
On Monday, Dayton traveled to Garrison where he held a face to face, closed-door meeting with a handful of local business owners. Along with DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr, the Governor listened to the concerns of local interests and ideas for helping turn the situation around.
What they want most of all is a better understanding of how walleye population estimates are an inexact science and not a fair reflection of walleye numbers. Instead, the locals point to angler reports showing a very successful summer catch-and-release season.
Anglers are pulling up good quantities of fish, only to have to put them back into the lake. The DNR estimates that the hooking mortality alone is claiming nearly 48,000 pounds of adult walleye from the lake. In July, it closed the lake to walleye fishing entirely over a five-week period.
Walleye fishing on Mille Lacs has re-opened although only through Labor Day, when it closes again until Dec. 1
"Everybody, including the DNR has the same goal - to restore it to the world class reputation it has earned," Gov. Dayton said.
The 75-minute meeting at Twin Pines Resort produced no assurances that state regulations will loosen in the near future, to the point of allowing anglers to keep what they catch. Although the Governor and Eno emerged from their meeting arm in arm, business frustrations were clearly voiced, although the underlying problem still persists.
Bait and tackle dealer Bill Lundeen estimates the no live bait regulation on Mille Lacs is costing him 75 to 80 percent of his normal business.
"He (Governor Dayton) seemed to be open to looking at something, because clearly, what we're doing isn't sustainable," Lundeen said.
"They shut us down for five weeks in the prime season, and in Minnesota, let's face it, with the weather that's prime time and you want to capitalize on it," Eno said.
Mille Lacs business owners are hopeful that an independent research project on the lake will report results later this fall. What they hope to hear are walleye estimates that exceed the DNR's numbers.
That modeling could be useful in basing less restrictive walleye regulations for the 2018 fishing season.
