Star and Trib Wed.

[Musky Buck]

Anyone read Ron Schara's column yesterday ? He saw a 40" ski in the gull lake chain ? I think he was wondering out loud how many are roaming the gull lake chain. I don't want to start the muskie stocking anger again but my 1 cent is how many lakes could support quality walleye angling without being "stocked" by our hard working DNR and all of "our" financial contributions. My first thoughts back in 1988 on muskie stocking were good, there are so few quality pike fisheries with almost nill chance at a 20 pounder in our state that at least we'll have something worth casting for. If I were still the die hard walleye guy today I'd be happy a 1/4 million people are after muskies and not putting even more pressure on walleyes and more in the livewell. I think the DNR has done a great job here in MN considering the number of employee's with the number of lakes with the amount of tourism in the year 2009, keep up the good work and thanks. MB

[SunneyeDay]

I read it and just wondered, " What is Schara's agenda here?"

I don't which side of the debate he is on, but I would imagine within that context that he was trying to display that having muskies in the lake is mostly a non-issue- something that just is, rather than something to be alarmed about.

[Musky Buck]

Agree, I think they can and have proven to coexist, 27 years of ski's in little elk lake at 271 acres and there is a good walleye population. Muskie's do actually die and no lake is just brimming full of them. The lake will take care of how many can exist per acre and the DNR is and has the recipe for success. Quality catch and release is up to all who boat them. Those who purposely maim them or yell at me and my 7 year old son fishing them, always makes me wonder what else they belly ache about, seems awfully selfish and as human beings it's ridiculous. Anyway, I wish Ron would've casted a bait in front of that fish doubting it was active but who knows.

[Muskiefool]

A guy I work with got a Tiger casting for Bass on Gull 3 weeks ago.

[JRedig]

Agree, I think they can and have proven to coexist, 27 years of ski's in little elk lake at 271 acres and there is a good walleye population.

People always forget to use lakes like Leech and LOTW, they've always had both species and are trophy fisheries for both. How does the argument get any farther than a statement mentioning that?

[Nick Kuhn]

Originally Posted By: Musky Buck

Agree, I think they can and have proven to coexist, 27 years of ski's in little elk lake at 271 acres and there is a good walleye population.

People always forget to use lakes like Leech and LOTW, they've always had both species and are trophy fisheries for both. How does the argument get any farther than a statement mentioning that?

Here's what happens.

Joe Walleyefisherman goes out to 30 feet of water to fish walleyes. This happens to be a break that eventually leads up to a nice weed flat. The walleyes in this spot happen to be near the bottom, down 30-25 feet. Over this spot however there is a muskie holding steady waiting for dinner time, probably suspended at 12 feet. While the muskie normally would never encounter said muskie, Joe Walleyefisherman hooks into one of these walleyes and proceeds to pull a struggling fish up from the depths right past Mr. Muskie. Joe Walleyefisherman sees said muskie follow the walleye to the boat, and concludes that muskie is out there eating his walleyes. Had that walleye not been caught though, the muskie probably would have gone all week without every seeing a walleye because of their different positions in the water column...

[walleye365]

muskies are in there when i was a kid i caught 3 in one summer 30-34 inches long 14 years ago i hoped the dnr would of started stocking it.

[bronzeback]

An 11 year old kid I know that fishes the gull river said he hooked up with a tiger muskie last week but I called him a liar...oops.

[propster]

MuskyBuck, could you shoot me a pm? Couple questions for you. Thanks.

kedberg at frontiernet dot net

[Musky Buck]

Said PM disabled ? Off to Mantrap, later.

[Lare Pie]

I believe Gull is on the list of lakes that they eventually would like to start stocking muskies in it, but they are getting a lot of opposition to stock it. I think that they need more muskie lakes in the Brainerd area to relieve the pressure of the existing ones. The area people need to be educated and believe the walleyes, bass and muskies can co-exist without damaging each others population. Maybe in the near future this will take place.

[Muskiefool]

We attained all of the public information on the stocking proposal of Gull Lake under the freedom of information act, there was very little opposition to stocking, in looking at both piles for and against the pro-stocking pile was minimum 8 to 1 don't let anyone tell you there was overwhelming or allot opposition to stock Muskies in Gull, there was not, all of the organized pressure came from the Darkhouse Assn, Northerns Inc and Sportsmen for Responsible Muskie Management, in reality that group has acted as the umbrella organization for the 2 aforementioned groups, as far as individuals against there were very few and no other organizations; Gull stocking is not dead by any means.

[propster]

MuskyBuck. Good luck, try me when you get back. Shouldn't be disabled, I'll try giving the actual email address. [email protected]

[Lare Pie]

I'm glad I was wrong. I don't remember where I heard that information from but it was a while ago. I think it would be a good lake to stock.

[mrklean]

This might sound weird but i can see resort owners be against it becaues of the unlikely attack of a swimmer. Just think little kid splashing around a muskie goes to check it out takes a nip at the kid, then all the resorts have to put up swim nets and what not and people are scared to go in the water. I can see them being against it. But its just a thought

[Muskiefool]

How many Muskie or Pike attacks do you hear of in N.America? I doubt the resorts on any Muskie lake would wish them away.