Future Musky lakes?

[smeese]

Anyone know of involvment with Muskies Inc. or the DNR to plan some Musky lakes in the Mankato area? I am thirty years old and would love to fish them before turning 50! Someone get them on it! It sure would relieve some preassure on everyone going up to the Metro area lakes. Please tell me there is someting in the works.

[Shawn Kellett]

Right now we're trying to get a couple lakes in the S part of the state. I know that Madison has been thrown around in the past in that area. There's nothing around kato that's ready to go right now. I'm afraid that with Payer leaving the new Head of Fisheries will be slow to go with new waters. Time will tell.

I know that funding is one of the sticking points the DNR tries to throw at us. If we get permission to stock new waters I'm sure we can come up with the money. I've told the DNR this many, many times over the years.

[smeese]

Is there someone in particular that I can, and others can contact to suggest this? Madison would be a great option as it is plump full of Shad. Also Washington and the Jefferson chain would be great options IMO. If I am gonna get skunked every time out at least i will not have to drive an hour plus to do so.

[Shawn Kellett]

You should contact John Underhill (Muskiefool) with the MMA and he can fill you in with what we need to do in order to get more lakes.

[dcmusky]

Stop by a chapter 54 meeting some time and see what we are up to. E-mail me and I can give you more info, the more people we have working towards this goal the better chance we have of making this a reallity.

[Muskiefool]

Dan's 100% right and as well Muskie anglers have shown their dedication regardless of any organizational affiliation when something needs to get done in the best interest of the fishery, but they could be more effective.

There are allot of things you can do to help get new lakes, one is organized involvement, this involves being a part of a MI chapter and having your sentiment counted as a group of hundreds per chapter or in the thousands when the Minnesota Muskie Alliance (MMA) hears the call from the chapters and moves as well to satisfy these needs.

As well individually you can contact the local area fisheries manager, the regional fisheries manager, then the DNR commissioners office as well even local legislators.

Its also a good idea to talk to as many people as possible in the community's surrounding the lake or lakes, the more involved you happen to be in that community the better.

When we can all move together on a lake or an issue; putting the sake of the resource first so that we may all benefit in greater opportunity's or in better quality of fishing for all species we have great power to greet those ends.

I don't push Muskies Inc memberships but maybe I should if 2/3's of all MN Muskie Anglers would affiliate themselves with Muskies Inc the fishing and opportunity would only get better.

MI spends all of its resources on the fishery, there are no administrative costs, none of us gets paid for our work and I'm hear to tell you its exhaustive, but I see the benefits and Ive lived the benefits so I don't have a complaint especially if I see a pic of someone releasing a 40-50 pound fish, the mission of our work spans 40+ years of making MN the best place on the planet to Muskies fish, this has been done by ordinary people fighting for and loving an extraordinary fish.

We need more people like you Smeese that are willing to help now and work for lakes like Madison; but we need to work together and individually to be effective.

Madison is on the list of lakes that Chapter 54 submitted as well as the list that the MMA submitted that we would like to see explored for stocking, unfortunately we've heard there is opposition to Madison, that is the word we got from Waterville DNR office.

If you need any #s to make calls or addys for contacts shoot me a e-mail as well [email protected]

Thank You for your interest in So. Mn Muskies.

John

WOW that got long

[KTapper]

I also would love to see some lakes down here having some muskies in them. Madison and Tetonka (has some) would be good lakes imo.

[dcmusky]

Stop by a chapter 54 meeting some time and see what we are up to. E-mail me and I can give you more info, the more people we have working towards this goal the better chance we have of making this a reallity.

Now I'm starting to feel like merkman.

[Esox_Magnum]

Dan check you e mail.... Others are interested to.

[Shawn Kellett]

I'll try one more time with respect to getting more Muskie lakes...

1. That is what happened with Pokegama. Through the use of the WWW we were able to garner over 500 comments in favor vs. around 20 against. That's how it got pushed over the top. IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING! The DNR is the one insisting on the "town hall" meetings not us. We don't have the power in the decision. The DNR does. If it was up to us it'd be done by now. It takes time to get the process up to that point, most of which is out of our control (ie DNR).

3. $15/fish x 1500 fish every other year = $22,500/year. Where's the DNR going to get that money? That revenue stream has to be figured out before we even attempt the process.

4. That doesn't seem to deter the Dark House guys, lake shore assn, and other NIMBY's from showing up. We have everything to gain by showing up yet so few of us will take 30 minutes away from fishing it's pathetic.

PLEASE read the LRP. It spells out the process on how to get new lakes. We would LOVE to have you on board with us as it gets tiring fighting the fight with only a few people doing the work, but trust us when we say it's not as cut and dry as you think.

Feel free to call me anytime 612-201-0209

-Shawn

[Muskiefool]

When the new lakes go to public meeting which they will; I guarantee it I would hope to see people from across the state there to support it in a civil manner, the DNR has to fallow the long range plan to add additional waters, I think this is good and transparent.

There are a few that will oppose it and will do or say anything to stop all stocking not just new lakes, Lake Assns are people that want to be informed; they want the info and the truth, sportsmens groups want the same the public wants the same; when they learn the truth they are not anti-muskie proponents; we have people that go to those informational meetings to a small group and scream and holler about Muskie being invasive species and eating all the Walleyes when a few months before they (same exact person) say " We gotta help you get some lakes down south John".

Like I said you don't need to spend money or be physically involved and you don't need to be a member of anything but its so crucial that we work together to get the lakes that are being set up in the system right now.

When its time to call, write and show up we'll let you know where, when and how asap no one will be in the dark.

I too am sick of Muskies being lied about and treated like a garbage fish.

I was at a Lake Assn meeting this summer and had an older gentlemen approach me with a fair amount of disdain and anger, we talked 1 on 1 for about 15 min and surprisingly we both wanted the same thing for the lake and we wanted to grow fishing, teaching and showing more kids and non anglers how valuable are lakes are.

When it was all said and done he looked at me poked me in the chest and said "You and I ; we ain't so different", we all have common ground well 99% of us, some just hate because they are miserable people, we have to work on the common ground and teach them about Muskies.

Its a social issue and a biological issue, the biological issues have been worked out, now we need to show people that these fish are the demons of the lake and going to attack and kill them and their pets while crapping out all the walleyes in the lake.

This summer we raised a giant fish off a spot and not far away had 2 more that were large fish fallow, we decided to leave them for a short time and come back; when we got back there were 2 pontoons and 6-8 kids swimming on top of all of these fish just off the weedline on a point, by the time they all left it looked like all the kids had worn themselves out and had allot of fun, no one got eaten or bothered.

As Muskie anglers we all need to be good ambassadors and do the right thing for the fish and each other; nothing dispenses the anti-Muskie people faster than honesty, when you speak from the heart and tell the truth everyone can see it, when your casting doubt and telling lies while mongering fear and deception most decent people can see that as clear as Crystal Spring in July(no pun intended).