Gull Lake

[10,000 Casts]

I was writing insurance on a house on Gull Lake this afternoon and the people had a 45" muskie mounted over the fireplace. I asked them where they caught it sure enough it was Gull.. No spots or stripes, just clear. I hope that wasn't the only one in the lake...

[blakeb]

it isnt, years ago i lived in brainerd with my grandparents, they had friends that lived on the lake, love lake marina to be exact, i would always head down to the docks to fish while they chated, i found a dead musky on shore, i took a picture, if memory serves it was like 35 inch.

they are in there,

[AWH]

In the Brainerd Dispatch 2 to 3 weeks ago there was an article on retiring Brainerd area fisheries manager Tim Brastrup. In the article Tim was quoted as saying, "On Round Lake (north of Brainerd) this winter I saw three muskies taken." This is the Round Lake connected to Gull. Not sure what he means by "taken". Whether they were kept, caught and released, or what. But they're in there. It's too bad the stocking proposal was shot down a few years back despite overwhelming public support. I'd love to see that proposal revisited. There's no logical reason to not make that body of water a future world class musky fishery.

Aaron

[Nick Kuhn]

It's plausible Mississippi River fish could jump the spillway on the Crow Wing River during spring high water. That's the only physical obstruction preventing it.

[AnglerX]

They are in there in better numbers than one might think. We've had multiple fish follows in a day more than once out there while fishing bass tournaments. I would love to see this lake stocked as well as it would be an unbelievable fishery. If my memory serves me right Northerns Inc. had a tourney out there maybe five or so years ago and two muskies were caught that day.

[Acemac]

ya stocking it would be a great way to wreck that lake forever good idea... takes 20 min to drive to garrison and like 10 mins to hit sham, leave gull alone its like the last place that walleyes are natural.

and ya ya ya I know muskies dont eat walleyes.... if they eat just one fry its to many IMO.

gull is already a world class multi species fishery why mess with it?

[Acemac]

It's plausible Mississippi River fish could jump the spillway on the Crow Wing River during spring high water. That's the only physical obstruction preventing it.

also the Gull river damm but that one would be a easy one to get around also.

[B420]

Ace,

They stock between 2 and 4.8 million walleye fry in gull each year. That's not "natural" if you ask me. Do you think the lake would have near the walleye without stocking?

[Acemac]

Ace,

They stock between 2 and 4.8 million walleye fry in gull each year. That's not "natural" if you ask me. Do you think the lake would have near the walleye without stocking?

yep and makes tons of sense to spend all that money to feed the muskies....

I am not against muskies but there are lots of lakes that we dont spend thousands of dollars on stocking walleyes. I think if we are going to put muskies in a lake we should do it someplace where they have no chance of effecting the walleye fishing.

[B420]

Ace,

You may want to do a bit of research on this thread at the top of this forum " Muskie Introduction FAQ's. It may open your eyes a bit, it comes right from the MNDNR.

[Nick Kuhn]

They don't eat walleye fry though... Muskies are stocked in the fall, whereas walleye fry would be in the spring. By the time any fingerlings are stocked the walleye would be too big for a fingerling muskie to eat it. They would eat YotY perch and minnows instead.

Because of the stocking time-frame, there is never a muskie munch-down on stocked walleye. In fact largemouth bass are about the only species shown to really negatively impact walleye stocking.

[brad coin]

ace you need to also study the 'other' fish that muskies prefer,,,,Bullheads over mostly anything ,,suckers,,,these are bottom feeders,,how many walleye eggs do these two species eat,,,the muskies prey on alot of the botton eating egg predators,,,,In natural reproducing lakes there could be a strong case for muskies improving walleye fishing

[Acemac]

ace you need to also study the 'other' fish that muskies prefer,,,,Bullheads over mostly anything ,,suckers,,,these are bottom feeders,,how many walleye eggs do these two species eat,,,the muskies prey on alot of the botton eating egg predators,,,,In natural reproducing lakes there could be a strong case for muskies improving walleye fishing

"Could be" but there is not... tell me again how the walleye having to fight over their food source helps a walleye fishery? Like I said I am not a muskie hater I only hope that they leave an already great fishery alone. this argument can go on for days and days. there is a ton of information out there that argues both sides and is prob right for certain situations. we really can not know what effect a new species will have on a lake until you introduce that species.

why is it not enough that gull has great walleye bass northern and crappie fishing? Considering you can drive 30 mins in any direction and get to great muskie water I just dont get it.

I drive 3 hours to fish on gull why cant you drive 30 min?

[Nick Kuhn]

There are probably more muskie anglers in Minnesota than there are adult muskies as the situation currently stands, and in that area this is certainly true. This is why we need to add more water and more fish everywhere.

Edit: Time for the numbers.

There are 790,000 acres of muskie water in Minnesota (from the Long Range Plan (LRP)), and from page 37 of the LRP I calculated the average muskie density is .207 adult muskies per acre.

.207 x 790,000 = 163,530 adult muskies statewide.

14% of Minnesota anglers are muskie fisherman (again from the LRP). There are roughly 1.4 million licensed anglers in Minnesota.

.14 x 1,400,000 = 196,000 Muskie Anglers.

So for every fish there are 1.2 fisherman trying to catch it, or conversely there are 0.834 muskies for every angler.

[Quackaddict9]

the walleye lakes to muskie lakes is like 15-1, I don't know what the ratio is. So there are many walleye lakes. I love fishing for both but believe that it would be nice to get some more lakes stocked with muskies and won't mess up the fishery.

[Musky Buck]

My best lake is it...A muskie lake with walleyes in it or a walleye lake with muskies in it ? It's called Battle Lake MN and both species are thriving and have been since I began fishing it in the 70's. That's 1 time proven and tested by me and hundreds of other anglers with a winter slaughter of walleye out there to boot. With a thousand or more or less walleye coming off battle in my families lifetime why aren't any scarred up or at least we get real clean good looking eyes and we haven't had a musky follow that we're aware of any of them to the boat. Ooops I'm wrong according to that Schnitker guy, they can't coexist. I mean the walleye has been devastated on Battle, please do not fish it for walleye, they are all gone. But my wife's frying pan smells good with cajun seasoned eyes from not battle as my fingers are crossed.

[JRedig]

My best lake is it...A muskie lake with walleyes in it or a walleye lake with muskies in it ? It's called Battle Lake MN and both species are thriving and have been since I began fishing it in the 70's.

I think you forgot a few...let's see...

Mille Lacs

Vermillion

Leech

Miltona

Cass

St. Croix

Mississippi

Owasso

WBL

Minnetonka

Bald Eagle

Forest

Calhoun

Harriet

Those are just a few off the top of my head where there is great fishing for both species based on my personal experience. Why is it that these are all forgotten so quickly when someone want's to FemaleDog and whine just to FemaleDog and whine?

[Quackaddict9]

to name more in the northern part of MN: Cass, Lake Bemidji, Plantagenent, Wolf, Pike Bay, Big Detroit

[mrklean]

the musky stocking vs walleye problem will go on forever some people will never change opinions, i think it would be great to stock gull with more i think it would bring even more to that lake

[AWH]

Ace, take a look at the following information, this will help address your concerns and realize that they are all for naught.

The first one shows fish community responses in the lakes in MN where muskies have been introduced. To the best of my knowledge, I don't believe that ANY lake is left out. This should be a good reflection of what we can expect if/when muskies are stocked in new waters as managed by the MN DNR.

Fish community responses to the introduction of muskellunge

The next is a study of the diets of over 1,000 muskies and the break down of food found when their stomach contents were examined.

Muskellunge Diet Study

Lastly is a study showing how different species interect. It clearly shows which species has shown to have negative impacts on walleyes and which do not.

Interaction of fish species

You mentioned that there is information that supports what you are saying. Please share that information, I'd be very interested in seeing it and how it relates to MN waters and how the DNR manages its musky fisheries here. I'm sure everyone would like to see that information. It's best for all of us to be basing our opinions on facts and not suspicions, rumors, or anything else.

I love the "just drive 30 minutes to Mille Lacs" take that we always hear when the idea of muskies in Gull is brought up. You mentioned that you drive 3 hours to fish Gull. That's great, but that's your choice. You also have the choice to fish MANY lakes with walleyes that are much closer than that. To go to the nearest musky lake to my house, I could go to literally hundreds of other lakes that are much closer before I get there, but none of them have muskies. The facts are that we are lucky to have a lot of lakes in MN that contain a wide variety of species. Many of these lakes have very suitable habitat for muskies to thrive will enhancing the overall fishery and not having any negative impact. Gull Lake would be one of those waters.

Thanks,

Aaron

[JRedig]

Oh yeah, forgot about ALL the canadian lakes and LOTW...prized destinations for ALL species...amazing how nobody's screaming to kill all the muskies in those lakes because they're eating all the walleyes...<bangs head against wall repeatedly>

[Shawn Kellett]

"there is a ton of information out there that argues both sides and is prob right for certain situations."

I'd love to see the scientific data that shows muskies are detrimental to the walleye population. Please share your data with the group.

[BrianLucky13]

I dont think Alexander and Pelican were mentioned. Both great muskies lakes and top of the line walleye lakes!!!

[Dylan33]

Wow...Ace is getting absolutely blasted here. I think his main concern is if there is a good musky population on Gull, then there will be even more boat traffic on Gull. He drives 3 hours to get there and the lake is already busy enough. There are plenty of musky lake close by that you can go to, that would keep musky fishing traffic off of Gull!

Sorry Ace, but your arguement that Musky will hurt the walleye population just isn't a reality...so I made up another excuse for you! No hard feelings!

[Acemac]

the Minnesota DNR uses data that does not reflect the issue here is a study that argues the other way...

you guys keep linking studies that all show that muskies do in fact do 2 things

1. EAT WALLEYES!

2. eat the same thing walleyes eat

what happens when there are no more white suckers or perch left to eat?

this study shows the an actual effect on walleye population in wisconson lakes.

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