Walleye Opener Delayed Near Canadian Border

[JIvers]

Due to a cold spring, the Minnesota DNR announced that some waters along the Canadian border will be closed on and after the May 14 opener to protect spawning walleye: http://winonadailynews.com/news/state-an...7ee7b897b3.html

Those northeastern Minnesota waters closed to fishing on the opener will be open on May 27 or May 31; a list of specific lakes and rivers closed to fishing after May 14 is available on the DNR HSOforum.

[TooTallTom]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Steve Foss]

Expected late ice-out prompts fishing closures on Canadian border

(Released April 4, 2011)

Several lakes and rivers along the Minnesota-Ontario border in Cook County will be closed to fishing at the start of this year’s season to protect concentrations of spawning walleye from potential over-harvest.

Walleye may be vulnerable to over-harvest during what is expected to be a year with relatively late ice-out and delayed spawning.

Closures, which are done in cooperation between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, affect both sides of the border. All areas closed to fishing will be posted.

The following areas were closed to fishing on Friday, April 1:

Sea Gull River from Sea Gull Lake through Gull Lake to Saganaga Lake approximately 1/3 mile north of the narrows will be closed through May 27

Saganaga Falls on the Minnesota Ontario border where the Granite River enters Saganaga Lake will be closed through May 31

Maligne River (also known as Northern Light Rapids) on the Ontario side of Saganaga Lake will be closed through May 31

Channel between Little Gunflint and Little North Lakes on the Minnesota Ontario border will be closed through May 31

Cross River (inlet to Gunflint Lake) from the Gunflint Trail to Gunflint Lake will be closed through May 27.

The following areas will be closed to fishing from Saturday, May 14, through Friday, May 27:

Tait River from White Pine Lake to the Forest Road 340 crossing, including a portion of White Pine Lake

Junco Creek from the first log dam above County Road 57 downstream to Devil Track Lake, and including a portion of Devil Track Lake near the river mouth.

Only fishing is affected by these closures, travel is permitted through the areas.

Direct questions to the DNR office in Grand Marais at 218-387-3056 or to Steve Persons, Grand Marais area fisheries supervisor, at [email protected].

[DTro]

Must be more important than those Rainy River eyeballs.

[LMITOUT]

LOL.

This state is such a joke.

[traveler]

There ARE 49 others out there...

[PerchJerker]

I'm not too familiar with most of the waters mentioned, but aren't they all rivers and streams that walleyes congregate in as soon as there is open water. Closing those kind of spawning areas is common in years with late springs.

[RumRiverRat]

Limits are in place for situations like this.

If people only keep a limit what is the big deal?

The DNR in this state makes decisions without good reasons.

The non biological reasons for the late bass opener and now this is absurd.

[ANYFISH2]

Why can't we err on the side of caution for a couple of extra weeks to potentaily protect the resource? I have seen the spawning run on some of the Rivers and rapids in the area, could be easy picken's for limits ands limits of very large fish. I quess I am OK with it.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

The only posters comments (both for and against) that matter are the one's directly effected (ie fish the waters in the memo); everyone else is just posting an opinion as if this REALLY effected them.

[creepworm]

This effects me in no way, but there is no biological reason to closing the season. This is according to a fisheries class I took this fall. All one would have to do is look at the Rainy River, Pool 4 of the Mississippi, and anywhere in the state of South Dakota to realize closing the season does not make a difference.

[Big-Al]

It seems to me that pretty much everyone's posts on this forum are opinions aren't they?

[Big-Al]

So why do we have any closed seasons at all? Let's just fish everything all year. The limits will take care of the resource right?

[goblueM]

This effects me in no way, but there is no biological reason to closing the season. This is according to a fisheries class I took this fall. All one would have to do is look at the Rainy River, Pool 4 of the Mississippi, and anywhere in the state of South Dakota to realize closing the season does not make a difference.

its not exactly black and white... during a year-round season the effort is widely distributed

when you have an opening day, there is a huge spike in effort - and if that coincides with highly vulnerable concentrations of walleyes prespawn, there's potential for impacting the population - i'm not sure of the magnitude, but the potential is certainly there.

the way i see it delaying fishing for a couple weeks isn't the end of the world, I'd rather do that than take even a small risk of removing a lot of the highly fecund individuals from the population before the spawn. but, either way I'm sure the DNR would get flak

RE the bass opener, I agree - obviously not a biological reason, just a tradition/social issue. I'd like to see it open earlier

[delcecchi]

I think this all got started some years back when people started totally hammering huge walleye on Sag, where the seagull river runs in, as I recall. New state record, and massive stringers of fish.

[ANYFISH2]

This effects me in no way, but there is no biological reason to closing the season. This is according to a fisheries class I took this fall. All one would have to do is look at the Rainy River, Pool 4 of the Mississippi, and anywhere in the state of South Dakota to realize closing the season does not make a difference.

To use your examples I will argue that the rainy and mississippi have safe guards in place to protect larger spawning females as well as adjusted slots/limits. South Dakota also has a lot lower number of fisherman and no traditon of opening weekend which dispributes fishing pressure. As gobluem mentioned there is a tradition of opener in Minnesota, which is why the seasons stay in place to day. The fishing pressure is at it highest that first few weeks of the season, allowing disporportionate exploitation of the population, so yes there is a biological reason for closing delaying the opener.

[LMITOUT]

So the obvious answer is to eliminate the closed season.

Good grief people, it's not that difficult to figure out. You've already made the case why it should be done away with.

[creepworm]

I have no problem with them delaying the opener on these lakes and rivers. It is a good point that the fishing pressure will be at the highest because of it being opener and all. I guess I did not really think of that.

[goblueM]

So the obvious answer is to eliminate the closed season.

Good grief people, it's not that difficult to figure out. You've already made the case why it should be done away with.

the biological reason, anyways

there'd be significant social pressure to keep the closed season, if only because of opening day, seeing as it is ingrained tradition and has been around for so long

[Fairchild_82]

Hey fellas, i was wondering what your thoughts on how long it will take for the lakes (Rainy, Namakan, and Kabetogama) to reach 56-60'F? Or when they'll start to get more active, and still a strong spring bite. i know it can be real slow on opener weekend and week after.

I live down in the twin cities, my folks have a cabin on the lake and works been so slow down here i'll have to plan my few trips i'll get strategicly so i can get the most of my time up there. Thank you for your time and help!

[gloomiseye]

I cant even imagine how awesome the fishing would be on some of these lakes during pre-spwan up there.

[Mike Stark]

More closures announced today.

[fiskyknut]

Some folks have made mention/comparisons to the Rainy river and it being open. The Rainy river and the LOTW do have a closed season on the Walleye during spring. April 14 till statewide opener every year.

[harvey lee]

So the obvious answer is to eliminate the closed season.

Good grief people, it's not that difficult to figure out. You've already made the case why it should be done away with.

So they close the season for a week or so to protect a few eyes while spawning.

Big deal.

[MN Shutterbug]

[

So they close the season for a week or so to protect a few eyes while spawning.

Big deal.

Well said, Tom. Folks just like to whine.