Wisconsin Muskellunge Restoration Project

[WMRP Member]

If you really care about the current status of the Wisconsin trophy musky fishery and its future, check us out at www.wisconsinmuskyrestoration.org and learn why the WI trophy musky fishery is not living up to its potential and what can and should be done immediately to fix it.

Support our efforts to help the WI DNR to re-introduce the larger growing pure strain of musky that has been nearly eliminated throughout Wisconsin because of past stocking practices. The Minnesota DNR decided to deal with this situation ~ 25 years ago while the Wisconsin DNR did nothing. Minnesota made the right decision to stock only muskies that have been proven to grow large. Now 25 years later Minnesota has perhaps the best trophy musky fishery anywhere and Wisconsin has a trophy fishery thats nearly extinct. The Wisconsin DNR could have easily done the same thing Minnesota did and create a great trophy fishery but they didn't. And unfortunately it still appears that nothing will be done unless we demand that the DNR starts now and makes the changes that are needed to produce more trophy fish. Changes that should have and could have been made 25 years ago when Minnesota changed.

[Cooter]

Am with you guys all the way, this topic was addressed at our last Muskies Inc meeting. Several of our members are actively involved. I'm confident the stocking program in WI will change for the better, just hope it happens ASAP.

[Big Fish Hunter247]

I am totally with you guys on this one wisconsin already does a good job with there lakes this would just make them even better than the already are

Big Fish hunter247

[WMRP Member]

The WMRP team thanks the both of you for your support. We can not do it alone. A few dertermined guys can only raise awareness. It takes everyone to get-er-done! This must be done now!

EJohnson

[andy j]

I also agree that things need to be changed I just moved to WI from MN a couple of months a I assumed that the quality muskie fishing for larger fish would be just as good in WN. Boy was I wrong, after doing some researsh and talking to muskie anglers, WN is going downhill fast and MN keeps getting better and better. It would seem like common sense to the DNR what gives?

[WMRP Member]

AJ

Here is "what gives". Back in 1984 the WI and MN DNR's traded musky strains to do studies and evaluate differences between strains. Growth, reproduction etc.... The WI DNR also wanted to see if the Mississippi strain, A.K.A. Leech strain, could better co-exist in waters with northern pike. To make a long story short, the results of this study showed that the Mississippi strain grows larger and heavier than WI strains at the same age and succesfully reproduced in waters with northern pike. It was a success. Unfortunately the DNR claims that there was no evidence to suggest that the miss strain would perform better than WI strains because there were no WI strain fish present in the lake they selected to put the miss strain into. All I can say is why then did the DNR put the Miss strain fish in a lake with no WI fish present and study them knowing that they could use the arguement that there is no evidence that these fish would perform better than WI strain because there were no WI strain fish present in the lake? Why did they choose this lake then? Why didn't they put WI strain fish in the lake at the same time? The MDNR took the WI strain fish and put them into 2 different lakes with 2 different MN strains and studied them. Makes sense. We put the Miss strain in a lake with no other strains to compare them to and studied them. WHY????

There are litterally hundreds of posts on the Muskie First HSOforum in regards to the WMRP's project and proposal to the WDNR to finally start managing WI for trophy muskies. There are posts from supporters as well as those who oppose the idea. Its a great source for more info on this subject if anyones interested.

We thank all of those who support the WMRP and care about the future of the WI trophy muskellunge fishery.

EJohnson

[LuckBites]

Let's not forget about the C&R mentality most Mn fisherman implore. I musky fish many lakes in Burnet County and it's rare to see a legal musky released. Most property owners keep them because they favor other fish in the lake and seem to think they are doing the lakes good the others who keep fish rave about how good they are smoked. Seems like an obvious place to start would be to pressure the DNR to increase the minimum size from 34" and protect trophy waters even better! In addition, how come the tribes allotted quotes in the "ceeded territory" are allowed to fill the whole quota on 1 lake? Seems the the quota's (both walleye & ski's) reflect a safe amount of harvest for all the lakes in the territory rather than just one (Big Mac)!!!

Unfortunately it will take many years from the time there are resolutions put in place, hopefully it will not take as long for decisions makers to figure out what fishermen already know!

Joe

[Cooter]

Correct me if wrong, but I believe the move to increase size limits failed because many resort owners feared they would lose clients - they thought people would be upset that they couldn't keep say a 38" fish. If my above assumption is correct, they've got it all backwards - look at popular muskie destinations such as LOTW and Eagle where no one going there expects to catch a 54 or 55" so they can keep one, yet people flock there. Also, I believe people were concerned that some of the lakes under consideration for the inc. in size simply were incapable of growing fish to say 48". Then you head back to the stocking/strain issue. Lots of variables involved. I believe a new stocking program along with larger size limits is a winner - just need to get 'er done! And we will.

[Long Gray Line]

As a MN musky fisherman, it seems like the resorters have it all wrong if they're fighting for the right of guests to take home a musky. The state min here is 40" and a lot of lakes are 48". Doesn't keep me from going there, in fact, if the limit is higher there's a better chance of hooking a real trophy. The argument that a strong musky population hurts walleye, perch, etc is so much talk. M**** L**** (don't want the word to get out TOO much) has never seen a better walleye and musky population together, so much so that the slot on walleye had to be liberalized and for the last few years multiple 50"+ fish have been reported. Tell the flatlanders (used to be one from Chicago) to get a graphite model made. I grew up in Spooner and fish the Chippewa Flowage regularly. I've seen that the numbers aren't bad, but there's no size to the fish I've been seeing there. You don't need the real fish and higher limits will bring the tourists if they know there is a better chance at a monster.