Walleye regulations

[Outdoors_guy]

I heard on the news that a new law states that you can only keep fish under 20". Did I hear that right or is it under 20" and 1 over 20"?

[musky hunter]

As I understand it, it's one over 20 where slots apply. In other words, some state legislator thinks he knows better than the DNR what size walleyes can be kept.

[MRWALLEYE2005]

So its where lakes have size limits on and its 1 over 20 on those lakes or is it statewide 1 over 20?

[PierBridge]

---

Quote:

---

---

or is it statewide 1 over 20?

Quote:

---

---

State wide on lakes without a protected slot you get 6 Walleye and only 1 can be over 24".

And then of course the rule's are different when a lake has slot limits.

Like Lake Mille Lacs which is all fish under 20" can be kept and all fish 20" to 28" must be thrown back and you can keep 1 Fish over 28"

Later this month the slot on Mille Lacs goes to 22" and you can keep all fish under 22".

[Chris Haley]

It's going to be state wide effective March 1st!!

http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=ccrhf0847.html&session=ls84

Here's the whole bill for those that don't believe me, scroll down to section 47. It is state wide except for boundry waters which have always had different regs than the rest of the state!!

[Walleyeguy31]

Lac Qui Parle has just gotten a new slot limit that includes an in hand limit of 4, and only 1 over 20". About time! Been way too many 14 1/2"s and 13"s when the slot was anything over 15".

[PierBridge]

I heard on the news that a new law states that you can only keep fish under 20".

So it's not a new law, YET.

It's going to be a new law in what March of 2006?

Of course Chris's link does not work so I'll assume I do not have to worry about it until 2006 or 2007...?

So any body that does not beleive Chris "paranoid" will have to wait for the link to work...LOL

[Chris Haley]

link works fine for me. The bill states you can only keep one over 20" just like the one over 24" now. And yes, it's effective March 1st. So you don't have to worry about it until opener of 2006.

If you can't get the link to work, try copying and pasting it into your address bar.

[Ole #1]

The only thing on the DNR web site is that they are proposing new regs on 20 lakes in northwestern MN.

I couldn't find anything on the DNR web site about a 20" limit.

Ole

[Chris Haley]

Subd. 2. [WALLEYE; NORTHERN PIKE.] (a) Except as provided

23.30 in paragraphs paragraph ( and ©, a person may take no more

23.31 than one walleye larger than 24 20 inches and one northern pike

23.32 larger than 30 inches daily.

23.33 ( The restrictions in paragraph (a) do not apply to

23.34 boundary waters.

Now when I copy and paste it doesn't show the line crossing out the old, so you have to read it and realize that the one over 24 is lined out and the 20" is added.

[gunflint]

Please excuse my ignorance as this one caught me by surprise. Is this a DNR recomendation? Where the h--- did this come from?

[james_walleye]

Wherever it came from its a step in the right direction. After people get used too this in about 6 years maybe they will finally get a statewide slot up. 20+" fish do not need too be kept.

[Borch]

Yes it was reccommended by the DNR and is part of theDNR Omnibus Bill. If your check the thread on "walleye limits" here I posted a DNR email response with the link info last week.

[Blackduck]

james walleye, 10-4 on that. I can see maybe 1 over 30" if you want to mount a trophy, but EVERY WALLEYE 20"-30" goes back.

[gunflint]

Let's just get it over with and put every walley back. Because every lake in the state has the same problems and identical situations. And after all nobody eats them anymore we're all out there just to catch trophies.

[bigbucks]

I assume you're being sarcastic. I'm having walleyes & crappies for supper tonight, looking forward to it too.

I'm not a trophy fisherman either. I keep a fish over 20" occasionally, generally they go back. I'm really not opposed to the one over 20" reg, but I don't think it will accomplish a whole lot personally. I also don't think there's that much that needs to be accomplished. Sometimes we catch fish, sometimes we don't, sometimes they're big ones, sometimes they're not, kind of what makes it fun...

[james_walleye]

Gunflint my favorite lakes here in southern MN are 1,000-1,500 acre lakes, pretty good walleye lakes. But when you get 250 boats on each of these little lakes on opener and anywhere from 50-100 boats on them any other weekend it takes its toll. They grow walleyes very quickly, when they bite, they bite, it doesnt take long for the word too get out. The lakes get hammered. Last year well over 100 boats out there every weekend and 50 boats on the weeknights for the first month because the pickings were so easy. Unfortunately for us the DNR isnt going too come in and manage some little 1,000 acre lake individually.

I'm sure this statement will rub some people the wrong way but here it goes. I along with a LOT of people in this state are not fortunate enough too have the Gunflint lakes in our backyards where the fishing pressure is ablsolute zero compared too these lakes in southern MN and quite a few other areas in the state. We dont have a Vermillion, a Winnie, a Mille Lacs, or another "big name walleye lake" in our backyards too take the pressure off the other jems in the area. We have jems that get hot for a year or two but get absolutely kicked around and abused so hard that its painful too watch. These kinds of areas are the places that need regs the most, but are the least likely too see any special regs because of the size and the part of the state that its in. The only hope for my favorite lake, and hundreds and most likely thousands of other lakes in this state, is a statewide slot. Without the regs we can still go out and catch fish like we have been. There will be hot bites and cold years. But there will always be way too many people who have a clause in their religion that says they cant release a walleye. And people like me who can only say my oh my, how good could these lakes be if these females were put back too spawn and too grow bigger.

I envy your situation though Gunflint. My job keeps here in this part of the state. I live and breathe fishing. Some of you guys dont know how lucky you are too have what you have in your backyard. I know alot about walleye lakes in MN but Gunflint i bet you fish and pound walleyes on lakes neither I nor many other fisherman here have ever heard of.

Why is the idea of releasing 19 or 20+" walleyes so bad in peoples minds, i dont get it. Is it not enough for a meal too eat some 15" or 17" walleyes? We can all eat more than our share of 15" and 17" walleyes and still be releasing these prime spawning females and our future "trophies". It seems like a win win situation. Any time you get on walleyes you can catch some 16" walleyes for the pan right? When do you ever go out and catch 5 walleyes that are all 4 pounds or bigger? Doesnt happen. Keep your 16"ers and take a snapshot of the 25"er.

[gunflint]

I belive that most of us here are dedicated fisherman, good sportsman, and conservationists. I do know how lucky I am to be able to enjoy the wilderness at almost anytime I'm in the mood (which is pretty much everyday) and I thank God for it.

James Walleye, you are absolutly right I cannot relate to the kind of fishing pressure that you must deal with. If I want to go fishing I walk out the basement door go about a 100 yards, fire up the motor and go. 90% of the time I have the lake to myself. I am not telling you this to brag I just hope that you understand that not all lakes are the same.

It sounds like I need to understand that the only protection for your lakes is in statewide legislation. You have opened my eyes to your side of this issue and maybe we can come up with a better idea for both of us.

As far as releasing everything over twenty inches is concerned some of us on some (very few) good days, wouldn't be able to keep any fish. Don't get me wrong. The truth is I keep very few fish at all and none (unless injured ) over 17 or 18 inches. But I know several people who do catch and keep walleyes to eat and I belive that is what they were put here on earth for. I don't think they were put here to be photographed only.

My last point is this. I have a tendency to overreact to certain issues and for this I apologize. It seemed that the ink wasn't even dry on this new legislation and another poster was already saying no fish over 20 and only one over 30 and I just wonder where it will all stop.

[King Canada]

Walleyes dying here, kumbaya!

[Chris Haley]

Blackduck

You're reading it wrong. One walleye over 20" and one Pike over 30", NOT everything between 20-30' goes back

[Blackduck]

I eat a lot of walleyes. I will keep them from 15-19 inches, everything else I catch goes back. I am not a "trophy walleye fisherman". I personally don't think a walleye is a trophy sized walleye until it hits 30 inches. If you think a 26 inch walleye is a trophy and you want to put it on the wall then go ahead, it's your money. I guess I would rather see them go on a wall then in a pan, and that is what needs to stop!!!!

[Blackduck]

Chris haley,

I read it right. I was just posting my opinion that I believe all walleyes between 20-30 should go back in the water. I have/do eat a lot of walleye, and there is no way you can convince me that a 25 inch walleye is tasty.

[wolfman-k]

Amen Brother! We need to get away from the "bigger is better" mentality. For the sport to get better, we as sportsmen have to not only abide by new rules, but i get the feeling that most, at least on this site, already know that in order for us and our kids to enjoy fishing, we must help conserve the fishery anyway we can. I can certainly live with only keeping one walleye over 20", I have heard and seen enough stories about friends and family that have keep and eaten those 4 to 7 pound fish, and most all said they didn't taste too good! These are prime reproducers! With the amount of fishing pressure that there is now, the sport needs all the help it can get just to maintain at the levels there are. When I was a kid, the guy who taught me to fish always insisted that we throw some back so next time there would still be fish to catch, it is still a great philosophy! Good fishin'

[only-eyes]

do people actually keep walleyes in the 20" range, its awesome to see the look on peoples' faces when I toss back anything over 18" and hear the "what the heck did you do that for" comments, "that was a good eater". but on the other hand i guess if I never caught much, I might consider eating an 18+" walleye too.

[Chris Haley]

Blackduck

Mt bad!! I agree with your statement also.