Lake Rebecca

[PGAGolfPro]

Just a quick question to everyone out there that cares to share an opinion. This lake I believe is one of the brood stock lakes for Minnesota, and maybe this has been talked about before(I am fairly new to this site) and there is info somewhere else, but does this make the lake a better numbers lake than most? any special regulations? is it heavily fished? It just seems to me that if it is used as such, there should be a pretty darn good fishery there.

I have fished such a lake over in Wisconsin that is a brrod staock lake for Northern Wisconsin and the lake is known as a very good numbers lake.

[JohnMickish]

If a person cars much about the Musky fisheries in this state a person shouldn't fish where they raise them. This lake is legal to fish, and there are other species in there but it's not really moral to fish where they raise these fish. I'm sure there are some bigger ones in there but I'm pretty sure this is just where they keep the young fish.

[PGAGolfPro]

That was kind-of the answer I was expecting. I knew the lake is legal to fish, and I have no intention of fishing there, but I was wondering how people felt about the lake. I will say that I have fished such a lake in Wisconsin and I believe that lake does get quite a bit of pressure, so I was curious as to how other fisherman felt.

By no means do I want to give you the idea that I do not care about the fish, because I do, but as I said, I am curious as to how people feel about the lake. It sounds like it becomes an ethical question of whether or not to fish such a lake.

I appreciate you answering my questions honestly.

[skeeter185]

So we shouldn't fish Little Wolf or Elk either?

[JohnMickish]

That's how I feel about these lakes, how do you other guys feel about this?

[jerkin'm]

Me and my fishing buds refer to it as the "illegal pond". We fish it occasionally, don't feel guilty about it either. A quick fight, no net, release. I don't see the big ethical dilemma. If it was an issue, they would close it...I have seen people fishing these fish that shouldn't be however..Long net times, dropping them in the boat, too long out of the water, no pliers,...etc..I certainly wouldn't avoid this lake because of what somebody else thinks..

[AWH]

Plantagenet is another lake that is used as a brood stock lake. Why is it that Rebecca is always talked about as the lake to not fish because it's a brood stock lake? But you don't hear about the other brood stock lakes talked about like this even close to as much as Rebecca? Which lake is the main lake for brood stock and which lakes are the ones considered to be backup lakes?

Aaron

[porterhouse]

I heard Rebecca is the main lake for stripping eggs. The DNR doesn't want to touch the other brood lakes intil they have to.

I was talking with a game warden up in Cass Lake this past summer and he told me that the DNR found out last year that there is alot of reproducton(sp) going on Little Wolf with the muskies and walleyes. So thats good news.

I would like to see all brood lakes go to a 50" size limit. I think Elk is catch and Release only for Muskies but I could be wrong.

Brian

[Doonbuggy]

A buddy and I fished Rebecca for the first time Friday afternoon. We both had been curious to try a new lake.

We saw absolutely no signs of life in that lake. Only fished 'skis, but didn't see a thing, from muskies to sunfish.

The lake is very green and visibility is about a foot. Perhaps a better 'early season' lake or perhaps we just hit it at the wrong time.

DB

[markkstanley]

Here's the rub - most serious musky guys (who can safely release fish) probably don't fish known brood stock lakes. So you tend to have inexperienced types that fish them putting the brood stock at risk. IMHO they ought to use lakes they can close as brood stock lakes. For example Stone Lake off HWY 7 on the way to St Boni used to be a brood stock lake for musky. No public or private access. If you wanted to go thru a big hassle you could fish it from a canoe. You can't close Rebecca so the only option for me anyway is not to fish there. Plenty of bigger fish in Minnetonka and Waconia and you are more likely to catch one on those lakes. Except for this year it seems.

[Hecker]

Doonbuggy

I fished it a few weeks ago and found the same thing you did. Not even a fish to be seen on the camera. We were the only boat on the water and it was Saturday. I hope were all talking about lake Rebecca in Hennepin county.

With that said who keeps musky anyway? So really what’s the point of having a size limit?

Good fishing all

[Random guy]

Quote:

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With that said who keeps musky anyway? So really what’s the point of having a size limit?

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You would be surprised how many "accidental" muskies are kept. Look around in the lodges of some resorts and there will be many pictures of Muskies being held up in the front yard or at the marina. I even came across a catch and release photo board with a picture of a muskie held up in a gas station parking lot with the big cooler full of ice in the background. So I think a size limit may help some of the muskies that are caught by poeple that don't normaly fish for them. As far as fishing brood lakes I believe that with proper CPR things would be fine fishing those lakes. The trouble is as always are the fish being handled properly?

[Swimmer]

I once talked to a DNR employee who strips eggs from Rebecca Ski's. He said they had a favorite female that was always pushing the 48" size limit...so just to make sure, they clipped her tail back a little for 2 years. Unfortunately, they never "heard" from her for the past 3 years.

Anybody know what strain is in Rebecca? (I assume Mississippi-Leech??)

[CommonSense Guy]

The DNR uses Leech/Mississipi strain now in all their lakes. Better growth and survival rates. Used to use the Shoepack but thos are too small. Works perrty well since we have the best Musky program in the country...in my opinion

[JohnMickish]

Did you guys read that the Minnesota DNR gets all of it's eggs from 12 females. Only 12. It would really be a shame to have one or two of these wonderful girls get taken out. I don't think that the rearing ponds should be open, but that my opinion.