What lakes do you want to see stocked????

[MUSKY18]

Given that the Long Range Plan for the Musky has been put out by the DNR, what lakes are out there that you would like to see stocked? Lakes that currently have no Musky population in them now. For starters my list would include:

Osakis

Big Birch (south of Grey Eagle)

Minnewaska

These are all good sized lakes that could support a population of Muskies.

[Tonka Boy]

I say stock ALL of them!

[Nick Kuhn]

The Minnesota side of Rainy would be awesome for skis.

[Bemidjifisher]

There are some on the MN side of Rainy.. Just not alot. There are parts of the lake with healthy populations. IMO, leave well enough alone in this case.

[cjac]

I'd like to see Koronis stocked, so close to the family cabin!

Really it has the elements though; deep, fairly clear, forage base, size, structure, etc. The knock is it's a "connected" lake. The Crow River goes in and out and it has Rice Lake a couple miles up river. I'm fine with that but the connected lake piece is a factor of consideration.

Gull would be great too, the Brainerd area needs some established muskie waters. Knock on Gull and the Whitefish is the "chain" deal, and the amount of boat traffic already. However, Cross Lake up in Pine City has the Snake River connected, so that's a good counter arguement. Tonka has it's traffic too, and that's an understatement!

[MuskyChad]

Gull and Big Sandy by McGregor.

Chad

[eyehead]

Green, Koronis, or Nest. Really though, any lake within 30 miles would be sweet.

[fishgutz77]

Get the original Musky water, The Old Miss back to where it should be. Why has this water way been ignored for so long,

The Musky is a river fish not a lake fish by nature.

the river has a huge forage base and water temps that are right and spawning grounds galore.

[sparcebag]

gutz: thats the most sensible statement on muskies Yet posted here!!

[dakotakid31]

Big Lake- and i would like warning signs written in Spanish posted at the beach warning of man eating fish. Muskie fishing and we would get the beach back..lol

[fishgutz77]

That river will grow giants that will be accessible by every shore fisherman in the state. I would start with the area that was and still is known as musky bend near the becker power plant.

[dakotakid31]

Thats where good ol Gramps use to nail them when he would camp/fish and duck hunt in that area.

[fishgutz77]

When I was a kid I was hanging around the bait shop up town as

I always did (Lee'Bait Shop) and a guy walked in with a 40+ pounder taken up there in about 1971 or 72. I was 13 and I could have put my head in that fishs mouth. I've been hooked ever since. Next thing you know I was helping Frank S. and John Bohndus catch brood stock up on Leech at the International tournement and then taking care of the fish in Johns ponds in Monti until they were taken to other lakes. Frank was a great guy and I got to have lunch with him again at the tournement before he passed. He will be missed.

[fishinlarry]

How about 'skies in the Alex chain? Clean deep waters with lots of acerage & lots of forage.

[Muskiefool]

Gull, Pokegama, 3 Southern Lakes and 1 River System in the South.

Mississippi would be considered restorative and I dont think they have any definitive plans on how to restore the previous range, Ive mentioned Fry stocking during a few meetings and it seems that that method is deemed inefficient by biologists.

[DHanson]

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I would like to see the DNR pick some of the bigger bodies of water that hold a strong forage base of tullibees. You can never go wrong here. I think they should refrain from some stocking smaller lakes with muskies that don't hold the strong forage base like the bigger lakes. On a side note on the 2020 plan: I like it, but what are they waiting for? We are not getting any younger! It will be 2030 before there is even a decent size fish and probably be 2040 before it is even a really good lake. I will be old by then, lol.

[Tippman]

I would like to see more fish in the Mississippi especially below Sartell. Why don't they stock fish in the river? AWH or anyone have an answer.

[propster]

I thought Gull had already been approved and planned, and was maybe even going to start this year?

[setterguy]

Clearwater would be an awesome fishery. Deep, clear, plenty of forage, tons and tons of structure. Again it is a connected lake, and Sugar is in the same area, but I would love to see this lake get the skis.

[AWH]

Tippman,

The issue with the Mississippi is that it's native musky water. The DNR likes to NOT stock those waters and allow the native population to maintain itself. However, they HAVE stocked portions of the Mississippi the last couple of years. The Brainerd Muskies, Inc. chapter has been working with the DNR to get the portion of the river north of Brainerd stocked in order to reestablish a fishable population in this stretch. Check out the Brainerd MI HSOforum for all of the stocking information in the state going back to '98. The Mississippi stocking numbers are listed there as well.

The biggest thing needed to get a stocking program started in waters not previously stocked (whether muskies already exist there or not) is for people to get involved. That part doesn't seem like a lot to ask. But most people assume that others will jump in and do the work. On the Long Range Management plan, for example, there were only 500+ people that provided feedback. This number is for both those in support of it and against. Very disappointing considering the number of people that fish for muskies in this state.

Aaron

[AWH]

 Originally Posted By: propster

I thought Gull had already been approved and planned, and was maybe even going to start this year?

Gull and Pokegama were both moving along nicely before some opposition began stirring up trouble and putting up a big stink. This is why the Long Range Management Plan was established. It was determined that until this plan was finalized that no new stocking would occur. Hopefully now that they have completed this, things can move forward and those two waters can become a reality among others.

Aaron

[50inchpig]

tippman - st. cloud muskies inc had 33 12-14inch fish that the DNR let us put in the river last fall - I was all in favor of putting them above the st. cloud dam but they wanted them below the dam because there's more water/more potential musky fisherman served - i've seen a floater above the st. cloud dam and know they're in there and would like to see a few more stocked up there too if possible!!!!

[Musky_Madness]

I am also for Lake Minnewaska, Gull, Big Birch, and possibly even the Alex chain with Carlos, Geneva, Le Homme Dieu.

[troyfideldy]

Pokegama, deep clear and full of structure. Just think of the monsters that would be swimming in there with a belly full of smelt. Be tough lake to find the muskies which would make it a challenging lake to fish. Would also help the lake's fishery with some large predators in the lake. Keep the spearing open just keep the spears out of the muskies.

[lucy1205]

Thole, General shields, bodenhiemar, dan patch, gifford, sand creek, shakopee mill pond, pike lake, prior lake, odowd lake, walker lake, mazaska, kelly dudly, Jordon mill pond, tetonka, madison, cedar, sand, ottertail, riley, rice, koronis, odowd, nietzals pond, pelican, big birch, sarah, shetek, upper and lower sakatah, mn river, north and south turtle, annie battle, east battle, marion, bud, fox, hanska, haska, Star, Dead lake, fairy, Lilly long, long, Portage, jewett, THe lychee ponds in jorden, THe snake river, crow and big sauk rivers, TraVERSE AND BIG STONE LAKES, RED ROCK, maple, slyvia lake, Just to name a couple