DNR proposes letting Mille Lacs ice anglers keep one walleye a day this winter

Ice anglers on Mille Lacs Lake would be able to keep one walleye a day under winter regulations proposed by the Department of Natural Resources.

DNR officials outlined the proposed rules Thursday night at a meeting of the Mille Lacs Fisheries Advisory Committee at Izaty's Resort near Onamia.

DNR fisheries chief Don Pereira said anglers would be able to keep one walleye 20-22 inches long, or one walleye longer than 26 inches.

"It's not thinning the herd to get rid of the bigger fish," Pereira said. "It's providing more harvest opportunity on a part of the population that's providing little benefit for future spawning."

Pereira asked whether the committee would support a cap on the amount of walleye that could be harvested this winter, and possibly allowing the larger walleye over 26 inches to not count against the state's total allocation of walleye. That would require the agreement of the Ojibwe bands that cooperatively manage the lake's fishery.

The DNR has tightened fishing regulations on Mille Lacs in recent years in an effort to boost the lake's declining walleye population. Walleye fishing was catch-and-release all last summer, and was off-limits entirely for four weeks.

The restrictions have been controversial with local business owners, who depend on walleye anglers to support their resorts, guide services, restaurants and bait shops.

Members of the advisory committee, largely made up of local business owners and anglers, were generally supportive of the DNR's proposed regulations.

Most said they don't want to see a harvest cap this winter, and they don't want to see the lake closed for walleye fishing like it was last summer.

"I really just want to see this lake open," said Tony Roach, a committee member and professional guide. "I think it's really healthy. I was out there all summer, and the fishing was great and people were coming. I just want to see it open."

DNR officials said preliminary results from the fall survey of the lake were mixed, with no major surprises. The assessment estimates the lake's fish population using electrofishing, gill netting and other methods of analysis.

The lake's spawning stock appears to have increased, largely because most walleye in the strong 2013 year class have reached maturity. The condition of smaller and midsized fish is improving.

However, the abundance of older fish declined. While very young forage fish that walleye eat, such as perch and cisco, have increased, larger forage fish and shiner numbers are still low.

DNR officials say Mille Lacs regulations likely will be finalized within the next few weeks after further discussion with the bands.