During the past several weeks, the debate has erupted again in response to a resolution by the Ottertail County Board of Commissioners requesting the “MN DNR stop muskellunge stocking in … The tiger muskie, a sterile hybrid of the northern pike and the muskie, is stocked in several heavily fish lakes in the Twin Cities. The Minnesota DNR began stocking muskie fingerlings into Pokegama Lake in 2008 with the expectations of creating a popular and successful muskie fishery. Substitutions of year-old ("yearling") muskies for fingerlings, when necessary, have been based on a ratio of 1 yearling per 3 fingerlings, since yearlings are a year older and up to 10 inches larger than fingerlings. * In 2009, 33 two-year-old fish were tagged and stocked; these fish were considered “yearlings” for study purposes. In general, stocking fewer large fish has been shown to be more cost-effective than stocking many small fish. A stocking permit is required under Chapter 29.736 of the Wisconsin State Statutes. The Lake Superior Chapter is proud to be a large part of this organization. Muskellunge attain a mean length of 41.0 inches at age-X. Actual stocking has varied because of inconsistent fingerling availability. Smallmouth bass are also available in the lake. Two reports of these older fish have been made. Ten representatives from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources were on hand to answer questions about the DNR’s 2009 long-range plan to stock up to eight new waters with muskellunge … There is no charge for this stocking permit. MN DNR Lake Information Report The Greater Pokegama Lake Association also polled their members and generally supported the stocking. 108 tagged fingerlings had already been released, along with non-tagged (but fin-clipped) fish to fill the lake’s stocking quota. All MN State Senators An on-line application for the permit is available at DNR Fish Stocking Permit Application [exit DNR]. FAIRMONT — A meeting to gather public input about proposed muskie stocking in Fairmont’s lakes drew about 100 fishing enthusiasts to the Martin County Library Thursday. Muskellunge are actively managed, as identified in individual Lake Management Plans, in 99 waters covering a total of 480,153 surface acres. Lake Minnetonka provisional summary results— Nov. 1, 2009-Aug. 23, 2018: Muskies stocked for the study have been marked with both internal PIT tags (readable with a specialized scanner) and external numbered tags. If you catch a tagged muskie, please leave the tag in the fish but record the tag number and data related to lake, date, and fish size via the internet tag-report form (preferred), or relay the information to the West Metro Area Fisheries Office. DNR RESPONSE TO COVID-19: For details on adjustments to DNR services, visit this webpage. Please note: Applications are reviewed in … Lake Minnetonka had 1,214 fingerlings and 372 yearlings stocked in 2009, 1,200 fingerlings : 88 yearlings stocked in 2011, and 1,200 fingerlings : 215 yearlings stocked in 2012. Some of these fish were purchased with Becker Foundation funds. One fish caught twice: an 11.3-inch fingerling (stocked November 2009) was reported in August 2015 at 37.0 inches and in June 2017 at 39.0 inches. MN DNR Fisheries has and will continue to monitor these fish during surveys and via public reports of tagged and/or fin-clipped muskies. Mille Lacs Band DNR biologists say they may have boated a world-record muskie during electrofishing activity this past spring on Mille Lacs Lake. Some of the grit behind Minnesota’s muskie stocking controversy Trophy muskies, such as this 57-incher caught in November on Lake Mille Lacs by … Practice some natural recycling on your next trip.Learn how », © 2020 Minnesota DNR | Equal opportunity employer |, Call 651-296-6157 or 888-MINNDNR (646-6367). The outer "Floy" tags are yellow, about an inch long, and are located near the dorsal fin. Several years ago, the DNR prepared a long-range plan designed to balance interest in expanded muskie fishing opportunities with those opposing muskie management and continued stocking. During its second capture, the fish was missing its right gill cover, but reported as healthy. Results from DNR sampling, tag/clip reports, and targeted fishing will help determine which number-size combinations of stocked muskies yielded the best returns. 1986). meetings about the subject. But while the DNR says muskie … The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on Monday announced it was moving forward with stocking muskellunge in several lakes but withdrawing plans to stock in others. At the meeting, the agency will address comments and concerns expressed by residents, lake associations and government bodies during the proposal’s public comment period last August through January. We are the first fishing organization to actively promote catch and release.We are also heavily involved in stocking, habitat preservation and habitat construction. This recommended "replacement ratio" has not been backed up by studies or field evidence. City of Scandia opposes DNR muskie stocking on Big Marine By Kyle Weaver Contributing Writer ... and went on the offensive against a new Minnesota Department of Natural Resources proposal to stock muskellunge in the city’s largest lake. Subject: Re: MN DNR's NEW Muskie Stocking FAQ Page: Posts: 1242 Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN: Mosdef - 2/11/2010 5:53 PM I spoke with a homeowner on Tetonka. To test the validity of the 3:1 fingerling-to-yearling ratio, MN DNR, Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc., and Hugh C. Becker Foundation started a project to track survival and performance of fingerling and yearling muskie stocked into three Twin Cities-area lakes-- Minnetonka, White Bear, and Bald Eagle. comments were received, 227 (88%) of which supported muskie stocking into Pokegama Lake. Subject: Re: MN introduces bills to limit musky stocking Posts: 1116 I thought that if you bought a 5$ walleye stamp for mn dnr there was 4.50$ going to state fees and administration and 50 cents going to dnr. Muskie Stocking and Length Increase by MNDNR ... Minnesota muskie was 58.5 inches, and caught down river on a lake 40 miles from a stocked lake. For information on the state’s response, visit the Department of Health website. Panfish include bluegill, crappie, rock bass and perch. For the past several years, there has been considerable controversy surrounding the DNR’s muskellunge stocking program. The MNDNR manages about 4,285 lakes and rivers, or “waters”, (excluding Lake Superior) for fishing totaling 2,285,978 surface acres. For example, with muskellunge fry stocking, the costs are relatively low but the survival of fry is highly variable and the likelihood of any muskellunge surviving at all in any given year is very low (Hanson et al. You can also use the form to report catches of fin-clipped muskies. A … Thirty five percent the muskellunge were 40.0 inches or greater in length. This press release needs to be viewed for what it is. The two northeastern metro lakes were stocked in 2008, 2010, and 2011. Catch locations were reasonably close together. The DNR adopted a 12-year muskie stocking plan in 2008 with the intention of stocking an additional eight lakes with muskies by 2020. Like muskie, this fish has dark markings on … March 19, 2018 - Otter Tail County, MN – Otter Tail County has mixed feelings about proposed legislation at the state capital. DNR RESPONSE TO COVID-19: For details on adjustments to DNR services, visit this webpage. Make-up with larger, older fish and stocking in unplanned years has, however, provided regular additions of muskies. As fish become larger, tagged muskies will be tracked by volunteers providing increased fishing effort. The effect of zebra mussels on sport fishing is not known, and is not being tested by ... Department of Natural Resources. Minnesota Muskie Farm, Inc. produces all kinds of health certified fresh water game fish for pond stocking, lake stocking and reservoir stocking. West metro fisheries: Tagging muskie to evaluate stocking efforts To study the effectiveness of muskie stocking in three Twin Cities metro area lakes, the DNR’s west metro fisheries staff is working on a muskie tagging project in partnership with the Muskies, Inc. Twin Cities Chapter and Hugh C. Becker Foundation. Like muskie, this fish has dark markings on a light background but has rounded tail fins. DNR … Muskie Stocking Study:  Internal/External Tagging and Release, © 2020 Minnesota DNR | Equal opportunity employer |, Call 651-296-6157 or 888-MINNDNR (646-6367), Tagged fish stocked in autumns of 2009, 2011, and 2012, Total numbers of tagged fish stocked: 2,827 fingerlings / 667 yearlings* (4.2 : 1 ratio), 66 reports: 34 stocked as fingerlings, 32 stocked as yearlings* (1.06:1 ratio, compared with a 1:1 expected ratio). Musky Stocking: The Knapp Study and DNR Bias Exposed By news@perhamfocus.com on Sep 17, 2010 at 8:43 a.m. A recent, widely distributed, DNR press release makes the claim that stocked Muskellunge do not affect other fish species in lakes where they are introduced. Minnesota officials are seeking public input on expanding muskellunge stocking to select lakes, including Big Marine Lake in the east metro. The members of Muskies Inc. are known as America’s most conservation conscious anglers and for good reason. Age data indicates that the muskellunge population is being sustained by stocking, as the strongest year classes correspond to years of stocking. Trophy muskies, such as this 57-incher caught in November on Lake Mille Lacs by Robert Hawkins, are the goal of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ muskie stocking program. One of the largest and most elusive fish that swims in Minnesota, muskellunge wait in weed beds before lunging forward to clamp onto their prey. The local property owners' association has hired a lawyer to seek an environmental review before the DNR's next muskie stocking in October. Stocking plans since 1998 have been requests for 2,925 Leech Lake Brood-strain fingerlings (about 12" long) in odd-numbered years. The tiger muskie, a sterile hybrid of the northern pike and the muskie, is stocked in several heavily fish lakes in the Twin Cities. To test the validity of the 3:1 fingerling-to-yearling ratio, MN DNR, Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies, Inc., and Hugh C. Becker Foundation started a project to track survival and performance of fingerling and yearling muskie stocked into three Twin Cities-area lakes-- Minnetonka, White Bear, and Bald Eagle. 2011 tagging was stopped partway through when too few yearlings were available. The DNR stocks 200 muskellunge fingerlings on a biennial basis. The legislation is friendly to an anti-muskie movement in Otter Tail County, one of the places where muskie fishing first took hold in Minnesota in the 1960s. How many bodies of water does DNR manage for Muskellunge? Buy your license »Know the rules »Know a muskie Find a lake or river », Fish populations don't grow as fast as demand. They've had a couple of lake assn. Muskellunge Stocking Committee and Northern Pike Workgroup Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Management Section Marc Bacigalupi, Assistant Area Supervisor, Waterville Gary Barnard, Area Supervisor, Bemidji Dean Beck, Area Supervisor, Glenwood Rick Brusewitz, Area Supervisor, Aitkin Paul Diedrich, Area Supervisor, Montrose The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public meeting to discuss its muskellunge-stocking proposal for Big Marine Lake. Sounds like many homeowners have mixed feelings on the addition of muskie to the lake. 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