Hooked on Mille Lacs Lake

Special regulations edition Volume: #5 April 2015 Hooked on Mille Lacs Lake

New Regulations strong, it was agreed that if this year class is Regs at a Glance: not at least at a median level in the 2015 as- By Rick Bruesewitz sessment nets, this too would trigger catch-  Walleye MNDNR Aitkin Area Fisheries Supervisor 1 fish limit. Fish must be 19-21”, or 28” and-release only angling, and ceremonial fish- or longer. New regulations at Mille Lacs have cer- ing for Bands in 2016. Given the 2013 year tainly become commonplace. We learned in  Northern Pike class was the most abundant year class that the last decade that keeping regulations the 10 fish limit. No more than one 30” or we’ve observed at age 1, it is unlikely for this same for long periods of time may not be as to occur. However, it was important that we longer, and you must have two fish feasible as we once thought. ensure recruitment is considered. If the catch under 30” in immediate possession 2015 is not going to be breaking that rate of the 2013 year class is less than 2.15, (taken same trip) before harvesting one pattern either. Regulations for walleye and 30” or longer. Darkhouse spearing northern pike were modified out of concerns Relationship between assessment net catch rates at age allowed. Angling season runs through 1 and age 2 for each year class since 1985 for the future of the fishery. 10 March 27, 2016. 9  Bass Walleye 8 2002 Season opens and closes with walleye. 7 In the chart below you can see how our Expectation for 6 6 fish limit. No more than one small- index of total spawning stock of walleye has 2013 year class 5 1988 mouth bass over 18”. declined to the lowest level since we have 4 2007 Age 2 (fish/net) 2 Age 2003  Tullibee 3 1993 19962008 been recording information on the sex of Benchmark 1992 2006 1999 2 1989 1998 1987 1991 2005 1994 1995 10 fish limit walleye. While we expect it to increase in the 1997 1990 1 2009 2004 1986200120122011 2010 2000  Muskellunge assessment next September, we do not want 01985 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 fish limit. New Statewide 54” it to continue the same downward trend that Age 1 (fish/net) minimum size begins this year. we’ve seen since 2010. With that in mind, a  Other species lower limit “benchmark” for Mille Lacs ma- then it will be an even longer road to recovery Follow statewide regulations. than anticipated. Mature walleye biomass in With these benchmarks in mind, the safe  Night Closure: 35 assessment gill nets harvest level for 2015 was set at 40,000 10 PM—6 AM. Beginning 10 PM, Mon- 30 pounds total walleye kill (28,600 pounds is 25 day, May 11, and running through the State’s allocation). This level is similar to 12:01 AM Dec 1, with the following two 20 15 what was actually taken in 2014 by the com- Benchmark exceptions beginning June 8th during 10 Pounds per net per Pounds bined effort of anglers and band members. night closure: 5 This level of harvest is expected to allow male 1) Musky angling—Musky may be 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 spawning biomass to increase substantially in targeted with artificial lures longer Year of Survey 2016 (due to earlier maturation of males of than 8” or sucker minnows longer the 2013 year class), while also resulting in no than 8”. No possession or use of oth- ture walleye biomass was set. Assessment decline in female spawning biomass. er baits or tackle. No possession or catches below the benchmark will trigger So how did we come up with these regula- targeting of species other than mus- catch-and-release only fishing for anglers, and tions? From past experience we have seen kellunge. ceremonial fishing only for the eight Chippe- that winter catch rates are a good predictor of 2) Bowfishing for rough fish—No pos- wa Bands in 2016. the open water season. With 2014 regula- session of angling equipment, and Protecting the 2013 year class is critical. only rough fish may be in possession. While the 2013 year class is looking very See NEW REGULATIONS page 2 Published by: Minnesota DNR Aitkin Area Fisheries Rick Bruesewitz, Area Supervisor 1200 Minnesota Ave Aitkin, MN 56431 218-429-3010 Current Mille Lacs Fishing Regulations: [email protected] http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/millelacs.html

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New Regulations, continued tions, harvest and hooking mortality were expected to be the most objectionable. Therefore, in order to assure a low around 60,000 pounds. Since the State’s allocation is 28,600 chance of mid-season catch-and-release , the one fish limit pounds, harvest would need to be reduced by about 1/2. and a season long night closure (with provisions to allow When examining the angling catch size distribution from late musky fishing and bowfishing at night) were selected to ac- fall and winter, it appeared that fewer fish were being caught company the 19-21” or 28” and over harvest slot. that were 19 or 20 inches long (highlighted area on chart). This results in a significant savings, but not enough to reduce Pike Northern pike regulations were also modified due to con- Walleye length distribution in assessment cerns for excessive harvest of larger pike. While we first con- nets and Fall/Winter creel catch 50 sidered standard length-based regulations, a member of the 45 input group suggested an “Earn A Trophy” regulation that re- Creel catch 40 quired the harvest of smaller pike before being able to harvest GN Catch 35 a larger pike. Evaluations of the creel survey data suggested 30 that this may work to reduce the harvest of big pike while also 25 increasing the harvest of small pike, which is an objective of 20 our management. 15 10

Number of walleye Numberofwalleye sample in 5 0 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Length class (inches) total angler kill by one-half. Therefore additional measures were still needed to get the kill down to a level that had a low- er chance of triggering a mid-season change to catch-and- release. At the Mille Lacs Fishery Input Group meeting that was held at the end of February, we queried the group to find out what other measures would be least objectionable. We put forth options for various night closures, a one fish limit, a circle hook requirement for live bait, bait restrictions, and

Results of ML Fishery Input Group poll on choices Smallmouth Bass of additional regulations besides size limit. Although there are no changes in bass regulations, I thought 40% I’d mention why we did not entertain any changes. 35% Anglers caught over 80,000 smallmouth bass last year, and 30% yet harvested just 3,800. This was the highest harvest we 25% have seen; however, in relation to their abundance, harvest 20% was still very low. Basically, harvest of bass has not kept pace Percent 15% with the increase in abundance. Since harvest was low, and 10% since exploitation was low, and since the population is still 5% very high, no changes were made to bass regulations. 0% 10pm-6am Circle hooks 8pm-6am No leeches No leeches Bag limit 1 Catch & night for bait night or crawlers Release only Please visit the Mille Lacs Management web page for more closure closure information at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/millelacslake/ index.html. additionally a catch-and-release only option suggested by an input group member. Overall, the bait and lure restrictions , catch-and-release only, and an 8PM-6PM night closure were

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