Anybody else seein' floaters out there? - Mille Lacs Lake Fishing (Fishing Reports, Events, Tournament Information and more)

tat2jonnie · Senior Member

Anybody else seein' floaters out there?

wallyhntr1 · Member

I like the 60" rule, lake health would benefit, if, people didnt abuse it. If a 60" rule were in place, it really only affects the people looking to take fish home- the people fishing just for the big ones/releasing, will still do it.. Even the people looking to keep fish, could easily go out & 'pound em'/release, before deciding to keep any...

Has the input group/DNR discussed this at all?

-- Edited by wallyhntr1 on Friday 20th of July 2012 12:50:28 PM

jwalker · Member

Drives me crazy

Muskymadness · Veteran Member

We did see quite a few out there during the Couples Tourney ( not from the tourney, too old), but still makes you sick!

We caught 15 fish between 21 and 27.75" and didn't take a picture of one of them. It was just too hot. Got them all back in the water ASAP.

wallyhntr1 · Member

This will piss people off, & I do understand why, but- With the lake being in the state it's in, it sure doesnt help to have people promoting the hell out of catching tons & tons of big fish, most every report on the internet now is of big fish & a lot of them, many of these reports are coming from people making a living from that lake...

Muskymadness · Veteran Member

I'm not completely getting your point. Tell me how to keep the big ones off the hook and put some in the box, and I will do it!

I don't think talking about or promoting catching big fish is the problem. Need to look @ the slot and the netting.

Fife · Formica Flat Vet

86 miles X 5280 ft./mile = 454080 feet of shoreline

454080/3 = 151360 yards

151360/200 = 756.80

756.80 X 27 = 20433

My calculations give me 20,433 fish.

At 4 pounds per fish I get 81,732 lbs.

Its still a good reminder that we need to get the fish back in the water as soon as possible. Personally, I use mostly artificials this time of year so I never have a gut hooked fish. Last weekend all of the fish swam away and the 6 we kept were all alive in the livewell at the end of the day.

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

The SIXTY inch rule is awesome and sensible Jon. I am voting for you (and Bobber) for Governor and Governor's video man. Take your pick please.

That makes good sense. Malmo Mike says so.

Why can't we just have a sensible rule from the DNR?

Fife even did the math for them.

-- Edited by MCallies on Friday 20th of July 2012 02:55:20 PM

wallyhntr1 · Member

Read the different fishing sites, LSF for example- Mille Lacs is being promoted to the hilt & that's my point- it's people screaming to get there 'because' of the big fish... Internet is a powerful tool & it seems a lot of people do not care about catching keeper fish, they want the big fish & are flocking to the lake. Many of the people taking pictures/posting reports are people making a living from the lake, totally understand why the promotion is heavy..

Yes, the slot does need to be looked at & netting must be banned...

tat2jonnie · Senior Member

Some may have missed the point, here, but you bring up a valid point about promoting fishing for big ones.

Used to be back in time a long, long while ago before slots, people used to fish for big ones to bring home to their families.

All's I'm saying is, that 81,743 lbs (or whatever it actually is) would work better for us if they were in our freezers instead of littering our beaches. We are being charged on the mortallity count, yet it ain't feeding anyone.

I think that most of us that work on the lake know how to successfully release fish and we have a responsibility to teach the customers we have out fishing to do the same. Those reading the internet forums need to learn how to release fish unharmed.

That's kinda why I posted this. We need to come up with a limit that maximizes the amount these guys (and gals) bring home to eat and minimizes the wonton waste in the lake and on the stinking beaches.

I think the "60 inch rule" is the answer. You can take 60 inches of fish a day. That would be 4 -15", 3 -20" or whatever adds up to 60 inches. I caught 27 fish last night, with only one under 17". The limit would be reached before ANY had to be released.

There would literally be NO mortallity, cuz you wouldn't have to throw that 22" back (or that 24").

Doug Ertl · Website Admin

I like the 60" idea Jon. Every fish gets rounded up to the nearest inch, wink and there you have it.

Fife · Formica Flat Vet

I agree, the 60" rule sounds intriguing. Would someone be required to stop fishing once their limit has been met?

greenejeans · Member

I know most of you guys are walleye fisherman,but lets take a poontoon troller surface temps. above 80 degrees,troll at 5 mph. hook the fish don't wanna stop because of your other lines that are out,pull the fish in mouth open at 5 mph. plowing the guts,bags,what ever you can imagine'take photos,measure,then throw over side at 5mph.Did that fish live?That pisses me off.

wallye · Newbie

I proposed this to the DNR many years ago, and they said it was to complicated for fisherman to add numbers up. Go figure.

fishnpole · Veteran Member

Oh YEAH!

Much easier to make a ban on catching males like they suggested. I'm sure it's real easy for fishermen that don't even know how to hold a spinning reel to identify the males............... evileye

I want to know who's the one that told you that retarded statement.

Sutty · Member

The combination of heat/warm water and the majority of people pulling fish out of deep water is going to kill alot of fish.

huntinfishinmn · Member

I like the 60" rule as well or something in that range. We were out Saturday morning and caught a nice batch of fish, 1 under 17, the rest in the 20-24 range with 1 26. All were released and swam away after carefully getting them back in the water, we would have been done in an hour if we wanted to be under this proposed rule. I agree Fife this time of year using the artificals sure seems to help not gutting them. That said, it makes too much sense and fisherman are for it so it will go nowhere which is really sad.

Bobber · Admin / Moderator

I fished Winni this past weekend...saw lots of floaters up there also! The warm water is getting to some of the fish...

Sutty · Member

One thing to keep in mind is that it takes a fish like a walleye a long time to adjust the gasses in the swim bladder. A fish like a lake trout can "burp" the excess gas out when you pull it out of deep water whereas a walleye cannot. So they get distended bladders and become floaters or Muskie food.

-- Edited by Sutty on Tuesday 24th of July 2012 09:32:08 AM

fishnpole · Veteran Member

With the water temps consistantly in the 80s, the Tullibe are dying like flies and floating in as well. Get the beach rake out.

Rickster · Member

Bobber wrote:
I fished Winni this past weekend...saw lots of floaters up there also! The warm water is getting to some of the fish...

I was at Whinnie also and agree with Bobber. 80 degree water is a factor for the majority of the DOA's.... How many times have you caught a fish with an old hook stuck in its mouth at Mille Lacs... They are hearty if you handle them properly...

Glen Ertl · Gray Goose Captain

Hence the 60" rule... a guy looking for 4 under 17 would spend all day trying to get his meal. With the 60" rule, he can be done in an hour, stopping from having to haul overs in all day & have his limit and actually eat the "would be floaters"

Muskymadness · Veteran Member

Sounds simple enough Glen. Let's see........ makes sense, what the people want, can only help the lake. Too much common sense and not "their idea", so good luck getting it through.

Fife · Formica Flat Vet

Glen Ertl wrote:
Hence the 60" rule... a guy looking for 4 under 17 would spend all day trying to get his meal. With the 60" rule, he can be done in an hour, stopping from having to haul overs in all day & have his limit and actually eat the "would be floaters"

Many of the anglers on Mille Lacs are happy catching fish and not necessarily keeping every fish that they catch. The 60" rule will increase harvest, but have very little effect on the fishing pressure.

There are not anymore "floaters" this year than there have been in years past. The numbers spike every summer about this time.

Muskymadness · Veteran Member

Good point Fife.

Glen Ertl · Gray Goose Captain

Fife, while I agree with some ofyour post, ALOT of people who "only CPR" keep plenty of fish too. lets not kid ourselves. For every guy who you see complaining about "not getting a meal" can now get his meal, instead of having to fish ALL DAY trying and making more flaoters. He can keep his 3 19" fish and be happy. No matter what you call it, harvest, floaters, dead bottom fish, they are removed from the available resource. If you allow fisherman to do the right thing, most will.... in other words, if a fish is not gonna make it, in fact you are having to see it float nearby for a coupe hours, scoop it up and enjoy it, rather than let it float to shore and rot for the birds.... ( I am one of those guys who will not fish for the sake of fishing, but I have intentions of getting a good meal when I can )

wallyhntr1 · Member

I'll 2nd that, Glen...

I'm one of those who 'in the past' would spend the couple hundred/drive 4hrs with the intentions of bringing fish home for dinner- those days are over with the current regulations/lake health & I would bet there are a lot of people in the same boat...

huntinfishinmn · Member

From my experience with my friends who fish, we all like to catch fish, who doesnt, but in the end we are out there to put a meal on the table. I have enjoyed catching a nice number of fish this summer, havent had much luck (or talent, you be the judge) in putting many in the freezer. It hasnt deterred me from going back out becuse you never when when that keeper might bite, but there needs to be a fundamental change in how this lake is being managed in my opinion.

fishnpole · Veteran Member

Well, we'll find out the lake's fate after tomorrow's DNR meeting with the tribe's GLIFWC who are responsible for setting quotas. ( 3.3 million anglers that fish Mille Lacs and 35,000 tribal members in the 8 bands that net.)

Then we'll have to wait to hear the closed door meeting's results. ( It's a secret!)

MCallies · Malmo Bay Bomber

Tomorrow is a big day alright for Mille Lacs lake!! I hope the Governor is listening to our calls. confuse hmm

muskiemania · Member

I know more people who fish for sport than meat. But its no that far one way to the other.