What kills me is that they keep making questionable decisions based on questionable information.

This is a blurb from 2008:

Mille Lacs Allowable Harvest Criteria

I find it totally amazing that the DNR will be dropping the allowable
walleye harvest on Mille Lacs based soley on this past falls net
surveys! During this past fall the pattern for fishing changed radically from
past years because of an abundance of bait fish in Mille Lacs. Usually
in the fall, walleyes tend to move into shallower water to eat bait
fish. Fisherman will run crankbaits in this shallower water to catch
walleyes. This past fall the walleyes did not move into shallower water
because the main basin of the lake was still full of baitfish. Fall
crankbait fishing was poor as well. 

A normal pattern in walleye behavior changed! When the fall test nets
were put into their normal locations as in past years, the DNR reported
"net survey catches were at record low levels". Less walleyes or more
baitfish?

DNR creel surveys on Mille Lacs were reported to be low this winter.
 If Mille Lacs is in fact at a near record high level for bait fish
available to walleyes, it makes sense that the creel surveys this winter
would naturally be low--possibly a record low when compared to past year
winter creel surveys.

With the increased use of underwater cameras and sophisticated
electronics it is very apparent to veteran fisherman on Mille Lacs that the
lake is full of bait for walleyes and as a result the winter bite has been
very difficult at best. My informal creel surveys of fisherman and
resort owners is that walleyes are seen in abundance on underwater
cameras all over the lake. However, they are seen swimming around millions
of 2-3" perch and small minnows.

I think that the DNR must scientifically determine the walleye
population of Mille Lacs by controlling the variables of net location, dates,
water temperature, length of time nets are placed etc., each fall. This
does set a standard and an average that is statistically defendable
and politically correct. However, this past fall and winter Mille Lacs
has been much different. It seems to me that this difference needs to be
taken into account when determining not only the allowable catch on
Mille Lacs, slot sizes but also the future of a $50 million industry. 

Our "Co-management" of the resource ain't workin and these walleye regs bite for many reasons.