Public invited to comment on special fishing regulations

Special fishing regulations for walleye, bass, northern pike, crappie and sunfish will be the subject of public meetings being held across the state in the coming weeks by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Input gathered at these meetings will help determine whether to drop, modify or extend existing special regulations or move forward on proposals for new special regulations.

"Fisheries managers welcome the opportunity to hear opinions from anglers," said Al Stevens, DNR fisheries program consultant. "Public participation is critical in determining whether proposed and existing regulations meet angler expectations."

Of special interest to anglers this year are proposals to increase the minimum length for muskellunge on 46 lakes and connecting waters and adopt a catch-and-release requirement for muskellunge on the Mississippi River from Grand Rapids to Coon Rapids.

Special regulations are intended to produce a quality fish population that can sustain increasing angling pressure and improved angler efficiency. During the past 20 years, fisheries managers have monitored a variety of special regulations across Minnesota. Lakes with special regulations are regularly evaluated to determine the effectiveness of special regulations.

"Much has been learned from our efforts to improve fish populations with length and bag limits," Stevens said. "If successful, special regulations can be replicated on similar waters where fisheries managers and anglers agree they would help improve or maintain quality fishing."

Lakes with proposed new special regulations or special regulations that will be evaluated this year were posted at public access points this spring. Public notices for each meeting will be published in local newspapers. For more information about a specific meeting, contact your local DNR Fisheries offices.

For those unable to attend a local meeting, there will be an open house at the St. Paul DNR Headquarters, 500 Lafayette Road, on Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff will be available to take comments on any proposal. Comments may also be submitted until Oct. 9 by e-mail to al.stevens@dnr.state.mn.us or by calling (651) 259-5239.

Written or verbal comments will also be accepted at local fisheries offices up to 10 days following a local meeting. Phone numbers and addresses of local fisheries offices are on page 74 of the 2006 Fishing Regulations or online at www.dnr.state.mn.us.

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE

Mississippi River from Coon Rapids to Grand Rapids - New regulation proposal for muskellunge

Aitkin County: Sept. 16, 1-4 p.m., DNR area fisheries office, 1200 Minnesota Ave., So. Aitkin.

Anoka County: Sept. 20, 6-8 p.m., Civic Room A, Coon Rapids Civic Center, Coon Rapids.

Benton and Morrison counties: Sept. 13, 6-8 p.m., Sauk Rapids City Hall, Sauk Rapids. Sept. 15, 6-8 p.m., DNR office building, 16543 Haven Road, Little Falls.

Crow Wing County: Sept. 14, 6-8 p.m., DNR office building, 1601 Minnesota Drive, Brainerd.

Hennepin County: Sept. 13, 2:30-4:30 p.m., DNR area fisheries office, 9925 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie.

Itasca County: Sept. 28, 7 p.m., Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, 402 11th St. S.E., Grand Rapids.

Stearns County: Sept. 13, 7-9 p.m., 400 Club, 25958 Lake Road (on the north side of Pleasant Lake), St. Cloud.

Sherburne County: Sept. 14, 2:30-4:30 p.m., public library, 413 Proctor Ave., Elk River.

Wright County: Sept.14, DNR area fisheries office, 7372 State Highway 25 S.W., Montrose.

ALL OTHER MEETINGS

Aitkin County: Sissabagamah and Wilkins lakes (review existing northern pike regulation); Cedar Lake, Lake Mille Lacs, and Mississippi River (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 16, 1-4 p.m., DNR area fisheries office, 1200 Minnesota Ave. So., Aitkin.

Beltrami County: Medicine and North Twin lakes (review existing northern pike regulation). Sept. 19, 7 p.m., Hines Town Hall, Hines.

Cass, Andrusia, Big Wolf, Kitchi, Buck, Big Rice, Bemidji, Stump, Irving, Carr, Marquette and connecting waters of Schoolcraft, Mississippi, and Turtle rivers (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 21, 7 p.m., Northwest Technical College, 905 Grant Ave. S.E., Bemidji.

Mule Lake: (new regulation proposal for walleye), Sept. 5, 6-8 p.m., Wabedo Town Hall, 3726 County 54, Longville.

Pike Bay, Big Boy, Swift, Child, Little Woman, Woman, Girl, Inguadona, Rice, Little Boy, Louise, Wabedo, and Leech lakes and the connecting waters of the Boy River and other unnamed streams (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Oct. 3, 7-9 p.m., Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School, 301 4th St., Walker.

Chisago County: East and West Rush lakes (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 19, 2-6 p.m., DNR Fisheries Office, 306 Power Ave. No., Hinckley.

Goose, Mandal, Rabour Lakes (new regulation proposal for crappie). Oct. 4, 5-7 p.m., Fish Lake Town Hall, Stark.

Clearwater and Hubbard counties: Itasca, Elk, Ozawindib, and Mary Lakes (new regulation proposal for sunfish, crappie, bass, northern pike, and walleye). Sept 14, 7 p.m., Itasca State Park Visitor's Center, Itasca State Park. Public comments will also be accepted at Douglas Lodge within Itasca State Park.

Douglas County: Lake Miltona (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 20, 7-8:30 p.m., Harry Bemo - Vikings Sportsmen's Club Building, Douglas County Fairgrounds, Alexandria.

Hubbard County: Benedict Lake (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Oct. 3, 8 a.m.-noon, DNR area fishery office, 301 South Grove Ave., Park Rapids.

Itasca County: Coon-Sandwick (review existing northern pike regulation); Bowstring/Sand lakes chain and Round (new regulation proposal for northern pike); Sept. 25, 7 p.m., Sand Lake Community Center, County Road 4, Spring Lake.

Blandin Reservoir, Jay Gould and Little Jay Gould, Pokegama, Blackwater, Winnibigoshish, Little Winnibigoshish, Cut Foot Sioux, Deer, Moose, North Star lakes, and Big Fork River, Prairie River, and Mississippi River (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 28, 7 p.m., Minnesota Interagency Fire Center, 402 11th St. S.E., Grand Rapids.

Koochiching and St. Louis counties: Crane, Shoepack, and Little Shoepack lakes, and Little Fork and Big Fork rivers (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 19, 7-9 p.m., Orr city office building, Orr. Sept. 20, 7-9 p.m., Littlefork Community Building, Littlefork.

Otter Tail County: Fladmark and Twentyone lakes (in Maplewood State Park - review existing regulations for bass, northern pike and sunfish). Sept. 14, 7-9 p.m., Maplewood Town Hall, Erhard.

St. Louis County: Kabatogama, Namakan, Sand Point, Crane, Little Vermilion lakes (review existing walleye regulation). Oct. 26, 7-9 p.m., Orr city office building, Orr.

Island Lake Reservoir and St. Louis River Bay (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 14, 5-7 p.m., DNR office building at French River, 5351 North Shore Drive, Duluth.

Lake Vermilion (new regulation proposal for muskellunge). Sept. 19, 6-8 p.m., DNR office building, 650 Highway 169, Tower.

Stearns County: Lake Carnelian (review existing sunfish regulation). Sept. 19, 7-9 p.m., city offices, Highway 15, Kimball.

Pleasant Lake (review existing sunfish regulation). Sept. 13, 7-9 p.m., 400 Club, 25958 Lake Road (on the north side of Pleasant Lake), St. Cloud.Wright County:

Sugar Lake (new regulation proposal for northern pike and crappie). Sept. 14, 7-9 p.m., Corinna Township Hall, 9801 Ireland Ave. N.W., Annandale.