We have removed the corner road signs and cones. We will be pulling the road stakes next week. No fishermen went out so nothing to report about a bite.To clarify the earlier report, I mentioned 4wd vehicles only. I did not say with wheelhouses. You will need to call the day before you plan on coming up (320-676-8740) as we might close it if something changes with snow, etc.
We will keep the access open thru the weekend, but will not be doing anymore plowing as we are getting the trucks ready for summer storage.
Once again Mille Lacs will be “catch and release” this summer. In my opinion the tribes are using their “clout” given to them by our great State of Minnesota’s leaders back when the treaty rights case went to court. Protocols were agreed upon by the Bands and State, (since then many times they have changed some of them, as it was a separate agreement aside from the Court decision with the option of being challenged and changed if it was not working). Our current Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Senators and representatives are too weak and taking too much casino lobbying money to challenge them.. All the tribes want to do is hurt the existing businesses, push the residents away so they can devalue property values and purchase it with their Casino money. It has nothing to do with the fishery. They are using inaccurate studies with margins of error,(as much as 15-30%) and trying to micromanage a fishery as based on poundage, not numbers of population. It is a never win situation for Minnesota’s sportsmen and the Bands know it. The MN DNR knows it also, but they will not challenge it because they are told not to by the powers to be in St. Paul. I think as our fisheries biologists, it should be their responsibility to show their superiors that the current form of management does not work with the large margins of error in their current methods of assessment of the population and harvest for the Walleye population at Mille Lacs.
With this being an election year in Minnesota, it is time for fishermen and sportsman that really care to vote for someone that promises to stop this “political” control the tribes have and take control of Minnesota’s resources back so all, (including the tribes) can equally enjoy them. Ask your senator or representative where they stand on this issue before you vote. If they tell you they will push for a change at Mille Lacs and the rest of Minnesota vote for them. If they don’t support change, tell them you will vote for someone that does. By now if the last 18 years of “treaty-management” at Mille lacs doesn’t show you how “co-management” of a resource with two different sets of goals doesn’t work. You really need to look at what is going on up here…..this has gone beyond ridiculous now….
Keep a Tight Line! Eddy