Complex? They have been netting spawning fish for years. It isn't rocket science. Change the netting season.

I love Millie, and agree that drastic measures need to be taken to avoid a situation similar to Red Lake. However, it pains me to think of he impact this may have on those that depend on the lake to get by. It's still a trophy fishery and with the right mgmt. will continue to be so. Hopefully both sides will find a suitable compromise for the benefit of the lake, and the state at large.

Yep, blame the Chippewa. It was their lake which proved to be quite bountiful until the invasive species known as Europeans showed up. Zebra mussels, people, you name it.

People will still show up because there are a lot of fish to be caught...the fact that they have to be put back won't deter the majority of people looking to fish Mille Lacs.

Out of thousands of fish photos, Star Tribune outdoor writers consistently use this same offensive in-your-face picture when dealing with Mille Lacs issues. A string of walleyes off-limits to state-licensed anglers? A launch from Eddy’s Resort, owned by Mille Lacs Band government’s Corporate Commission? And, guys, stop misleading readers! The Supreme Court never affirmed that a single gill net belongs on the Mille Lacs spawning grounds, or that Mille Lacs must be the controversy capital of Minnesota fishing. And don’t repeatedly imply that the high court designed the treaty-fisheries management system. No court ruled that state officials must play dead and never use state political and legal muscle to free Mille Lacs fishing from this mess. And, hey, the High Court never affirmed that influential Star Tribune opinion writers can’t ask the hard questions and strongly push for ending the madness!

Conversely, the supreme court never prohibited netting or spearing, nor set any seasons on the tribes. The winners were allowed to harvest free from state regulation. That includes 'free from' unhappy sports fisherman. That same court also never demanded the non-Indians hard questions be entertained whenever they have their undies in bunch over slot restrictions. You have no leg to stand on with trying to undo the high court - it ruled and you don't habe to like it. But it's not 'going away' as Steve suggests...

136,000 lbs to hook mortality and 80,000 to the nets? We don't have a netting problem. Seems to me that people need to be better educated on handling the fish after catching them. Too many people trying to save that 10 cent hook instead of just cutting the line. I have also fished the launches and seen thier handling practices, dropping a fish from 4 feet above the water and expecting them to survive? I am not surprised by this hook mortality number. I also noticed in the past that I have never seen as many fish floating in other top walleye lakes as on mille lacs. Maybe lower size limit from 28 down to 24 or 26? The DNR knows what size fish is the top egg producers. At a point they just become food consumers which takes away from the smaller fish.

im thinking that its the mlb that has these rights to do as they please they have treaty rights look at what non natives did to native people put them and other bands on reserves then on top of that want everything after your govt puts us natives here by force here you say that we take to much well my sugestion is if you dont like it fish some where else where did these evasive species come from in the first place its from your greed and money and enviromental tatics that you placed here it sure didnt come from us better think about a lot what your saying before you say it

The tribe and the sportfisherman are both playing a role in the decline of the lake.It's disingenous to equate the primitive netting methods used in the past to modern gill nets. Literally tens of millions of walleye spawn (read potential adult walleye) are destroyed during tribal netting. Gill netting the walleye before they have a chance to complete the reproductive cycle is harming the lake.

Mortality accounts for 50% of the anglers harvest. Eliminate the slot and reduce the limit. Two fish any size would fix the situation. Also have the Tribe use nets with larger holes, allowing the smaller males to swim through instead of getting caught.