Gaining A Voice

[Rod]

While we are experiencing the golden age of fishing in ND with over 400 fishable bodies of water, it may not last forever. Severe drought, aquatic nuisance species (ANS), overfishing on smaller lakes, winter kill, access, etc., along with crowding can all impact the quality of fishing we are currently experiencing. There is an organization that is working hard to maintain the fisheries and your fishing rights. That organization is the North Dakota Sportfishing Congress (NDSFC). The NDSFC has hired a lobbying firm to identify, track and provide input on legislative bills impacting fishing in ND. Some current legislation deals with license fee increases and ANS funding. New rules are also being considered regarding bait buckets utilizing lake water versus potable water in transporting minnows. As a united group, fishermen in North Dakota could have a powerful voice with legislators and the ND Game & Fish. If you would like to get your voice heard or belong to a local fishing club that would like to provide input, please contact: Rich Brueckner, President,, North Dakota Sportfishing Congress at fishing_127@yahoo.com for additional information.

Another organization that is looking out for Lake Sakakawea is the Friends of Lake Sakakawea of ND. (FOLSND). FOLSND focuses on issues impacting Lake Sakakawea and currently works with vendors around the lake, ND Game & Fish, federal representatives, water officials (both local and state), US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and others to promote and maintain Lake Sakakawea's natural resources. The FOLSND chairperson, Terry Fleck, serves on the USACE's Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (only 2 representatives per state in the Missouri River Basin) and a FOLSND board member routinely participates in yearly USACE meetings in ND and monthly USACE Missouri River Basin Management zoom meetings. For example, FOLSND Board of Directors (volunteers) weighed in on the Three Affiliated Tribes (TAT), Ft Berthold request to transfer 9 public access sites (approximately 1,200 acres) around Lake Sakakawea from the USACE to the TAT. This request is pending with the USACE and the federal Interior Department. If you would like to become a member, receive more information, etc., contact Rod Gilmore, FOLSND secretary, at rodg@bis.midco.net.

 

[NDSportsman]

The next $ grab from GNF.........ANS funding

 

[Eatsleeptrap]

The next $ grab from GNF.........ANS funding

Yep

 

[camper]

Wow, what bitter souls. Is everything and everybody out to get you? Sad. Maybe it’s a good cause but who cares.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

Read it all the way to the bottom contact information. Rod Gilmore

Remember him from fishingbuddy western South Dakota Storm Atlas thread. Duffus.

 

[Kurtr]

Read it all the way to the bottom contact information. Rod Gilmore

Remember him from fishingbuddy western South Dakota Storm Atlas thread. Duffus.

Is he the guy who thought all the cows should be in barns

 

[ND58201]

Try banning social media, nonresidents, and ffs if you truly want to save the small lakes… otherwise you are just pissing into the wind just like hunting has gotten too. Guides and nonresidents always win…

 

[Fritz the Cat]

Is he the guy who thought all the cows should be in barns

Yep. That thread was gold.

 

[bucksnbears]

Try banning social media, nonresidents, and ffs if you truly want to save the small lakes… otherwise you are just pissing into the wind just like hunting has gotten too. Guides and nonresidents always win…

Hmm.
Not sure small town / rural ND business owners would agree with banning non residents?

Find a unique opportunity, keep your yapper shut.

 

[camper]

Hmm.
Not sure small town / rural ND business owners would agree with banning non residents?

Find a unique opportunity, keep your yapper shut.

Please don’t respond to this for the love of god. He’s only looking for attention. I’d ban you if I could.

See how stupid that sounds.

 

[Eatsleeptrap]

So what does the gang consider "over fishing" and "crowding"? If my boat is near your boat it is crowding, but if your boat is near mine it is not? Don't overfish that 100% stocked lake this year, so we can get 10 feet of snow and it winter kills next year? That is like "Leave some of those muskrats for seed." and that slough is a soybean field two years later. I'll use the resource, within the law, and mind my own business. No thanks.

 

[ND58201]

Hmm.
Not sure small town / rural ND business owners would agree with banning non residents?

Find a unique opportunity, keep your yapper shut.

You’re a dumbass for thinking that way.. small towns are only busy the 45 days nonresidents Are here? Would you live and work in a small town to be busy 45 days per year? There is life in these towns in the summer if you ever care to visit then. Residents have far more to do with these people trying to make a living. pheasant and duck season is just a bonus. Sounds like you are from MN

 

[ND58201]

Hmm.
Not sure small town / rural ND business owners would agree with banning non residents?

Find a unique opportunity, keep your yapper shut.

Sorry for replying twice, but this was the thought of our old school representatives.. ND has changed in the past decade.. it’s busy now and nonresident hunters and fisherman are a very small part of our economy.. even though they are ruining our heritage and the way we grew up.. like or not.

 

[ND58201]

Hmm.
Not sure small town / rural ND business owners would agree with banning non residents?

Find a unique opportunity, keep your yapper shut.

Last thing since you are from Moorhead. Stop at the Downer MN bar and ask them if it’s the ND residents from Fargo going to their lake home 2 months of the year or if it’s their regulars that stop in everyday that are paying the bills.. I’m guessing you know the answer.

 

[bucksnbears]

I know the answer to that. Nope.
Nodakers bypass the mainline bar and grill because they are in a hurry to get 30 miles east to the lakes where there is trees. Yanno, nice scenery. Lol

So..., now call Heather at the Grenora bar n grill and ask her the same question!

 

[870XPRS]

I know the answer to that. Nope.
Nodakers bypass the mainline bar and grill because they are in a hurry to get 30 miles east to the lakes where there is trees. Yanno, nice scenery. Lol

So..., now call Heather at the Grenora bar n grill and ask her the same question!

Don't bring Hunter Berg into this.....i'll take my 3 months of hunting and quit to save a non-resident.

 

[Rod]

Regarding Fritz the Cat comment regarding Western SD Storm Atlas thread from Fishingbuddy, I have no idea what he is talking about. May have been a different Gilmore? Same with "cos in barns" post. What is a cos? I have spent the better part of my life volunteering for the benefit of ND's natural resources and sportsmen (hunters, trappers and fishermen). I am approaching 50 years (yes i am getting old) serving on board of directors for organizations like United Sportsmen of ND, Capital City Gun Club, Friends of Lake Sakakawea, ND Sportfishing Congress, served on chapter committees for Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Pheasants Forever and belong to 7 outdoor organizations. If these years of volunteering and thousands of dollars spent supporting the ND outdoors and ND sportsmen make me a duffus, I would rather be labeled with that moniker than be someone who has no idea what I have done yet posts anonymously on a social media site.

In regards to ANS, specifically zebra mussels, zebra mussels in the Sheyenne River have contaminated the national fish hatchery below Baldhill Dam resulting in that any fish raised in this hatchery can only be stocked in a body of water that is already contaminated. If zebra mussels get into Lake Sakakawea (they were detected at the southern end of Lake Oahe last summer), it would mean no fish from the federal hatchery below Garrison Dam could be stocked in any uncontaminated ND waters. This would be devastating to the state's stocking program. A paper authorized by Dr. Pool, ND Department of Water Resources, estimated the cost to keep intakes clear of zebra mussels in Lake Sakakawea for municipalities, commercial, rural water systems and industrial users at $80 million a year and did not include the impact on recreation. One can support the effort to slow down the spread of ANS or sit on the sidelines and complain down the road.

I had hoped this site had matured, become more informative for the sportsman and had moved away from name calling. Guess I was wrong.

 

[Kurtr]

Regarding Fritz the Cat comment regarding Western SD Storm Atlas thread from Fishingbuddy, I have no idea what he is talking about. May have been a different Gilmore? Same with "cos in barns" post. What is a cos? I have spent the better part of my life volunteering for the benefit of ND's natural resources and sportsmen (hunters, trappers and fishermen). I am approaching 50 years (yes i am getting old) serving on board of directors for organizations like United Sportsmen of ND, Capital City Gun Club, Friends of Lake Sakakawea, ND Sportfishing Congress, served on chapter committees for Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Pheasants Forever and belong to 7 outdoor organizations. If these years of volunteering and thousands of dollars spent supporting the ND outdoors and ND sportsmen make me a duffus, I would rather be labeled with that moniker than be someone who has no idea what I have done yet posts anonymously on a social media site.

In regards to ANS, specifically zebra mussels, zebra mussels in the Sheyenne River have contaminated the national fish hatchery below Baldhill Dam resulting in that any fish raised in this hatchery can only be stocked in a body of water that is already contaminated. If zebra mussels get into Lake Sakakawea (they were detected at the southern end of Lake Oahe last summer), it would mean no fish from the federal hatchery below Garrison Dam could be stocked in any uncontaminated ND waters. This would be devastating to the state's stocking program. A paper authorized by Dr. Pool, ND Department of Water Resources, estimated the cost to keep intakes clear of zebra mussels in Lake Sakakawea for municipalities, commercial, rural water systems and industrial users at $80 million a year and did not include the impact on recreation. One can support the effort to slow down the spread of ANS or sit on the sidelines and complain down the road.

I had hoped this site had matured, become more informative for the sportsman and had moved away from name calling. Guess I was wrong.

I fixed the spelling for ya Rod. Hows the fishing on Lake Erie these days?

 

[Rod]

Kurt - don't fish Erie but what i have read/reports, walleye fishing still good. Reading about the impact of zebra mussels (Minnesota lakes), initially the first years the infestation has little effect on walleyes and other game fish. As the zebra mussels eat the plankton and clean the water up, small bait fish populations that feed on the plankton and rely on it for survival begin to dwindle resulting in impacts of game fish populations. Great looking dog in your posted picture. I had german shorthairs pointers for 49 years. Some really good, some good and one bad one (too much field trial blood who hunted for himself instead of the gun, a point at 300 yards doesn't do much good on running roosters). Lost her last fall to a brain tumor. Miss the hell out of her but am too old for a pup and too cheap to spend $5000 plus on a started dog. Spend a lot more time fishing on the north end of Oahe, Missouri River and Lake Sakakawea. Thanks for the note back. Rod Gilmore

 

[Obi-Wan]

Hmm.
Not sure small town / rural ND business owners would agree with banning non residents?

Find a unique opportunity, keep your yapper shut.

Had a guy from the Rugby area tell me today that while there are more non residence hunting the area than ever before they are all spending less money in the small town, so I am not sure the " small town businesses need non residence keep the doors open " doesn't hold as much water as it used to.