The Decline of Devils Lake

[gonefshn]

How many guides in DL basin, 100?
Average clients, 3
average walleye harvest 4
average days per year, 275
100x4(lot of guides keep a limit)x4x275 =440000
Getting towards a half a million dead eyes.
NDGF better add a few more fingerlings to the pond

The GnF should know. All guides submit reports of catches. They should be able to tell us about exactly how many eyes are taken.

I highly doubt your numbers. Maybe a quarter of that. There is not 100 guides out 275 days a year on DL.

 

[Platinum]

I am not saying all, but many of those perch are NOT from DL.

I'd also question what year the picture was taken....who says they are from the 2024-2025 season....remember these guides are trying to drive business and get the traffic/flow of people to come fish....I swear I have seen the same pictures more than once claiming they were current and up to date when actually might have been from a few years ago.

 

[Valleywatcher]

The GnF should know. All guides submit reports of catches. They should be able to tell us about exactly how many eyes are taken.

I highly doubt your numbers. Maybe a quarter of that. There is not 100 guides out 275 days a year on DL.

No problem, all numbers purely for conversation. I personally saw 20 guides on irvine for the weekend i was there this December. Some were dragging alot more than 4 clients and all took limits. Im sure its only a piece of the puzzle but didnt use to be that way.

 

[Jiffy]

So Irvine is biting, good to know.

Better than Goose? Of course I’m not a local to Goose so I can’t fish it. It’s obviously only for locals…

 

[Ruttin]

Pelican was producing excellent at first ice....not so much now.

 

[Sum1]

Interesting read,been years since ive fished d.l.,years ago our goto perch hot spot was 6 mile bay,evening hours our ice holes filled with fresh water shrimp attracted to our shack lights.

As far as creel surveys,been thru this on our premire walleye lake from years passed ( mille lacs lake) before trible gill netting which all but shut down our non native sport fishing.

But before slots started creel ppl were at every public and resort access,no problem at first checking our catch until we were informed dnr was compiling data for slots,so when checked...slow fishing sir,no fish. By mid 90's slots,first year 6 fish daily limit 14 to 16" walleye limits and no possession limits for non native sport fishermen, then following year 4 walleye limit,then two walleye then catch and release only,we had a couple years of no live bait or night fishing all this as natives slaughtered the walleye population.

My point is maybe ND gfp folks are leaning towards slots? And if they are creel ppl are not your friend but looking out for lake health and species population. Just a thought that slots might be on the radar,,no more catch and keep breeder females,ideal healthy spawning female eyes 19" to 25"s is what these ppl told us.

Today mille lacs is busting at the seems walleye population two fish keep limit 19 to 21"s or one over 28"s trophy eye.we ice fished last winter during a no keep winter season just cpr'd walleye bite hot n heavy on mid lake structure all fish caught were 25" to a couple 28's big perch mixed in.,this slot deal killed the tourist business around the lake,mom n pop resorts and restaurants belly up,alot of places burnt down mysteriously local natives plan has been to take land back around the lake and 12 mid mn counties by choking off the tourist business local tribes with a pocket full of casino $$ buying up lake shore property for pennies on the dollar. So curious if slots will ever hit the mega ND walleye lake D.L..

Reservations gotta go! I’m writing a letter to Trump

 

[lunkerslayer]

Reservations gotta go! I’m writing a letter to Trump

Been saying that for years worst thing to ever happen to the native people making them dependent on the feds which also means that the feds have oversight on anything that is being constructed with the sovereign state.

 

[1lessdog]

Reservations gotta go! I’m writing a letter to Trump

Maybe Leonard will be a asset to the tribe.

 

[Ruttin]

Leonard's on house arrest...excuse me...home confinement

 

[lunkerslayer]

Seems this has been hashed some twenty years ago
https://www.nodakoutdoors.com/threads/where-are-the-perch-going-going.20367/page-3

 

[Kurtr]

Blast from the past there. What’s the limit now. We went to ten a couple winters after 97 when the big perch in sloughs were getting slaughtered

 

[3Roosters]

Opinions are like ass holes...everyone has one. My opinion...lower the perch and white bass limit to 15(from 20)..after all..why not piss both groups off...those who want to keep at 20 and those who want to lower to 10. Lower eyes to 4 daily. Raise NR rates a measly $10. Raise the price of ice. Might keep the District Court busy for a while until the word gets out....i know i know..many will not want to keep small perch from deep water since the limit will only be 15. but if many are out with a legitimate guide. rules and laws will be followed... just spitballing. might help the lake.

Until recently, we owned a lake cabin at a small lake in northern MN. That lake had a 5-bluegill daily limit..thank GOD! We had regular visitors, relatives, kids, etc. on weekends and throughout the summer that we would take out on our little pontoon...see avatar. Love them dearly..dont get me wrong...but I did most of the fish cleaning/fish frying for the bunch so 5 each was fine with me. The wife and I were hosts afterall.

 

[Catfishermen4201]

Since Devil's is a primary walleye fishery and has been great for many years something gives within the ecosystem and it is not humans...1 perch will produce 10,000-40,000 eggs.

"Perch are the primary prey for walleye Sander vitreus, and they consume 58% of the age zero and 47% of the age one yellow perch in northern lakes". Don't forget to include pike and so on.

Just an FYI for all that love walleyes so much...gotta pick one as you really can't expect much of a booming population of both.

 

[3Roosters]

Since Devil's is a primary walleye fishery and has been great for many years something gives within the ecosystem and it is not humans...1 perch will produce 10,000-40,000 eggs.

"Perch are the primary prey for walleye Sander vitreus, and they consume 58% of the age zero and 47% of the age one yellow perch in northern lakes". Don't forget to include pike and so on.

Just an FYI for all that love walleyes so much...gotta pick one as you really can't expect much of a booming population of both.

You running for a position with NDGF?