The Minocqua and Tomahawk Chain of Lakes are likely to have a catch-and-release only season for five years under a proposal going to the Natural Resources Board next month. But as part of the same proposal, all waters in the Ceded Territories in Wisconsin would have a standard three-walleye daily bag limit.
DNR spokesperson Joe Hennessy says bad walleye reproduction in the last couple of years has also led to the change on the Oneida county chains. He says the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have also agreed not to harvest on those waters during the five years.
This year's tribal declarations are similar to those made last year with 235 of 537 lakes being declared for harvest at a rate that in past years would have resulted in a one walleye daily bag limit to start the season. In past years, bag limits on some lakes have been revised upwards later in the season to reflect actual tribal harvest. Now all waters will have a three bag limit, but Hennessy says other restrictions are in place...
".....15 inch minimum. Walleye between 20 and 24 inches will have to be released, so it's a 2-24 inch protected slot. Only one fish larger than 24 inches can be kept. There's a subset of other lakes..."
Several lakes will have different restrictions. The state Board will consider the rule April 8.
