ST. PAUL—Fish management plans for Grand Marais area lakes and streams—some within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW)—will undergo annual review this winter. Citizens can ask questions or submit comments on the draft plans.
“These plans identify specific management activities planned for a lake or stream in the next five to 20 years. Feedback from people interested in these waters is crucial when it comes to making the plans and determining management success,” said Steve Persons, Grand Marais area fisheries supervisor with the Minnesota DNR.
There are two comment periods. Comments on lakes within the BWCAW will be accepted until Tuesday, Dec. 15. For lakes and streams outside the BWCAW, the comment period will extend through Monday, Feb. 15, 2016.
Lakes
The status and preservation of native lake trout populations will be the primary concern in plans being revised for Crooked, Fay, Fern, French, Gillis, Howard, Long Island, Moose, Partridge, Powell, Tuscarora and West Fern lakes. These lakes are all located inside the BWCAW.
Stream trout stocking strategies will be the focus of plans for Bench, Bingshick, Unnamed (Little Portage) and Trip lakes. Options to consider include changes in species, stocking frequency, number stocked and size of fish stocked. Bench and Bingshick lakes are located within the BWCAW.
The plan for Saganaga Lake will be updated to review walleye stocking to date, incorporate the evaluation plan for the new walleye regulation and review the status of walleye, lake trout, northern pike and smallmouth bass populations. Saganaga Lake is a BWCAW water.
Management of northern pike fisheries will be addressed in plan revisions for Logger, Ruby and Rudy lakes. The plan for Mistletoe Lake will be revised to incorporate new survey results and address walleye and northern pike management strategies. Prune Lake is an unusual lake supporting a population of small black crappie and nothing else. Options for preserving or improving this unique fishery will be considered. Squash Lake is managed as a trophy trout, catch-and-release-only lake. In this revision, the review will address poor rainbow trout stocking success and consider options to discontinue the special regulations on the lake or discontinue stream trout management entirely. Additionally, plans for several other BWCAW lakes in the area, including Gordon, Hub, Jimmy, Long, Lux, Mulligan, North Cone and Stump will be reviewed. Those plans will be revised primarily to establish survey schedules on those lakes for the next few years.
Streams
The plan for Flute Reed River—an important steelhead stream—will focus on habitat and water quality, hydrology and watershed issues. The plan for Tait River—a natural brook trout stream (in its lower reaches)—will incorporate results of a 2015 survey and will likely focus on habitat protection, water quality and watershed issues.
Current plans for lakes and streams in the area, as well as recent fish population assessment information are available for review at the DNR’s Grand Marais area fisheries office. For more info, call or email Steve Persons at 218-387-3056 or steve.persons@state.mn.us.
