The Department of Natural Resources wants to know what Minnesota anglers think about a proposal to make the biggest change to northern pike regulations in more than 65 years.
The agency has proposed breaking the state into three zones, each with its own northern pike regulations. The main goal would be to reduce the overabundance of small, hammer-handle-size northerns, which plague many lakes in the north-central region.
Besides being a nuisance to anglers, those small pike also might be hurting panfish populations and reducing the effectiveness of walleye stocking.
"We clearly have an increasing problem with small pike that are causing a lot of ecological issues," said Don Pereira, DNR fisheries chief.
The northern pike bag limit in the north-central region — roughly north of Hwy. 55 and west of Hwy. 53 — would be 10 fish under 22 inches, with two over 26 inches allowed in the 10-fish bag. All northerns 22 to 26 inches would have to be released. The goal would be to gradually increase the average size of pike and reduce the number of smaller ones.
The proposal also would protect large northerns in the northeast and increase the northern population in the south.
This week, the DNR posted details of the proposal and an eight-minute video presentation on its website (mndnr.gov/pike). There, anglers can also ask questions or comment on the proposal and sign up for e-mail updates.
The agency has met with several sportsmen's groups and lake associations, but that only reaches so many anglers, Pereira said. So a random scientific survey of the state's anglers and spearers also will be done this summer to gauge acceptance.
"We have about 500,000 anglers who say they fish for pike," Pereira said. "It's a hugely popular fish."
The preliminary survey results won't be available until December, and then the DNR might hold meetings and likely will go to the Legislature in 2016 to seek regulation changes. Assuming that happens, the new regulations likely would take effect March 1, 2017.
In return for a potentially improved northern fishery, anglers would be faced with more complex regulations under the zone system.
"There definitely will be a learning curve for the angling public, that's for sure," Pereira said.
The proposal isn't intended to produce trophy northerns, and special regulations aimed to do that will remain on some lakes. Reducing the number of "hammer-handle" northerns would take time. The DNR said results should become obvious in five to eight years. But the long-term effects might not be fully seen until a generation of fish has lived under the new regulations. That could take 10 years or more.
Pereira is hopeful the proposal will be a game-changer.
"I sure hope so, because northern pike management has been one of our most vexing problems for a very long time," he said. "I'm very excited."
Doug Smith • dsmith@startribune.com
