September 28... Comunity input on the Sand Lake northern limit.

DNR NEWS – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contacts: David Weitzel, DNR Grand Rapids area fisheries supervisor, 218-328-8835, david.weitzel@state.mn.us; Cheri Zeppelin, northeast region information officer, 218-328-8954 cheri.zeppelin@state.mn.us.

DNR fisheries seeks input on northern pike
regulation proposals in Itasca County

The Grand Rapids area fisheries office of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has scheduled a public open-house meeting to gather input on Northern Pike regulations that have been in place on three lakes in Itasca County. Current regulations are being reviewed for Sand, Bowstring and Round lakes (near Squaw Lake, MN). 

These lakes are managed with a special regulation that allows a possession limit of nine Northern Pike and requires all pike from 22-36 inches to be immediately released.  “This regulation has been in place on these waters since 2007 and the data generally show improvement in the Northern Pike size structures on these waters,” said David Weitzel, area fisheries supervisor. 

“The proposal is to keep the current regulations in place for the time being” said Weitzel.  “There has been a statewide initiative to change the Northern Pike regulations by implementing a zone concept, with Northeast, Northcentral and Southern zone“.  If implemented, the new zone regulation would be similar to the special regulation on Sand, Bowstring, and Round lakes.  This regulation would allow a 10 fish limit with a 22-26 inch protected slot, and allow some exceptions for spear fisherman.  If implemented, the zone proposal is expected to provide similar results on these lakes, and the special regulation may no longer be warranted from a biological perspective.”

The meetings are intended to provide an opportunity to ask the DNR questions before comments are submitted. “Questions and comments can be made at any time during the comment period. We want anglers to be informed and encourage them to ask us any questions they have.  “Successful regulations must balance biological and social concern, so the comment period and the meetings are extremely important to us.  We want to know how anglers value these fisheries and implement the best regulation to ensure that angler expectations are being met,” Weitzel said.  

An open-house meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 28th, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sand Lake Community Center on County Road 4 in Itasca County.

An additional open-house meeting will be held on September 28 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the DNR Headquarters, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, Minn.  

More information is available by contacting the Grand Rapids Area Fisheries office at 218-328-8836 and on the DNR website at www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/grandrapids/index.html.

Comments on the lakes in Itasca County may be made using a standard comment sheet on the website or they may be directed to Dave Weitzel, DNR area fisheries, 1201 E. Highway 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744 or david.weitzel@state.mn.us. Written comments will be accepted until Oct. 10.