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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/7/2009
Posts: 37
Points: 111
Location: St Cloud
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Please email me a copy of the article as well. I'd be interested in reading that letter. nate_r21@hotmail.com
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/19/2009
Posts: 117
Points: 160
Location: the lake
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When we met with the SRCL lake assc. for the first time, it was at the home of the guy who wrote this letter! When he spoke, it was like reading directly out of the SRMM-No More Muskies website, word for word!!
He presents himself as an "educated sportsman", and people are going to listen to him.
The letter basically brought up all the same BS we always hear: There's a good chance muskies will breed and overpopulate -He made sure to reference the completely irrelevant catfish situation just because it riles people up against stocking anything.(never mind the walleyes exist only because of stocking).Muskies are going to harm other gamefish. Muskies will bring more un-needed pressure(funny how these towns strive to promote tourism until someone says that evil word-musky!) Muskies are going to ruin the existing quality fishery, Blah-blah-blah. He made sure to use the term Non-native in reference to muskies too. -(These days we all know all the harm that non-native species can do right? But wait, aren't muskies native to EVERY body of water directly connected to the Mississippi River? Including the Sauk River!) I guess that's irrelevant, huh?
Even though the facts disproving all of it are out there, every time the anti's spout this shit to the public, they get more un-informed people on their side!
We need to get pro-active on this situation.
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/19/2009
Posts: 117
Points: 160
Location: the lake
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I got an article published today in the newspaper. Explained the realities of many of the concerns people are bringing up on stocking muskies. www.sctimes.com -type muskie stocking into the search feature.
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 8/12/2009
Posts: 32
Points: -1
Location: Waite Park, MN
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Excellent article, good tone, very informative, hit the high points of concern. I plan on reproducing it to share with fellow fishermen.
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/19/2009
Posts: 117
Points: 160
Location: the lake
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Progress is being made on our efforts to build support for stocking muskies. I feel that things are going quite well and people are learning the facts about muskies. I think we really have a good shot here!
One of the projects we are currently working on is sending out a mailing containing pamphlets and muskie information to several thousand people living around the Chain, and the other proposed lakes!
We met with the Richmond City Council a few days ago to present information and answer questions. It went very well and the entire discussion had a positive feel!
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/19/2009
Posts: 117
Points: 160
Location: the lake
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Saturday, June 5th is the annual membership meeting for the SRCL lake association(Sauk River Chain of Lakes). The meeting is at 9:00am in Richmond at the Sts.Peter and Paul School, right across the street from the church. Paul Diedrich, Area Fisheries Supervisor, will be speaking to the membership about the muskie stocking proposal. From what I've heard, the general membership will be voting on whether or not they support the proposal. The lake association President has been working to spread his anti-muskie mentality. He's trying to sway the vote, so let's do the same. Everyone who is an SRCL member, or would consider joining, BE THERE! This is your chance to be part of the voice of the lake association. You can join at www.srcl.org or at the door of the meeting. The meeting will only last a couple hours, so you'll still have plenty of time to get out fishing. See you there!
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/19/2009
Posts: 117
Points: 160
Location: the lake
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The lake association sends out notice to local residents (even non-members) inviting the public to the annual meeting. So, if you weren't going to go because you're not a member, don't worry about it. Just BE THERE!
Apparently they will be having petitions to sign both "for" and "against" the proposal.
I think they also will be tallying them up to help them decide what stance to take.
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 8/12/2009
Posts: 32
Points: -1
Location: Waite Park, MN
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I attended the meeting in Richmond this morning. There was a very large crowd -- I'd estimate around at least 150+ people.
The first observation was that, as an association meeting, the chairmanship was very, very disappointing. In parliamentary procedure, chairpersons are to chair, members are to share. If a chair desires to speak to an issue, they are required to "step down" from the podium. Just the opposite took place at this meeting. The chair used his position as a bully pulpit and made both direct and suggestive comments that were negative with regard to musky stocking. The members of the association (that's me now, too) should be very upset about the fairness doctrine that should permeate the meetings and wasn't present. A majority should not rule through intimidation, and that took place. I hope the committee that leads the association gives consideration in the future to a fairer and more appropriate method of managing the meeting process.
Aaron did a magnificent job of sharing from the microphone, in spite of the intimidating atmosphere. He fielded questions with a balanced temperament and gave accurate, informed answers. My hat is off to him!
The amount of unjustified fear and rhetoric was extraordinary. The catfish stocking program's results didn't help things.
This was supplanted by a very narrow focus on wanting to keep the lake just the way it was, to make sure nothing changed. I can empathize with this to a degree. However, everyone has to realize that the lake is owned by everyone, not just shoreline owners. Couple that with having a vision of the fisheries management throughout the state, and capitulating to what is good for everyone, then the DNR plan is a good idea.
The DNR rep asked for a show of hands on who needs more info to make a decision, and hardly a hand went up. A good sign, if indeed the data is being heeded. But the commentary was substantially contrary to the data that has been made available. Science trumped by rhetoric, it seemed, or I just couldn't get a handle on factual points to the negative that were substantive.
It may be not a driving factor, but if folks knew what musky fishermen spent on tackle and supplementary items to sometimes just see a fish, they'd know there's no fisherman stimulating the economy more than a musky fisherman!
What's interesting is that a partnership of folks like Muskies, Inc. and the Lakeshore Ass'n could go a long ways. Learning to "play together" would be more successful. I'd like to know if a walleye fishing club, a bassing club, or the myriad of panfish fishermen are as anal and detailed about their fishing and fisheries as muskie fishermen. That's what has impressed me -- an all-volunteer organization that has more passion for the fish they catch than their own well-being, almost. We all own the lake and have responsibilities, and getting the passionate ones together will only improve the fishery we want for us and future fishermen.
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 4/19/2009
Posts: 117
Points: 160
Location: the lake
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Thanks for the post Tom, that covers it pretty well. And, thanks for being there on Saturday. I don't consider public speaking one of my strong points, but having you and others there for support helped.
This meeting was an example of the typical SRCL meeting. The president certainly takes his opportunities to spread his personal beliefs.
He spent considerable time stating how the DNR won't make the changes they want, so "why should we start a new program when the DNR can't even handle what they're already working on?" The ridiculous part of this is that the walleye fishing is outstanding on the Chain and spending more time/money to change things is un-necessary! Their president (actually, isn't he supposed to be "our"president?) has been told repeatedly that a muskie program would detract NOTHING from the walleye program, yet he continues to spread that lie/fear to the membership.
I will at least give him credit for giving me a fair chance to speak.
I tried to hit some of the main points and then answer questions. I did get somewhat bombarded with negative comments/questions and the general mindset of the membership became apparent, which is this: Most of the opposition to muskies comes from people who are completely un-willing to look at the facts and DO NOT care what type of data is available. They didn't raise their hands to get more information because their minds were made up before they even gave it any thought! They don't WANT the facts, they want to continue their negative beliefs because changing that would require thinking beyond what they think they know.
I have never met a even a single person who looked at the facts with an open mind (whether that be the scientific data or just a common sense/anglers perspective look at the other muskie lakes in MN) who was still able to keep an honest anti-muskie mentality.
An example of the mindset at work here is this... A while back, one of the Board members of the lake assc. stated boldly "I don't know much about it, but I know I'm against it"!!! ...Very intelligent!!!!!!!!
The comments/questions directed at me definitely proved that most of these people HAVE NOT allowed facts to determine their opinion. Most of it is still the belief that muskies are going to ravage the walleye and panfish populations. This has NEVER happened in ANY lake in Minnesota, which is evident in all the studies as well as in simply fishing lakes with muskies. Many, if not most of our top walleye and panfish lakes are also muskie lakes! Yet, I was repeatedly hit with "You can't tell me they're not going to eat all the sunfish".... this often coming from the very same people who were mad when the sunfish limit was reduced from 30 to 20, and who feel they are entitled to a limit of fish every day, day after day.... but somehow the thousands of fish that adds up to won't hurt the population and a handful of muskies is going to destroy it!!??
I also got hit with- "You can't tell me they're going to eat suckers" Really?! Wow! They sure eat them when I use them as bait! Plus, studies repeatedly show that suckers are the preferred forage and the Chain is full of them!!
One of the biggest sources of opposition that keeps getting brought up is the catfish situation. Catfish were stocked in the late 70's and have become extremely prolific. Most of these folks hate them. They keep bringing this up, comparing muskies to catfish. They think muskies are going to overpopulate and take over the lakes. While nothing could be further from the truth, and there is no reasonable correlation between catfish and muskies, they don't want to hear it.... "If catfish are this bad, muskie will only be worse. Next thing you know, we won't be able to catch anything but muskies." Well, the truth is, muskies barely sustain their own numbers in their native lakes and NO stocked muskie lake similar to the Chain has ANY successful natural reproduction.
But, most of these people won't listen to that, and they actually have a severe hatred and distrust for the DNR because of it.
Here's another interesting note. I've been a member of the lake assc. for some time, but our chapter of Muskies Inc. joined as a business member (twice the cost) a year ago, to show them that we support them in their goals and want to work together with them. One of the associations biggest goals is water quality improvements. For the last couple years, our chapter has conducted the largest lake-shore cleanup the Chain has ever seen. Interestingly, when the lake assc. membership list was updated, "somehow" St.Cloud Muskies Inc. didn't show up on the list! We certainly COULD work together and make some great improvements, but it doesn't look like they are interested.
Anyway, they had people sign petitions both for and against the proposal. They said they'll tally the totals and make their official stance based on that. I don't think we'll come out with a victory here.
This is important because the assc. accounts for a couple hundred people and does hold some influence in the final decision made by the DNR. However, we need to remember that even though the lake assc. is a couple hundred people, there are a few THOUSAND people on The Chain and in the surrounding communities. While the lakes associations position does count, we still have the chance to gain support from the surrounding communities as a whole, and from the general fishing public. We just need to be sure to get EVERYONE we know to state their support when the time comes. The public input to the DNR will decide the fate of the proposal.
Everyone needs to keep making contacts and keep spreading the truth and the facts.
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Rank: Big Muskie
Groups: Member
Joined: 2/10/2009
Posts: 125
Points: 375
Location: Stillwater
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we saw it with the game and fish bill - if we keep communicating and showing people the facts it will make a difference. thanks for representing us very well at the meeting, Aaron. we are so close to success it would be a shame to let up now and lose this lake.
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