Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approves Minocqua Chain walleye emergency rule

Woodruff, Wis. — The Natural Resources Board (NRB) approved by unanimous decision an emergency rule that led to the opening of walleye harvest to hook-and-line fishermen on the Minoqua Chain of Lakes beginning midnight, May 7.

The emergency rule replaced what had been an  almost decade-long catch-and-release regulation on walleyes on the Minocqua Chain of Lakes in Oneida County.

Lakes in that system include Jerome, Kawaguesaga, Little Tomahawk, Mid, Minocqua, Mud, and Tomahawk lakes, the Minocqua and Tomahawk thoroughfares and connecting waters.

Though now open for harvest, sport anglers are required to practice a highly-restrictive size and daily bag limit. Under the NRB’s emergency rule recommended by the DNR, there is a one-walleye daily bag limit for the entire system. That one walleye must be between 18 and 22 inches, or 28 inches or larger.

“The harvest strategy or the regulation that we’re proposing is one that fisheries use when the goal is rehabilitation of a walleye fishery,” said Scott Loomans DNR policy specialist. “That’s still the goal for this fishery. It’s a regulation that is in place on a couple other lakes in that county. It’s one standard regulation type from the toolbox for this purpose.”

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Lac du Flambeau tribe poised to spear Minocqua chain of lakes in Wisconsin

Emergency rule would open sport fishing on Wisconsin’s Minocqua chain if Lac du Flambeau spears walleyes

Though the approval of the emergency rule took place May 2, the Thursday prior to the May 4 fishing opener, for clerical reasons in the state rule-making process, the fishery wasn’t able to open for anglers until the Tuesday after opening day.

Following the decision by the Lac du Flambeau tribe to spear nearly 993 adult walleyes collectively from Minocqua, Kawaguesaga, and Lake Tomahawk in late April, it forced the hand of the state to also allow for angler harvest.

This comes after nearly a decade of work and handshake agreements between local interest groups, agencies and authorities that kept the fishery from being speared by tribal members, while also being open for catch-and-release walleye fishing for sport-licensed anglers. Lac du Flambeau tribal members were allowed to fish walleyes on the chain by hook-and-line during the closure since the pact did not – at the outset – specify that tribal members would also be covered by the release practice.

The Lac du Flambeau tribe had been a part of a group that dedicated itself to studying and rebuilding the system with adult walleyes over 10 years. However, in 2023 tribal government officials had stopped communicating with members of the interest group, including members of Walleyes For Tomorrow.

That group, in particular, spent tens of thousands of dollars rehabbing the fishery, stocking, building spawning reefs and assisting with population studies through the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission and the DNR. Walleyes for Tomorrow also offered to donate more than $50,000 to the DNR to help staff an additional law enforcement officer to help keep individuals from poaching walleyes during the rehab process.