Protesters on Mille Lacs

What is confusing to me is that one resort owner tried to help the lake by using the governor’s visit as a promotion opportunity. Plus, there was a meeting scheduled to discuss how Dayton might be able to help. The guy kept the season open for the resorts previously, and whether that was a good decision or not it does demonstrate to me at least that he wants to help.

I love fishing Mille Lacs. I am not a local or a property owner up there, though. That’s why I said “from the outside looking in” in my first post.

Crazy…

big_g wrote:

Just think about “why” this protest happened… people had nothing better to do on a saturday morning ? Unless you have been going to the Lake for the last couple decades or so and have witnessed the decline/mismanagement of a once great walleye factory, it might be hard to comprehend what these people were doing. Have you seen these protests before ? Nope. There is one and all of a sudden the arm chair experts magically appear on IDO just ashamed of what is happening. What exactly is happening ? This just didn’t start on saturday morning folks, educate yourself then hit the keyboard. This hardly has given every sportsman a black eye, only ignorant people would lump all sportsman into one bucket. If there were racial slurs being yelled and used, to them folks I say they should stay home, being a racist and an idiot is not helping the cause.

I’m all for healthy protest that focus on the actual issues without the sideshow. The problem I see is that the tribes, the DNR, lake associations, and the politicians all have organization and the resources to push PR efforts that paint them in sympathetic light to the public and in the media. Sportsmen have no such representation. So when something like this happens — when a protest is blurred by racism for example — yes it does reflect negatively on us and makes it easy and convenient to dismiss us all. I’m not saying I have all the ideas but I’d love to be part of a group that was committed to representing our interests while also staying above the fray.

If there were racial slurs thrown out at Linval, then those responsible are just lucky he was in a boat. Pretty sure they wouldn’t have the balls to throw those out on dry land. Talk about grown adults embarrassing themselves, dam shame.

I was not there, I was actually pan fishing a local lake near home… going to the Pond every weekend, really doesn’t seem to happen as much lately. I honestly don’t know if it helped or hurt, but it certainly gave some exposure. For Dayton to blame not meeting with the area business because of this “protest” is plain bs… he never planned on doing it. I remember a very specific Mille Lacs question given to then candidate for Governor Mark Dayton at the Anoka Gamefair… ever since hearing his answer and his actions since, his words mean ZERO to me and I have no respect for the man. He earned that.

Read the 200+ responses from the strib article. Not one resembles our point of view. Some condemning Dayton, some condoning him, while others say the lake is in decline.

No one understands the reasons for the protest. No one.

The key take away for me is that now even the non-tribal Mille Lacs locals are fighting with each other. That, and the people at Fishers seem to be among the more reasonable folks up there.

If Dayton was there to meet with the tribe a resort owner-angler protest might have made sense. But he was there to draw attention to the great fishing opportunities that exist on the lake even while the walleye season is closed!

I equate it to die hard deer hunters having there woods decimated by over harvest… then being told, but the squirrel hunting is fantastic in that woods now. Would the governor really do that hunt or is there another agenda ? Fishers did what they could to make some $$ this weekend.

big_g wrote:

I equate it to die hard deer hunters having there woods decimated by over harvest… then being told, but the squirrel hunting is fantastic in that woods now. Would the governor really do that hunt or is there another agenda ? Fishers did what they could to make some $$ this weekend.

So just to clarify, you are of the opinion that ML has been decimated by over-harvest? Because all I’ve read all year long is how easy it is to catch walleye on the pond.

Yes it is.. it is full of bigger fish, that are starving, hence easy to catch. The 13-20 sliding DNR slot fish over harvest for 20 years has caused this.. and yes, part of the current decimation today, that will continue, is the flourishing of the Pike, Small Mouth and Musky. They are easy to catch because they are starving… if the lake is healthy, why is the season closed ? Did you fish Mille Lacs in the early 90’s or prior ?

Dutchboy wrote:

What exactly has he done besides wring his hands and say he will help? Anything? No, there was plenty of time before the closure to come visit the lake without making a media circus out of it.

Ok, well there is this which I offered to someone else asking the same question. Like the guv or hate him, he did push this deal through…
“Although you asked a question I can answer. The money the state had laying around was in fact given (or loaned) to the local businesses hurting from this.
A year or so ago the state did appropriate $3 million in aid to the affected businesses. Some were no interest $100,000 loans and others were grants up to $5,000. The Mille Lacs lake economic relief program ended this past June 30. Sounds like most if not all available funds were allocated”

And perhaps an ill advised decision to keep the walleye season open last summer despite state anglers surpassing the allowed quota. That can be hung on Dayton too.

So to say he has not helped (or tried) is patently false.

Big_g — I’m just asking questions and trying to understand different perspectives my friend. There seem to be plenty around here — including experienced anglers with years on this lake — who don’t feel the eyes are starving or skinny compared to years past.

I’m inexperienced and not afraid to admit it. That’s why I ask questions.

big_g wrote:

There is one and all of a sudden the arm chair experts magically appear on IDO just ashamed of what is happening. What exactly is happening ? This just didn’t start on saturday morning folks, educate yourself then hit the keyboard.

Ok, if you’re calling out the arm chair experts magically appearing on IDO ashamed of what is happening then I guess I will be the first to raise my hand. What do I know other than I believe I have educated myself to enough degree that before I hit send on the keyboard it is with some level of research.
Regardless, if that is not good enough, the comments I shared in a previous post were from those that have lived and worked and have operated businesses there for generations. I would hope they might offer something of value.

I have no problem reading what others think or believe, even I learn things everyday. But when I read things that are just plain made up or opinions based on feelings and not facts, I will say something. To suggest that all sportsman are people who harass others attempting to Bass fish and call out racial slurs is absurd. I personally know a few of the “protesters” and know they would NEVER holler racial slurs or get in the way of the launch… they were there letting our governor know, they will not go away quietly. For fellow fisher people to suggest that protests such as this should not take place, because the general public will be too ignorant to differentiate from the racist idiots and the legitimately hurt business owners and concerned citizens of the Mille Lacs area is a real shame. But then again, the governor “cancelled” his meeting with area business owners, because of the racist idiots… proving he is not very smart either. For people (including the launch folks) to focus on a few idiots, shows this “protest” is being “steered” in a different direction and is being manipulated.

(FWIW… a 28 inch fish in the early 90’s weighed about 8 lbs… today they are 6.5 lbs.)

john23 wrote:

Why would you hold a protest when a state leader comes with the goal of helping you with your problem?

Because in the last 7 years under that state leader, the quota on the fish paying your bills has gone to nothing. Zero keepers and closed for a month of your 3 month summer season. 40k mythical estimated pound quota on a lake that historically produced 200k-600k lbs actual take. How many attempts has Dayton made to help? Quite a few, and yet here we are.

big_g wrote:

I have no problem reading what others think or believe, even I learn things everyday. But when I read things that are just plain made up or opinions based on feelings and not facts, I will say something. To suggest that all sportsman are people who harass others attempting to Bass fish and call out racial slurs is absurd.

I don’t see where anyone suggested that at all. What I suggested is that when people like that show up at a protest, they make us all look bad, because that’s what makes headlines and anglers don’t have an organized front with a PR machine to show the public otherwise. I believe that makes us easy to ignore.

I’ll repeat that I have no issue with the protest and I’m sure your friends are good people just fighting the fight. But the actions of a few idiots easily obscure all that.

the actions of the idiots are what the media (IDO members included) seem to be focusing on… that’s what I am saying. Quoting the resort owners about what some idiots did, who does that help ? I was taught to ignore and disassociate with people like that.

Here is the problem. Read the comments section of the original post. 90% of those responding have never been to mille lacs or know the history of the lake. They see a 30 second clip on tv and they are experts.

Dutchboy wrote:

Here is the problem. Read the comments section of the original post. 90% of those responding have never been to mille lacs or know the history of the lake. They see a 30 second clip on tv and they are experts.

Exactly. And as stated before, this cause needs some organization and some political influence because the general public simply doesn’t get it or doesn’t care. And politicians are supposed to represent the general public.

It’s just sad that Mille Lacs continues to be this divisive force in our sport. How many years has all of this been going on now? Here we have a rapidly declining fishermen population and when the news is covered every year with all of the Mille Lacs mess, it’s doing no favors to bringing more people into the sport. Instead, people buy their wakeboard boats or pontoons and call it a day.

Is this ever going to be resolved in our lifetime so we can get back to some civility and a booming lake?

I am just SICK of all of it. It’s like the presidential election going on for 2 years, only this is going on for going on a decade now, if not longer.

biggill wrote:

KARE11 article.

Protesters greet Dayton when he fishes on Mille Lacs Lake

http://www.kare11.com/news/protesters-to-greet-dayton-when-he-fishes-on-mille-lacs-lake/454922144

“They just ruined the fishing, we had these boats circling around and heckling, they have a First Amendment right to do that. I’m here to emphasize the positive, to talk about what’s great in Mille Lacs. I’m not going to feed into that negative energy and I’ll meet with them, hear their concerns and respond,” said Dayton.

What he doesn’t know is that this is common etiquette on Mille Lacs.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>john23 wrote:</div>
Why would you hold a protest when a state leader comes with the goal of helping you with your problem?

Because in the last 7 years under that state leader, the quota on the fish paying your bills has gone to nothing. Zero keepers and closed for a month of your 3 month summer season. 40k mythical estimated pound quota on a lake that historically produced 200k-600k lbs actual take. How many attempts has Dayton made to help? Quite a few, and yet here we are.

Lest you forgot, it was the Tribes and the “US Government” who defended the treaty and won a favorable decision in the State Supreme Court.
Been going on for more than the past seven years.
Three governors have held office since that day in 99, a Republican, a Democrat and an Independent,not a single one of them has challenged the decision.
Another court challenge by the State would be costly and Futile.

There was a member here who had the will to put his Nuggies on the line to try and challenge the decision, but he was ridiculed out of here by the know it alls.
Now the same know it alls are pointing fingers and grasping straws trying to blame one person for this disaster.

big_g wrote:

To suggest that all sportsman are people who harass others attempting to Bass fish and call out racial slurs is absurd.

I’m curious what your feelings were after seeing the BLM “protests” and blocking streets/corridors in the MOA, etc?
I can tell you I was not at ML this past weekend to see the “protest” in person, but after seeing/reading some of the witness accounts who were there, I thought of those “protestors” in the same ilk as the BLM protestors with their mis-directed anger and poorly executed protest.
The message is lost when you resort to slurs to get your point across. Those people should be ashamed/embarrassed.
The day of social media wants some folks clamoring for a pulpit to get their attention. They don’t care what the message/protest is, they just want to be part of it.

Quite honestly I seen some real douchebags during the BLM protests…. unfortunately, the only way to get any coverage these days, is to have the boobs there, inciting violence, yelling racial slurs, banging on the drum as loud as they can. Not all protesters stand on the freeway.. the one’s that do, deserve to be run over, the one’s that don’t, won’t. In 1 day, the media has turned it into “Walleye fishermen on Mille Lacs are meanies”.. even though it was a handful out of hundreds. They got the coverage… negative of course.

big_g wrote:

They got the coverage… negative of course.

Exactly. The were likely people who never even fish Mille Lacs or probably not even fish for walleyes.
I can respect the cause for which they protested, but the execution was completely off-base.

So you you think Linda Eno’s tactics helped her cause or hindered her cause.
My opinion, one that has no skin in the gqme, is I wont be putting no more skin in the game that I all ready give.
Does she get a free pass?

1hl&sinker wrote:

So you you think Linda Eno’s tactics helped her cause or hindered her cause.
My opinion, one that has no skin in the game, is I wont be putting no more skin in the game that I all ready give.
Does she get a free pass?

I’m not sure what she has done. I missed it. Can you explain?

jeff_huberty wrote:

Lest you forgot,

The court case was MN vs Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians, not MN vs U.S. Now with the level of federal funding the tribe’s get, it may be a difference in name alone, but a difference none-the-less. Also, the walleye quota in 2010 was 411,500 lbs for the Public and 132,500 lbs for the Tribe. So yeah I think a little blame Governor Dayton’s way is appropriate. Also, I had nothing to do with Steve leaving this site, and usually came to his defense.

The organizers — including Linda Eno, co-owner of Twin Pines Resort near Garrison and Doug Meyenburg, president of Proper Economic Resource Management — say they want to send Dayton a peaceful message about how small businesses around the lake are struggling to survive. They’re telling participants to be respectful of other anglers; wear red, white and blue; and wave American flags.

Who could have issue with this ???

Linda Eno, a resort owner who was one of the organisers of the protest.

big_g wrote:

The organizers — including Linda Eno, co-owner of Twin Pines Resort near Garrison and Doug Meyenburg, president of Proper Economic Resource Management — say they want to send Dayton a peaceful message about how small businesses around the lake are struggling to survive. They’re telling participants to be respectful of other anglers; wear red, white and blue; and wave American flags.

Who could have issue with this ???

Is this what happened or am I watching the wrong channel