by James Jung

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Question: In the spring of 2007 I fished the Wisconsin River below the Rhinelander Dam because the walleye season is open year round. I think the DNR needs to maintain the bag limit but allow anglers to harvest walleye under the current 15-inch size limit. I mention this because the fish are all undersize. I feel the fish are stunted and it would be nice to keep some fish.

Answer: In 2006 DNR Fisheries completed a survey of Lake Alice and the Wisconsin River system upstream from that flowage. For walleye in the Wisconsin River system, they found that the fish seem to be growing very close to the statewide average. They also found that Lake Alice and the River have strong reproduction, an adequate number of spawning fish but very few large fish in the system. My hunch is that if the system is close to the statewide average growth rate, and has adequate reproduction a factor may be angler harvest. Remember this system is no longer a polluted waterway in which people are afraid to eat the fish. Also, in the spring of the year Wardens routinely see the, “Walleye Gypsies” who follow the “run” of spawning fish up from the south. Things to consider in the future may be a slot size limit with a reduced bag limit. In addition many anglers have commented that it may be time to consider protecting these spawning game fish as we do in most every other lake and flowage we have in Oneida County. Wardens do see increased angling pressure on the Wisconsin River below the Rhinelander Dam and Lake Alice system during the fish’s most vulnerable time of year.

Question: How do I go about requesting a fish and game rule change? I realize that there are groups and organizations, (some with paid lobbyist), and this can be a very political process. My issue is specific to the size limit of bass on a lake located in Oneida County. Where do I start?

Answer: First check with DNR Fisheries Management and determine if the lake has been studied, if it had net assessments, shocking assessments or a creel survey completed. From those studies do the statistics and the Department’s management practices support your theory on your rule proposal? If it does I would contact a Conservation Congress Member and submit your proposal as a resolution which will be voted on at the annual Spring Meeting held every April. If your resolution is voted on at the spring hearing and supported within Oneida County it will be assigned to the appropriate study committee within the Conservation Congress.

Your proposal may then show up as a Conservation Congress advisory question the following year and be voted on Statewide. This has been the process used by Wisconsin Citizens with fish and game issues for many years and numerous other states envy our system that allows for an individual to initiate a rule change without having politics and paid lobbyists making all of these decisions for us.

To submit questions for consideration in Ask the Warden, email

James.Jung@dnr.state.wi.us

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