# Ideas for new ND Muskie Waters



## tlowes (Dec 17, 2005)

After doing a little research I found 16 lakes in Minnesota that are under 1000 acres (most by quite a bit) and have fishable Muskie populations. I know in another posts, people mentioned they'd like more opportunities to fish Muskies in North Dakota. Any ideas on the lakes you'd like to see stocked . I'd love to hear ideas that people have!


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## Madison (Mar 1, 2002)

Good thread to start and a good site to get the word out and hopefully us ESOX hunters could get more involved in the process..

I myself would like to see Devils, Tschida, SAk, Audobon, as for small waters definately the mclusky chain.

I know some of these lakes may already be stocked but I would like to see them continue to stock..


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## boondocks (Jan 27, 2006)

Love to see Audobon and Sak stocked.What I would also like to see is the G&F to start stocking pure strain musky again.It seems they have turned strictly to tigers the last ten years.I know their cheaper to stock and their catchability factor is a little better,but I think the people that are actually targeting muskys would prefer the larger growing pures over the tigers,especially since 99% of the people fishing for musky are after a trophy.Sorry I got off the original topic.Once again I think Audobon and Sak would be excellent choices for some pure strainers.Great idea for a subject Tlowes.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Well thats a good start...but first what lakes do you have in mind and then lets look at the food chain in the lake to see if it can support a viable population of musky. I get it form you guys that you dont want tigers in these lakes. But lets see what lakes you have in mind and I'll try and give you ideas why they would be good or not. I do agree 100% that we need to take a look at whats out there and capable. If we do things right we could move on this.


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## boondocks (Jan 27, 2006)

I ain't completely against stocking tigers,but I think if they completely abandon the stocking of pures the size factor won't be there as more people continue taking the trophy pures out of the system,there being replaced by the smaller tigers that don't have the size potential or the life span to get as big as the pures.Does any one know if any other lake besides New Johns has been stocked with pure strain musky in the past.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Would Ashtabula work? It's weedy, fairly deep throughout half of it with a max of around 45-50 feet, has billions of bullheads, and good shoreline structure like points, humps, draws and feeder creeks. It gets green and slimy in the summer, and the surface temp maxes out around 80, will that pose a problem? Maybe the muskie is the answer to our bullhead situation in 15 years?


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## Madison (Mar 1, 2002)

njsimonson said:


> Would Ashtabula work? It's weedy, fairly deep throughout half of it with a max of around 45-50 feet, has billions of bullheads, and good shoreline structure like points, humps, draws and feeder creeks. It gets green and slimy in the summer, and the surface temp maxes out around 80, will that pose a problem?


I read a letter from a guy at the Game and Fish that was forwarded to me and basically the G&F basically said the ashtabula will not work.. However I believe ashtabula will work, forage base, acreage, depth are all contributing factors. Stocking is key. I dont think any lake in MN relies on natural reproduction (except in natural muskie waters) so I dont see why ND would have too either....

From what you stated above Nick Ashtabula would be perfect.. My hometown lake is basically a widening in the river and holds good numbers of trophy fish and has all the same characteristics of ashtabula not too mention its also subject too a high human population. So pollution via phos and nitrogen will not impact the fish.. If a skee can live in conditions in MN I almost garuntee fish will survive in this states waters. Some of the best musky fisheries in North America evolve from river systems. French river, ottawa river, winnepeg river, st. croix and the mississippi and list goes on.

80 degree temps will not harm the fish at all and muskies love bullheads!!
Its not the main forage but they will get eaten, I guess ashtabula is full of white suckers also need we say more :idea: .


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

How about Ashtabula, Devils Lake, Stump Lake and Brewer.

Those are my votes!


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## tlowes (Dec 17, 2005)

Great ideas for possible Muskie waters. I said before, I'd love to see G & F try stocking Ashtabula. Stump and Brewer are also interesting picks. Devils Lake could produce some monsters if they could survive the millions of pike that already inhabit the lake. If they put Muskies in Devils Lake, my guess would be they'd be blamed for poor perch fishing and any other problem that could arise in the future. I'd love to see them try it. I'd like to see game and fish come up with some type of plan, Pick a few lakes and be agressive. Since I love bass fishing also I'd also love to see more largemouth waters. Heck ,If I had my way Ashtabula would have giant muskies and great largemouth action too.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Ok, this is great guys! But in order to get it done, first you have to go to the G&F ADVISORY MEETINGS!!! Make sure you show up and voice your opinion. I know many of the G&F employees check out this site and others to stay on the pulse of anglers in ND, but you need to show some face time at those meetings to have any impact. I'll even bring it up, even though I'm not a die-hard muskie angler.

I think an agressive muskie program would be excellent!


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## boondocks (Jan 27, 2006)

Its good to know the G&F keep tabs on this web site.Just the other day I was thinking to myself how helpful a sight like this could be to the G&F to
find out what the people want.When do they have these meetings anyway.
I know devils lake is currently being stocked with skie.Wasn't a 30lber taken out of there not so long ago.Anyone know how long they've been stocking this lake.I'm prety sure they are all tigers,but I may be wrong.


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## Invector (Jan 13, 2006)

Well at one time Ash did have musky put into it...tigers though. The fish realy did not take to the lake and very few have been caught. The river though Valley has had more fish taken form it then the lake had. Stump would be populated by fish from DVL if they would establish a fishable population there. But lets look at a lake for example that had mucky in it and had the state record form it for a while. Speritwood (north of Jamestonw) had skies in it. They had an ok project to try and get those fish to take. But soon after they stoped putting those fish in there mostly due to heat from the land owners out there (again they are eating all the eyes in the lake mentality). I have seen musky out there when I was little. Though now there are next to none out there. There maybe a few but not enough for a viable fishagle population. But now they could with the fact the pike population is so low that finding any type of esox out there is hard to do. Its just the fact looking at a lake that has a good to large pike population it will be hard for purez to establish. The best would be to take a lake that has no pike in it and put purez in there. That would work best.


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## Madison (Mar 1, 2002)

njsimonson said:


> But in order to get it done, first you have to go to the G&F ADVISORY MEETINGS!!!


SOunds good to me.


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

Red Willow had a good musky population until the levels dropped and they had a big winterkill. They could restock Red Willow again. Also I'd like to see Sweetwater north of DL get muskies.


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