Fond du Lac to spear walleyes in Cook County

The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has declared 13 lakes in Northeastern Minnesota where its band members will spear walleyes this spring.

Two of the lakes are in St. Louis County, three in Lake County and eight in Cook County.  The lakes in Cook County are Elbow, Tom, Ball Club, Cascade, Pike, Tait, Caribou and Four Mile.

The Duluth News Tribune reports that walleye quotas for each lake differ, with the highest harvest set at 304 on Tait Lake in Cook County.
This marks the first time the Fond du Lac Band, or any band, has formally speared walleyes on lakes in Northeastern Minnesota under treaty rights. The lakes are part of the 1854 ceded territory, where the Fond du Lac, Bois Forte and Grand Portage bands’ rights to hunt, fish and gather are guaranteed under an 1854 treaty.

The Bois Forte and Grand Portage bands reportedly will not spear walleyes in the 1854 treaty area. About 70 of the Fond du Lac Band’s 4,200 members have signed up to spear walleyes in the 1854 ceded territory this spring.

When band members begin spearing depends on the progress of spring. In most years, the window of spearing opportunity would be from about the third week of April to the first week of May. The band has agreed not to be spearing during opening weekend of the Minnesota fishing season, May 10-11.