The Sauk Centre herald., 1930-11-27
FISHING PROBLEM
HAS BEEN SETTLED
Fish Commissioner Met With
Business Men and Farm
ers Last Evening
FISH HOUSES ALLOWED
Fishing Through Ice With
Hook and Line Prohibited
Netting Provisional

The teapot tempest which was
brewing in Sauk Centre for sever
al weeks subsided quietly last eve
ming.
The trouble arose over the open-
ing of Sauk Lake for netting and
winter fishing with fish houses.
A meeting attended by about $50
farmers and residents of Sauk
Centre was held at the Community
Club rooms to discuss the problem
with Game and Fish Commissioner
The Commissioners
did not arrive until about S:45 be-
ing detained by slippery highways.
President Bishop, Of the Com
munity Club, opened by stating
that the meeting had been called
to discuss the prop osition of open
ing or closing Sauk Lake to winter
fishing. He said the only interest
of the Community Club was what
was for the lasting benefit of Sauk
Lake. He then introduced CON-
missioner Mccullough.
In taking over the meeting the
Commissioner said that the de-
partment desired to cooperate with
the wishes of the people of any
community, save and except when
investigation warranted issuing or
ders in opposition to popular sem
timent.
He said that where summer fish
ing in the lakes was decreasing it
was common sense to close the lake
for winter fishing. He said the.
selfish interest was always pre-
dominant at meetings Of this char
acter. During the past year over
one billion fish fry had been plac-
ed in the lakes of Minnesota. He
said it was impossible for the COM
mission to estimate how any fish
were caught each yeac
In discussing netting he said
that if all the tullibees (whit e
fish, suckers and perch were TAX
en- from the lake wall eyed pike
would soon become extinct as they
largely feed on minnows of these
species.
Andrew Hendrfckson cantended
there were, thousands Of white fish,
some of them weighing as high as
eight pounds, floating to the shore
of Sauk Lake, dead, each summer.
He said the netting season was
practically over. ~z'.-
DR.. A. A. Gales. president of the
Sauk Centre chapter of the Izaak
Walton League, said his organiza-
tion was unaltersbly opposed to
the indiscriminate use of the nets.
He called attention to the fact that
fishing for crappies and pickereI
was growing poorer each year. and
that when a lake was once depict
ed Of fish it was a mighty tough
job to bring it back again. The
gentleman said that he hal placed
all the fish fry sent out by the de-.
partment for the lakes of this COM
munity for the past nine years. His
only interest, he contended, was to
maintain fishing for the kiddies
now in the Kindergarten when they
grew up.
B. F. Dubois paid his respects to
DIR. Gales, calling him a real sports
man, as he always quit fishing
when he had caught couple OF
fish.
DR.. J. A. Dubois criticised the
Game and Fish Commissioner for
sending back to this community
portions Of a letter sent him by a
man from this community, because
1t was bound to create dissention
in the community.
Commissioner Mccullough in
quired as to the number of nets in
the lake. Mr.. Hendrickson said
there were from eight to IL.
L. L. Kells inquired of the men
present who had nets in the lake
as to the number of tullibees they
had caught. Three responded; ac-
cording to their reports only
dozen had been netted this season.
In response to a question put by
the Commissioner as to who would
use nets If the lake was kept open
for this sort of fishing, only IL san
they would.
Mr.. Mccullough stated that in
view Of the fact that such small
number Of tullibbees had been
caught it was apparent that the
state could not afford to keep the
lake open for netting.
There was preponderance Of
sentiment in favor of fish houses,
but practically none in favor Of
fishing with hook and line through
the ice.
The Commissioner stated that an
order would be issued permitting
the use Of fish houses on the entire
Sauk Lake; that the lake would be
closed to fishing through the ice
with hook and line, and that net
ting would be permitted for the
balance Of the season which closes,
1t is understood, Dec. 10.
The decision Of the commissioner
met with the approval
Of a vast majority Of those attend
ing the meeting.