With area lakes still frozen over it doesn’t look like any spear fishing will take place this spring on eight lakes located in Cook County, said Fond du Lac fisheries biologist Brian Burkholder.
The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa announced this winter that it intended to exercise its right under the Treaty of 1854 to spear fish on 13 lakes in Lake and Cook counties. But the Band didn’t want to interfere with the Minnesota fishing opener of May 10, and announced its intentions to finish spearing before that date.
“The tribal council hasn’t told me anything different, so I would assume they are sticking with their original plan,” said Burkholder.
About 80 tribal members had signed up for the spring fishing, but Burkholder said he thought about 30 to 40 would travel to Cook County.
The lakes that were on the list included Elbow, Ball Club, Cascade, Fourmile, Pike, Tait, Tom and Caribou.
Leave a Reply