Minnesota
Dokken: Walleyes might be prized in Minnesota and North Dakota, but not in this Idaho lake
Now here’s something you’ll never see in Minnesota or North Dakota.
I came across a story from the Idaho Statesman newspaper the other day about a walleye “invasion” in Lake Lowell, a southwestern Idaho lake known for its largemouth bass fishing.
As a result of the unwanted influx, Idaho’s Fish and Game department is asking anglers to have at it with the walleyes, the Idaho Statesman reported. No limits; instead, anglers should “catch, kill and keep” every walleye they catch.
The fish apparently were illegally introduced by a fisherman in 2022, the Statesman reported, and may “be competing and taking food from largemouth bass.” The population has “advanced quickly” since 2022, fisheries biologist Art Butts told the newspaper.
“Idaho and walleye just aren’t a good match in most places,” the newspaper said, citing a news release from Idaho Fish and Game.
“Just because there’s places in the Midwest that do really good with walleye, and they haven’t impacted largemouth bass … that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to have an impact here,” Butts told the Statesman.
Given the mindset of many anglers in Minnesota and North Dakota, where “if it’s not a walleye, it’s not a fish” is a common perception, it might be hard to grasp the concept of walleyes being an undesirable species.
But just like any invasive species, walleyes can have a big-time impact on the ecology of lakes and rivers where they don’t belong. And once the genie’s out of the bottle, so to speak, reversing the impact is difficult, if not impossible.
That’s no different than any other invasive species, whether it’s zebra mussels or jumping carp.
As the Statesman reported, Idaho’s Fish and Game is encouraging anglers to target walleyes, even though it probably won’t fix the problem.
As the old saying goes: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
“We know that angling by itself is probably not going to do much for the population,” Butts says in the article. “Walleye are considered one of the best-eating fish in freshwater, and so while we’ve got this problem, let’s get the word out to folks that might be interested in fishing for them.
“Here’s a place where you … have a good opportunity to do that.”
This isn’t the first time fisheries managers have raised the alarm about walleyes, of course. The Columbia River has long had a population of unwanted walleyes, to the detriment of native salmon species, and now has a reputation as a trophy walleye fishery. As with Lake Lowell in Idaho, there’s no size or bag limit on walleyes in the Columbia River.
There have been other instances of unwanted game fish species, as well, and not just walleyes. According to the National Park Service, non-native lake trout were discovered in Wyoming’s Yellowstone Lake in 1994. Since then, millions of lake trout have been removed from Yellowstone Lake through gillnetting, in an effort to lower the population and lessen the negative impact on native cutthroat trout. Other techniques, such as spreading plant-based pellets over lake trout spawning sites to suffocate the eggs,
also are being explored, the NPS said.
Lake trout are probably my favorite fish to catch, and walleyes are right up there. Just goes to show, I guess – one angler’s prize is another angler’s problem.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again:
There’s something about watching a bobber that just never gets old.
I thought about that again last weekend, when I got the chance to spend a few hours walleye fishing on Devils Lake.
My fishing partners had been over there a few days already and had done well dunking leeches below slip bobbers in about 15 feet of water, give or take, the previous two mornings. Eater-size fish, mostly, with their biggest stretching the tape at 19½ inches.
That fish went back in the lake to hopefully make more anglers’ bobbers sink sometime down the road.
Expecting a spot to produce walleyes three days in a row might be a stretch, especially in a location as small as this particular area, but we decided to give it a few hours anyway.
Boat traffic certainly wouldn’t be a problem. Even though it was a holiday weekend, I was struck by how quiet the lake was – at least in the area where we were fishing. We didn’t see more than a handful of boats the whole time.
Not that I’m complaining, mind you.
The action was considerably slower than what my fishing partners had experienced the previous two days – just my luck – but we still managed to put three eaters in the box during our short time on the water.
I had the pleasure of watching my bobber sink to a 17-inch walleye.
I’ll take fish like that any day of the week. And if getting to watch a bobber sink is part of the deal, all the better.
President Donald Trump said he is ending the temporary protected status (TPS) program for Somalis in Minnesota, “effective immediately,” in a post to Truth Social Friday night.
Newsweek reached out to Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s office for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump’s decision to end TPS for Somali migrants in the North Star State has potentially major implications for immigrant communities, humanitarian protections and U.S. immigration policy.
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the country. Changes to TPS could affect not only the lives of those directly impacted, but also broader debates about deportation policies and the U.S. role in offering safe haven to people from conflict zones.
What To Know
In a post to social media, the president said, “Minnesota, under Governor Waltz [sic], is a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity. I am, as President of the United States, hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota.”
Trump continued, “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER! President DJT”
TPS, established by Congress in 1990, is designed to prevent deportation of people to countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters or other unstable conditions.
This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.
Minnesota
South Central Workforce Council/Minnesota Valley Action Council and Southwest Private Industry Council Receives $500,000 Grant from Department of Employment and Economic Development – Radio Mankato
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded more than $4.8 million to 39 organizations to provide more than 4,000 young people with workforce development and training opportunities.
DEED’s Youth at Work Opportunity Grants Program serves youth of color and youth with disabilities who are economically disadvantaged or considered to be at-risk. Grantees will connect young people ages 14-to-24 with good-paying jobs in high-growth industries, taking a targeted approach for youth who face the largest systemic barriers.
“Youth development and job training is crucial to the wellbeing of our communities and our state’s economy,” said DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek. “At DEED, we take pride in providing opportunities and assistance for some of our most vulnerable community members. Supporting the youth of today helps ensure Minnesota has a healthy and vibrant workforce tomorrow.”
“Across Minnesota, our Youth at Work partners are helping young people gain valuable skills and pursue economic stability,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner for Workforce Development Marc Majors. “We’re proud that these grants will support the next generation in building a stronger and more resilient workforce.”
Youth at Work grantees are listed below (many organizations serve regions beyond the cities in which they are located):
Achieve Twin Cities, Minneapolis – $236,200
African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS), St. Paul – $120,000
African Immigrants Community Services, Minneapolis – $100,000
American Indian OIC, Minneapolis – $100,000
Anoka County Job Training Center, Blaine – $300,000
Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Virginia – $100,000
Bi-County Community Action Programs, Inc., Bemidji – $100,000
Career Solutions, St. Cloud – $242,000
Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services, Inc., Monticello – $300,000
City Academy High School, St. Paul – $100,000
City of Duluth Workforce Development, Duluth – $300,000
City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis – $1,350,000
City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation – Right Track, St. Paul – $1,350,000
Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio, St. Paul – $100,000
Elpis Enterprises, St. Paul – $156,000
Face to Face Health & Counseling Service, Inc., St. Paul – $100,000
Faribault Public Schools, Faribault – $190,000
Genesys Works Twin Cities, St. Paul – $200,000
Greater Bemidji/Minnesota Innovation Initiative, Bemidji – $200,000
Hennepin County Department of Workforce Development, Minneapolis – $300,000
Hired, Minneapolis – $200,000
Independent School District No. 625 (St. Paul Public Schools), St. Paul – $150,000
JET – Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training, Virginia – $300,000
Karen Organization of Minnesota, Roseville – $100,000
MIGIZI Communications, Inc., Minneapolis – $142,000
Minnesota Training Partnership, St. Paul – $100,000
Port Authority of the City of Bloomington, Bloomington – $100,000
Project Legacy, Rochester – $100,000
Red Lake Band of Ojibwe, Redby– $200,000
Rural Minnesota CEP, Inc., Detroit Lakes – $200,000
RWDA 5 – South Central Workforce Council/Minnesota Valley Action Council and Southwest Private Industry Council, Mankato – $500,000
Sabathani Community Center, Minneapolis – $200,000
Smart North, Minneapolis – $200,000
Spark-Y: Youth Action Labs, Minneapolis – $200,000
The Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota, Morton – $150,000
Urban Boatbuilders, St. Paul– $100,000
Wildflyer Coffee, Minneapolis – $200,000
Workforce Development, Inc., Rochester – $200,000
Youthprise, St. Paul – $200,000
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