South Dakota Rejects Proposal to Allow Harvesting of Trophy Muskies
- Wildlife officials in South Dakota attempted to grant anglers the freedom to keep their large muskellunge catches during a regulatory review, but local fishing enthusiasts strongly rejected the...
- The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission considered a policy change that would have dismantled catch-and-release requirements for muskies.
- Anglers voiced intense opposition to the proposed size and bag limit adjustments during public comment periods, pointing to the long-term value of catch-and-release fishing.
Wildlife officials in South Dakota attempted to grant anglers the freedom to keep their large muskellunge catches during a regulatory review, but local fishing enthusiasts strongly rejected the proposition. The pushback successfully led a state commission to strip the harvest proposal from a broader rule package during a monthly meeting in Winner, South Dakota.
Public Pushback Defeats Proposed Muskie Harvest Rules
Protecting Trophy Populations Built Since 2018
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission considered a policy change that would have dismantled catch-and-release requirements for muskies. The existing rules were established in 2018 after dedicated muskie anglers lobbied for protections to help the predatory fish grow larger and live longer. Under the rejected proposal, anglers would have gained the right to harvest one muskie per day, provided the fish measured at least 45 inches in length. Opponents argued that the rule change would ultimately deplete trophy-sized populations in local waterways.
Signatures and Petitions Flood Commission Hearing
Anglers voiced intense opposition to the proposed size and bag limit adjustments during public comment periods, pointing to the long-term value of catch-and-release fishing. Scott Vander Meulen of Sioux Falls presented the commission with a petition bearing signatures from more than 650 people against the measure, while noting that written comments submitted to the department ran overwhelmingly negative. According to Vander Meulen, the chance to catch a trophy muskie relies on the release of established fish so multiple sportsmen can experience the pursuit.
Biologists Cite Low Angler Interest and Rare Catches
State wildlife representatives explained the science and management goals behind the local muskie initiative during the proceedings. Department fisheries biologist Brian Blackwell informed the commission that South Dakota’s muskie program dates back to 1975 and currently manages five stocked lake populations at a density of roughly one fish per 5 acres, alongside populations in the lower Missouri River and other regional lakes. Blackwell noted that the program has struggled with low angler interest and suggested that a harvest option might attract more participants, adding that department sampling rarely turns up muskies exceeding 45 inches.
Conservationists Advocate for Replica Mounts
Dana Rogers, executive director of the South Dakota Wildlife Federation, testified that her organization’s members were firmly against the adjustment. Meanwhile, Josh Karch, president of the Fargo-Moorhead chapter of Muskies Inc., submitted a written statement arguing that other states maintain a 50-inch minimum harvest size and suggesting that replica mounts serve as an ideal alternative for commemorating a trophy fish without removing it from the population. Following the public testimony and department presentation, the commission voted to remove the muskie provision entirely, keeping current catch-and-release protections intact.
