Crescent Lake shifts focus to walleye conservation: trophy bass regulations abandoned

After over two decades of being managed as a trophy bass fishery, with a one fish over 18-inch bag limit per day, regulations on Crescent Lake west of Rhinelander are about to be turned on their head. After seeing walleye recruitment fall off drastically starting in 2018, concerns over that species’ population now trump concerns over the bass population.

According to fisheries supervisor John Kubisiak, the trophy bass regulation of one fish over 18 inches was put into place on Crescent, as it was on other lakes in the Northwoods due to exploding rusty crayfish populations. Smallmouth bass prey on rusty crayfish, and this was seen as a good way to protect harvest and help control rusty crayfish. Now, with those invasive crayfish populations dropping, he said the regulation is no longer needed. Now the walleye population needs help.

Last week the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) held a public meeting regarding proposed changes to both walleye regulations and bass regulations on the lake. Fisheries biologist Nathan Lederman said the DNR started to see walleye reproduction and recruitment numbers fall off in 2018. They wondered if they were the only ones seeing this phenomenon. But when they reached out to the Sokaogon Band of Chippewa Indians from Mole Lake, The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Crescent Lake Association and the Crescent Lake District, they found that all of those partners had the same concerns.

While it was not the answer many in attendance at the meeting wanted, Lederman said there was no clear reason for that drop in recruitment. Likely, he said, there were several reasons that could include habitat loss, development around the lake, the use of chemical treatments, competition for resources and likely more.

While the adult population of walleyes is still at approximately 2.9 per acre, which is still close to the three-per-acre target, it is likely to continue to fall off. In 2024, there were good numbers as far as recruitment, but Lederman said that was due to stocking of large fingerlings in 2023, rather than natural reproduction and recruitment. 

A meeting was held in 2024 with the thought of moving the lake to a Walleye Lakes of Concern status, much like Clear, Katherine and now the Minocqua Chain. Currently there has been no size limit on walleye in Crescent Lake. This regulation would mean an 18-inch minimum size with a protected slot limit of 22-28, and a daily bag limit of one fish. This regulation is meant to allow females to get to a size where they would spawn at least once. It is also somewhat of a mental reminder to anglers that the walleye fishery in a particular lake is in trouble.

Th Walleye Lake of Concern status is one of the questions on the Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) and DNR spring hearings questionnaire this year. The WCC and DNR are looking for support to change Crescent Lake’s bag limit on walleyes to that 18-inch minimum with the protected slot between 22 and 28 with a one fish bag limit. Should there be support for that, it could go into effect for the 2026 fishing season.

In the interim, Lederman said, for the 2025 season, he was looking for support of a 15-inch minimum, with a protected slot of 20-24 inches. This, he said, is the normal walleye regulation for the lakes in the Ceded Territory. This would be the regulation in place while the Walleye Lakes of Concern regulation made its way through the spring hearings process. The normal walleye regulation in the Ceded Territory, with a 15-inch minimum and a 20-24-inch protected slot, could be more quickly implemented while the more restrictive regulation was being debated.

The Ceded Territory regulation, he said, 64% of the spawning fish population of Crescent Lake would be harvestable, based on the data DNR and partners had collected. Conversely, with the Walleye Lakes of Concern regulation, only 21% of the spawning population would be harvestable. 

Several in the audience had questions about tribal harvest and how that might change with this new regulation. Tribal harvest, however, has already been curtailed, as the tribes, too, have a vested interest in the walleye population on the lake. It is likely they would declare only 60 walleyes for their spring spearing season, as they have done in the past. 

The Walleye Lakes of Concern status would also mean continued stocking and monitoring. Crescent Lake receives large fingerling walleyes, from 6-9 inches long, every other year, in odd numbered years That would mean the lake would be stocked again this year.

A question was raised about musky stocking, as there were not enough fish to go around last year, and Crescent Lake was not stocked with those fish. Lederman said they would not receive musky this year simply because the lake was not stocked last year. They would stay on the same rotation and hopefully receive muskies next year.

While it is too late to change the regulation in the printed fishing regulations for 2025, the change will be made online and a regulation change will be posted at the launch ramp at Crescent Lake near the sign urging anglers to practice catch and release of walleyes. Both the lake association and the lake district will play a role as well, helping to get the regulation change information out to people. Should the Walleye Lakes of Concern regulation pass through the spring hearings process that regulation could be put into effect in time to be printed in the 2026 fishing regulations pamphlet. 

The change to the bass regulation, 18-inch size limit with a daily bag limit of one, will change to a five fish daily bag limit with no minimum size limit starting in 2025 and will likely remain regardless of whether the Walleye Lakes of Concern status regulation gets support. Those at the meeting, though, felt there would be support.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at bgaskill@lakelandtimes.com.