Why is motor trolling not allowed on many Wisconsin waters?
First some history of motor trolling in Wisconsin. From 1923, no motor trolling was allowed on inland waters of the state. Five waters were opened for trolling in 1958. During the next few years a few other waters were opened. In 1964, all waters in seven northwestern counties as well as Racine County were opened. In 1970, many waters larger than 500 acres were added, except for muskellunge waters. Motor trolling has been a matter of discussion in Wisconsin for many years. There are differences of opinion regarding the sporting aspects of this angling method and its effect upon fish populations. Many people believe trolling depletes fish populations. In some lakes, motor trolling has increased user conflicts because of the increased acreage used by trollers. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’s (DNR) position is that as long as the daily bag and size limits are followed, the method of capture is irrelevant. We have evaluated muskellunge, northern pike, and walleye angling su
