Protesters to Greet Dayton When He Fishes on Mille Lacs Lake

ISLE, Minn. (AP) _ Protesters will be on Mille Lacs Lake to greet Gov. Mark Dayton when he goes bass fishing Saturday.

Walleye fishing -- even catch and release -- is prohibited on the big lake for the next three weeks. The Department of Natural Resources is trying to protect the lake's struggling walleye population from hooking mortality, the problem of fish dying after they're released, which gets worse in warm weather.

Dayton will set out from Fisher's Resort on Saturday to promote Mille Lacs' outstanding bass fishing opportunities.

Critics who claim politics rather than biology guides how the DNR manages the lake's walleyes are organizing a boat rally offshore from the resort. They say they want to send Dayton a peaceful message about how small businesses around the lake are struggling to survive.