An area angler is asking the US Fish and Wildlife Service to open more lakes to fishing on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. Eli Perrett has petitions at Tooth and Whisker Outdoors and also at the Trade Winds in Valentine. There is also an online petition at change.org under “re-open Valentine Refuge lakes to ice anglers”.
Perrett says that the petition requests the opening of additional lakes only during the winter months in part because the Valentine Refuge is designated as a waterfowl refuge, in hopes that additional ice fishermen would not disturb nesting ducks or other waterfowl who are laying eggs in the spring.
As reported earlier on KVSH Radio, the US Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a management plan a few years ago, determining which lakes would provide the best opportunities for fish survival and management.