Wisconsin’s walleye and musky opener is back on track for non-tribal anglers after a federal judge put a temporary stop to new fishing limits on nearly 20 Northwoods lakes. A temporary restraining order issued Friday pauses enforcement of Lac du Flambeau Band rules that sought to bar non-tribal anglers and curb the use of forward-facing sonar and certain trolling methods on reservation waters. For opening-weekend regulars, that means anyone with a valid state license can hit those lakes under normal rules while state and tribal officials battle it out in court instead of on the water.
Court order and state filing
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the federal Western District of Wisconsin issued the temporary restraining order on May 1, blocking enforcement of the tribal resolutions for now. The DNR says the state filed a federal complaint asking the court to stop the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians from enforcing those bans against Wisconsin-licensed anglers and added that…..