Mayor Harold Kraus and council members Don Jacobson and Ross Krautkremer indicated they’d prefer to remain neutral on the issue and let those affected most work together on it. They didn’t want to vote for or against the proposal.

Council members Gary Johnson and Fred Heidmann weren’t in attendance.

Mark Bacigalupi, Brainerd Fisheries area supervisor with the DNR, shared a PowerPoint presentation explaining reasons and supporting points to stock muskies in Gull Lake. He sought a resolution of support from the city council.

“We’re trying hard to make fishing as good as it can be, not only for walleyes, but panfish,” he said of Gull Lake, adding that muskies are part of the future of fishing in Minnesota, including as a way to keep youth interested in fishing.

A handout said the DNR cares deeply about improving the fishing experience on the Gull Chain, and walleyes remain the focus on Gull Lake. Also, 2016 fishing reports have been positive, the handout said.

The handout also says:

• Support for the muskie stocking proposal outweighs opposition.

• Sixty years of data show no negative fisheries problems with introduced muskies.

• Muskies are native to the Gull Chain and the Mississippi watershed.

Bacigalupi said requests at the grassroots level led to the proposal to stock muskies in Gull Lake. He reported overall support, but did say that during a public comment period, the DNR received a lot of concerns and a lot of support.

Five people – Ron Faust, who lives on Gull Lake and is a 20-year Gull Chain of Lakes Association member; Dan Padrnos, owner of Gull Four Seasons Resort on Gull Lake; a fishing guide; Jeremy Smith with Lindner Media Productions; and Greg Qualley all spoke in support of muskie stocking. They said muskie fishing is part of the future of Gull Lake, and muskie fishing is missing in the Brainerd area.