Legislation that seeks to ban the spread of muskie fishing to new lakes in the state will be a sizzling topic of conversation this weekend when the annual Minnesota Muskie Expo opens at Concordia University in St. Paul.

Muskie anglers were poised earlier this year to celebrate an expansion of muskie stocking by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) after years of study and public input. Those hopes were dashed at the 11th hour by a wave of disapproval from lakeshore property owners in Otter Tail County, around the Gull Lake chain, and around Big Marine Lake in Washington County.

Now two bills have been introduced at the Legislature to block the muskie-stocking initiative. The most restrictive is a bill by Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, that would bar the DNR from introducing muskies to any new lakes.

"Sometimes the DNR's rules need to be looked at," Ingebrigtsen said.

Ingebrigtsen said he's not anti-muskie, but has taken stock in a social uprising in his area that sees muskie introductions as potentially harmful to bread-and-butter walleye and panfish lakes.

Aaron Meyer, co-chairman of the Minnesota Muskie and Pike Alliance, said the bills are fueled by fear-mongering by lakeshore property owners who say muskies will decimate walleyes and panfish.

"One thing they are good at is selling garbage," Meyer said of anti-muskie forces. "They don't own these lakes."

The DNR's scientific approach to expanding opportunities for one of the fastest-growing segments of Minnesota sport fishing includes research showing muskellunge coexist with healthy populations of walleye and other game fish.

Paul Hartman, producer of the Muskie Expo, said up to 4,000 muskie anglers will visit 160 booths starting Friday. Action at the Capitol proposing to ban DNR muskie stocking will receive lots of attention, he said.

"It's unfortunate because it takes the decision out of [the DNR's] hands," Hartman said. "It's always whoever yells the loudest."

Tony Kennedy • 612-673-4213