Woods & Water (267)
There are a lot of good things to be said about weddings; discounting the food and drink aspect, it is a chance to meet old acquaintances and spend time with relatives.
This past weekend, we attended a relative’s wedding near Galena, Illinois. I had almost forgotten how scenic that area of the state is. The wedding actually took place in Stockton and the reception was held in the town of Darlington, Wisconsin.
During the gap between the wedding and reception, we were able to visit her Uncle Jim’s house in Scales Mound. This outing reminded me of the times we had spent there with my mother-in-law Shirley when visiting her sister Dorothy. Although Shirley and Jean’s Aunt Dorothy have both passed on, the memories of those times were good and it was nice to visit the area again.
At the reception, I talked to Jean’s cousin Bill’s son Ryne about how good the fishing had been in the river this past winter. He asked if I’d ever fished Lake Galena in the Galena territories. I answered that I had sort of fished it once. He laughed and said ‘oh yeah.’
I had hoped to squeak by without that subject being brought up this time. But then again, I knew better because it seems to have been one of the highlights of that particular weekend. I won’t bore you readers with the details of that night, but let’s just say that it was an adventurous endeavor that I somehow managed to survive.
While we were talking about that lake, Ryne brought up a plan his Dad Bill had came up with to secure some new Muskie lures from the same lake. It seems he and a friend had built a crate and were planning on dropping it in the water off a certain point in hopes of a Muskie fisherman snagging it and losing his lure. It was not a well thought out plan and as Bill told the story, Ryne kept repeating, “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Even so, it must have seemed like a good idea at the time. Unfortunately for Bill he built the crate out of wood, you know the material that floats, so they filled it with rocks and it still floated. So, Bill got his jack out of the car and added that for more weight. Finally, it sunk but I had to ask him if he had realized that the jack was probably worth more than a lure. That’s when Ryan piped in once again with the dumbest idea statement.
At the reception, her cousin Bill asked Jean and I if we’d like to go morel hunting with him and her brother Ron the next morning. Although pretty early in the season, their weather seemed to be about a month ahead of time. Bill thought there may be a chance that we’d find some.
The next morning, Jean and I awoke early and headed to Galena through a thick fog. Once we arrived at Bill and Diane’s place, we changed shoes and headed to some woods where Bill had found morels in past years. The first place we visited had a gradual hill that looked innocent enough, until I realized that it was a pretty steady incline and it seemed to take forever to reach the edge of the woods.
Bill loaned me a pair of rubbers that were basically the old farm style two buckle rubbers. I told Bill that wearing these was like walking up the hill wearing ankle weights. We spent quite a while there searching for those mushrooms but didn’t have any luck.
Bill said that he had another spot that we could try, so we drove a few miles to that area. This time we started on the ridge and worked our way across and down to the bottom. With age I have learned that if you don’t walk too far down a hill, the trip back up is not quite so hard.
Although we didn’t find any of those tasty morsels, we did enjoy a beautiful morning and a view of the countryside that was nothing short of magnificent. I spotted a red tail hawk soaring through the opening in the trees halfway down the valley. We also spotted some eagles. I can only leave to your imagination the view from atop the ridge that we were on.
Once we arrived back at the house, Bill discovered a couple of deer ticks had hitched a ride on his scalp. These are the ticks that can lead to Lyme disease. So, after that discovery, we were all a little “itchy” and checking ourselves for those small critters.
The Galena area in itself is well worth a visit. As we drove in the countryside outside of town, it almost took our breath away. The scenery looked like pages that had been torn out of Country magazine. Galena is a small river town with many historic homes and buildings with the main feature being the home of Ulysses S. Grant.
When I talked to Bill about hunting the area he said that he enjoys hunting deer and turkey with his two sons Douglas and Ryne. Like me, he enjoys the time spent with them in the outdoors more than for the hunting itself. He described a morning turkey hunt as one of the most peaceful experiences that you could have.
The dead silence breaks as the sun starts to rise. Small birds’ chirps are soon followed by the crows chattering and calling as they start their morning search for food. Lastly, the turkeys start to call each other.
Turkeys strutting their stuff in and of itself is a sight to behold. He said that Ryne can call a turkey in without using a call, just his mouth, and he can even call in such a way that it settles the turkey down.
I could tell from our conversation that Bill has indeed passed on his love of hunting, fishing and the outdoors to his sons. This is what it is all about, passing it on and sharing what nature has given us with the next generation. I am looking forward to our next visit to this area later this summer.
Until next time, enjoy the outdoors and start making those outdoors memories that will last a lifetime.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Each day, I try to take an early morning walk around the neighborhood and eventually down by the channel. Walking in the early morning makes me feel invigorated and ready to take on the day.
The other day as I went for my early morning walk, (we had just gotten a nice rain the evening before) the birds were chirping and the air was fresh. Everything felt alive. And as I looked out across the lake, I watched the ducks and geese busily doing their thing.
It reminded me of the years our family had spent camping at Spider Lake. It was a peaceful and calming feeling as I remembered some of the great times that our family had enjoyed at that lake. For a few moments, I began to wonder what it would be like to camp at the old resort once again for a night or two.
Our cabin is about 40 minutes away from Spider, so I can easily go there whenever I want. Yet, the thought of spending money for a campsite seemed silly when I tried to rationalize it. I’m not sure why I longed to try camping there again, but I’d guess that it had a lot to do with the enjoyment I felt when arising before sunrise.
Nothing beats walking down to the dock and then slowly motoring away to one of my favorite fishing haunts on that lake. The excitement that I get from fishing early in the morning seems to energize my whole day.
Early morning is usually walleye time and as the morning progresseds, my thoughts turn to northern and musky fishing. Over the years, the family has always favored trolling and we have usually seemed to have pretty good luck when doing just that. I am looking forward to fishing Spider again this year and revisiting some of my favorite fishing spots.
When my grandson Trevor got old enough to hold a fishing rod, he was already casting. In his early years, his love of casting meant a lot of lure fetching and tree branch bending for his grandpa. But, I survived and he eventually became very good at it.
He did learn one thing over the years, “got a snag?” Get it out yourself because grandpa will break your rod if he tries to do it!
Trevor’s love of casting has rubbed off on me and now I like to spend a fair amount of time doing just that. Casting for muskies is one of my favorite things to do when visiting Spider. I will devote a fair amount of time to doing just that again this year.
In all reality, I actually think the fleeting moment I experienced during my walk was an attempt to recapture those days of the past. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and who knows? Maybe I’ll try tenting on one of those National Forest campsites that they have on Spider. I might even get a little frivolous and rent a campsite for a night or two just to see what it would be like to go down memory lane.
Nothing can replace the memories of time spent with my family while the kids were young and eager to learn about the outdoors. Sharing knowledge of the outdoors can be a very rewarding experience and the memories that I have of those days are priceless. I have been lucky enough to have grandsons to share fishing and outdoors experiences with so that we can keep on making those good memories.
On another note, my grandson Trevor has been hunting snow geese during the spring light goose season which runs from March 1st to April 30th. I am amazed at his knowledge of waterfowl and ability to hunt. He and his friend Josh bagged nine snow geese last Saturday, of which there were at least four different species.
Trevor knows every type and plans on getting one or two of them mounted. His dad said that they had fixed some for supper the other night. The meat was tender and tasted far better than a regular goose.
On Saturday’s hunt, he and Josh crawled along a fenceline to get close to a flock of geese. There were numerous holes where coyotes had been digging and about 20 yards ahead stood a coyote just staring at him without any fear.
Trevor’s brother, Taylor, got into the act the following day and has managed to get a few of those geese. Apparently, he didn’t know if he got more satisfaction out of bagging a couple of birds or of just watching them. I guess that flock of snow geese is huge and the sight of that many birds is pretty impressive.
I hope that they will be able to enjoy the sport of hunting for years to come. Grant, my youngest grandson, was kind of bummed out because he isn’t quite old enough to participate yet. But when he is, you can bet he’ll be there. These future sportsmen know the rules and follow them to the tee, which is important in preserving our outdoors heritage.
Sportsmen’s groups like Ducks Unlimited, Minnesota Waterfowl, Minnesota Deer Hunters, Pheasants Forever, Turkey Federation, etc. are working to preserve our habitat and acquire more of it to make sure that there is wildlife for future generations to enjoy. Do your part to support these worthwhile organizations and encourage our youth to participate in an outdoors sport whether it be hunting or fishing.
Until next time, enjoy the outdoors and start making those memories that will last a lifetime.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Have you ever wondered why a bow hunter could spend hours sitting in a tree stand without seeing a deer and come away feeling great? I can relate to it in time spent in a boat or fishing off shore without a bite. It has to be the feeling of self-satisfaction you get from just being there.
This is what separates most outdoorsmen from others; it’s the feeling you get from just participating in the sport. I know it’s always nice to put fish in the live well or strap that big buck across the hood of the car (do people really do that anymore?). I guess I’m dating myself with that one but you get the idea. I’ve just always felt that just being there is the most important part.
There are too many times that the emphasis is put strictly on how many fish you can catch or how much meat you can put in the freezer. There is nothing wrong with that as long as it’s within the legal limit, and if the fun is measured in pounds for you, then have at it.
The reason I mention this is that when my son Brian first started bow hunting as a teen, his Uncle Lynn took him under his wing and taught him about the sport. After Lynn moved away, Brian still had that love for the sport. One day, he asked me if I’d like to ride along with him to check out some of the places that he had hunted with Lynn.
We visited a couple of places over by Bricelyn and Frost looked promising. Although he didn’t hunt on that day, I walked with him into the woods to check it out. I immediately got the feeling that this could be a good way to spend part of a day. It was not so much about the hunting but about the outdoors. I could see that spending a few hours in the woods; deer or no deer; could be quite satisfying.
In lieu of the weather we are experiencing this spring or almost spring, I can’t help but get pumped up for the upcoming fishing season. I suspect that with the early spring everything could evolve a lot earlier as far as water temperatures and spawning. It will be interesting to see if it holds or if we suffer a minor setback in the next couple of weeks. Either way it has been a mild winter and my wallet was very appreciative when it came to the heating bill.
Now is the time to stock up the old tackle box. And with the early spring, I know most of us are rearing to go. But, I have to admit it’s easier to spend time doing that when the weather doesn’t call you to the outdoors.
I’m not saying that I missed a snowy winter or the case of “cabin fever” that accompanies it, but there are times when I’ve almost enjoyed a snowstorm and the cozy feeling that being “holed up” in the house brings.
If you are trying to come up with a different plan for a vacation because of high gas prices you might want to think about camping. It can be a great experience and relatively inexpensive to get started.
I have written numerous times about what a fun family experience camping can be. If you choose to go to a state park, it can be a pretty minimal camping expense.
You can start by purchasing a state park permit for $25, which will get you and your vehicle into any of the 74 parks for the whole season. If you want to sticker more than one vehicle, it is $18 for each additional one. Whether you go to a state park and spend a day, spend a couple of nights or even a week camping, there is something for the whole family to enjoy. If you love nature and love the outdoors, then this could be for you. A sticker is good year round and there are plenty of parks that schedule both summer and winter events.
What a great way to introduce the kids to an outdoors adventure and get them interested in nature. There is nothing better than sitting around a campfire roasting hot dogs or making smores. You’re never too old to be that kid again. This was probably the number one thing that our family looked forward to on every camping vacation.
Camping in a state park starts at $12 a night for rustic. Or you can also get a modern site with bathroom and showers anywhere from $12 to $22. A remote site (a site that cannot be accessed by vehicle) goes from $12 to $22 and an equestrian site can range from $20-$22.
Camping equipment can be as extravagant or as simple as you like. A good flashlight and a lantern are two things that I would highly recommend. I also suggest a tent, sleeping bags, eating and cooking utensils, a box of wooden stick matches, drinking water, wash clothes and towels and last but not least, insect repellent. I did not mention food because unless you are fasting, it is a necessity.
If you are at a park near a lake, you may want to pack some fishing equipment. I don’t think that I’ve ever gone camping without at least taking one fishing rod and some tackle along. That’s just me of course but I have found that you can almost always find a place to wet a line within a few miles of any campground.
If you are interested in planning a visit to a state park, you may purchase a sticker by calling 1-888-646-6367 or buy one when you visit the state park of choice. You can visit the DNR Web site at www.state.mn.us/state_parks/permit to find out about parks and campsites. Some parks have a limited number of cabins available for a fee of $45 without electricity and $50 with electricity. No matter what your pleasure a state park adventure can be a fun and pleasant family experience.
Until next time, take advantage of the nice weather and enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Sometimes, the anticipation is as good as the vacation
Written by Jim LutgensThere is a lot to be said for mild weather and it’s all good. We have really dodged a bullet this winter when it comes to snowfall. The nice weather this past week has really revved up my motor in anticipation of fishing open water once again. The thought of early season “slab” crappies almost gives me goosebumps, so the next step will be deciding what lake I should try first.
For many years, I would spend the spring anticipating the opening of the fishing season by planning which lake I wanted to fish first. A friend once said that vacation is as much about anticipation as it is participation. I can relate to that when thinking back to the years planning a family vacation to the north woods. The excitement would always escalate the closer you’d get to that magic day, but the time spent cleaning reels and inventorying tackle boxes was also quality time.
Whenever we vacationed at Spider Lake, it was a fun time. When the kids were younger the pickup camper seemed to have plenty of room, but as the kids grew older, it appeared to be shrinking. The Friday night before vacation was always a hectic time, and on one particular night while I was putting the camper on the pickup, the jack broke and I couldn’t crank it up.
It was pretty humid that night so it didn’t take too much to irritate me, and my boys must have sensed this and did their part to fuel the fire. I finally got my hydraulic jack in a position to lift it up enough to take the tension off. They were good to help their mother in loading the camper, but whenever I’d get frustrated, bringing out the best in me was what they were really good at.
Sometimes when we get together, the boys seem to take pleasure in bringing up some of those “special moments” that had old Dad in such a frenzy. We can laugh about it now, but at the time, I was pretty much humor impaired.
Looking back at those times spent camping at Spider is a great way to relive some very fond memories. The days spent on the lake were always capped off by nights sitting around the campfire roasting hot dogs and making s’mores. These are the memories I will always have and will definitely revisit from time to time. Teaching your kids an appreciation of the outdoors is a great way to leave your mark and make sure they will pass it on to future generations.
Each year, as I sit in the house on a wintery night planning our next vacation, I have visions of that “lunker” walleye or a “monster” musky taking the lure. I can almost hear the drag whining as it takes line. Ahhh….I can’t wait to be there, but it will be upon us before you know it. I just know that “big one” is out there waiting for me.
Now that I think about it, this is really the thinking of the 10-year-old kid that still resides in this adult body. I guess that feeling is like the feeling I get when coaching a hockey game; if I didn’t get butterflies before a game it would be time to hang it up. I still get that same feeling of excitement whenever I anticipate an upcoming fishing adventure, so I guess you could say that I’m still good to go.
Although my priorities have changed a little, I really enjoy watching my kids and grandkids catch fish and do what I can to make that happen. When my boys were younger I would always wish they could catch fish, secretly hoping that one wouldn’t outdo the other. The thought process was that if they had a good day of fishing, it would in turn keep them excited about the sport.
Over the years, they have caught their share and both of them still love the sport. When my grandsons starting coming along, I wanted to share the experience with them and teach them as much as I could. I wanted to make sure that they had the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors to the fullest. They have actually expanded on that experience to include hunting, which all four of them like to do. They hunt mostly waterfowl, but when we are at the cabin, Trevor and his dad also like to do some grouse hunting.
Fishing is what I am mostly all about. And in the summer when fishing with those boys, I always hope that they can catch that “lunker.” The funny part about all of this is that I still get that “little kid” feeling of excitement whenever I wet a line.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
What most of us who have lived in Minnesota for some time have been saying all along is that we will pay for the nice weather! The northern half of the state got the bulk of the snowfall, while we here in the southern part got some much needed moisture with a rain, sleet and snow mix. For some reason, every time I ventured out in the elements, I could hear the postal workers old motto floating around in my head: “neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow……”
There is one thing certain: we do need the moisture. A dry fall followed by an unusually brown winter has only contributed to the already low water levels. In case you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of ponds and streams that have little or no water in them right now. So any form of moisture will be welcome.
This is the time of the year that puts a lot of sportsmen in limbo. We have seen some pretty unstable conditions for ice fishing in our area this winter, but from reports that I have heard the fishing wasn’t half bad. The walleye and northern fishing seasons have closed in our area of the state. But, for those hardy souls that still want to pursue them, there are panfish and perch to be caught through the ice.
The time for me to start spending some time in the basement rummaging through my tackle boxes is now here. I also plan on spending some time oiling my reels and putting on new line in the next couple of weeks. This is a sure-fire way to get pumped up for the upcoming open water season. This year, I am looking forward to spending more time fishing our local lakes. We have plenty of good fishing lakes around the area that offer some great fishing opportunities so I can’t wait to test the waters.
Some of the area lakes that have been stocked or “reclaimed” in recent years are already showing results. There are also a few area lakes that I haven’t fished in quite some time that are on my to-do list. I am looking forward to spending a lot of time on the water again this year; whether it is on area lakes or northern lakes. I just can’t wait.
Lately, I have found myself drifting off and daydreaming about sitting in a boat on a remote northern Minnesota lake with a soft summer breeze lazily pushing the boat along in a slow drift. Although it was only a daydream, that summer breeze will eventually become a reality. And those remote lakes really do exist and can be found right here in Minnesota.
These lakes may not always be holding the “lunker” that you are seeking, but you never know. That fish may be just around the next bend or on the other side of that distant point. This is the great part of fishing; knowing that you don’t really know what lurks in the depths of some of these lakes. I still get excited when fishing a body of water that I have not fished before.
I actually look forward to returning to some of the lakes that I have only fished a time or two. Each year, I try to fish at least one lake for the first time. I guess my goal is to fish as many different lakes as I can while still taking the time to revisit some old favorites. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to see enough of the 10,000 in my lifetime, but I do hope to put a small dent in that number while I am still able to bait a hook or cast a lure.
Just the thought of casting a lure to a spot that I could only imagine is holding fish gives me a chill of excitement. This is indeed the kid in me getting revved up for another year of fishing.
I have always wondered if I would ever tire or get complacent with the thought of another fishing adventure, but so far that is definitely not the case. In the weeks to follow, I will no doubt be arranging and rearranging my tackle boxes and taking inventory to see what “necessities” I will need to refurbish.
The idea of heading to Cabela’s or Fleet Farm to replenish my jig and plastics supply is becoming more appealing to me with each passing day. I will, no doubt, be checking out the latest “surefire lure” that is sure to catch any unsuspecting fisherman lurking in the aisle of the sporting goods store. Purchasing just one of these lures can make the average fisherman feel like he is on top of his game and has been keeping up with the latest fishing technology.
If you want to see what’s new in the outdoors world for the upcoming year, you can visit one of the many Sportsman’s Shows that are scheduled in the coming month. Starting with the Minnesota Deer Classic & Outdoor Expo March 9th – 11th in the Coliseum Building at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul. The largest of these expos is probably The Northwest Sportshow which lasts for 5 days starting March 28th and runs through April 1st at the Minneapolis Convention Center. If it is outdoors, I will be at this event. I have not attended this show for quite some time but to me it is kind of like the State Fair of sport shows.
This is a good way to cure those winter blahs and get pumped up for summer. I have also caught myself channel surfing for fishing shows more frequently as this year’s version of winter lingers on. This is just another way of relieving the dreaded disease called “cabin fever” whenever you feel these symptoms coming on.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fishin’ and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience. Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
As I was driving north on Bridge Street one day this past week, I looked out across the slough in my old neighborhood and thought back to the many days I spent hanging out at “the bridge” and of all the fun we had there as kids. I had to wonder just how many hours I spent at that bridge with my friends or exploring the wilds of the slough.
Winter time always seemed to be the season that challenged our creativity more than any other. None of us kids was the type to hang out indoors doing nothing when we could be out having snowball fights, building snow forts, exploring the wilderness of the slough or searching for a new place for sledding.
The hill we frequented as kids is still there on the south edge of the slough just a couple of hundred yards from where the old bridge once was. We ventured out to the hill on more than one occasion to see if that steep little hill could offer any fun for a bunch of adventurous kids. Although the hill wasn’t very long, it was extremely steep and it was quite a challenging climb to the top for such a short thrill. The ride down was swift, but once you reached the bottom it was short lived because of the cat tails and slough grass. It was quite a jaunt from home because there was just no easy way to get there. This however seemed to be the part we took as a challenge and as kids we were all about challenge.
What better way to spend a big part of your Saturday than trudging through the slough on a way to just another great adventure? I have mentioned it before that when a kid’s imagination is allowed to flourish, many good things are created. Whenever I ventured out into the slough I always felt like some sort of an adventurer and sometimes you could be that boyhood hero you always admired. In the winter time, I was usually Sgt. Preston of the Yukon or a frontiersman from the Northwest Territories fighting Indians and bad guys.
On almost every trip, we seemed to spot our share of wildlife and probably the most memorable for me was this large white owl that on one occasion had perched on a tree not far from where we were sledding. I watched as it swooped down to catch a field mouse or some other furry critter that had ventured too far out into the open. This was nature at its best. I could only marvel at the sight of nature’s cycle of life in action.
As we would work our way through the slough to the hill, there were many signs of life in the snow. Rabbit and pheasant tracks were all over and occasionally, you would scare one up which probably scared me more than the critter. I can still remember the excitement when we’d spot a set of tracks we were convinced belonged to a red fox or some other critter we considered dangerous.
Just spending a large part of the day in that slough had many rewards, but of course there was always a downside. Hands and feet would eventually get cold because the gloves would only stay dry for so long, and there was the matter of frozen pant legs. After so much sliding your snow-covered pants would also get wet and your cuffs would bang together like a couple of pieces of wood. If you weren’t careful, the old five-buckle overshoes would get snow down inside them and things would really start to take a turn. I still get goose bumps when I think of the pain that came with warming my half-frozen feet by the old heat register. If I have forgotten most of the other painful experiences of my youth, that one is forever etched into my memory.
Once you were wet and cold and quite a trudging distance from home, it was time to call it a day. I have mentioned before there was always the saving face thing where none of us wanted to be the first to give in, but there were ways around that. Having a pre-set time that your mom said you just had to be home by was always a good excuse.
Unfortunately, nobody carried a watch or had any of the modern convenience of today’s world so you had to guess by how high or low the sun was in the sky. There was another good excuse for leaving, ”I think I hear your mom calling.” Everyone would listen for that phantom call and eventually it would be agreed that it was time to call it a day.
It was sort of a “been there and done that” kind of thing. We came, we saw, we conquered, sort of, and now we knew what it was like to slide down a hill we had never visited before.
Except for a snow saucer, I only had one sled my entire childhood and that was a Radio Flyer. It was the shorter version but it worked quite well for me. I still have that old sled hanging in the garage and every once in a while I’ll pause and look at it and think of some of the good times that sled has shown me. I have long since grown too big (*see old) to use it, but it sure is fun to remember the good times that old sled and I had shared.
Our youth of today need to be encouraged to explore the outdoors and use their imagination to create some fun of their own. Whether it is fishing, hunting, camping or just spending time exploring nature, teaching them the outdoors experience will build our future sportsmen and women of tomorrow.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fishin’ and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms we have today.
Walk-in access program could, should continue
Written by Jim Lutgens(Editor’s note: Star Eagle Outdoors Writer Dick Herfindahl has chosen to forgo this week’s column and let a guest columnist take his place)
By KEVIN AUSLUND
Minnesota hunters are for the most part, homeless people. Those who cherish pheasant, duck, turkey and deer hunting in agricultural areas are seeing fewer opportunities for access each year. Our land-owning relatives are getting older or dying, lands are going on auction blocks, CRP is being pulled out for row cropping and what habitat is left (private and public) is hit hard by hunters looking for a place to call home.
However, some hope was seen last fall with the opening of Minnesota’s first Walk-In Access program with about 9,000 acres and 90 new properties available for public hunting.
The goal of the DNR had been to enroll 10,000 acres of walk-in access during the summer of 2011 but with a month-long legislative shutdown of the agency, just reaching 9,000 acres was quite an accomplishment. Even more encouraging was that 75% of the enrolled landowners opted for multi-year signups, so the DNR already has 6,000 acres pre-enrolled for 2012.
Funding for 2012 has already been received by the DNR from the 2008 Federal Farm Bill and will provide 25,000 acres with about 250 more public hunting areas averaging 100 acres apiece in southwest Minnesota.
Now for the bad news, Minnesota’s walk-in access program comes to a screeching halt for year 2013 since the third year of Federal funding has been eliminated in Washington, D.C. by the U.S. House and Senate. Consequently, unless Minnesota comes up with its own funding of roughly $1 million, the 2013 DNR goal of 50,000 acres will not be met. At a time when participation in the outdoors is being challenged by mind-entranced youth huddled over their Smart Phones, X-Boxes, Wii, and assorted computer games, it is up to us adults to work with legislators to see if this access program for the public’s benefit will continue.
Some of Minnesota’s sportsmen would rather fall on their swords than have any state lease program with landowners. Their rationale is, “It’s better for the state to buy and own every acre rather than put money in a yearly lease.” However, prices often exceed $5,000 per acre for agricultural land, compared to $20 per acre (including signage and administration costs) for a yearly walk-in access lease. You have to scratch your head and rethink this all-or-nothing fee-title approach. Quite frankly, $1million doesn’t go that far nowadays when talking about land acquisition.
For the sake of comparison, let’s take an ultra-conservative view and say the poorest of the poor land that might be available for purchase is $3,000 per acre of rocky, sandy, hilly land that probably is better for pasture than farming. You are looking at about $500,000 for a 160-acre parcel when you include miscellaneous expenses, such as appraisal, legal and site preparation fees.
Compare this purchase price of just one parcel of 160 acres to the same cost of leasing 250 parcels covering 25,000 acres of walk-in access and you have to wonder if there isn’t room for a modest walk-in program to complement ongoing fee-title purchases. While walk-in access is an annual lease program, it does provide a large amount of land to be signed up in a very short amount of time to service a very large number of hunters. A walk-in property can be signed up in a matter or weeks, while the outright purchase of land often takes years.
In 2011, Minnesota saw 95,000 acres of CRP habitat lost because it was not reenrolled during the spring’s CRP signup. These acres will undoubtedly go under the plow in 2012. That’s 95,000 acres fewer for hunting and wildlife production. In 2012, there are about 300,000 acres of CRP ready to expire.
We need to continue a walk-in program and keep what lands we can in habitat with those landowners that are willing to do so. But we need to offset higher taxes with something— namely, public walk-in compensation. Whether it is a robust $1-million-per year, ongoing program providing 50,000 acres and 500 walk-in areas, or a more modest $500,000-a-year providing 25,000 acres and 250 hunting areas, we need to continue the WIA program.
While the continued acquisition of land open to public hunting for wildlife management areas and waterfowl production areas should continue since it offers permanence on the landscape, we can’t ignore the sheer number of acres made available for public hunting in farmland areas via a state-leased WIA program. There is no reason we can’t have both.
With the Legislature’s help, it may boil down to creating a new stamp for the price of a $10 or $12 box of shells in order to keep 25,000 acres and 250 new public hunting areas in the growing black desert of our farmland areas. This stamp would be optional; only those who want access to these walk-in areas would pay for the stamp in order to hunt these lands.
There are positive opportunities for Minnesota’s hunters in having a WIA program. Think it over. Is it worth a box of shells?
The author hosts the show Conservation Sportsman News seen on Metro Cable Television Channel 6. Readers may email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The show’s Web site is www.conservationsportsman.org.
Ice fishing still going strong on some lakes
Written by Jim LutgensWith the weather we have been experiencing, the ice conditions may not be ideal in our part of the state, but there is still fishing to be done before the February 26th deadline for game fish. Crappies, sunnies and perch are continuous.
Locally, the walleye bite has slowed down but there are still perch, crappie and sunnies to be had. The City Beach area seems to be best for sunnies. Crappies have been biting on some areas of Fountain and also in the channel. The ice on Fountain is 7-10 inches in most areas and the channel is reportedly quite a bit thicker.
I find it amazing we have so many fishermen in the area who enjoy the sport of ice fishing. I guess amazing is a pretty strong statement considering we are Minnesotans and most of us do love our outdoors, but just counting the number of houses on the channel, permanent or temporary, it is pretty impressive.
The thing about ice fishing is that you can sit on the water in a portable shelter or just on a bucket and still not have a lot of money invested. This is a great way to take advantage of another one of the things that our great outdoors has to offer the sportsman in Minnesota.
This is the time of year when I usually start to get the dreaded “cabin fever.” However, this year’s mild winter almost makes me feel guilty about wishing for spring. If you want to do a little “damage control” and make waiting for spring a little easier, there are numerous sports shows coming up in the next couple months. Although I haven’t attended one for quite a few years, I have always found them to be a great way to get the adrenaline flowing and the blood pumping in anticipation of the open water fishing that lies ahead.
Another great pacifier for open water fishing is watching fishing shows. Although I don’t see myself fishing for peacock bass in South America or marlin off the coast of Florida, there are numerous shows that concentrate on fishing in the Midwest. In fact, a variety of shows concentrate on Minnesota and Wisconsin in particular.
Looking back at past winters that were indeed a lot more seasonal, I can recall spending many a Saturday afternoon in the basement cleaning out and rearranging my tackle boxes while listening to Ray Christensen broadcasting Gopher basketball games or Al Shaver calling a North Stars hockey game. To me, Ray Christensen was the voice of Gopher sports and Al Shaver could call a hockey game like no other. As for the cleaning of tackle boxes, just listening to those two guys made it that much more enjoyable.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fishin’ and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Here it is February already and we await the return of that once-a-year meteorologist, Punxsutawney Phil, to tell us if we will have an early spring. I am no weather man, but it sure feels like it’s been spring for most of the winter. Like so many of us die-hard Minnesotans, I am waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. I know most of us feel in the back of our minds we will pay dearly for this unseasonably warm winter weather we have been experiencing. All that I can say is “savor the moment” and enjoy.
Last weekend was actually a perfect one for outdoors activities. The parks were open; temperatures were in the 20s so conditions were perfect for some outdoors activities like skating or fishing. It was a great time for a little ice fishing, so my grandson Trevor asked his grandpa if he’d like to do a little fishing on Saturday afternoon. I jumped at the offer and was rewarded not as much by the fish, but by the opportunity to spend some quality time with my oldest grandson. I told Trevor he was paying me back for all the times I had taken him, his brother and cousin fishing at the channel or other places on Fountain Lake.
Most of my time was spent retrieving bobbers from tree branches or trying to “horse” a sunken tree branch out of the bottom of the lake without breaking the line. This was all part of the learning experience for the grandkids, not to mention Grandpa.
There were times when I didn’t understand why they couldn’t just cast it out and leave it alone until the fish were willing to bite. Trevor was never satisfied with that; he always had to be casting or changing lures at even a young age. Luckily, he didn’t listen to Grandpa that much because he has indeed turned into quite a fisherman.
For quite a few years before buying our land up north, he tagged along to the camper we kept on Lake Tetonka. He was always fishing, but if he went over to the lake on his own, he had to always wear his life jacket. Even then, there was a good chance he would come back with at least wet feet. He was never satisfied to sit on the dock and fish; he’d make his way along the shore looking for that perfect fishing hole.
When we first had our place up north, Trevor, his grandma and I made quite a few trips up there. He and I would usually be the ones who went fishing, but his grandma also went along on quite a few of our excursions to different lakes. One of the most memorable was on a little lake not too far from our place where grandma caught about an 8-lb. northern.
I think Trevor was just as excited for her as she was to catch it. Although I’ve caught muskies in the 20-lb. class, I’ve never caught a northern bigger than 9 lbs. This fall, Trevor surpassed my family record with a 10-plus-lb. pike.
There are times when I think back to my childhood and remember how I would dream about going up north fishing or to some remote wilderness lake in search of fish that had not seen another living person. The stories and articles I read in various outdoors magazines always kept my dreams alive, especially during the winter months.
My only ice fishing experiences as a youth were when the folks would take me to Beaver or St. Olaf Lake for their annual ice fishing contests. The folks dropped me off at the contest and mom would make sure I was set up. After doing so, they made their escape to the store/tavern to socialize with friends. My mother would stop back periodically to check on me to see how I was doing and make sure I was O.K.
Back then, there were no snowmobile boots, just five-buckle overshoes, chopper mittens, long johns, snow pants and a parka which were the warmest clothes I had. There was no such thing as Thinsulate or Gortex, just layers of cotton and wool.
After a couple of hours on the ice, my feet would start to tingle. Once they got chilled, you may as well call it a day because the cold would go all the way through. The sacrifice was well worth it however, because if you were lucky you might just land a 5 or 6-inch perch. It wouldn’t do much for your place in the contest, but at least it was a fish.
It’s funny, but understandable how a fish of any size can seem like a trophy to a kid. Kids don’t have to catch that “record” fish. They just need to catch fish. I guess I was reverting back to my childhood the other day when fishing with Trevor because catching just a couple of small perch while spending quality time with my oldest grandson felt awfully good to me. It was a great time fishing on Fountain Lake with him. I think it made me feel a little younger, almost like that kid again. That is just another great memory that I will always have to cherish.
MUSKIE TALK
The February meeting of Crossroads Chapter of Muskies Inc. was February 8 at the Eagles Club in Owatonna. Meetings include informative speakers, up dates, door prizes and raffle. and lots of muskie talk and ideas.
Coming events:
• Saturday, Feb.11— Cabelas kids ice fishing day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Need members to help.
• Saturday Feb. 25th — Keep this day open. Our first chapter Bait Makers Expo, and lure Swap at Eagles in Owatonna. You may find a something different or a hard to find lure you have been looking for. Open to public 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults $3 admission.
Our regular meetings are second Wednesday of each month. Anyone interested in muskie fishing always welcome. Check our Web site for more info at www.michapter54.com. Need not be a member to attend. Bring a friend, help us improve muskie fishing in Southern Minnesota.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fishin’ and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Once again, winter has finally made an appearance in our area of the state. Although most of you probably don’t feel that a brown winter is a bad thing, the snowfall brings much needed moisture to the area. This past week was also a reality check and reminded us of what time of the year it is and that we still have a lot of winter weather ahead. The number of ice fishing houses sitting on the channel each day is evidence that many Minnesotans actually embrace winter’s bite and look forward to it.
On this note, I need to mention an error in my last week’s column where I had mentioned a nice walleye that my grandson Trevor had caught. I accidently listed it as a 25-1/2 lb. walleye, but it was in reality a 25-1/2 incher. Now, I know that most fishermen are known to stretch the truth a little, but in this case, it was just a matter of thinking one thing and typing another.
Luckily, my brother-in-law Lynn who lives in Nome, Alaska and seems to have plenty of time on his hands during the winter months was quick to call and point out my error. He went on to ask me if he could see the picture of that “monster” which would be a record for sure. I wish that he could proofread all of my stories before they go to print.
Speaking of Lynn, they have been experiencing some very cold weather this year in Nome. The Nome area had a shortage of fuel because of that tanker that struggled to get into Nome because of the early ice-over in the Bering Sea. About three weeks ago when we were basking in 50 degree weather, he called and said that it was -37 degrees.
I had to let him know what our high was +52 that day. I look at this as a little payback for summer when he calls and asks if it’s warm here, knowing full well that it is about 98 at the time. It’s all good-natured fun that we both like to participate in.
I have always looked at snow as one of Mother Nature’s ways of making things seem so clean and fresh. Now, shoveling clean and fresh may not be one of my favorite things, but even that has some redeeming exercise qualities alongside the old snow scoop.
When we bought the snow blower a couple of years back, I thought things would be great. I almost felt like I was losing an old friend when the faithful scoop was put on the inactive list. I had nothing to worry about.
However, when starting the snow blower a problem arose. A leaky gas tank meant I had to bring the scoop out of retirement. I guess simple is still pretty effective as there are no parts to replace and starting it is as easy as motivating the operator.
The sight of little critter tracks in the snow has always given me a certain feeling that nature is on the right track (pun intended). We have some resident rabbits living in the backyard. And from time to time, I will see one of them sitting in the front yard as if it were checking out the traffic, or lack of it.
To me there is nothing more relaxing than taking a drive in the country as the light of the moon lights up the snow covered landscape. In recent years, we have been seeing increased numbers of coyotes. In fact, sometimes at night my son Brian, who lives in the country, says that he can hear them howling in the woods behind their place. I don’t know what the coyote population is in our area, but I do know that it has been growing each year. The sound of calling coyotes reassures me that there are still parts of nature that man cannot totally control. I also think that their presence has probably been one of the contributors to the decrease in numbers of the pheasant population.
Although I had some serious doubts about it happening this year, the warming houses are finally open at the parks. It just wouldn’t feel like it was winter if I didn’t hear the banging of pucks against the boards or see the lights shining in the night sky a block away from our house. When our boys were young, they spent every spare moment of their winter at Academy Park. I have always felt that the park is where kids really learned to play hockey.
You could tell that it was a fun time for them when the boys would come home and tell us that they were playing hockey with some of the high school players in a pickup game. This was a big deal to young aspiring hockey players, as it taught them to love the game where no stats were kept and the only thing that counted was how much fun you had. The one thing about hockey that makes it special is that everyone contributes and everyone touches the puck at one time or another during a game. I guess that is one reason why I still enjoy coaching youth hocke. It is a team sport and while some kids strive to be the best they can be, others play because they love the sport and just want to have the fun of participating.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fishin’ and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
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I was reading the latest issue of Outdoor News the other day and noticed that one of the readers had voiced his concern about the vanishing wetlands. With the price of corn and the demand for it being what it is plus the lack of Federal Government support, more farmers will likely be opting out of the CRP program when their contracts expire. This along with the extensive tiling of wetlands that is being done to create more tillable land is a very scary situation. The loss of this habitat will affect every phase of the outdoors environment whether directly or indirectly.
The low water levels of the area will also have an effect on habitat. If you take a drive in the country you can see the dried up ponds and creeks that have just a trace of the water that they once held. Hopefully, we will receive some much needed snowfall (not a fan of shoveling) or some substantial spring rains to bring the water levels back up.
I understand that money matters when it comes to farming. It is their livelihood. But, we also need to look at the long range effect it can have on our game and fish populations. Us sportsmen need to applaud those that choose to set aside a little land for habitat, as they are doing their share to preserve our outdoors heritage.
Each year, there are some legislators that seem to be constantly looking for ways to dip into, change or eliminate the Lessard-Sams Heritage bill. With more and more CRP land being taken away, we need to ensure that there is enough land for habitat to survive, especially in our area of the state. WMAs (Wildlife Management Areas) are a huge part of preserving our heritage and it is important that more WMA land is being purchased when it is made available.
All the wildlife that we enjoy can be affected by lack of habitat. The things that we sometimes take for granted like a soaring hawk, a beautiful rooster pheasant, wild turkeys, deer and other critters, may eventually be hard to find.
One thing that I do know is that there are a lot of squirrels and rabbits that actually seem to be thriving on city life. I guess it shows that any wild critter will eventually adjust to co-existing with humans. I on the other hand seem to have a little problem adjusting to the idea of my garage being a giant squirrel’s nest. They seem to take particular joy in knocking different things off of the shelves in my garage. Those little bushy-tailed rats haven’t broken anything for awhile. But then again, there is nothing left to break that hasn’t already fallen victim to their hijinks.
I still enjoy watching them at play but sometimes I just get the feeling that they are occasionally taunting me with their chatter. All in all, they are still part of natures plan and the good thing is that they haven’t figured out a way to get into my house as of yet.
The winter that we have been experiencing so far has been pretty unbelievable. My grandson Trevor has been fishing through the ice on a regular basis and has been having some pretty good luck. The other night he pulled a 25.5 lb. walleye through the ice. He quickly took a picture of and then released.
He also said that he has caught a lot of smaller walleyes that were in the 10-12 inch range. Those he also released to grow into “eaters” in another year or so. From the looks of the number of houses on the channel, the bite must be pretty good this year. I know that last year it was pretty slim pickings for the most part so a year like this is a welcome change. I’ve heard that the bite has switched from the wily walleye to crappies.
I have spotted a few vehicles out on the ice in the last week, but from some of the reports, I’ve heard the ice was actually pretty thin in spots and there was even open water in some areas. With the unstable temperatures we’ve been having, I don’t really know if it is the wisest move to be driving on the ice in the channel even with the colder weather. I don’t believe that saving a few steps to the fish house is worth the cost of extracting your vehicle from the lake or worse. These are just my thoughts though, as I am definitely a “thick ice” fisherman.
DNR survey shows fewest fish houses on South Central Minnesota lakes in 35 years
Warm weather, eroding ice conditions, and changing technology may be responsible for the lowest numbers of fish houses on south-central Minnesota lakes in 35 years, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
Since 1977, personnel from the DNR’s Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area have conducted fish house counts on up to 59 lakes across five and more recently seven counties. “The surveys get us out on our area lakes during the winter,” according to Lee Sundmark, area fisheries supervisor. “Even better, it gives us a chance to talk to anglers.”
Over the past 35 years, there has been an average of 14.25 fish houses counted per lake surveyed. This year the average was only 1.9.
Another trend impacting survey numbers is changing technology with ice fishing anglers. Sundmark said that through the years there has been a dramatic shift from anglers using permanent fish houses to anglers fishing in portable ones.
The forecast of cooler temperatures should improve ice conditions and bring more anglers out on lakes, but Sundmark advises caution. “Make sure you know your lake and check ice thickness,” he said.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fishin’ and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
There are some things Minnesotans never get tired of talking about like the weather, the woes of their favorite sports teams and the good old days. While the weather is always an ice breaker when starting a conversation, a person doesn’t start on a positive note when you begin a conversation with, “How about those Vikings?” As far as the good old days, that is a neverending conversation piece that I am always ready to embellish.
When talking about the good old days in the outdoors, there are a lot of fond memories that can be revisited. I always remember the days of reading and re-reading articles in my old Sports Afield or Outdoor Life magazines. My cousin Tom had gave me a bunch of his old hunting and fishing magazines when he left for the Army, which are now some of my treasured possessions. I still have some of them stored in a box in the attic. I don’t know how many times I had read many of the same articles over and over again and never grew tired of them.
In those days, reading was a very important part of my life. There were no batteries needed to read a book and if I had a certain book that I wanted to read, I can remember checking at the school library at Southwest to see if they had that book. If they did and it was already checked out, I’d keep going back until I got my chance. My main interests were stories and books about the outdoors. Jim Kjelgaard was my favorite author.
There were also books about football that centered mainly on the Ivy League schools such as Brown and Yale. Others were rich in the history of college football and were usually about someone trying to make the team and becoming an unlikely hero. Also on my list of favorites were stories about WWII and the heroic feats preformed by real men during the war.
I was also infatuated with the stories of the early settlers and the American Revolution. This is good stuff to know; you learn how our country was formed and of the sacrifices men made to establish the freedoms that we have today. Reading books is a great way to put you in the middle of history or of getting away and visiting another place in time.
On another note, the good old days were also simpler times, but in some ways harder times. I can remember going to town on Saturday morning grocery shopping with Mom and my Aunt Ruby. There were a lot of grocery stores back then, and the one I always was impressed by was the National Tea which had an inside parking lot.
I believe the store was located uptown across the street from the Post Office. Wheaties, (Breakfast of Champions) and Shredded Wheat were our usual cereals of choice. The shredded wheat only came in one size. That cereal also contained baseball cards which made it appealing to me. My Mother would occasionally pan fry the shredded wheat by rolling it in an egg batter and serve it with hot Karo syrup and fried Spam. As a kid, I looked at this as an evening meal fit for a king.
The good old days didn’t seem as complicated. Maybe that had to do with the fact that we had no easy access to information. We had to depend on the radio and early TV for all of that. Going to the movies would get catch me up on world events with the newsreels shown at the beginning of each show. Fishing, for the most part, was much simpler back then because it seemed all you really needed was the basic hook, line and sinker to catch fish.
Eventually, someone came up with the “green box,” which I’m sure a lot of you either remember or actually owned at one time. I had a green box I had bought from my Uncle Ben, thinking I was now into modern technology. There would be no more marking the anchor rope every 10 feet with electrical tape (duct tape wasn’t big back then).
To be quite honest, that “box” never did work quite right. I had to send it in to the company a couple of different times to be fixed and they finally told me that they could no longer get the parts. I often wondered if they were just tired of not fixing it. When Uncle Ben sold it to me he said he had kept it in the garage for a few years and never used it because he didn’t want my Aunt Marcie to know he bought it. In hind sight, I did almost wish she had found it or he had just kept it hidden in the garage.
It seemed like each time after I had gotten that green box fixed I would check it out just to see that it was working prior to heading north. It always worked fine when I tested it, so when I arrived at the lake with my “sure fire fish finder” in tow, I just knew that the fish would be shown no mercy by the Herfindahl family fishermen. After using the thing for about two days the lights would go out and although the unit kept spinning, there was no longer a flash in the flasher.
This happened so many times that I was almost glad when the company administered final rites to my “green box” of futility. The part that was even more depressing was the package they sent it back in for the final time. The UPS truck delivered it in a box that had all indications of a new Eagle flasher on the outside. My friend Bob had stopped by the house to talk about an upcoming fishing adventure we were planning when the delivery man walked up and handed me the box.
As I tore the wrapping off the box and we saw the outside of the box Bob said excitedly, “They must have given you a new one.” But, alas, as I peered into the box, there in all its disappointing glory was the same old green box with a note of finality attached. I can’t even tell you a story of the good old days spent with the “green box” because there really weren’t any.
Just a reminder, the ice on the channel may be the reported 6 inches in spots, but always use extreme caution when venturing out on ice that has a current flowing underneath it, especially with the unseasonable weather we have been experiencing. I know there a lot of disappointed ice fishermen this year, but on the bright side that heating bill is a lot easier to look at.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fish’n and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Once again old Mother Nature has thrown us a little bit of a curve ball when it comes to ice safety. The thickness of the ice in our area of the state is definitely unsettled to say the least. Even in Northern Minnesota, there are reports of people and vehicles falling through the ice. In one instance a conservation officer from the DNR had his SUV fall through the ice while attempting to check on fishermen on a lake. The unseasonably warm weather has prompted the following news release from the Minnesota DNR:
Forecasted temperatures in the 40s across Southern Minnesota this week add yet another reason to be careful if heading out on the ice, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“Ice thickness guidelines become unreliable once the temp gets above 32 degrees,” according to Lt. Cory Palmer, enforcement supervisor for the DNR. “Snowmobiles, ATVs and other vehicles should stay off the ice until temps drop below 32 degrees for at least 24 hours.”
Even if the ice seems thick enough, temperature and other factors such as currents, wind, water chemistry and wildlife can impact the relative safeness of ice.
According to Lt. Palmer, last week in Kandiyohi County alone, three ATVs went through the ice. He stresses that there is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice.
Lt. Palmer suggests contacting a local bait shop or resort for ice reports on a specific lake and frequently checking ice thickness with an ice auger, ice chisel or even a cordless drill with a long wood auger bit.
Locally, there has been some open water on Albert Lea Lake. At least one house had fallen through the ice this past weekend. I have said many times that I am one of those “thick ice” guys who would rather wait until the ice is safe before venturing out.
Trevor, my oldest grandson, visited our kitchen the other night sporting a nice bucket of walleyes. Five of the fish were between 16 and 18 inches with one 22-inch fish topping off the limit. Not bad for a few hours of fishing. Trevor puts in the time on the lake and has been having good results. But even then, there are times when he won’t venture out because of unstable ice.
Putting in the time is the key to any fisherman’s success. I often wondered how some fishermen could just show up at a lake, drop their boat in, fish a few hours in a certain area and go home with fish. I’d venture to guess that they had spent enough time fishing that certain body of water that they pretty much knew what areas would be holding fish at certain times. Knowing a lake and finding fish is one thing, but you still have to know how to entice them to bite.
Although seasons like this are uncommon in Minnesota, we as true Minnesotans suspect that old Mother Nature still has some bad weather in store for us. I guess that just goes hand in hand with supporting our favorite sports teams. Viking football fans have been put through a couple of brutal seasons, but things are looking up now that they have a “general manager” in place to run the show. Wait a minute – hasn’t he been in a similar position with the team all along? Now that he has a title and full control, can we expect that a Super Bowl looms in the not so distant future?
The only thing I can envision right now is spring. Even so, the unseasonably mild weather has made this winter a lot easier to take. Just the other day I was talking to my brother-in-law Lynn in Nome, Alaska and he said it was 31 degrees again. It also looked like there was at least another week of that weather ahead. Lynn said he had to put a heat lamp on his fuel tank just to get his stove to work. Now that is cold! Whenever we get that run of bad weather that we all know will come, I can always think of him and be thankful for the mild winter we have been experiencing so far.
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Muskie Talk
The January meeting of Crossroads Chapter 54, Muskies Inc. was Wednesday January 11, at 7 p.m. at the Eagles Club in Owatonna.
Our speaker was Kyle from Big Wood Muskie Lures. Our meetings are the second Wednesday of every month and include informative speakers, reports, updates, raffle and door prize and lots of musky conversation and information. You need not be a member to attend. Check our Web site at michapter54.com. Bring a friend; help improve muskie fishing in Southern Minnesota.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fish’n and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.
Here we go again! We are now descending on another year and just like trolling an unfamiliar lake, we never know what will be lurking around the next bend. With this in mind, I hope everyone has a safe and healthy 2012.
When thinking about past fishing experiences, one of my most memorable experiences doesn’t even involve fish. On one summer outing to the cabin with my grandson Trevor, we had a pretty unique experience. We decided to do what has become a routine occurrence each year, a visit Spider Lake for a little fishing.
Spider has been and probably still is my favorite lake to spend time on. It has so much beauty that even a poor fishing day can be totally enjoyable just because of the scenery that surrounds you.
On this particular visit, we were heading down the lake to the part of the lake that is referred to as 3rd lake. As we sped into the narrows between 2nd and 3rd, Trevor started pointing and yelling, and at first, I didn’t see what he was excited about. But then, I noticed off to my left a calf moose attempting to climb out of the water onto a small island that sits near the narrows. I slowed the boat so that we could watch as the calf made its way onto shore and into the woods. You could barely see its mother watching from the cover of the trees. This was indeed a special memory that Trevor and I will always share.
Making memories in the great outdoors with family is indeed something that gives me a lot of satisfaction. As I reflect on other events, I guess I could actually take any one of the grandsons and find a story to tell about their outdoor experiences that I’ve been fortunate enough to witness. This is what makes spending time in the outdoors with family special. Watching nature do its thing is so great because you never know what natural wonder you will be able to observe at any given time.
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In the aftermath of this year’s firearms deer hunting season, there was indeed a downside. The number of citations issued and also a number of firearms seized. The DNR issued the following report:
DNR cites 144 with baiting; seizes 134 firearms/bows.
Conservation officer weekly activity reports confirm what officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) already suspected: Deer baiting was pervasive during the 2011 big game season.
DNR conservation officers issued 144 citations, issued 24 warnings and seized 134 firearms/bows in baiting relation investigations during the 2011 bow, firearms and muzzleloader seasons. It’s the highest number of baiting citations issued during the deer hunting seasons since the DNR began tracking these violations in 1991.
“It seems that every year our officers are spending more and more time responding to complaints about baiting or discovering it while on patrol,” said Lt. Col. Rodmen Smith, DNR Enforcement assistant director. “It’s become a very common violation.”
Deer baiting is strategically placing a pile of food near deer stands or clearings with the intent of luring a deer into close hunting range. It has been illegal to bait deer in Minnesota since 1991.
Conservation Officer Marty Stage of Ely said he spent a lot of the big game season “chasing violators illegally baiting deer. The practice has certainly not gone away or apparently even slowed,” Stage said.
The fine for illegal baiting is $300, plus $80 or so in court costs. Another $500 can be tagged on for restitution if a deer is seized. Guns may be confiscated as well.
“It is pretty sad when the rifle that has been handed down for generations is lost forever due to unethical hunting,” said Conservation Officer Darin Fagerman of Grand Marais. “Grandpa might not be too happy about that either.”
Smith said he is hopeful that by releasing the numbers on illegal baiting activities, it sends a message that Minnesota values it natural resources and there is a price for engaging in this activity.
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In my last column, I had written a little about my grandson Trevor catching walleyes in the channel and releasing a 10-12 inch fish. In that same instance, I also said that my own personal slot limit was between 14 and 20. Somehow, the person that put my story in the paper must have misunderstood and used a sub header hinting that I recommended keeping walleyes between 10-20 inches. I will never tell another fisherman what size fish to keep. If a fish falls within the legal size limit, then it should be up to the fisherman. Always keep in mind that you are only allowed one walleye per person over 20-inches. That is the law.
There were some walleye being caught in the channel by Frank Hall Park this past week. You could have probably guessed this by the number of fishermen that you’ve been seeing on the ice this past week. It looks like the time is right for some action so you might want to give it a try.
Until next time, play safe, watch out for thin ice, good fish’n and enjoy the Minnesota outdoors experience.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers during the holidays and the coming year. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.