Such a Shame

[throttleplate]

3 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

that place looks like an area frequented by a big youtuber of that region!!

yes it is and when you watch him catch those big muskie like i did i went out there and caught my own last friday.

[jbmaine]

We are seeing a lot of the old camps sold, torn down, and mega houses built on lakes in this area as well. On one lake in particular we see a whole row of new mansions, each one seems bigger than the last. It may be just a coincidence, but the water quality has gone down a lot over the last couple of years.

[Cgolf]

Now I have to figure out the youtuber, because I may be wrong on the location lol. Also there are musky tournies on the lake chain I am thinking of, with with that level of recreational traffic I wouldn't think the musky fishing would be any good.

 

Also not to out the area, someone can PM me. If I am right I don't want anyone to figure out my vaca lake either.

[fin]

20 hours ago, TOXIC said:

I guess maybe I’m getting to that age where the past has more importance.

 

When you’re old enough to be history, you tend to respect history more. ?

[throttleplate]

3 hours ago, Cgolf said:

Now I have to figure out the youtuber, because I may be wrong on the location lol. Also there are musky tournies on the lake chain I am thinking of, with with that level of recreational traffic I wouldn't think the musky fishing would be any good.

 

Also not to out the area, someone can PM me. If I am right I don't want anyone to figure out my vaca lake either.

the youtuber is NDyakangler and the dam is baldhill dam in north dakota.

One guy i met this year at orwell dam in minn just moved up from missouri this spring to fargo nd after watching yaks videos just because the abundance of fishing lakes and rivers available within an hours drive.

He had been to baldhill in april and showed me a pic of a monster pike he caught and thats what made me decide to go check out baldhill which is only 65 miles of interstate from me.

North dakota also has garrison dam up on lake sakakaweia with great fishing and devils lake but those 2 are a much longer drive for me.

 

[GrumpyOlPhartte]

@DitchPanda:  I realize this has nothing to do with the topic, but thank you for bringing back the memory of my first fishing experience with my dad.  I was five so it was 1953.   We lived in Des Moines  and my parents rented a cabin on Spirit Lake and they packed our old ‘37 Terraplane and spent a week there.  I don’t remember a lot, but I remember my dad casting from the dock and hooking his pant leg.  I remember the wife of the owner of the facility killing a chicken for our supper.  I remember vaguely the wooden cabin we inhabited because I got to sleep in a real bunk bed … in the top bunk!

 

But most of all, I remember my dad taking me out in a row boat with my fine new bamboo pole and digging worms out of a cardboard container to put on my hook.  The result of that outing was my first fishing trip and rousing success.  I caught two crappie and one perch. It was absolute heaven for a little boy!

 

So, thanks again for allowing me to reminisce and I hope Spirit Lake remains as marvelous as it was back then.  Now back to our regularly scheduled topic (with my apologies).

[TOXIC]

23 hours ago, Cgolf said:

 

What is crazy though is I believe we vacation on a lake not very far from there with trophy Musky, Smallmouth, and maybe even walleye and have a very healthy largemouth fishery. Even over or near the 4th, there is very little recreational or fishing traffic and I can generally fish where I want when I want at any time of the day. I am still trying to get my wife to get land or a house on this lake to retire there. Only issue is the long winters.

I have fished “nearby” bodies of water like winniconnie, big green and the fox river with a lot of success but when you are staying on a chain of lakes for a family function, it’s hard to justify going off to other lakes.  I will admit that the fact I have to deal with my boat by dropping it at the marina, storing my trailer because the cottage we rent is at the end of a long single tree lined lane and has a long curvy driveway with no turn around and then having to get dropped off at the marina to get the boat and bring it to the cottage dock is time consuming and a lot of extra work keeps me hesitant to pull it 2 days up and 2 days back just for terrible fishing.  If I want to fish other lakes, I have to repeat the process all over.  

[Cgolf]

32 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

I have fished “nearby” bodies of water like winniconnie, big green and the fox river with a lot of success but when you are staying on a chain of lakes for a family function, it’s hard to justify going off to other lakes.  I will admit that the fact I have to deal with my boat by dropping it at the marina, storing my trailer because the cottage we rent is at the end of a long single tree lined lane and has a long curvy driveway with no turn around and then having to get dropped off at the marina to get the boat and bring it to the cottage dock is time consuming and a lot of extra work keeps me hesitant to pull it 2 days up and 2 days back just for terrible fishing.  If I want to fish other lakes, I have to repeat the process all over.  

 

Got it, I thought you were more north based on the description. I don't blame you, it sounds like it is just a nice trip to spend time with family, but bummer the fishing was ruined.

 

The lake I stay on the weeds disappeared in parts of the lake as well, and the walleye fishing declined and the bass fishing jumped off the charts and everyone blamed the bass for the walleye decline, not the lack of weeds;) It seems like the further north you get, the lakes just get less use.

[TOXIC]

19 minutes ago, Cgolf said:

 

Got it, I thought you were more north based on the description. I don't blame you, it sounds like it is just a nice trip to spend time with family, but bummer the fishing was ruined.

 

The lake I stay on the weeds disappeared in parts of the lake as well, and the walleye fishing declined and the bass fishing jumped off the charts and everyone blamed the bass for the walleye decline, not the lack of weeds;) It seems like the further north you get, the lakes just get less use.

We are in Waupaca, King Chain of Lakes.  

[gim]

16 hours ago, throttleplate said:

He had been to baldhill in april and showed me a pic of a monster pike he caught and thats what made me decide to go check out baldhill which is only 65 miles of interstate from me.

North dakota also has garrison dam up on lake sakakaweia

He needs a bigger net if he's going to be specifically targeting muskies and large pike like that.

 

The dam near Garrison, ND on Sakakawea has a tremendous variety of fish.  I only recently found out that they stock salmonids in there too.  I had no idea the water was cold enough for them there.

[Zcoker]

This is just the way it is in a lot of places. Here in Florida we have the Everglades, thank goodness! Thousands of square miles where no human or no boat has ever touched, which makes fishing it so nice. Any other lake down here can be a zoo city. The only management they have in a lot of these lakes is the home owners associations. Pollution from run-off is also killing off a lot of our lakes. Then there's the areas created for bass fishing and stocked with millions of fish. This concept is rather new and the outcomes are next to spectacular. At least they are doing things like that, which is the main point. I would hope other states jump on the same ban wagon. 

[throttleplate]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

He needs a bigger net if he's going to be specifically targeting muskies and large pike like that.

 

The dam near Garrison, ND on Sakakawea has a tremendous variety of fish.  I only recently found out that they stock salmonids in there too.  I had no idea the water was cold enough for them there.

Garrison dam is 267 miles from me so i wont be going anytime soon if ever.

He needs a bigger net and i need to bring my net but the way i traverse the rocks a long distance from where we stage its just more things i have to carry and trip over.

Before i would carry the net and leave the net in a spot and always end up to far away to get it and even forget where i left it so i go with out net.

[gim]

2 hours ago, Zcoker said:

This concept is rather new and the outcomes are next to spectacular.

 

A fair amount of lakes up here in MN are stocked too.  Only, they aren't stocked with bass, they're primarily stocked with walleye, trout, or muskies (pure strain or tiger).  The issue with stocking so many lakes with walleye is that its really not doing a whole lot anymore in so many of them because these lakes are loaded with hungry, small northern pike and its just feeding the beast.  Its wasteful IMO.  Walleyes are what the people want though, so that's what the DNR does even if it doesn't make a lot of sense from a science stand point.

[gim]

19 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

i need to bring my net but the way i traverse the rocks a long distance from where we stage its just more things i have to carry and trip over.

Before i would carry the net and leave the net in a spot and always end up to far away to get it and even forget where i left it so i go with out net.

At least you remembered your boga gripper.  I see what you're talking about with all those slippery rocks.  Downright treacherous.

[Zcoker]

35 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

A fair amount of lakes up here in MN are stocked too.  Only, they aren't stocked with bass, they're primarily stocked with walleye, trout, or muskies (pure strain or tiger).  The issue with stocking so many lakes with walleye is that its really not doing a whole lot anymore in so many of them because these lakes are loaded with hungry, small northern pike and its just feeding the beast.  Its wasteful IMO.  Walleyes are what the people want though, so that's what the DNR does even if it doesn't make a lot of sense from a science stand point.

 

I certainly don't know what these fish and wildlife outfits are doing in other states. Seems like they got things together down here in Florida. Sure would be nice if they shared notes. Some of these retention areas down here are turning into world renowned fisheries with unreal fishing. They have crews of biologist, do tons of research and spend a boatload of money and take the time to make a thriving fishery....all for us fishermen. That's pretty darn cool in my book. To take a cow pasture and turn it into an area with tons of trophy largemouth....just wow! 

[Bankbeater]

If it gets as bad as Lake of the Ozarks, there is on bright spot.  The fish won't be seeing a lot of fishing pressure.

[slonezp]

My home water is the busiest fresh water inland waterway, per acre, in the US. Adapt to the conditions. I fish from 5am to 10am during the summer months and STILL have to deal with the water skiers because even they don't want to deal with the pleasure boaters. It is what it is. 

[Munkin]

Pleasure boats are a PITA in Maryland to deal with. I was fishing the Potomac once and it was early November, so I was not expecting any other boats besides other fisherman. Next thing I know two jet skies blow by me one on each side of my boat. Air temp was like 40 so I was thinking what the hell? Both operators were wearing full scuba suits with googles and looked like henchmen that would be chasing James Bond.

 

Allen

[MassBass]

On 8/16/2022 at 9:07 PM, slonezp said:

My home water is the busiest fresh water inland waterway, per acre, in the US. Adapt to the conditions. I fish from 5am to 10am during the summer months and STILL have to deal with the water skiers because even they don't want to deal with the pleasure boaters. It is what it is. 

Yup agree. I grew up on an island in a major vacation/summer resort lake, and the early morning shift is the best way to go about it. Few boat wakes yet, less wind, and the other recreators are usually serious paddlers or skilled water skiiers, who need the glassy water. I think as a fisherman you have to have respect for the other recreators on the water and their hobby. Have you ever tried water skiing? It is a sport for the brave and talented, bare foot water skiing even more so. 

[WRB]

All you can do is cherish the memories when your lifetime of fishing beautiful remote lakes of your childhood and as young adult disappears by morphing into modern recreational homes. 

Cabins and cottages still exist in a few remote fishing areas.

My childhood and young adult lake started to change 30 years ago when small lakeside cabins with docks for wooden row boats were bought up and replaced with 3 story homes and modern docks for today’s power boats. No fences turned into manicured lawns high stone walls. 

The lake still has a no water contact sports until after 8AM so early morning fishing was possible. I no longer go to the lake I grew up on. My local lakes offer the same noisy chaotic atmosphere without the long drive. 

It’s a shame.....

Tom

[Scott F]

I’ve been going to Northern Wisconsin for close to 35 years. The lake I’ve been staying on had 8 “resorts” with cabins for rent when I first started going there. There are only 3 left and one of those is mostly a mega sized campground. When I’m up there these days, it’s in late May and during the week, I’m often the only boat on thousands of acres of water. Come the holiday weekend, it’s as you said, skiers, jet skies, and pontoon boat booze cruises. The best thing about northern WI is that for the most part, there aren’t a lot of bass fishermen. The only spots that get pounded are by me. 

[r83srock]

The Chain is busy, Big Green is just as bad and Winneconnie is worse with the cigarette boats everywhere. There are good times to fish each of those fisheries and summertime just isn’t that time, if it is it’s night fishing or 5am-9am. 
 

North country is hwy 64, north. That’s where smallmouth paradise begins. 

[TOXIC]

5 hours ago, r83srock said:

The Chain is busy, Big Green is just as bad and Winneconnie is worse with the cigarette boats everywhere. There are good times to fish each of those fisheries and summertime just isn’t that time, if it is it’s night fishing or 5am-9am. 
 

North country is hwy 64, north. That’s where smallmouth paradise begins. 

When I went to Big Green, I was on my way to the Chain and since I had retired and my wife was flying in to Appleton, I planned to leave a week early and fish something new.  I stayed at the Acorn Ridge Motel and it was great.  My other option was Mille Lacs.  Decided it was too far out of my travel path.  Big Green was busy but I managed quite a few and some walleyes as well.  

[r83srock]

1 minute ago, TOXIC said:

When I went to Big Green, I was on my way to the Chain and since I had retired and my wife was flying in to Appleton, I planned to leave a week early and fish something new.  I stayed at the Acorn Ridge Motel and it was great.  My other option was Mille Lacs.  Decided it was too far out of my travel path.  Big Green was busy but I managed quite a few and some walleyes as well.  

Cool! It’s a great body of water no doubt, other than Sturgeon Bay probably the best body of water locally for a trophy smallie, especially in that area.  
 

Every fisherman has hoped that price of goods, fuel ect, would return the fishing pressure and boat traffic from the past couple years to a more normal state, nope! Kudos to those that have the funds to build a monster home next to the other monster home on a given body of water, guess I can’t blame them. It just stinks for the fisherman.

[TOXIC]

Lovely Facebook memories came up in my feed and reminded me of how good the fishing used to be on the chain.