Mahtomedi City Council Seeking to Close White Bear Lake Ice Fishing Access

I was recently informed that the Mahtomedi city council is trying to pass a closure of the only winter access to the east side of White Bear Lake. This is the Mahtomedi Beach access This would be during the winter months only. They are trying to get it passed kind of under the table so they don’t run into any issues. From what I’ve been told one of the council members does not appreciate the extra activity near their house which is next to the access.

This would be a blow to the local ice fishing community as it’s the only way to access that part of the lake unless you drive from other areas of the lake. For early ice or people limited to walking out it would essentially close off that half of the lake. I spoke at the preliminary zoom meeting last night to let them know that the ice fishing community is aware of the proposed plan and strongly oppose it. I hope to speak at the council meeting this Tuesday evening as well when we will really dive deep into this topic.

I have a petition going that has garnered over 1400 signatures in 2 days as well. Feel free to sign it and if you live in or near Mahtomedi please log into the zoom meeting Tuesday night at 630 in support of removing the proposal. I was also contacted by Outdoor News and an editor has been following the situation as well.

Link to Petition:

http://chng.it/cCNJT4YYJX

Go get ‘em mahto!!

mahtofire14 wrote:

From what I’ve been told one of the council members does not appreciate the extra activity near their house which is next to the access.

I hope thats not the real reason. If it is thats a bunch of horse schmitt.

Just curious, if it were to pass, why would it close off access to that half of the lake? Just because you can’t drive a vehicle or ATV out there doesn’t mean you can’t get there. Put on your boots and start walking.

As far as closing it, that’s a BS reason if its true. Can’t say I agree with it.

Just signed. Never fished WBL but I might have to check that access out just to spite whoever complained about it.

JEREMY wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
From what I’ve been told one of the council members does not appreciate the extra activity near their house which is next to the access.

I hope thats not the real reason. If it is thats a bunch of horse schmitt.

From what said city council member told me last night “many neighbors” that live near the access have been complaining about the noise of trucks late at night. Funny thing is they said they are ok with ATVs and snowmobiles but it’s the trucks that they don’t want, even though most snowmobiled are louder than trucks…..it’s a joke, but the reality is, they have the power to slap hours into effect.

Hit. I hate those kind of ahos. This is what happens when the outcasts of society get elected positions because nobody else (normal) will take the job.

gimruis wrote:

Just curious, if it were to pass, why would it close off access to that half of the lake? Just because you can’t drive a vehicle or ATV out there doesn’t mean you can’t get there. Put on your boots and start walking.

Yes, thanks for explaining lake travel. Lol. Let’s close some of those north side mille lacs access up there for you. Have a fun walk Early ice!

No reason for them to close an access since it’s public. I’m guessing that access has been there longer than most homeowners. Give it a good fight!

ClownColor wrote:

Yes, thanks for explaining lake travel. Lol. Let’s close some of those north side mille lacs access up there for you. Have a fun walk Early ice!

He made it sound like half the lake would be off limits if they closed this access.

God forbid someone should walk.

White Bear lake is a rather large lake and there are not many public landings on the lake. To ice fish this side of the lake would be a rather long walk to say the least. No saying that someone could not access this part of the lake from another access – Just that it would not be a short wake to say the least. Like the selfishclown wrote – You could access all of Mille Lacs from only one landing as well but it would not be enjoyable.

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Selfishclown wrote:</div>
Yes, thanks for explaining lake travel. Lol. Let’s close some of those north side mille lacs access up there for you. Have a fun walk Early ice!

He made it sound like half the lake would be off limits if they closed this access.

God forbid someone should walk.

Half the lake would in effect be inaccessible. I dare you to walk from the WBL Boat Access to the Mahtomedi Beach access in January in 2 feet of snow with all of your fishing gear in tow. Realistically the only access to that side of the lake would be someone plowing a road or if we don’t have much snow, and even then it would result in significantly more driving/traffic on the ice as they drive 2-3 miles across rather than a few hundred yards out of that access.

Petition signed Mahto, keep us posted!

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Selfishclown wrote:</div>
Yes, thanks for explaining lake travel. Lol. Let’s close some of those north side mille lacs access up there for you. Have a fun walk Early ice!

He made it sound like half the lake would be off limits if they closed this access.

God forbid someone should walk.

Please reread the OP, no where does it say half the lake would be closed off. Using your method of reading into a post it sounds like you think there should only be 1 access to a lake in the winter, I am not for limiting our outdoor opportunities and have to disagree with you on that.

I am not familiar with that access, but if it is closed would the only access to the lake on that side then be to walk across private land, or could you still park in access area and still walk onto the lake there? I get the issue with trucks. We have all heard the trucks with straight pipes, or nearly straight pipes that are obnoxiously loud and a drunk or half drunk person whipping around on their way off the lake. It is a lot like the snowmobiles with a can blasting through towns late at night hard on the gas and they are the first to complain when the landowner that gives permission for the trail to cross their property no longer allows the trail there. Just a little respect for others would hopefully go a long way, but that isn’t what society is about anymore.

onestout wrote:

Please reread the OP, no where does it say half the lake would be closed off. Using your method of reading into a post it sounds like you think there should only be 1 access to a lake in the winter, I am not for limiting our outdoor opportunities and have to disagree with you on that.

It reads “essentially close off that half of the lake.”

I’m only trying to point out that if there is one access on the lake, you can still fish wherever you want to, correct? It might suck walking across half the lake towing heavy gear or walking in deep snow, but you could still do it if you really wanted to, correct?

Early ice is often unsafe ice, so walking may actually be a smarter idea.

I already stated in a previous post I was against closing the access, especially the way its being done and the reason cited.

gimruis wrote:

Just curious, if it were to pass, why would it close off access to that half of the lake? Just because you can’t drive a vehicle or ATV out there doesn’t mean you can’t get there.

Just curious why do you care. You do not ice fish and guessing do not fish WBL.

Put on your boots and start walking.

You should take your own advice.

PS. Signed

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Selfishclown wrote:</div>
Yes, thanks for explaining lake travel. Lol. Let’s close some of those north side mille lacs access up there for you. Have a fun walk Early ice!

He made it sound like half the lake would be off limits if they closed this access.

God forbid someone should walk.

It also has very sketchy ice on that side of the lake at different times of the year. It would Create a lot more travel across lake which is never a good idea if it can be avoided. Thanks for the helpful post……

I signed it. I’m on your side guys…

I think some one has a sandy you know what today. Consider it signed Mahto! Go get em.

gimruis wrote:

I signed it. I’m on your side guys…

We know you support us grimruis, that’s why it bugs everyone so much when you make posts like this that don’t do anything to help the cause.

I get your point about walking or driving. However the way the accesses are located on the lake you would be walking across the entire lake or at the least, 3/4 of it. The west side of the lake builds ice completely differently than the rest of the lake and it would be pretty dangerous having that extra traffic going all the way across the lake, especially with all the new anglers that will be out this year.

mahtofire14 wrote:

We know you support us grimruis, that’s why it bugs everyone so much when you make posts like this that don’t do anything to help the cause.

That’s fair, thank you for the response.

Signed, losing access to a public resource is a bad deal. Very seldom does the public regain access.

Good luck

mahtofire14 wrote:

From what I’ve been told one of the council members does not appreciate the extra activity near their house which is next to the access.

I wouldn’t doubt it. Last winter had FB posts with photos of the St. Paul city streets that the city council members lived on. Clean from curb to curb. The rest of the city streets were in horrible winter driving condition. They are all special ya know.

Signed.

Signed.
Good for you to stand up for everyone Mahto.
I appreciate your effort!

It took maybe 15 minutes of searching to determine that one of the newly elected (in 2020) council members lives in the house directly south of that access.

HRG

Signed it! More access is better than less ( lets pick up our trash & spend a few bucks in the town where we fish too)

^^ This would go a long way some of us (maybe not us) are pigs!!

Cody Meyers wrote:

losing access to a public resource is a bad deal. Very seldom does the public regain access.

^^^ This! I don’t even live in the area and never plan to ever step foot on that lake, but if passed, this sets a precedent for other “associations” to do the same!

Stomp on the throat now and put this to bed!

Signed!

DeRangedFishinguy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Cody Meyers wrote:</div>
losing access to a public resource is a bad deal. Very seldom does the public regain access.

^^^ This! I don’t even live in the area and never plan to ever step foot on that lake, but if passed, this sets a precedent for other “associations” to do the same!

Stomp on the throat now and put this to bed!

Signed!

This is one of my big points that I will be making at the city council meeting. I have dealt with city councils on other things and know how they work fairly well. At the moment I am going about this objectively but trying to push the fact that both sides can work together to satisfy each other and keep the access open. As well as showing them how many people would be extremely urined off if they close it just for 6 people.

The positive that came out of last night’s meeting was that a few of the homeowners that live near the access took the time to join the zoom meeting to say they opposed the access being shut down which was very nice to hear.

Signed and shared with some friends!