Oconto Docks Closed

Posted minutes ago. I took the day off yesterday and was on the water for 11 hours. Great time, beautiful day, way to clam, needed more wind. Couldn’t believe the number of boats from Minnesota and Illinois. I noticed when I left there was a white sheet of paper on a few vehicles that had out of town plates. Not sure what the paper was…….. Now the other surrounding launches will have an extra 200 some boats dispersed this weekend. Maybe just pull up a lawn chair for the first couple hrs.

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Wouldn’t people be farther apart in a boat than if they were shore fishing?

A buddy was there today and he said he couldn’t believe how many Minnesota and Illinois plates were in the lot. What part of don’t travel don’t people understand? Thanks for traveling to Wisconsin and shutting down our back yard.

to be clear or fair there were plenty of Wisconsin residents who traveled from afar there as well I am sure.

efrommung wrote:

What part of don’t travel don’t people understand?

Oh they understand, but they rationalize it in their heads one way or another that it’s fine and go anyways.

We’re seeing now happenings we could never have imagined.

This closing is just another link in the chain reaction.

So…it’s no longer unimaginable to see more and more fishing accesses close in the near future.

MN/WI fishing opener(s) may become a fishing “closure”…

Is it closed because of high water, or because people? Most ramps along the miss are closing due to high water
(I don’t know where this ramp is)

Ha, just googled it. Way wrong side of the state.

Yea, I got nothing.

Deuces wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>efrommung wrote:</div>
What part of don’t travel don’t people understand?

Oh they understand, but they rationalize it in their heads one way or another that it’s fine and go anyways.

Nailed it.

There’s always a few bad apples that ruin it for everyone. I live 10 minutes from the ramp and have fished everyday the last wk. all the locals point the finger at the out of state guys. But nobody mentions all the local boats with 4-5 people in em. I think everyone seen this coming. Too bad

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

MN/WI fishing opener(s) may become a fishing “closure”… sad

Governor Walz said the MN Opener will go on as planned but the Gov Opener will be canceled.

I think it’s a combo of both out of state and 5 adults in a boat. Both violate the principle of the safer at home.

There’s no doubt it was closed because of TOO many people there at the same time!!! It WAS one of those spots that it was bound to happen. And it did early, so good it’s closed… Give the fish a break this year

Fishermen love to fish regardless of where they live.

According to a article on the internet this morning Minnesota is ticketing
residents for being out and about in stead of being home. So this means not
traveling to Red Wing to fish in not a good idea.

Don I find that hard to believe as the lock down is a voluntary thing not mandated. Only thing mandated is the closure of non-essential business.

But I also believe what is considered “essential” is in many cases a joke. Which is IMO part of the reason people aren’t taking this as seriously as they probably should.

Again, just my opinion.

Joe Scegura wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:</div>
MN/WI fishing opener(s) may become a fishing “closure”… sad

Governor Walz said the MN Opener will go on as planned but the Gov Opener will be canceled.

Yes, in fact I posted that announcement here a few days ago.

The direction we’re seeing is that more and more things are being locked down or closed such as boat launches. (Rainy River)

The question here…will there be more? We have a month to find out.

The opener(s) may still happen, but to what extent can depend on which accesses remain open. Let’s hope most still are.

A little tounge & cheek here for the IDO staff from a Wisconsin angler. Could we see a few episodes after the Minnesota opener which highlight some of the absolute best spots and bites in Minnesota? Maybe viewers will start traveling there in droves instead of to the Wisconsin spots that have literally experienced an explosion of fishing pressure since being highlighted over the years on the show? It’s a double edge sword. On one hand, its really cool seeing spots you fish on the show, but it sucks seeing the spots you used to fish flooded with guys following the TV bite. Not just an IDO issue as I think it is the best show on TV. I could say the same of the weekly Wisconsin shows.

I doubt it’s tongue in cheek.

We here in Minnesota have the same issue with all the Muskie guys pouring across the border for Muskie’s.

Comes with the territory I guess.

I can see more launches closing. Especially on popular destination lakes Mille Lacs, Leech, etc. to minimize the draw to travel. I just hope they don’t close EVERY launch in the state, so we can at least still fish the bodies of water within our areas.

efrommung wrote:

A little tounge & cheek here for the IDO staff from a Wisconsin angler. Could we see a few episodes after the Minnesota opener which highlight some of the absolute best spots and bites in Minnesota? Maybe viewers will start traveling there in droves instead of to the Wisconsin spots that have literally experienced an explosion of fishing pressure since being highlighted over the years on the show? It’s a double edge sword. On one hand, its really cool seeing spots you fish on the show, but it sucks seeing the spots you used to fish flooded with guys following the TV bite. Not just an IDO issue as I think it is the best show on TV. I could say the same of the weekly Wisconsin shows.

Yeah because Green Bay was such a secret before IDO. Didn’t even know there was a lake their. I just thought is was where everyone in Wisconsin went to drink during the fall on sundays.

mahtofire14 wrote:

I can see more launches closing. Especially on popular destination lakes Mille Lacs, Leech, etc. to minimize the draw to travel. I just hope they don’t close EVERY launch in the state, so we can at least still fish the bodies of water within our areas.

This is exactly what I see may happen. I read yesterday that 700 boats have launched at public and private landings in Pool 4 in recent weeks.

It’s like dominoes falling, if/when they close some of the popular destination accesses…it’ll push anglers to the remaining ones’ still open which than just moves the problem around.

Not sure how this will play out, hope for the best…I guess.

Dutch Boy read this article which I was referring too

I will if you post a link.

Another failure on part of MNFISH.

As a leader they could have easily put together recommendations for anglers, baitshops, etiquette at gas stations, loading, launching etc that the common angler could reference. Right now there’s nothing and the bad apples traveling around everywhere not giving a crap is really giving all us anglers a bad rep.

I think we are incredibly lucky at this point to still have our lakes and rivers open for business. I hope it stays that way for the small business owners who are still staying afloat from fishing biz, and all of our own sanities.

They’ve kept fishing as an exempted outdoor activity within reason. Well people traveling from out of state or across the state is ruining it now. They’ve asked people to fish locally, but failed to offer guidance on that specifically. I think they need to be more specific on it, like 30 miles or 60 miles from your primary residence only. The same problem has occurred at the Mpls Chain of Lakes parks…everyone wants to recreate by the lake and now there’s too many people there. Stay in your own backyard people!

I started a thread on what everyone considers to be “local” and responses were all over the place. Now you can see the proof.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/several-charged-across-minnesota-with-violating-stay-at-home-order/ar-BB128YJq?li=BBnbfcL

Whoops sorry

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/several-charged-across-minnesota-with-violating-stay-at-home-order/ar-BB128YJq?li=BBnbfcL

Whoops sorry So Can I travel to Red Wing to fish from Iowa?

Just stay in Iowa. Last I checked there were rivers there also.

efrommung why don’t you stop complaining about “out of towners” and actually go fishing. Oconto isn’t the only boat landing in the state.

On the other hand, as things stand nobody from out of state should be in Wisconsin at this time.

Nobody is getting ticketed for fishing or traveling to go fishing.