Why do Mille Lacs posts always open up so many cans of worms beyond the OP?

The slot is theoretically calculated to have the least impact on population size and growth for the total number harvested. We will have to believe there was some science behind the slot calculation, with the formula certainly heavily weighted with 2013 year class data, since that huge population affects current population size so much. I’m thankful for a season at all, and will plan c&r trips there and meal trips elsewhere.

No thanks, I fish to avoid that crowd. Unless… you were putting on a demo of noodling for alligator gar, then I’d pay for that.

Mike W wrote:

In the contest or not Matte come join us for the day of fishing. There will be plenty of food and fish stories to go around at the pot luck to.

So who is fishing this weekend? Im hoping to be out for most of the day tomorrow. Maybe a good part of Sunday to.

The boy and I are out both days. So far, Sat 9/13 was nice, got a 19″ on a trolling run with a green shad-rap in about 7′ water, and picked up a huge white bass in 3′ on a purple/chartreuse paddletail along riprap. It leapt out of the water almost 2 feet in the air! We’ll be back tomorrow for more, hopefully the train doesn’t stall our start for 45 min like it did today. We’ll look for you, Mike, we’ll be in the blue and white 70s Glastron.

Thanks, Mike! Yeah, you’re right, and River Heights launch is also really easy and either one is cheaper than the cranks I’ll lose during the day. I’ve only got myself and my 3 year old, so I’ll wait a few years to have him be my high water helper.

Thanks for the reminder, you just never know. One other benefit I’ve found as I wear my super-nerdy old fashioned PFD all the time is that the water patrol checks everyone else around me, and almost always gives me a friendly wave. They must know that if I’m going to wear that thing all the time I’m surely following all the other rules. I get to keep fishing as others are reaching for licenses or are having their boat inspected.

Thanks for the post. It’s wierd, I just woke up right now to the horrible dream of me having a heart attack in my boat while with my 3 year year old and wondering what would happen to him. I am trying to relax and calm down to return to sleep so I hit IDO as my relaxation passtime while at home, and I see this post. Great idea for ICE that all of us sportsman need while out away from the masses. It will begin to give me a little more peace of mind so I can get back to sleep. Sorry to bring a downer tone, but I really do appreciate all the life lessons IDOers post on here that I don’t think of myself. Thanks!

Went out on Pickerel Lake in St. Paul and the ice over the deep “sweet spot” on the southeast corner is not quite ready. Tapped a little test hole and at the first whack a 50 foot crack split right in front of my toes and a little water splashed up through the length of the crack. The shallow area on the north side has close to 4 inches of ice and is solid. I didn’t see any other tracks in the snow or test holes from anyone else, so it is still a short waiting game. Hopefully by the end of the weekend we’ll get the extra thickness to start getting after it.

Beauty fish! Congrats!

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If you dont mind sharing how are you fishing lindy rigs on the dams? Are you just letting them sit or working them to try and keep from getting hung up in the rocks.

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I’m working them over the rocks, a lot like pitching jigs. Sometimes I’ll use a plastic on the hook and do the same, I just happened to have some minnows with me and my hands were warm enough to feel like using them…
I usually direct tie jigs and pitch, but sometimes I’m feeling lazy and keep a snap swivel on with the lindy setup and switch leaders with my different bait choices.

Nice report. The time change has given us a lot more after dark time for fishing before bedtime. I thought it was a farmer’s thing, but now I know the clock fiddling is for fishermen. Good luck out there!

Thanks everyone, I really enjoy all the posts on this forum and learn a ton. EJ (the little guy) just turned 2 and he loves to go out and try to catch a “big walleye”. Looking forward to seeing you all out on the river through the fall!
Russ