Great to see a Dad taking his girls fishing! My daughter does not much care for it, but my 4 year old son would go everyday if I had the chance to take him.

Nice Fish! Great Job.

I would agree with Mike — The release rules have helped the Bass population and I have seen the average size of the Bluegills increase too! With all the bigger Bass, they are keeping the Sunnies in check and helping the stunting problem.

I have been fishing these lakes for almost 30 years!

So how did you you?

I talked to some guy’s that got “zip” on Forest, WB and BE — Did you manage to see anything?

Good Luck! Hope you can find those mid/upper 40″ fish that have been hitting your tubes!

It’s a fun tourny, but I won’t be in it this year. The Metro does offer a variety of lake types, from the shallow weedy GREEN water lakes, to the deeper clear water lakes, and then there is Tonka that gives you both and everything in between. The smaller lakes seem to warm up faster, and the fish get more active, but these lakes are going to see the most pressure, so the fish will be getting spooky — You should have a great chance, it only takes one nice fish to win! Two is almost an automatic win.

Good luck, let us know how you do.
Steve

Email me at [email protected] if you want some of my Tonka spots for the weekend.

Mike, It was great to meet you and talk some Tonka fishing — 4am and in the dark — I didn’t know who you were until I saw your name on the boat as I was heading out.

How did you do?

We had a great day — NO Boat traffic!!! We raised a few nice Muskies and caught 7 or 8 nice pike. The Muskies were pretty slow, but I did get two to hit, missed them both! One was small other was a BIG Fish. There were a lot of Fishermen, but hardly any pleasure boats.

Hope to run into you again, hope you had a good day.

Steve Sedesky

You picked a great resort, VDL is in a great location and Ed does a great job!

From the Dam, you can hit any place on the lake, but you really don’t have to go far.

Have a great trip. Leave a few for me in October.

Steve

Tons of Muskies and other BOATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Notice the size of BOATS)

The heavy boat traffic starts about 10:30/ 11 am — and goes until atleast 9pm. I plan to be out there about 5am on opener (7th) to get a few good quiet hours in, plenty of bassers out there, but the recreation boaters are the “problem”. Once the main lake gets choked with boats, there are many “quiet” spots for later.

Good Luck!
Steve

OK — The “Kid” talks with a vision, I wish the world could be a better place. BUT, we are in a time when people are not taking responsibilty for their actions, and a safety class won’t change thier behavior.

Herb, you are the voice of wisdom.

The only thing that will change these idiots, is a ticket that costs them money, then maybe a class that costs them more money and some of their time. We are in a time where people are getting less curtious (not all, but enough to make it an issue) and only looking out for themselves. I agree with the “Kid” about needing to educate the youth, but that’s the parents job! Nothing the State does in a safety class, can change years of teaching from the parents. If the parent’s don’t teach respect and curtiousy, the chance is gone, now you can only make them pay for thier behavior.

Just look around; people are not using their blinker, they don’t hold doors, they don’t let that person with 3 items jump in front of them when they have a cart full of groceries, they dump their ashtrays on the road rather than taking it to a garbage can, they park where they want – with no respect to traffic, “THEY” are the problem and “they” need to addressed.

With any luck the next generation will step back and re-discover that lost arts of common sense and common curtousy. We are currently going down the wrong path, and it’s sad to say, but those taking the wrong path, are raising children that are discovering new wrong paths, that are going further from the one we should be on.

My 4 year old son, says please, thank you, holds the door and says sorry. I am doing my part, I just wish more people would do theirs.

I would like to see them require proof that you know how to back a trailor and launch a boat, before you can buy one!

The speed and cooling are not the same — cooling would be the larger vents on the side of the lower unit. It’s possible that both the speed and cooling intakes got clogged at the same time if you were in some REALLY dirty water.

If the cooling intake is working, you should be getting the good stream of water coming out from the upper housing.

My speed intake got clogged from debris when I had a new Skeg welded on — that’s another story

Steve

I’am going out with my wife and 4 year old on Wednesday. I will let you know how we do. Going out after Panfish and Pike, might get a chance to try for a few ‘eyes but nothing serious.

Just nice to get the boat in the water!

Steve

As long as you legally catch the fish in Minnesota, you have the record. They may want to examine the pond, to see if it could actually produce a fish of that size. They would be looking at fish and forage , as well as depth and chance of Winter Kill — If many little lakes in the area had a severe winter kill 4 years ago, and you claim to catch a record fish that is aged at 8 or 10 years old. They would have some real questions.

Does anybody know if there is a list available, from the state, of where they have “certified” scales???? Some bait shops have scales, but they are not all “certified” — Anyplace that sales items based on weight, would need a certified scale; Grocery stores, feed stores or any other store that would be selling items by the pound. If you can’t find a certified scale, make sure you have a “base line” — weigh a standard item to prove the scale. Your fish is going to drop in weight quickly, so weigh it fast and find some witnesses — also measure the length and girth in front of the witnesses, take pictures and get names and contact info for the witnesses.

Good Luck to all — There are new records out there, just need to catch them.

Steve or anyone else — When is the drawing going to be???

I have been spreading the word, but don’t want to ask people to buy tickets for a drawing that has happened yesterday.

Please let me know, when the raffle is planned to end.

Thanks,

Steve Sedesky

Found on another board –3/18 at St.Cloud MI meeting

The following note was a response from Wildlife Forever. Sounds like Cass County is not the right place to have a lake like this. But it would easier to change the officials than move the lake.

<<<Thanks for writing.

We are not aware of the development problems on Leech as no one has brought them to our attention. We are aware of a similar issue on Woman Lake and are considering what Wildlife Forever might do there to help.

Presumably there is a group involved in trying to raise money to buy the developer out. You might consider making a grant application (You can get a copy on our web site). You can also consider the possibility of working to require and environmental impact statement. Many times the cost and time for such a thing will discourage the developer.

You should also know that the Cass County public officials are pro-development and care little for the impact that development has. Best thing we can do is to elect better officials. (This is my personal opinion. I have a place on Woman Lake and the County just yesterday rubber stamped the developers plan for high density buildings).>>>

Doesn’t sound good — I will request the grant form and fill it out. Otherwise it looks like Muskies, Inc./RIM/and the People will need to take charge of this one.

I have an E-mail in to Wildlife Forever. I hope that as a Life Member they will respond quickly and let me know they are active on the issue, or request more info to become active.

I am doing what I can, including buying tickets and donating direct cash to the project. Leech is where I started and where my heart is. I have moved on to other waters, but always like to go back to my roots. We have the problem in Walker Bay, with the Weed Bed getting destroyed by one project, we can’t lose this one.

Looking at the list of contributors, we have some guns on board. Let’s all do what we can.

I have watched so many lakes get over developed and ruined, Someone needs to step-up and realize the resource that is drawing all of the people, will be destroyed by the people.

I am spreading the word.

Ace,
I should have read this thread before asking all my questions on the other one. Now I know when and where to find you at the show. I will see you Saturday Morning at the Expo, and I hope to make it to Be-Bops on Saturday night. Swap Meets are way more fun, than Ebay!

ACE,
I am going to try and make it up in March for sure. I will see you at the Expo, and get my tickets from you then. Are you going to be there, at a booth, all three days? ACE Guide Service or a Vermilion Lake booth? Or part of Muskies Inc.?

Anyway I plan to be there Saturday Morning.

Freak

I have a friend that fishes St.Claire and he loves the Magnum Jitterbugs in the shallow weeds, and Depth Raiders or Jakes for trolling the deeper water. I have not been out there yet, so no first hand knowledge, I just know what I’ve been told. As far as other lures to try, the above posts have hit on a good number of lures, ask around at the local shops, or if you make it down to the Cabela’s in Dundee — ask for Chuck and tell him the “freak” sent you!

Good Luck,
Steve

Glad to see ACE has something else to keep him busy until June! You found one of the most knowledgable guys on Lake Vermilion! The first day I spent with Terry, proved very enjoyable and productive — took home a limit of Walleye and caught a muskie before it got dark. Always a pleasure to talk to, and fish with. See you on the water.

Steve