Hey, SteveO

I have the next model up, the Rino 120. You can download maps from Garmin’s MapSource disks onto it. The only mapping software I have is the topographical software, and it works pretty well, I can fit most of Western Wisconsin and Easterna Minnesota in it’s 8 MB of RAM.

The hardest thing to get used to on them is the joystick that you use with your right thumb. On mine (an early model) it was quite sensitive and easy to accidentally either click when your scrolling or scroll when you’re clicking. You’ll get used to it after a couple uses, but it’s frustrating to get started with. Later models tended to correct the problem, but it still requires getting used to.

Garmin’s service is very good. I had a problem with the LCD display after the first year. Even thought it was a little out of warrantee, they still replaced the unit and I had my new one in about a week, no cost to me other then shipping the defective unit out to them.

If you have any friends with Rino units, it’s pretty cool – every time they transmit a message to you, they also transmit their current GPS coordinates and you know where your friend is. I’ve to 2 hunting buddies with Rinos and it’s easy to know where everyone is. Especially when hunting.

The GPS reception isn’t great in the woods, you have to be able to see the sky to be able to synch up with the satelites. My old Garmin Legend was a little better than the Rino. Also, the 5-mile radio may go 5 miles on a lake, but you’ll be lucky to get half that where there’s terrain. That’s the same with all of those Motorola-type 2-way radios though. I did a comparison on ePinions.com of several models/brands.

Let us know how it works.

Hi, BigPike

I don’t know if you’re still looking for feedback, but here’s some anyway

I used a Fishin’ Buddy for a few years. They work OK for large structure, but on some of the Canadian Shield lakes I fished, the Fishin’ Buddy would get ‘confused’ with a really hard bottom, and once it got confused it needed to be rebooted. Also, the fixed screen angle made it hard to read during the day. And, with the small power boats were were using you couldn’t use the FB at more than a couple knots, though you shouldn’t have that problem in a canoe. Finally, it really couldn’t find a fish in a supermarket.

I purchased an Eagle Fish Easy II a few years ago and it works great. The suction cup transducer stays put easily at 25 knots. The Eagle portable hard shell is very durable, and fits a 12v Gel Cel battery plus the transducer and cable inside it with the display mounted on toip. You can adjust the angle of the display easily. And the unit (without using the back light too much) will easily last 7 days. Plus it comes with a battery holder to use “D”-cells instead of the gel cell.

I bought by Fish Easy II a year before the Fish Mark 320 came out. Now-a-days I might go with the FM320 instead.

Have fun on your paddle and share the stories when you get back!

I asked one of the conservation officers about Turkey Preference Points the other day. Every year you apply for the turkey permit drawing, you accumulate a preference point. Each time you get drawn for a permit, your accumulated points go down to 0. The higher the number of accumulated preference points you have, the more likely you are to get drawn.

Your likelyhood to get drawn depends on:
1.) The number of permits available for your zone and season
2.) The number of landowner applicants for your zone and season
3.) The number of general applicants for your zone and season
4.) Your accumulated preference points

If there’s 300 permits and only 200 applicants, then preference points never come into play and everyone hunts. That seems to be the case with the seasons that occur in mid to late May, there are frequently left-over permits for those seasons (think the fishing opener has anything to do with that?)

My group’s been applying for area 349 – first season for a few years now. Our preference points were 3 and we just finally got drawn this year.

I asked one of the conservation officers about Turkey Preference Points the other day. Every year you apply for the turkey permit drawing, you accumulate a preference point. Each time you get drawn for a permit, your accumulated points go down to 0. The higher the number of accumulated preference points you have, the more likely you are to get drawn.

Your likelyhood to get drawn depends on:
1.) The number of permits available for your zone and season
2.) The number of landowner applicants for your zone and season
3.) The number of general applicants for your zone and season
4.) Your accumulated preference points

If there’s 300 permits and only 200 applicants, then preference points never come into play and everyone hunts. That seems to be the case with the seasons that occur in mid to late May, there are frequently left-over permits for those seasons (think the fishing opener has anything to do with that?)

My group’s been applying for area 349 – first season for a few years now. Our preference points were 3 and we just finally got drawn this year.

Thanks, Bill. From the link you provided I found the charts for the Twin Cities that include the Minnesota and Lower St. Croix maps and go all the way down to Lake Pepin.
http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/navcharts/umrnavcharts.asp

Thanks for the help guys!

I agree with Gator’s earlier post. Before the Vikes loss to NY last week, I was sorried about this Packer’s game. I think they’ll be re-focusing on this game. Both because it’s the Packers and because they realize they have to actually work on all cylinders to win.

Purple Pride!

I’d love to learn how to fish with the plastics. It would be great to break the live bait habit.

http://webclipart.miningco.com/library/hvarious/blpeop1.htm

I don’t know about y’all, but whenever I think of the web staff at IDA, I picture Admiral Ackbar (of Star Wars fame).

“It’s a trap!”

Great article, Jon! I especially was interested in hearing that trolling motor magnets could be damaged by freezing weather! I had kep mine stored in the garage, but will be sure to bring it into the basement this year.

Rock & Roll!

..er.. I mean crank and troll

—and beer!

Yep. Casting for pike this spring on Christmas lake I bounced a 1.5oz Daredevel off the noggin of a muskrat that just happened to surface at the wrong place at the wrong time. He got a standing 8-count: it took him about 10 seconds before the stars cleared enough for him to hightail it outta there.

<<Oh yeah, it was a small cardboard box. >>

Ah, that’s why I didn’t win… I’m too big to fit into a small cardboard box.

You can bet I’ll be keeping my eye’s peeled for the next drawing! (I’ll either loose weight or hope for a larger box) Thanks for the 1 in 300 (ok, 1 in 295) chance at a great fishing trip. This is the best fishing site on the web!

I’m in and crossing my fingers! [:)x]

Just a thought, could this be the first thread to go into quad-digits??

The place on the .net to go for rod building and repair is http://www.rodbuilder.org. I’d post your predicament there and see if anyone in that area can provide you with a recomended repair person.

Bald Eagle is very easy to find. It’s on the West side of Hwy 61, just North of White Bear Lake. Take 694 to Hwy 61. It’s probably 5 miles North of the highway on the left-hand side. You’ll go past the lake to CoRdJ/120th street, take a left, then another left onto the frontage road.

I know there’s a shorter way to take between Coon Lake and Bald Eagle. I think you take Broadway into Forest Lake, then 61 South to 120th.

Oh, there’s a real nice bait shop / convenience store near the corner of 61 & 120th. Gas, minnows, munchies and beer – it’s all covered!

I think this might be the map link Mike mentioned. Start with Map 9 (Ford Plan & Hidden Falls) and work your way South.

http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/NavCharts/UMRNavChartsIdx01.asp

Kid,
I’d say that Jerry’s “snout” seems about right. Though, he does bear a resemblance to RiverEye’s posting picture… hmmm… …an alter ego? …split personality? …coincidence? Perhaps. In the Croixlight Zone

Chappy,
A lot of times you can put pike & ‘eyes in the boat by trolling the channel between Chisago & S. Lindstrom. An F18 Rap on 50+ feet of line is a good start.

Good luck on the fishing and the motor!
– Rick

After a few unproductive outings last year I kinda gave up on Whitey, even though it’s pretty close to me. Even the few times I was ice fishing out there this winter went unappreciated. And with Bald Eagle lake right near by, it’s been hard for me to sit on White Bear for long.

I ought to get back out and try the bullrush by the eagle’s nest again, or the rock ridge out from the public launch.

– Rick

Gianni,
If it was your Mom’s car, what’s you Dad doing popping the driver’s side door open to fix it? Kidding – if my wife owned a ’68 RS, I’d be driving it as often as possible as well! Luv thos old ‘maros!!

My tire iron was used to re-align the clutch pivot in my ’67 RS.
– Rick

Last year there were 2 cougar sightings South of the Twin Cities in MN. One in New Ulm and the other was one that was killed in Burnsville, on the banks of the Minnesota river (for those who don’t know, Burnsville is a 3rd tier suburb of Minneapolis)

I saw reference to a continuing cougar investigation in New Ulm in the last Outdoor News, so they might still be having problems there.

I also seem to recall someone in Northern MN shooting a cougar on their front porch a year or two ago.

About 5 years ago there were 2 years worth of occasional sighting in Plymouth, MN (a 2nd ties suburb West of Mpls).

The MN DNR seems to be downplaying the cougar population, indicating that they are only passing through or are escaped captive/pet animals. With the Burnsville cougar, despite several reputable sightings, including one by a police officer, they continued to doubt the existance until it was photographed.

3-4 years ago in Hugo, MN (a few miles from my home) there were 5 sightings of a black cougar, including one by a sherrif’s deputy, and that one is still doubted offially by the DNR (though not by all of the COs ) I’d prefer they acknowlege the ‘maybe’ instead of denying the possibilities – human lives could hang in the balance.

– Rick

Yup – and your new governor’s name will be: Chippy Chipmunk.

I have to give Mike his props – I haven’t witnessed such a stretch before. I saw him go 25 casts for 25 fish. Incredible.

Kamakazee Ken, what an idiot. Not only could he have been seriously injured by the prop of his boat as it circled him closely at full throttle, this happened in the midst of a float of 10 canoers, some with kids. It was just sheer luck that he didn’t hurt someone else. His boat was traveling with such velocity that it finally ended 15 feet up the bank of the river. The difference between an interesting story and a tradgedy on the news was about 20 yards.

When Mike finally got to him floating in the river he was playing it off like it was no big thing. He said “I usually total 1 boat a year”. I sure hope he grows up before he causes someone else not to be able to grow any older.

Vell golldarn et – I taht dat vas da vay aryvon tawkt in St. Pahl, by golly!

Here’s another one:
Ole bought Lena a piano for her birthday. A few weeks later, Lars inquired how she was doing with it. “Oh,” said Ole, “I persuaded her to svitch to a clarinet.” “How come?” asked Lars. “Vell,” Ole answered, “because vith a clarinet, she can’t sing.”

– Rick
PS – when ya gonna teach me how to fish?

Ashtrays? Isn’t that what the empty beer cans are for?!

That’s a great one, Dave!

How about this one…

VEN TWO MINNESOTANS MEET oop nort on da lake fichen.

“Haydair.”
“Lobuddy.”
“Benearlong.”
“Coplhours.”
“Crieps, cetchenenny?”
“Yepgoddafew.”
“Vairdaybitin?”
“Oberdair.”
“Kindarday?”
“Valleyennordern.”
“Ennysiztooum?”
“Cuplapowns.”
“Oofda, bittenard?”
“Yanohowdeyar.”
“Vahchaoozin? Dalindyrik?”
“Ohyeahdonchano.”
“Fichenondaboddum?”
“Rydoopneardaboddum.”
“Howdeeperya?”
“Bouttventyfeet.”
“Oh, vachadrinkin?”
“Hadacouplabeers.”
“Velligoddago.”
“Tubad.”
“Seeyaround.”
“Yeahtakideeze.”
“Guluck.”
“Yoobetcha.”

( If you can read this… you’re a true Minnesotan!)

I stayed at McEwen’s Northern Shore in 99. It was an inexpensive drive in camp. It’s the only camp on Two Island lake and it’s a very short (5-minute) boat ride to Gull Rock lake, very well known for walleye. It’s on the bottom of the Chukuni river system and you can probably travel 100 miles if you want. I only fished 3 lakes the time we were up there – 2 Island, Gull Rock and Ranger.

Good Walleye and Great Pike fishing. Never tried for Lake Trout but heard some people caught them there, too.

I just checked and cabins there start at $270 a week and include a conservation license. I’d consider using their boats for a few bucks more, new 16′ Lunds with new motors.

I’ve some pictures from there on my website – check out Canada 99: http://www.torgerud.com/Photos/PhotoList.asp?ListDir1=..\Photos\Fishing\Canada99

PM me if you have any questions.
– Rick

Reminds me of how I learned to spell Mississippi

“M”, “i”, crooked letter, crooked letter, “i”;
Crooked letter, crooked letter, “i”;
Humpback, humpback, “i”: Mississippi.
Flowin’ down to New Orleans

Great post, rmartain

Airpart, I think that there’s a reference book you might be interested in. It’s called the Precision Trolling Guide and it’s got graphs and tech data on all sorts of plugs, including just about every Rapala product ever made.

– Rick