The comeback of the wild turkey in Minnesota is a Great success story. Once almost, if not totally extinct in Minnesota. From 29 adult turkeys released in Houston County between 1971 and 1973 to now more than a estimated population of 70,000 ( Many believe that Est. to be on the low side ) I believe they now can be found all the way to far northern Minnesota and into Canada. I started hunting them in the mid 80’s in Houston County myself. #’s then were still rather low but I managed to harvest a bird 2 out of my 1st 3 years of hunting them. It sure was a lot more work then than it is today.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Working in maple Grove today and the turkeys are thick over here. They seem to hang around the business district pretty tight. Safest turkeys around I’d say.

those critters are starting to be a problem in metro areas for sure. i know of people who have been chased by them when walking or on bikes.

Nick Matti wrote:

Hoping to hit the ice this weekend in the Longville area. Has the ice held up pretty well?

I’d think the longville area may still have fishable ice. I talked with someone on Sat. that has a cabin on Woman and they showed me a area in front of a resort with a fair amount of open water. Depending on how much snow they get from this storm today and tomorrow in that area it may be a real sloppy mess on the lakes in that area. Hope you are able to get in another outing.

Anyone crossing into Canada, Please share your experience of how it went when you return. Be great to hear Info. from people who actually have crossed. We are almost 2 months away from when we are scheduled for our annual spring trip. Right now I’m more worried about the ice being out more than the border issue. Still lots of below 0 nights and not many above 30 deg. days lately or in the forecast.

Well out Back to back open water and ice was a total Bust. The place we decided to give a try for the open water resulted in 0 fish, In fact o bites. Water temps were still way low. The water was also crazy low. My guess is it was 12-18″ low. Lack of winter run off and any measurable rain as of yet will make that happen. Sunday morning got up and greeted with a heavy layer of ice on the truck. After a few hard yanks managed to get the door open and gear loaded up. The roads were actually not bad on the way over to meet my fishing partner. Got gear loaded in his auto and pulled out of the driveway. He stopped to shift into 4 wheel drive and when he put it into gear, Nothing. No forward or reverse. After turning the auto off and restarting it, it seemed to be working. Got a block down the road and it seemed to be slipping out of gear. Finally when turning around it was back to Nothing. Turned it off and restarted it again and once again back to working. Got it into the driveway and shifted it into reverse and once again nothing. Thought about transferring gear to my truck and going. Looked at the weather again and looked like like lots of Freezing rain, ice, and Snow between us and where we were heading 2.5 Hr’s away so decided to abort it and headed back home to bed. Think the auto troubles was a sign to stay home. Oh well, that’s fishing.

Crazy year. Have plans to open water fish in the local area tomorrow and plans to run a few Hours North on Sunday to ice fish. Was thinking of doing both on the same day tomorrow but pushed the ice outing till Sunday.

It’s crazy the cost of some of these things

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I have not tried any yet. I just purchased some from a guy who have played around with a lot of them. He had some he was willing to part with at a good price. I mostly wanted them to use on large Pike in Canada. I’m sure I’ll also give them a try for bass some this next summer as well. I held out on the whole mullet / Chicken jig thing for along time and finally decided to give them a try later in the summer last year and had a few good days fishing them. Maybe these big glide baits will be the same

I’m all for an open keep season different than current one. I’d prefer to keep my bass during cold water. Winter SM would be yummy

walleyevision wrote:

I’ve got one for sale on the classified section of this site if you are interested.

Seem like a real nice unit and a fair price. I think it’s more of a serious hard core model that I was thinking of. I’ll keep it in mind as I keep looking. I may get back to you on it at a later time depending on what I’m finding. Thanks for the heads up

Dutchboy wrote:

Thats a wives tail. With the dacron you will never break off if you are using a leader.

I know several guys that go up to lake of the woods every April and still do the toss the cane pole over if a big fish or is 2 are hooked at the same time. They may noy break off but with the stiff cane pole and heavy Dacron line ( I think the guys I know use duck decoy line tied to a fluro leader but they often tear off due to the lack of give in the short line and stiff rod. Them dragging the cane pole wears them out some. Since the water depth is not deep enough they can not pull the cane pole under. Just drag it around.

BCNeal wrote:

We’ll be crossing into Manitoba this Sunday heading up for one last crack at the big greenbacks on Lake Winnipeg. It will be interesting to see how the border crossing goes

Please give a report of how the Border crossing goes for you. It will be interesting to get a report from a recent crosser to see how much of a issue it is.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Simply not true. Plenty of places that would rival any Canadian lake. Especially for walleye.

well a 100 fish day with the average size being between 21-23″ all on artificial bait would be rather easy if that’s what we wanted. If you know of a place somewhere here in the US that that’s the norm, I’m open for the Info.

As far as the Tariffs go, I never said the point was to get to EVERTHING made here in the US. Just a higher % of things.
If you have some ocean front property to sell you, it must have been a poor purchase for you other wise you would not want to be selling it.

When asked if I’m a Republican or a Democrat, I say I’m neither. I’m a US Citizen. I want what is best for the country as a whole. Not just what is best for me or a certain party.

Now that is a deep thought

Much like bass fishing at the HS level its great to see so many schools also having a trap team. Sure wish those were both HS sports when I was in school. Its hard to believe in this day with all the Anti – gun people that this sport is even allowed much less grow like it has. Good on any parents that support it and on those who are coaches. I hope it can continue to grow even larger than it has.

Rather you are for it or against it, Electronics is a big factor in tourney fishing these days. The younger fishermen are simply growing up with it and are simply just often better with it. Can a tourney still be won these days without being up to date on them, Maybe. But I doubt it will be often. If the older fishermen want to stay near the top they are going to just have to take the time to learn to use them, If they do not its going to be harder and harder for them to continue to cash checks and support themselves by fishing.

I was in the park rapids area on Sat. Ice still fine on The lakes we fished. I’d say a good 24+ “. I will say it’s getting a little soft. With little to no snow on the surface, it will go a lot faster once it start going this year. A few weeks ago I’d of bet it would not still be fishable at this time. Now I’d bet there are at least 2 more weeks of fishing in that area

WOW. Something I said in a post reply must have really pissed him off. My post and his reply seem to be deleted. Was not sure what happened but by the new 234342 reply I guess I now know. I didn’t think my post was anything over the top but must have been seen as such

Looks like a couple of the new young guns on top at this time. A lot seem to still be struggling

Joe Jarl wrote:

Not sure if a lot of them are struggling or just not keeping up their basstrakk.

Could be either but my guess is Struggling.

Ya the cord length and lack of clarity in dirty water are the issues I remember from when I last played around with them MANY years ago. I had hoped those issues had improved in the more current models. Most the water I fish and want to scout in is less than 30 feet so don’t need hundreds of feet of cord. Just want something I could drop down once in awhile to confirm what I think may be rocks, or something I can drop down and troll along slowly to find rocks.

I know it’s early into the tourney, but it seems like this event is really going to be a grinder type of an event. Those fishermen who can stay focused the best and not spin out if things don’t go their way will be the ones on top at the end of this thing. Tough fishing conditions make some struggle and others excel.

Gim
You missed my point. My point was aimed at the comment about government control and some people’s thoughts that we need more of it to protect ourselves. Like I said I was not for or against a boating safety class. I just don’t see the point for those who have boated for 40+ years of their life.

fins wrote:

I don’t know how you guys can do it. I drive by the line up in international falls all the time in the summer and it’s literally miles long. It must take hours and hours to get through. You know the line is moving slow when there people standing in the grass on the side of the road shooting the $hit drinkin beers.

It normally doesn’t take up more than 15-20 minutes. The o ly time it takes longer is if they are checking boat live wells. Be sure to fully wipe out and dry them. If a spoonful of water is found it will be into the wash down line you go. That process will se you back a fair amount of time for sure

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tswoboda wrote:</div>
But for me personally, and I’m sure many others, most times we’re never passing an open grocery store or lcbo once in Canada. Would have to go way out of the way or plan the trip around finding an open grocery store and lcbo… no thank you.

THis is basically our issue. There is one convenience store, maybe a liquor store. THe convenience store I cannot even imagine what they have for stuff we would bring in, which wouldnt be a ton I guess. I guess my buddy wouldnt have his pudding cups and jello most likely LMAO.

Same with us as well. Unless you pass a Big town, the small towns grocery stores have a rather limited amount of product. I’d not be against just buying everything there in Canada – Just not as easy as some think. My guess is Meat would be a real issue. We eat a lot of Hamburger, steaks, and Breakfast sausage each trip. If it ends up that people are being really hassled, I’ll just skip going. It will suck, but not the end of the world. Really look forward to both the spring and fall trips up there.
Sadly I think their Country needs our money far more than we need theirs. The issue does not hurt their Government at all. It hurts the resort owners, and other places that really rely on US fishermen and visitors. Just another country’s government making decisions that effect their citizens more than themselves.

All this said, I still not against the whole Tariff situation. It was way overdue. Import to export difference is simply something that needs addressed. There was a time that US citizens purchased almost everything they needed from things built, grow, produced right here in the US. Not anymore. Just take a look at the tags on things in your home or when you buy them. You will be shocked how many things are built or sourced from a foreign country. In the Big picture this really hurts our country in the long run. I’m not saying everything we buy or eat needs to come from here, but a larger amount of it sure does.

Jimmy Jones wrote:

I don’t do the Canada thing anymore so I don’t have to worry about it. Fish on this side of the border taste just like fish on that side.

Taste maybe. Size and quantity, No where even close. I catch more 40″+ pike in one Canada trip than I have in a lifetime in Minnesota. I catch more walleye in a day than I do in the whole year here in Minnesota.

Riverrat wrote:

Both boater fatalities in my county last year were persons over 60.

Was that the person who caused the accident or the person who Died over 60?
Do you think a boater safety class would have made a difference?

Like I said, if they make it a requirement for my age i will do the class. I truly don’t think it will make me a better boater, but who knows.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Well if this is true, I guess my truck for sure wont be going to Canada in June. Hopefully its confirmed beforehand one way or the other so we dont turn around and head back. I am not dealing with that. The fishing is good and the people are great but they can PI$$ up a rope for all I am concerned and wont be dealing with it.

I’m with you on this one. Hopefully it will all blow over by our trip. I’m sure if its a issue, we will hear about in advance and may simply skip the trip. That would suck, but not going to bother if their government wants to make it a issue.

tswoboda wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Doesn’t seem like a big deal. We do it to them and they should do it to us.

I agree, it’s the time not the money. Should be a minor annoyance assuming they have you go through everything. Not bad for the guys who are prepared for it but could see it being a mess for anyone caught off guard

^^^^ Tswoboda is correct – The Tariff on foods is not the issue. The delay caused at the border is a whole different issue. I could see this becoming a Big issue. The crossing we use hardly ever has more than 1 or 2 gates open and if you end up having to stop and go inside the delay is always major. This will most likely cause MANY more people to have to be stopped and go inside. Not many places to park for those needing to go inside. My guess is if that area gets backed up. They will just hold up the line at the initial windows.