My neighbor is one of the DNR officers who covers Minnetonka. I told him that I never see you guys out there. He said that a lot of times they are on jetskis. I’ve never been checked on Minnetonka, but also never fish it this early. Obviously this time of year they are looking for the guys doing some early walleye fishing and also have an easier time focusing on stopping fishing boats. Later on in the summer, your odds of being checked go way down with all of the boats out there and on top of that, they are also probably assisting the Sheriff with other calls.

I think the show has always struggled to define what it is. Since it is a family show, the kids probably loved walking through the campers displayed there.

I read that the show was sold to the same company that puts on the Home and Garden show, so that might also explain the differences.

I don’t know, I haven’t really got that much out of the show in years. The only years I have liked it and the boat show were the years I was on the market for a new boat. Otherwise, it’s all just kind of blah to me.

Back when I was a kid, the show was great because I lived and breathed fishing and didn’t have the options available today to be surrounded by it. Today I can watch YouTube videos, etc.

I think we are a year or so away from a really big pullback. For now, there are still plenty of guys with cash, plenty of boomers looking for their retirement boat, etc. But after those guys get theirs, I think it starts to look more grim. People are maxed out on their credit and everything is so much more expensive these days. Everything.

In the 90s, there would be jokes here and there about Clinton going to McDonalds or the Lewinsky thing. But it just part of the opening and that was it. But that was back in more innocent times before politics was part of everything like it is today.

I wish politics wasn’t apart of things like this as the reason you tune in is to escape all of that for an hour. And they are cheap, easy jokes. Much like comics whose only schtick is raunch.

I can’t believe any of them are still on. 20 years ago, with no streaming, less internet use, it was something to turn on if up late to keep you company. Kind of like how Cheers re-runs used to air after the Kare 11 10PM news. It was comforting. Few of the shows were ever laugh-out-loud, but it was something to have on and to learn about new comics, actors, bands, etc.

But today, I can’t believe anyone tunes in.

I’m a software engineer and lead a software team. These days, it’s a lot more relaxed than the majority of my career. Since COVID I work from home. I cannot complain. I also work a schedule where I get every other Friday off. I could never go back to a normal schedule.

I know people have their complaints about him, but I used to really like his show. I liked how he took his family on trips with him and it was all about the excitement of fishing. Less about technique like other shows. It captured the spirit of what fishing is for me, so I was into it.

He shares the face of early MN fishing with the Linders, Ron Schara. Faces that have always been there.

I have no problem with the fees for the pontoon and fishing boat, but always shake my head when I have to pay for kayaks (longer than 12 ft). So dumb.

It’s hard for a lot of guys to justify owning one when you can’t use it over the holidays, when a lot of people have a block of time off. It used to be that you could head up to the cabin over New Years and have guaranteed snow, even if there wasn’t much down in the Cities.

So we will get snow later this month into March, but then it’s just weekends here and there and bam, there’s spring.

This is Banana Ball trickling into other sports. I think it’s kind of in bad taste for football of all sports, which already is about the show and personalities.

He is one of the luckiest QBs who has ever played the game. Hopping teams, playing mediocre — good enough to get some wins, but never enough to seal the deal in the playoffs — but walking away with bank as he shuffles off to the next team.

I hope this is a permanent trend on these. Finally back to decent prices. It’s been good to see various things drop down to prices near where they were before.

That Blackwater lake is fairly deep and clear. Probably late to freeze compared to other lakes.

It’s all just so dumb. If they hate waited to go out one or two more days, they might have been OK. But the weight of two guys on a ATV was too much.

I agree that social media is contributing to this. The amount of posts from resorts and people on my FB feed talking about ice and going out is insane.

Just a sad, sad deal anytime anyone goes in.

If I am driving past Mille Lacs on the way up or back, always stop at the Garrison Holiday for gas and bathroom break. It will be different when it turns into a Circle K, but I’ll still stop.

I’ll second the comment about Bass Pro. While we grumble that it’s not the Cabela’s we once knew, you can’t argue about the stocked shelves every day of the year with any tackle you could ever want.

These shows are mostly to have something to do. Look at new products all in one place. Basically, be immersed in your hobby for a few hours. It’s not a place to find deals.

David Shanvunhueisn wrote:

At Scheels last night and the 30’s are on sale for $498

A few years ago that would’ve been a good deal, but hard to drop that much on a flasher these days.

I wonder if there is about to be a shortage on building supplies coming soon. Everything will be sent down there. I also have no idea how home insurance companies pull a profit down there.

There were so many deals on these late winter last year. Striker just had a really good deal on the Predator suits, too. You know that warehouses are still probably pretty full at ice retailers after the bust of last winter.

I haven’t looked, but I’m guessing you can get a better deal on one compared to the Reata or glass Lund Tyee. No one really knows about the Solera. The Skeeter fans are going to be looking for their other models.

All boats in the same class are about the same now. Like any comparison, it comes down to the storage, and other small things like console layout, livewell configuration, etc.

No idea what the prices are for other makes, but I can’t help but think the way Honda runs their outboard business doesn’t help as their low volume must mean less parts out there, too.

If you want a 6.5 ft bed with crew cab, it can be hard to find on the lot.

Post a Pic of that new toon sometime. Looked pretty nice when you bought it.

I think this is a generational thing like bike helmets. Multiple generations now grew up wearing bike helmets from day one so to them it feels unnatural to go biking without one. Whereas us old guys NEVER wore a helmet.

With PFDs, it’s the same. The older generation finds it hard to start wearing one since throughout our life, none of the adults in our life ever did and we never did when we became adults. People just didn’t do it.

I’ve been holding off because I fear it’s a slippery slope into something else to collect. A month or two ago there was a pretty big auction online from a house that had a ton of great, old beer signs. I would’ve bought so many of them.

For me, it’s just one of those things, that I just have to avoid all-together. The amount of cool antique outboard manufacturer signs and other fishing signs is just too much.

Probably Minnetonka for me. No family cabin. We actually do pretty well on Minnetonka in the spring for walleye, among all the other species.

It’s somewhat sad to me how I am so desensitized that stuff like this doesn’t even intrigue me anymore. 30 years ago pre internet, our worlds were a lot smaller and things like this would shutdown the country. Today, I just shrug.

As others have said, dealers don’t order many with the 6.5 ft box to sit on the lot. Most guys who want one order their truck.

The problem I saw when I was looking a few years ago is that dealers that did order the 6.5 ft bed did so with the top trim and was super expensive.

I also think that there are more 6.5 ft beds sold in Canada, based on what I’ve seen in the used truck market and where the trucks came from.

I also think that more people would want the 6.5 ft box, but most people don’t even know that this option exists since every other truck they see has the shorter box.

I think the show is probably at a point where it should change. It used to be that guys could order their fishing boats at the show and they would be here by opener. Today, even ordering at the Jan boat show does not guarantee you’ll get it in time. So maybe this show can move forward some to a warmer time of the year and maybe have it at the State Fair? That way you could have some outdoor exhibits, etc. No one wants the hassle of going downtown right now and paying for parking. If you had it at the State Fair, the DNR building could open up and those exhibits could be part of it.

That idea aside, I would like to see more exhibitors with different kinds of outdoor stuff. Tents, overland rugged camper trailers, etc. There are so many cool products out there right now with the popularity of camping and being outdoors. Have some cabin builders, show off pre-fab cheap cabins that guys could put on their land. The show could then appeal to more than just us old fishing guys.

Would the state buyout the resorts and other landowners then? What is the plan to compensate them?