The smallies are fatter than I have ever seen them, here is 21″ from last Saturday.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG20241012125527-scaled.jpg
   

2. 

   IMG20241012125523-scaled.jpg
   

Here is the view from my deck at my seasonal, been there 4 years took 1 year to move to my current location. a little over 3K per year including dock in protected harbor. Thought about buying but decided against it.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG20230623181817-scaled.jpg
   

I was out this weekend as well, the dead fish were all large tullibees. This is pretty normal this time of year at Mille lacs. I have seen this many, but not all, years on Mill lacs. The older tullibees seem to be unable to handle the higher water temps. (approaching 80 on the surface now)
all of the dead tullibees I saw were very large (well over 15″ I would guess)

I have been out with Brad, and also have seen him compete in a few tourneys. The problem with Brad’s style of fishing (it certainly does work) is that it works best the more rods you can put in the water, optimally 4-6, but that means more people in the boat in Minnesota. with two rods you need to have the bite (color, speed, and location) really dialed in prior to the tournament and hope it remains stable.

Just an aside and not sure it matters much, the new Stellantis Hurricane 6 cylinder engine is not a V6, It is a straight 6.

I am leery of the Turbos as well.

There were lots of boats on Saturday, I went out at 6pm (northeast sand) )and by 7pm I had the area I was in to myself, the launch even left the area.

Sunday it was empty in the northeast, but the smoke was thick, so that may have been part of the issue.

Graph

Attachments:

1. 

   MilleLacsWaterLevels.jpg
   

31 Years of USGS Mille lacs Water levels (Plus near real time)

Ideal Credit Union is at 6.24%

I have seen that fairly often on my Active Target 1 with walleye. I have always thought that was a fish belly to the bottom starting to move.

I often see a similar thing with smallmouth in the rocks/boulders. Can’t tell its a fish in the rough terrain until there is movement.

25 years ago I used to drive from Vergas to Fargo for work every day. After seeing multiple deer left with mostly broken backs, I started carrying a 2×4 and large knife, to help them out. If I was on the way home I’d throw it in the back and call the Ottertail Co Sheriff and they’d throw a tag in the drawer.

Never really could understand why people would leave those animals struggling in agony like that.

Fish Mille lacs Weekly, Water is very low, be careful on all the public accesses, and on some of the reefs. It will take a lot more rain than we have gotten to make big dent there.

on another note PropMD is the place to go for me. They do good work at what I consider reasonable prices, I have never seen so many props in one place

Eagle Dual axle trailer $500 (too long but perhaps can mix and match parts)

Trailer

Paid 21.99 per 1/2lb at Mille lacs this weekend for jumbos (they did their job well) Only about 50% were what I would call jumbo

They typically do not remove the buoys until sometime in October. That said, it will all depend on the water level, if it stays dry, by the end of the year there very well could be unmarked hazards.

100% Drive it off, I do not want it to come off without power.

If I have to unload without driving it off, I attach a rope to my hitch and the bow eye and back in until it floats off, sometimes it helps to stop suddenly.

Just an opinion, but the rolling down the window and it going away, plus the fact it only happens in the truck, seems like pretty conclusive troubleshooting. I would keep experimenting with that before I got the neuro doc involved. Was the CO detector one that gave a digital readout or just an alarm? Perhaps you are super sensitive to CO, perhaps its not even CO that is causing the issue but some other gas.

this place can help you out in the Cities, they have it all in stock and are ready to share the knowledge as well, bought all my stuff there for years.

Express Composites

I have been Fishing the 13 omen (open water) spinning rods for about 5 years and I fish them side by side with the St. Croix Legend Tournament both in MLXF and they fish relatively equally in my experience. What isn’t equal is price. (tried one reel, not impressed)

48.5 yesterday. Fishing was good in the afternoon, slow to start in the morning, but that is probably normal for these temps?

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG20221030142334.jpg
   

Was out last night on The Pond and while there is still some on the water it was greatly diminished from what it was 10 days ago.

I have been buying gas at Costco for over a decade at the Eden Prairie location. Last Saturday it was 2.75 and everywhere around me was 3.10, .35 cent difference or about 8.75 savings on a tank, I save enough to cover the membership in 6-7 tanks.

In addition over the decade I have been buying gas at Costco I have seen the difference between Costco and the area around me vary from as low as about 10 cents to as high as 45 cents a gallon.

I believe Costco just marks their gas up using a cost + formula, not what the market will bear like normal stations.

I commonly refer to the difference between the 2 as the SCREW FACTOR

Was fishing last Sunday. It was 63 where I was, caught a few walleye with the bass on the rocks

My absolute favorite part of the fair (especially as a kid)

Don’t plan on fishing for Walleyes after 10pm on Mille lacs unless after September 15 then you can fish till 12PM

Night Closure:
May 17 – June 4: No fishing for any species from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
June 5 – September 15: No fishing from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. except for below exemptions
September 16 – November 30: No fishing from Midnight (12 a.m.) to 6 a.m. except for below exemptions:
Beginning June 5, muskellunge and northern pike may be targeted with artificial lures longer than 8 inches or sucker minnows longer than 8 inches. While fishing during the night closure, you may not possess or target any species other than muskellunge or northern pike.
Bowfishing is allowed but you may not possess angling equipment while bowfishing, and only non-game fish may be in possession.

I never do paypal for merchandise unless I have the seller send me a PayPal invoice. If you just send the money using PayPal without using the PayPal invoice, it is the same as a donation, i.e. no recourse

Eelpoutguy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>slawrenz wrote:</div>
I could be wrong, but I am not sure Eddy’s is doing launches anymore, they don’t list launches on their website and I saw all their boats still on land when I drove by this afternoon.

You are correct. I just called up there and they said that launch service has been discontinued.

Maybe someone can get a good deal on a bid red and white boat, even better if your name is Eddy, Otherwise they will probably just rot away

I could be wrong, but I am not sure Eddy’s is doing launches anymore, they don’t list launches on their website and I saw all their boats still on land when I drove by this afternoon.

FWIW, I do not use the launches, but I fish Mille lacs every wknd and as many weekdays as I can from opener till mid October. I have fished a tournament or 2 out of Hunter’s and from what I know I would say they are the most fisherman oriented resort on the lake, and I see their launches in what I would consider good locations at the appropriate times

ah…mine is completely different, except for the airlock I am guessing. Both of my fill pumps are underneath the livewell in the passthru from the trolling motor battery compartment. and they are not the type of pump with a base.