Monthly Archives: September 2014

September 29th, 2014

Last evening was in my mind the “end” of summer at Mille Lacs,  We went from almost 80 degrees to 50 in one day.  When the NW winds kicked up I just felt it.  And the need to get going for the season has got me going again.

This year will mark my 41st year on the ice, not counting the 4 or 5 years as a part-timer after school as I a teenager.  And at 59 years…….it’s been most of my winters.  It’s sort of crazy, (or maybe i am), but it has got me excited for the winter again.  I guess I’m not like those that go south where warmer weather awaits or even want to,(though maybe i should at my age,) but I guess I’m stuck with what I still want to do.  And that isn’t all that bad I guess.

Despite all the things that has happened at Mille Lacs the last 15 years with the “treaty management”, zebra mussels and clearer water, and the “northern and bass explosion” (?)  Walleyes have had a good couple years to create some good young year classes that haven’t been “consumed” mysteriously like our MN DNR claims….(could it be because we have had two years of late ice and almost undisturbed spawning grounds unlike we have had the last 13 years by nets and spearing?)  We’ll never know……..

Anyways, I’m still happy and excited to do this again and I know that if people that use the lake do their best to take care of it, it will survive for all of us…..and if they don’t?  Mother Nature just might……..

Keep a tight Line!!