Pelican Lake / pelican Rapids?

[jsondag]

Yeah Scoot, it was nuts! Right when the bassmaster opened his mouth, Rob started turning a funny shade of Green, grew 6 more feet, and had muscles the size of watermelons. ROB SMASH! Just kidding.... But no really!

Rob is probably one of this generations greatest "warriors" when it comes to supporting this or any other fishery... Or any other species for that matter. I wish we a lot more like him.

[JRedig]

I cannot for the life of me believe how ignorant and stupid other anglers are.

Do they not realize how many of the best walleye fisheries in canada and minnesota are also great muskie fisheries? That is all the proof you should need. If they don't understand that, everything else is just wasted time spent getting blue in the face!

[fishin58]

Would a warning at the accesses help? Big orange sign of a fine for harming or keeping undersized muskie. Also list the TIP number right at the bottom. Just a thought but at least let em' know we will be watching! I don't think it would hurt and signs are cheap.

[jsondag]

I have made practice 100% C&R sings before. I had 6 of them made. We have an east and a west access, put 2 signs up - within a week they were both removed - put two more up - removed - the last two same result.

The DNR doesn't like signs cluttering up the boards so they say. I wish they were as diligent about nailing poachers on this lake as they are maintaining the beautification of the ramp.

A lot of people cringe when they see the DNR truck and trailer at the access - I get happy! I wish I could be deputized - give me a book of tickets a green suit and let me go.

[DHanson]

Jerry, I would love to see you in a green suit writing tickets, lol. I bet NDSU has a few programs....

The guys that do this are a disgrace to Minnesota and the outdoors, which we all know is a big part of this great state. Ethics and morals go a long way in judging a persons character in all acts of life. I'm willing to bet these attitudes they display on the water also shows elsewhere in life. These are probably the same people who kill and poach animals for fun (besides fish) and beat their wives and kids. They have a lot of the same characteristics of people who are sitting in a cell in prison as we speak.

[RK]

And as collected RK seems on this thread, I have had experiences where I thought I was going to have to physically restrain him from disemboweling a mouthy bass angler. But that's a story for another time.

Bahaha...I'd forgotten about that. Yeah, dude's eyes got kinda big when I barked at him. Don't think he was expecting that. Heh...

RU - coming from someone who grew up there, this is par for the course for that neck of the woods. There's a group of locals with a few ring leaders that are the stereotypical barstool biologists. They haven't learned anything new about walleye fishing since 1974, and if they're not catching as many now as they did then, it couldn't be because there are more and better fishermen today, with more fish caught and harvested, or anything like that. It sure couldn't be the number of deep fried fillets they've crammed down their fat necks in the last 35 years...so it must be the muskies. Never mind that the DNR's survey data shows that the walleye fishery has improved since muskies were stocked... They're very anti-DNR, across the board, and not really interested in the facts... All in all, they're a joy to deal with Sad thing is, I've known some of them my whole life.

[Mid-Lake Rock]

Very tragic to see that pic... sure hit it home about the reality of how some people think of muskies...

Not entirely just walleye fishermen... I've had similar comments coming from bass fishermen... which I love to remind them that any other fishes are just "bait" for muskies... thankfully

I've also had to listen to the bass anglers whine on the water. I just ask them one simple question. " Why did God create bass?" When they can't answer, I reply "So anyone can catch a fish." - I stole that line from another site a few years ago.

[Musky Buck]

I thought this was about Miltona, jk, but it could be. Same kind of issues. Bingo Dhans. It's bizarre to me that they can slit a ski but throw back a pike, both predatory in nature and I've only had northerns hit my walleyes to date on occasion in muskie waters. I took a piece of hide off that Schnitker guy last summer basically because I'm tiring of all this blibber blabber and getting cursed out on Miltona 75% of my trips there. Of course when I offered settling our differences like men at the landing I didn't get any takers. I'm not saying that will help or is the answer but I was at my wits end an my gloves were off.

[Musky Buck]

Major props to Jerry and RK for sticking there necks out the farthest in regards to the muskie fishery!

[jsondag]

I try where I can, but Rob deserves most of the kudos.

[Musky Buck]

Right on Jerry but I hear and have witnessed you are a heck of a good guy and RK must have some Derek Boogaard in him if you are a wild hockey fan, gloves off on the muskie issues. I would like a cage match with that Schnitker guy. Back to Pelican, I wasn't aware Pelican had these issues. Sad to hear, very sad and shame on anyone who purposely maims any fish of any kind and then leaving it for the gulls.

[Musky Buck]

Might catch Jerry with a quick ? here, you know Brad Hoppe somewhat I'd figure, has he ever mentioned shenanigans on Miltona ? Just a yea or a nay would do and we could add Miltona to the topic. I've often wondered what Hoppe has heard and seen through the years on Miltona since I've fished it maybe 10 times and 6 of those times what I was hearing was R rated.

[DHanson]

I know Miltona is bad. Although I haven't experienced anything myself out there, I have friends that have shared stories with me in that area, who also happen to live in Alex. I really don't think this problem is lake specific, I see it as more of a state-wide issue. I have heard stories from all over the state, it is always the same.

[Musky Buck]

right on DH, I talked to one cabin owner on Shamineau and he told me that he finds many dead ski's on shore at his place and his neighbors, mortality reasons unknown, but I never thought it was as bad as he said it was. Found or saw a fair amount of floaters on Alexander last summer too, I guess it's part of the business of muskie angling, but it's sad to see so many large fish floating on top from whatever reasons, thankfully I haven't seen a slit gut one like JS shared earlier on here.

[DHanson]

I know for a fact Alexander is as bad or worse than any other lake for intentionally killed fish in season or not. One old guy who lives on the lake hangs muskie heads on his mailbox. Pretty classy.

[jsondag]

Yeah, B-Hop and I trade stories all of the time.

It is amazing, the similarities between Pelican and Miltona not only the people, but the fishery as well.

I remember several years ago when these quiet lakes nobody cared about blew up! Now we still have good fishing, but nothing like 5 or so years ago. Pressure has doubled every year since 2000. I remember when I could go out on a rainy day and there would be 2 other boats on the lake - and those were walleye guys.

Now, every tourist spot has two or three people on it throwing dawgs and blades. I know that is nothing compared to Mille Lacs or V, but for a 3000 acre lake 20-30 musky boats a day can be painful to a fishery. It has really changed. And as a guide struggling to find clients to stray away from some of the "HOT" lakes and come fish a sleeper, the hurt really makes things difficult. That's why I am so dead set on getting people to release.

Our and most fisheries need people to give back - People can come rape and pillage all they want, but when there is no more fish to be caught then what. One guy keeping a fish leads to another then another so on and so forth. Soon we have to go back to catching water donkies. (walleye)

Sorry for the rant, I get wound up talking about this stuff!

[Musky Buck]

My goodness, what an uphill battle, we all definitely need to band together even more now than ever. Here I thought maybe it was just Miltona that had some of these green wigged clowns but I'm guessing most stocked muskie water have the haters as well. They must treat muskies as though they are criminals. Only a guess but I bet if Gull gets stocked you'll hear and see the same stuff only they'll bounce them off their outboards as juveniles. I didn't want to believe it is like it is.

[Musky Buck]

With you 100% and I'll promise to do all I can as well. I hear ya JS, I started the muskie fever in 1988 and have witnessed the exact same changes. 7 days a week the spots I fish get hit over and over and over again but what do ya do, go weekdays, wrong, they are getting hit almost 24-7. So I join the masses with not much of any expectation about any run, sometimes I get to my favorite lake and the access is full so home you go after an hour drive, those days almost give me the retirement feeling. But, you keep on plugging away but the level of enjoyment isn't the same, throw in the jet ski's, tubing, pontooning, water skiing behind those mammoth boats, even water planes on occassion and I now understand the term "combat fishing".

[jsondag]

Unfortunately Gull will never get "legally" stocked. Too many homeowners against it.

[JRedig]

Lol, musky buck and the double post. Classic!

[Quackaddict9]

Lol, musky buck and the double post. Classic!

nothing new....

[Brett Waldera]

I know a guy from North Dakota who met with the MNDNR and the Lake Association and was able to increase the stocking efforts on Pelican more than 400 fish bi-annually.

This was done to help offset all the harvest that was happening on the lake.

Brett Waldera

[Musky Buck]

Good to hear Brett and I wish I could repeat my comments to that schnitker guy but I'd get the lifetime boot from here. Getting ready for the opener guys/gals ? I can repeat this part about the green wig, white smiley painted face, polka dotted jumpsuit, fire engine red nose, floppy red shoes, and with a whirly on your hat Schnitker you are the complete carnival clown.

[jsondag]

Who is this schnitker guy?

[Musky Buck]

Jerry, this guy started a HSOforum or contributes to it called muskytrouble.com. Seemed to come about because of the gull lake stocking effort. He contradicts the DNR's everything about muskies. I let him have it pretty good last summer. His site should read schnitkertrouble.com because that is what it reads like to me. He also came after the DNR recently about deer numbers in SW minnesota. As Barney Fife would say to the guys razing him around Mayberry....Rebel Rousers. I know free country true enough, but I can't agree when my top 2 lakes for walleyes have had muskies for many years and no not mille lacs,winni,leech,cass or lotw, mine are Miltona and West Battle.