***Free Fishing Seminar on 4 Premier MN Lakes**

[Grabs]

So who wouldn't want free fishing advice on 4 premier MN lakes?

Who wouldn't want to fish on Rainy, Bemidji, Winnie and W. Battle Lakes all in the same summer!

I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON ALL THE FUN THIS LEAGUE HAS TO OFFER!!

Take a few minutes to visit the links below and check out what the FishingMN sponsered LETS League is all about. And I can tell you it is all about having fun, fishing great lakes, learning a ton of information from fellow anglers and Pro-Staff, and enjoying the great lakes of MN!

League Rules, Schedule and Info
http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000137.html

Other LETS Happenings!
http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000131.html

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000136.html

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000144.html

Memories revisted for the year gone by!
http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000117.html

If you are looking for a fishing partner for this league post here:
http://FishingMinnesota.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/000147.html

After seeing all this and you still have an excuse not to join the league this summer, I'd like to hear it, because it has got to be awfully good not to experience all this!

Join in the fun, we'd love to have ya!

[This message has been edited by Grabs (edited 02-18-2003).]

[cluelessfisherman]

Here are a few links to some of the pictures from last season!

Lake Vermilion
http://waldowski.com/Vermilion.html

Lake Minnewaska
http://www.waldowski.com/Minnewaska.html

I know there are some more pictures lurking out there somewhere from a few other events... Paul???

You will have the time of your life fishing these events!!

Ok look at it this way - if you register for the LETS series, you will actually have an EXCUSE to go FISHING - so your wife or girlfriend can't harp on you too bad!!

See ya this summer!

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Clueless - -

[This message has been edited by cluelessfisherman (edited 02-17-2003).]

[Guest]

This series is a great time.4 weekends out of the year you get to get out with a bunch of guys who enjoy doing what you do on some of the best waters in the state.The saturday night meals are awsome thanks to PWaldow.He is a great camp cook!Its good fishing, good company and a great time.

[Guest]

aww Fishhead the check is in the mail. Thanks for the kudos.

Seriously guys this is a rockin good time. Just click on some of the above links and read the posts. It was a riot.

So who else is going to join us????

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Paul
[email protected]

[Guest]

Some of you might be weary of joining because you see all the Pro Staff, Field Staff and guides in the league, well, let me tell ya, each event is totally up for grabs...and I dont mean up for Grabs who is on the forum...hehehe.

We pick each lake to make sure there are plenty of oppertunities for all levels of anglers. Multi-species means multi-species, in fact sometimes the teams getting on the panfish do extremely well, a key fish that many of the teams try to target.

On Rainy, the crappies should be going like gangbusters not to mention the pike and the smallies.

On Bemidji, this is prime time for walleye as well as Muskie, bass and pike.

Winni- What more can I say about this lake. Giant bluegill, perch, bass and pike all within the confines of the protected Cut-Foot Souix. And the big lake, well, the big lake will be prime for walleye as well as speed trolling for monster pike!

To finish it up, West Battle. A true multi-species lake.

So you don't have a "Pro" style boat?
WHO CARES!! We sure don't!
In fact, the first year of the league a team fished out of a 12 foot jon boat and took 2nd place!

We are NOT about looking and acting like the sterotypical tourney anglers, we are about having FUN, sharing INFO, and making FRIENDS!

Join us, you will wish you had last year!

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>"////=<
Gull Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/gullguide
Brainerd-Mille Lacs-Willmar
Bemidji-Ottertail

[Guest]

This is the best fishing league. I was hesitant to join couple summers back when I showed up alone. I wanted to meet new people and learn some new tactics too! Now it's a ritual because I have the best excuse in the book to get away for long weekends, take off work, and enjoy some quality time with good people and the fish!

This year's events have the best lakes planned, in my opinion. Rainy should be a real hoot with the HUGE crappies, smallies, pike and walleyes.

Winni and Bemidji should be real fun.

Everyone is welcome to at my place as base camp as I live real close to the lake. West Battle will be a chore, and an excellent choice for the championship. I will try to learn the lake and help others out. I need help with this lake as it is right now! WB is filled with huge muskies, largemouth, northerns and if you catch a walleye it will be a BIG one! Big crappies too, but in August it might be a little difficult to find these fish. Sunfish are also a good option here too.

Lets fill this league up!

[Grabs]

So,...whose interested?

[Grabs]

Are there any questions out there about this league? Please ask them and we welcome many and all new-comers!

[Bob O]

By the way - LETS is not just for guys! Aby is returning for the full series this year.

[dougfish]

Grabs,
I am interested in joining. Can you send me info via e-mail? [email protected]. Thanks.

[Grabs]

Dougfish, let me know if you still need info or if Paul has taken care of your needs (Thanks Paul!).

Much of the information we know is available here in the FM Events Forum.

Look forward to seeing you at our events!

[Paul Waldowski]

Dougfish,

You have mail

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Paul
[email protected]

[Grabs]

Now with opener only 9 days away, fishing should the first thing on everyones mind.

[Blaze]

Man, I wish I could join in the league, but with 3 kids and a hectic life already, there's just no room to add a league on top of it all. I would like to offer my services as an *unofficial* webmaster if you guys want to keep stuff posted on a regular basis though.

Paul - just checked out your site and looks like there's a few pics that are gone or the HTML is pointed to the wrong spot - want a hand cleaning it up? Let me know.

T-minus 9 days to opener guys!!

Blaze
[email protected]

[Grabs]

Blaze, we would love to have you, its really only one weekend a month and you probably fish that or more now. This would just have the potential to be profitable and you also would be able to share and learn a ton about fishing. Far more advantages then just spending a weekend on the water without your FM family.

[Blaze]

Grabs - I hear ya, and yes, I know it would be a blast. That being said, I still need to tend to my 'real' family first. Maybe in the next couple years...my youngest just turned 3 today. He should be a good tournament partner in 2 years, dontcha think?

My offer is still open to put together a site for the league though. Heck, I can throw it out on our server and just add pics after each tourney if somone has a digital camera or a scanner. I guess it would be my way of vicariously participating in the league without actually being there...

[Skeets]

How can this be a "free" fishing seminar if it costs $300 per team to enter?
Not to mention the cost of lodging and gas to get there and home?

Just curious...

[Guest]

You know Skeets, that question came to my mind when I first saw this thread.

I think it poses a problem and I was not to enthused when I read how it was worded. If I were new to this whole thing, the phrase "seminar" implies that the LETS veterans were going to "school" the newbies. Also I got the feeling that it also implied that anyone new would not stand a chance. Sorry Grabs, but that is how I interpreted this post. That being said, I feel that this thread might have hurt the league as far as not filling it up since virtually all talk from prospective new members stopped abruptly after this thread was posted.

Yes, LETS is not cheap, but there needs to be some incentive for some people to put in the time to fish it. Maybe in the future, after we discuss this as a group of course, would to maybe cut the dues way down and make it more of a fun event than a competitive one, or we could go the other route and make it larger and run it like a tourney trail- large payouts but large entry fees. Another idea is to make it a Pro/Am event. Those of us in it now would be the Pros and we would run it like any other similar event where we would draw names for the Am partners on each day.

All of this is up in the air of course.

LETS is at a cross roads right now. We could make a bad decision and end up killing it or we could do the right thing and have it really take off. I believe we have made the right decisions so far, just look at the Metro chapter- first year in existance and almost a full league.

Of course this thread might not be the only reason for a lack of interest in the State-Wide league, other things such as gas prices, the economy, the commitment of 2 days versus 1, maybe a fear factor of having to fish with pro-staff, who knows.

All I can say is that once you have fished these events, you will want to come back. It is fun, informative and very laid-back.

I apologize for being a little long winded and letting my feeleings about this out for all to see, but I feel people should know how I feel about it since I am the league prez.

Take care all and see you up at Woody's.

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>"////=<
Gull Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/gullguide
Brainerd-Mille Lacs-Willmar
Bemidji-Ottertail
N.P.A.A. # 841

[cluelessfisherman]

I'm sure the topic was not meant to mislead anyone.

As far as the investment with gas and fees and bait etc. - it was worth every penny. The wealth of knowledge I gained from fishing this last year could not be measured in a fee or gas money. (And I'm sure our team had a higher gas bill than anyone - as my partner lives in Nebraska!)

I believe we all try our best to keep the costs of lodging to a minimum, weather it be group discounts at resorts (Rainy) or camping in peoples yards like we have available for 2 events this year (my place for Bemidji, and CD's place for West Battle)

In response to the possibility of some fearing to compete against the pro staff - all I can say to that is 3 of the top 5 teams last year were not pro staff or field staff!!

I believe most people join this league for the learning experience and the fun. If it was about the money, there are many other tourneys out there a person could join, but you wouldn't have this fun group of people to share it with.

All we need are 5 teams for the state league and I believe 2 for the metro league. We sould be able to fill a few more of these spots up. Just get the word out about how much fun this league really is!

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Clueless - -

[Scott Steil]

I don't think the topic was misleading at all and it certainly is not the reason the league didn't fill up. You have to remember you have a pretty ambitious schedule of events there. Rainy is a long haul and a new body of water to most. It takes a pretty good committment to fish LETS and the folks that do it will be glad they did, as they will learn more about fishing in then they ever could have imagined.

I think the statement Grabs made is pretty true when you think about where your money goes, food, fun etc. What you learn about fishing is actually free. Don't get caught up in the numbers, you have a good thing going. The metro league is doing well because they don't have to travel. Once you add travel and lodging into the equation it takes a whole new level of committment.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Guest]

At first the thought crossed my mind on the thread, but once I thought about it.....I did learn A LOT about fishing from these events. I honestly can't even begin to tell you how much I learned.
I look at it this way. I am going to fish, travel and have all these expenses anyways, why not pay a little fee for 4 tournaments on lakes I would like to fish, hang out with great people and learn more about fishing techniques. I consider it a monthly vacation!

[LuckyFish]

A little perspective from a first timer to the LETS League. First of all the post by Grabs had no bearing on my decision to join LETS. Grabs is working hard to fill the league, it's plain to see. I think he was just trying to generate some enthusiasm, by trying a new angle. My reason for joining the Metro instead of the state was based on vacation issues(only one week) and the fact that the state was a two day event. I would have to take vacation days for travel and such. With a family vacation already planned I didn't have any time . As far as the seminar part no it's not free, but nothing is. And being competitive in nature I plan on giving to the seminar not just taking Well that's probably more than my two cents worth but I feel any money spent at these events will be worth more than all the tackle I could buy. Thanks to all the staff for putting the LETS together.
Lucky

[Capt'nJosh]

I signed up for LETS last year because I wanted to learn how to be a better fisherman. After the first day of the first tourney on Vermillion my team ended the day skunked and I was thinking, “What did I get myself into here?” After the weigh in we sat around the campfire talking about what worked and what didn’t. The next day we brought in a whopping 2lbs 11 ozs of fish. OK this may not sound so great, but we didn’t get skunked! The rest of the tourneys just kept getting better and better and by the end of the season we were bringing in 10+ lbs.

You are fishing against FM prostaff, people that fish the big money tourneys, and guides. But don’t think of that negatively! You are spending 4 weekends surrounded by these folks that are excited about fishing, and are willing to swap stories/tips/techniques! I can’t put into words the amount of knowledge that I gained from these folks last year!

My wife and I just had our first child 4 weeks ago, and let me tell you convincing her that I needed to spend $150 and be gone fishing 4 weekends this summer was no easy task. But now I do have 4 weekends on the calendar that I know I will be able to fish this summer! If you are on the fence over joining the league I strongly suggest signing up! It was a great time last year, and I have no doubt that this year will be more of the same!

Oh and I almost forgot, Chef Waldowski cooks up the meal on Saturday night that is almost worth the trip alone!

Capt’nJosh

[Grabs]

Let me clarify one thing at this point, there are currently only 2 Pro-staff members who are registered for the State-wide league, and if I am not mistaken, Dennis is the only Pro-staff member in the Metro league. The majority of us are average guys and gals (can't forget Abby) out for a informative weekend of fishing. The competition shouldn't persuade you against joining this league.

[CorynTracySellHomes]

I would like to wiegh in on this issue! I showed up for the first event last year at Vermillion knowing absolutely no one! The partner I teamed up with for the year I had met once at an ice fishing get together. Needless to say I was a little apprehensive on showing up. Well, I was about the last one to show up that Friday night, and with in 10 mins this bunch of strangers felt like old high school buddies! What a blast!
Don't get me wrong, there are some VERY good fisherman that fish this series, but, on the flip side you will not find a greater bunch to throw out some tips and suggestions to anyone that is struggling to catch fish! The whole series is best summed up in the series dtatement. "We have more fun!" So, if you would like to make some new friends for life and fish some awesome lakes, and learn more in this one summer than you could possibly learn in 10 summers on your own, than this is for you!
For you married people that count your wife as your favorite fishing partner, she is deffenitely invited to fish as a team with you! All of the people in this organization is top notch, I would not hesitate to bring anyone to anyone of these events. If your favorite fishing buddy is your kid, Perfect! Bring them with!

Cory Frantzick

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