2011 Goals/Wants/Dreams

[Duffman]

With the warmer weather and longer days, it's good to see the paddling folks getting itchy for open water on the forum. It looks like guys are also getting excited for new boats and new equipment. The canoe's still hanging in the garage, but I can tell she's getting antsy.

I'd love to get in another April pre-season BWCA trip like last year, but that's all dependent on when the ice goes out. Every year I say I'm going to paddle the MN river, maybe this is the year I actually do it? The Big Fork river has also peaked my interest, but then everytime I see it mentioned on HSO, folks warn about the bugs, I hate bugs.

The only off-season purchase I've made so far was to pick up an Marcum Ice Troller. I told the Mrs. that she would like the vertical display for ice fishing , which she does, but I mostly got it for use in the canoe. I used to use the LX5 in the canoe, but 6 AA batteries will be much lighter to carry around than a gel cell batery. I'll put it thru some testing to see if I can actually get a long weekends use out of one set of batteries.

I used to post Duffman Weekend Reports back in the day, I think I'm going to try and do that again with pics this year.

It'd be cool if some of you guys would do the same, I always get a kick out of reading about others adventures.

Well, what say you?

[MN BassFisher]

Duff, I should be active in this section of the forum this year. I have a kayak being shipped to me right now, I plan to rig it up for fishing and get out as much as I can. I hope to be posting stories/pictures/videos/and fishing reports from my outings!

I'm also going to try to get out on some rivers this year for fishing, I have a few spots on the Croix and 'Sippi planned out. I would like to find a couple smaller rivers to paddle as well.

[MNice]

Hey Duff, how's it been. Just an FYI, we've moved from near lake X to Prior Lake, on the west side of the lakes. Sold the canoe last year, just didn't use it much. Maybe thinking of a SOT yak for some fishing. Hope all is well.

Jeff

[Duffman]

It's nice to hear from ya Jeff, I saw that we are closer neighbors now in another thread. I've never ice fished PL, some day maybe? I'm guessing you're enjoying the shorter drive to work?

Life has its bumps in the road, but I'm doing pretty good. I'm really digging the solo canoe stuff, I can see why kayaking is getting more popular every year. It's nice to be able to control a watercraft just by yourself without having to rely on others. For no other reason than everybody is so busy these days, I can just hit the water when I want to.

Lake X is a distant memory, but my wife still has me beat with biggest 'eye thru the ice because of that place, it will not be forgotten anytime soon.

Take care bud, any one of those daughters of yours married yet?

[MNice]

Oldest one is getting married this may, heading to mexico for a destination wedding. It will be a nice family vacation. The other two have had steady boys for a while, both of them at the U, can U say tuition!!

Everything else is great, still getting settled in, about 90% done. Enjoying the new house, except I can't just park my trailer & boat in the woods, still getting used to "city" life.

Take care, jeff

[mainbutter]

Well I have two fishing-related goals this year

1) catch a bass fly fishing

2) catch a musky out of my canoe

I tried my best last year at #2 and came up very short. I'm going to have to do some research to find canoe-friendly lakes with musky populations. I thought I had one, but after pounding it hard I didn't see a single follow, even the time I got my buddy out there with his boat to try to call a few big girls in. I think I may just do the city lakes thing for a bit to have a better shot, and MAKE SURE TO GET OUT ON OPENER THIS YEAR.

Other than that, a few resolutions that I'm going to make happen that the fish don't have a say in are:

1) fish a wider variety of rapala's line of lures. I've always stuck to their original floaters, jointed floaters, and shad raps, and I've always been blown away by how well they catch fish. I love their lures, but it's time to try a few new ones rather than sticking to the same thing I've been throwing since I was 7.

2) Take the girlfriend out more often, and get her started on completing the 'MN gamefish species list'. In the past year, I got LMB, perch, and bluegill crossed off her list. This year it's northerns, walleye, SMB, and hopefully a bit of river fishing for cats/roughfish. If I was able to get her as addicted to breeding snakes as I am, I think I can get her hooked on fishing as well

[Stick in Mud]

Hmmm....So many dreams, so few dollars.

I was at the St Cloud Sportsmen's Show last weekend, and I talked for about two hours to a guy who runs an air taxi service into Quetico. For *only* $1200, he'll fly me from Crane Lake to Canadian customs to the other side of Quetico. I haven't priced around, so I don't know how reasonable that is, but that's #1 on the Dream List for 2011. And if that doesn't work out, the ol' BWCA will be happy to welcome me back, I'm sure.

My other goal is to make it down the Sauk River this spring WITHOUT tipping. Lesson learned from last year: Don't take new guys who have never paddled much current on a trip in March. After some hypothermia and a lost paddle, I made it back to the car. Does anyone else ever amaze themselves with the dumb things they do?!?

Carmike

[OnAFly]

Mine are all dreams:

Get the canoe out with my son (he's only 6 months old right now, so that's a dream this year).

Get my canoe out to a couple tiny lakes near me

Get a solo canoe or kayak...mine isn't doable solo.

With a new house and baby in the last 18 months, my time is pretty well spoken for. So, I'll dream in the meantime and wait until the boy and I can get away from the house and onto the water