Child drowns near Shetek!

[mnhunter2]

A 6 yr old boy drowned in the inlet to lake shetek on moday morning and that is a tragic event but now the local sheriff is on the rampage to have the area closed to shore fishing altogether. I know that it is a dangerous spot right along a busy highway but what ever happened to having to be responsible for your own actions and instead of trying to legislating common sense. Maybe we should think about a safer spot for a child to fish or is it about bring the whole family to see if we can take home more fish?

[ASMOLEY]

That is a tragedy. Was there someone watching him? I know i wouldn't let a 6 year old fish alone especially next to a busy highway.

[Slyster]

Sounds like there was a strong current and 40 water temp where he was fishing. Parents were foolish to let a boy of that age to fish there.. at least he should have had a life jacket on.

[sdstate]

I was there last friday nite, and i could definately see how this could happen. The water is just pouring out of the dam and you could tell that it was swirling and moving very fast. There would really be no way to get to someone who fell in because there is cattails all around the shore. The only way would be to jump in after him. With how many young kids are there every year, its amazing this hasnt happened before.

[minnesotamusky]

Here's a link to the story in today's Marshall Independent.

http://www.marshallindependent.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=2309

[porterhouse]

Sad story.

Brian

[Bigfife]

I was down there Sunday night and a few times before that. I always fish down the shore away from the dam because there are way too many people by the dam. Like they said in the article, I can't believe it wasn't a car accident that killed somebody first. There are kids and parents running back and forth across the road all the time. They park on one side and go back and forth to the fish. If I read it right, he actually jumped/fell in on the East side and then drowned underneath the highway, right? I was suprised by the 40 degree water temperature too because it seemed a lot warmer than that. I guess it doesn't matter anyway in that strong of water.

[lars0926]

It's a sad story and a tragedy to have such a younger person gone. That said, I grew up by a huge dam and was fishing down by it (by myself) at age six. My mom would always remind me before I packed my tackle box and rod to "be careful and don't drown". In fact, she let me cross the street by myself to get there. Somehow I'm still alive.

[WigglinMyWorm]

Lars....just because your mom let you do it doesn't make it right.....at age 6 you should not lose eyecontact of your kids.......be responsible.

[Captain B.R.K]

I'm very sorry to hear about the lose of this young outdoorsguy. I can see the point of the local sheriff's department trying to gain some control of public safety, but not banning shore fishing all together. That seems to me a little extra.

I have not been to this place, but if there isn't much signage placed about safety, I think that would be a start.

[mnhunter2]

There has been a large sign that warns of pedestrians ahead but it looks like its being staked for a guard rail that will be about 1/2 mile long basicly making it impossible for the old people who use to drive up and could fish after a short walk you watch this is more about keeping certian people from fishing. There are safety concerns but someone drowned they didn't get hit on the highway!! I think we have lost a place to fish!!!

[Eric Wettschreck]

It's sad that there was a death.

Yup, we've lost a real nice shore fishing spot.