Who are we? Post your Bios here!

[MN Shutterbug]

Wow, I just ran across this thread and spent over 2 1/2 hours reading all the bios. Yeah, it's a boring gray and dismal day.

My name is Mike and I have lived in SW MN just about my whole life. But believe me, I won't retire here. It's boring and windy. I've been married 31 years, have 2 beautiful daughters and 3 grandsons with another on the way. My eldest daughter does daycare in Sioux Falls, SD and my youngest is an assistant marketing mgr. for Land O' Lakes in Arden Hills. My wife has been a receptionist at the local clinic for over 20 years and I work as an independent agent for PowerPay Merchant Services, one of the fastest growing credit card processing ISO's in the country. I've been with them for close to 6 years and they have been the most awesome company to work with, as even my customers will attest to. My major business comes from the resort community.

My passions include nature photography and fishing. However, considering I prefer fishing bass in clean and clear lakes, I've always had to drive at least 120 miles to find desireable water. In the spring, I traded my boat for a new central a.c. installed and enough cash for a canoe. As mentioned earlier by Powerstroke, canoes are tough to solo fish out of so I pretty much have to wait for a pretty calm day (rare around here), to take it out fishing. I also got into stream trout this last spring. That was a blast and them rainbows and browns are really yummy.

I'm presently attempting to make a business out of my photography. Prints alone won't make a person any serious money, so I've now moved into dye sublimation printing. With this process I can print photos onto coffee mugs, key chains, coasters, neoprene jar openers, and can coolers etc. I'm mainly targeting resorts and will be pushing our state parks in the spring. Camden State Park, which is just 10 miles away, has aready become a decent customer.

I've always been something of an entrepreneur. I just can't handle punching a time clock 5 days a week and having a boss breathe down my neck.

Anyway, enough about me. Next? Let's keep this going.

[Lisa Almquist]

Welcome Melissa! Glad to have you here! Thanks for putting your bio in. I'm really looking forward to icefishing this year too if we ever get the cold! Good luck with bowhunting and post back how you did! We'd love to hear from you!

[Lisa Almquist]

Hey there Mike! Thanks for putting your bio in!

[doinsumthin]

Hey all,

My name is Ann. I live in Prior Lake and have a cabin in the Melrose/Little Falls/Long Prairie area. Originally from that area. Do most of my summer fishing there, and some in the Ely area while on vacation (camping). Married for 19 years with a 17-yr-old daughter and a 12-yr-old son. Daughter isn't interested in fishing; son is crazy about it. However, my son isn't enthralled with ice fishing just yet (I'm working on him ...), and my hubby doesn't ice fish at all. SO, please see the thread I posted today about needing new friends to ice fish with and reply to it if you'r interested in meeting up on the ice this winter. I am ready, willing and able to go almost anytime (except when I'm at or watching a Vikes game ...)

[Lisa Almquist]

Hi Ann! Welcome to HSO! There's also ice fishing get togethers throughout the state to meet other forum members. Just CLICK HERE for that link.

[basslady]

My name is Kelly Russo,I have always loved fishing! I would go with my grandpa out on Borden Lake many years ago, he would get me up around 5:00 am to head out. He taught me patience! I was about 10 when I went out last time with him, he became very sick. I then had two kids of my own, a boy Dan who is 20yrs and a Dinah is 17yrs. Dan and I would only have opportunity to fish 1 week a year at my parents cabin. We would be up at 6:00 everyday! We didn't have a boat to use so we would go out in a canoe! We had some great times! Currenlty I have a wonderful man in my life that is an abbot fisherman! I now have my own rods etc... I am so excited for the season to open. We have started to prepare that boat last weekend! I am ready to have a great season!

[Lisa Almquist]

Very cool Kelly! My man has started buying lures and gear the last couple weeks to get ready for open water too! It's always cool to hear people's fishing stories-it'd be great to hear your fishing reports when you get out too!

[ShadowChaser]

Well my name is Kelley. I live in Duluth, MN. Use to fish constantly when I was younger and am just getting back into it over the last couple of years. Remembered the most of it but still relearning alot. Hey I remembered the most important parts. How to tie a hook and the worm goes on the hook lol. Had to learn to recast last year. That was embarrassing. Almost back up to my normal casting distance but it still needs some work. Use to live and fish in Wisconsin. Still trying to find the good spots around my area. Found some beautiful areas but not many high bite spots. Been mostly out at Boyscout pier in Gary. Got some good Walleye but more smaller bass then anything else. An occasional Northern and even sometimes a small Stergen. Never any Stergen worth keeping. Heard reports from others of some good size Musky but never seen them pulled up around there. But I'm always open to suggestion. Planing to go out on Thursday so if anyone has some location suggestions I'd be all ears.

[Lisa Almquist]

Hey Kelley! Welcome to HSO! I've seen people fishing off the shore on Island Lake and off the McQuade safe harbor access up Old Hwy 61. Did you grow up in this area?

[amanda55469]

Mandy, 29, fish for everything.

no kids, single, can't find a good "partner".

I love fishing and telling stories. And I have some personal secrets, one which I shared in another forum but since nobody caught on I think I am safe. Try to keep them sport related.

Great site! Keep up the great work!

Mandy

[email protected]

[amanda55469]

BTW Lisa, I thought you were the same age as me when I saw your pic in the other forum the first time. I am still shocked. Very beautiful!

Mandy

[email protected]

[Lisa Almquist]

That hat is strategically placed, isn't it?! Thank you Mandy!

[amanda55469]

Lisa, Hat or not...you're a "wow!" on the 1-10 scale.

Glad you caught some fish. I can't wait for the long weekend.

[Mrs Boilerman]

I'm Justine ... I fish out of self-defense. Hubby does it and I'm loving it. Hey, we had to find somethng to to together, and he wasn't really interested in my theater group.

I'm a reporter for a daily paper, complete with crazy hours. I mostly cover crime. We find the time to fish when we can. We are just getting ready to launch our youngest into his senior year.

In the long run, we're simple and easy. I have heard more than once that the fishing guys love it when I show up with chili. I think we are all due for a chili competition.

[Lisa Almquist]

Hi Justine! I'm so glad I have such a great co-mod once again! WELCOME and happy to have you here! I've even actually heard of your famous chili and would love to try it. I heard it does magical things to a person!

[glenn57]

hello,ladies of FM, I've been busy! ope eveyone is safe, doing well and most important gettin to spend some time out and about!

[Kim1212]

Wow a year since the last reply don't I feel late!

I'm Kim (I'm 35) and I live near Ely with my husband Paul and our kids Caleb (14 going on 30) Eli (9) and Calvin (almost 3). I grew up here, but moved for college and moved back a couple of years ago. I grew up trapping Farm and Hula Lakes with my dad, hunting, and fishing. A rescue team was called for my father and I when I was a year old, after setting traps when a blizzard came up, and I haven't looked back since! I'm blessed to be able to now raise my kids the same way I was raised. Hopefully minus the rescue team.

I really love fishing, and do it whenever I can, winter or otherwise. This year has been a little harder because in March our youngest was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes so we've been busy with that. But we're looking forward to small game starting up. My husband has a smoker and is hardly waiting to try smoking partridge. My oldest got his safety training last year and is on me all the time to take him down to the shooting range, which is walking distance from our house. They all really enjoy living the outdoors life. Much better than the city! I would love to get into deer hunting again, mostly for the meat. Mmmm smoked venison sausage! I am more of a "hunt for what you can use" type.

Somehow I only recently found this site, and am glad to be here, even if I'm a year late!

[Iambjm]

Welcome to the forum Kim, it is always a pleasure to meet another outdoors woman. I live in Grand Rapids, but my niece and her husband are doctors in Ely. Each winter some of the forum members put on the Burntside Bash on Burntside lake, it is a blast and I am sure your hubby and you would really enjoy it. We have a lot of members from up that way.

[Kristan]

Hi, I am Kristan. I live in Minneapolis with my 4 year old son and my 15 year old dog. I am from Georgia, and moved up here about nine years ago. I love it here, and I plan to stick around. Despite the fact that I grew up in a fishing family, studied Fisheries and Wildlife in college, and am a seasonal worker in the field of Fisheries, I have only recently taken up angling as a hobby. I don't have a boat yet, so I usually spend my summer days fishing from the end of the dock. My favorite lake to take my son fishing at is Parley Lake, near Victoria. My favorite places to go solo are Cedar Lake, in Scott County, or at Minnetonka Regional Park in Minnetrista. I'll wade and fish a lot, take a swim if the mood strikes me. I'm just getting the hang of ice-fishing this winter, so I can't say that I have a favorite spot yet.

I have heard lots of people reference this anglers' forum and it seems like some useful information is conveyed here. Currently, I am conducting an angler (creel) survey at Pelican Lake, in Wright County. Folks are always talking about the latest goings-on around the lake (like who just went through the ice last week), and I try to stay up to scratch. That's why I joined. I am a strong supporter of women in fisheries and the outdoors, and think that it's great that this thread was started.

[Iambjm]

Welcome to the forum Kristan, I have met a lot of great women on this site. While the women's forum has been kinda quiet for a while I know there are a lot of lurkers out there. I know of quite a few avid women anglers right in the TC area. We often have fishing GTG's and over the summer book frequent launch trips on Mille Lacs. I love to fish myself and try to spend as much time on the water as possible.

[Kristan]

Thanks, I will keep my eyes out for fishing events on this forum..it would be nice to meet a few other ladies into fishing..maybe even someone with a boat