Casino access

[1775tiller]

Anybody go out of the casino access on June 30 at night. What a mess with all the boats waiting to get into the landing.

[aanderud]

When I go up to ML, I hate dealing with crowds so much that I think it's just worth it to pay the 10 bucks and use a resort or other private landing. I go to Terry's when launching out of the West side. Never a line more than 1-2 cars deep when launching (usually no line at all, but 1-2 car wait is the most I've had). When coming back in, I've had to wait for as many as 5 boats in front of me, but only once. Usually it's about a 1 boat wait.

I don't know, when you think of the money you spend on a boat/trailer/motor in the first place, plus the truck you use to haul it, plus your other gear (rods, reels, electronics, other gear), maintenance on said items, divide that by how many times you get out, then add in gas, bait, food, drinks, lures....what's another 10 bucks per launch....especially if you're splitting it between 2-4 people. Or, if you use it a whole lot, I imagine there's seasonal passes available. Just my 2 cents. With the bite the way it has been lately (hot bite equals huge crowds), it's worth that 10 bucks to avoid the hassles and the 'mess' that comes with the public launches. Especially if you add in prop dings because the DNR can't spend some of our money making a few decent launches on that lake instead of a dozen that aren't worth a darn.

[Bluegill1510]

haha, yeah a buddy and I went by the access on 169 during the day and came back at night fishing another lake. When we first drove by the casino access we were shocked and it was the worst we have seen it in 10-15 years for parking, like worse than opener. We just said, "What a joke, and it will be a circus getting off at that landing" thankfully we didn't fish the pond as it did get to windy at night fall and our boat wouldn't of been able to hold. But thank goodness there is Winter and it takes pressure off the pond.

[tims]

A few years ago I could pick any weekday and launch out of the Casino access and practically be all alone. I went a few weeks ago and had to park on the road. Dont people work during the week anymore? Same thing with the fall night fishing. I started going about 5 years ago and many nights I was the only boat around. Boy things have changed in the last few years.

I wonder were all the people are coming from? They say fishing license sales are declining. What was it like 10 years ago on the lake? Maybe I just got spoiled and started fishing it when it was considered "dead".

[Tim L]

Yeah I was there i'd go to a resort and pay the 10 bucks only problem some don't open until 6am were on the lake at 5am only reason we use the public access, last 2 weekends been a circus all you needed was the tent. is there any on the south or westside that have a pay box? as for the fishing we been just hammering the walleyes seen a nice Musky cruisin the weeds.

[lawman]

Even without pay box you can launch before the places open and pay when you pull out.

[DUCKJ]

We do that alot. We put in at Docs on the north end and either leave the $10 in an envelope or pay them when we come off the water. Most resorts allow you to do this but check with them before you do. Better to be safe then sorry.

Duck

[Tim L]

Anybody know if Eddy's does or Rocky Reef or any place in that general area.Hate to come off the lake and find my truck towed or a big ol boot on it.

[Schnauzer]

Quote:

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We do that alot. We put in at Docs on the north end and either leave the $10 in an envelope or pay them when we come off the water. Most resorts allow you to do this but check with them before you do. Better to be safe then sorry.

Duck

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Hey Duck,

Do you ever have problems pulling scum into your engine intake when launching at Docs? I ask because I launched there on Sunday and had a bit of a scare when warning buzzers went off just as I left the harbor and my motor began to overheat.

Thankfully I had the kicker to get me out to sea before the waves pounded me into shore. Once I got out far enough, I trimmed up the motor to find my water intakes were completely jammed with this scummy algae. I picked it all off and took the cover off my motor. After letting it cool for about 15 minutes I fired it up and had no problems.

After getting off the lake, I found that I had again sucked in a bunch of that scum when I re-entered Doc's harbor.

I hadn't launched there before. Other than my little scum misfortune, I thought it was a nice option on the north side.

[komic73]

A buddy of mine went out of that access Sat. He said when he came in that some kid had lost his arm at the shoulder. That the kid had fallen out of the boat right at the access and that had backed everthing up for hours even after the amblance had left.

[Squid]

I was out also on Saturday night but hadn't heard about the accident. That was probably because I came in around midnight and things had cleared out considerably. There was another problem I'm suprised no one has brought up and that is how unsafe the access has become. This year, as in last year, one of the channel markers is missing (I sighted it in the rushes on the south side of the bay). That would be okay but has anyone noticed that most of lights at the access are out. The light near the dock is out and so is the blinking light that should be visible from the lake. Thankfully I had a good search light and was able to see the dock or otherwise it might have been hard to find what channel there is. I believe the channel markers are the responsibility of Mille Lacs County. As for the lighting at the access I would believe that would be the DNR's responsibilty. As busy as the access it's seems like it's just an accident waiting to happen. Well, with the new slot things should start thinning out now.

[mthunter]

We were putting in as the injured party was coming off the lake. Happened out on the lake somewhere, not sure how but looked like the arm was still attached, looked more like he got the prop under his arm and/or down his side.

When we came off the lake around 10:30 in the time it took us to get from the bouy and the boat loaded there were 5 boats that got beached between the bouy and the channel trying to get back to the access.