Big Marine Lake

[deholf16]

How has the bite been this winter? What's the best way to ice fish for northern?

[Ray Esboldt]

deholf16,

First of all, welcome to FishingMinnesota.com. We're glad to have you hear.

Big Marine has a ton of smaller northerns with an occasional decent sized one. This time of year, if you can find any standing weeds under the ice, you can find northerns. I would say a tipup with a medium sucker or shiner would be your best bet, but a jigging spoon type of lure may work as well.

[deholf16]

Thanks! I can already tell this website will become a useful tool when I go out fishing! Any tips are appreciated!!

[bassphish2005]

Yes a great website!!!!

Thanx for all the good tips and stuff

I can't get enough

I will spend lots of time here[when not fishing of course?!!]

[cRaPpiEMaN8265]

does this lake have any crappies in it...with any size???

[minniwinni91]

I was told their was nice size walleye's in this lake and wondering if their is any truth to this?

[Deitz Dittrich]

I would say that quite a few of the lakes in the chisago lakes area have some decent size walleye in them. Big Marine does have Walleye in it.. but I would not say that it is a great walleye lake. For all the times that I have fished it, I have never caught a walleye over 3 lbs though.

I will admit, that I do not fish it for walleye that much.. but on other lakes you usually run into them..

[minniwinni91]

Thanks Deitz, I did some research and found that the Dnr stocked a whole slug of em in there I might try it this year.

[kunk]

Only have caught eyes by accident while trolling for pike. Mostly in the 2# range but did get a 6.5# last June. Seem to all be in the weeds.

[Failin'onPhalen]

Heads-up folks...

The boat launch on the southwest side of Big Marine Lake will be closed the entire year, 2007. It will re-open in May-June of 2008. The County is developing the 600+ acre area into a park...beach, trails, shoreland restoration, new boat launch...the launches on the north side and the south east side will remain open (heads-up on the southeast side, as that is a shallow launch).

[JBMasterAngler]

Thanks for the info...I was actually planning on launching there the day after the opener. Personally I liked the launch the way it is, too bad they're changing it.

[Failin'onPhalen]

I feel the same way about the current launch. Wait 'til you see the parking lot they are going to build there

[JBMasterAngler]

Have they already started it or did you see the plans on paper? I felt it was a remote/wild place (given it's location), turning it into a park is gonna take away from that I think.

[kunk]

There are articles about it in the Washington County news letter and the Hugo Citizen. Supposed to be 1920 acres when done. They say they're going to restore the area to what it was like before the settlers came in the mid 1800's. Sounds more to me like they're opening up a previously mostly undeveloped area to the population of the Twin Cities. The Washington County Board Chair says how pleased he is to come to an "arrangement" that allows the Vet's Camp to continue it's work. Had it not been for the governor's intervention, they were going to grab that property and kick the vets out. Talk about a hypocrit. Not happy to see this actually happening. The lake would be much better off with the resort there.

[SupaMan]

Yes I agree. I dont think they should develop the area more. I like it the way it was.

[Failin'onPhalen]

"Have they already started it or did you see the plans on paper? I felt it was a remote/wild place (given it's location), turning it into a park is gonna take away from that I think."

They haven’t started yet.

For the past two summers the launch has been in public ownership.

Prior to that it was the Shady Birch Resort boat launch. I think it “feels remote” because the County has pulled 20 houses off the 600 acres in the past 5 years. The County also capped 15 wells and removed 30 septic systems, including some on the lakefront that had NEVER been pumped-out in 70+ years of use! In fact, the area was all privately owned before the County started acquiring land for the park. So, it ain’t wilderness by any stretch of the imagination, but its public land where there previously was none.

"There are articles about it in the Washington County news letter and the Hugo Citizen. Supposed to be 1920 acres when done. They say they're going to restore the area to what it was like before the settlers came in the mid 1800's. Sounds more to me like they're opening up a previously mostly undeveloped area to the population of the Twin Cities. The Washington County Board Chair says how pleased he is to come to an "arrangement" that allows the Vet's Camp to continue it's work. Had it not been for the governor's intervention, they were going to grab that property and kick the vets out. Talk about a hypocrit. Not happy to see this actually happening. The lake would be much better off with the resort there."

Kunk – you got a right to “see it the way you see it” and I appreciate the fact that you’re following the matter, as you live nearby. But, this park is attempting to provide some lake access to residents who don’t live on the lake AND it is looking to lock-up and preserve another 800 acres of pristine oak woods and maple-basswood forest (Kelly land)…along with rare wetland complexes. The area that is being developed now will be the main ‘active’ area of the park. The remaining 1000+ acres will be only slightly developed with walking trails (not paved). In fact, the park is technically a Park Reserve which means only 20% of the land could ever be developed – the remaining 80% must be undeveloped. From my perspective, it’s a huge benefit to the community!

In terms of the Vet’s Camp, I agree what the Board is doing now is hypocritical! They should have acquired the property years ago, when the Vet’s Camp was a ‘homer-run, good-old boy, private campground for the few’…at least now, the Vet’s Camp Operational rules are in public-light and they have changed the way they do business to benefit more veteran’s. Have you seen the development plans the Vet’s Camp just got approved?

Is the park perfect? No, but it is public land in a developing suburban area – there is something good about that, don’t you think?

[JBMasterAngler]

Upon reading more and more of what you all are posting, I think I have the access I was refering to confused with where this park will be. I was talking about the small gravel access on the south end of the lake right off of lamond trail. This park (where shady birch used to be) is off of manning trail I believe? I hope I have it confused anyway, I like that launch...never any people there.

[kunk]

I've not seen the plans for the Vet's Camp. Was the county going to create a new place for vet's with new opperational rules? Or were they just going to boot them out? All I read about is that they were told to hit the road. As for the resort, I never saw them tell anyone they couldn't land their boat there. Provide some lake access? There already was lake access. Notices are sent to the property owners every year to provide proof that their septic systems have been pumped. Is there no enforcement? Was it really necessary to confiscate their property to make sure this was done? I've mostly used the resort access since the one lane mud access on the north end was replaced by the present one. The resort access will always seem more pristine than one backed up by 100+ campsites. The county has made their share of mistakes on Big Marine, re the Bliss Addition. I hope their not making another one. I have nothing against a new boat access, or a park. But I do feel that the size of the facility that is going in is much too large.

[Failin'onPhalen]

The County was going to boot the Vet's out. There was some negotiation talk that included building them a new facility, but the issue didn't go that route...it went political. I know it doesn't sound very appropriate, but the Camp was not open to all veterans at the time acquisition was considered. In fact, the County discovered it was nearly impossible for a 'regular' veteran to get a camp site during the summer. The facilities at the Camp were reserved on a first-come, first serve basis with priority given to those who rented the previous year. Because a large group of veterans rented their sites for the entire summer for the past 20 years, hardly any spots were left for 'newcomers'. So, in my opinion, it was a bunch of good ol' boys running the show. With increased media attention, they have changed their reservation policies.

I'm not sure about the septic permitting and enforcement...I just know when I was out there all of the systems connected to Shady Birch's rental houses were overflowing and the watershed district didn't even know there were septics serving these buildings.

I hear ya' on the Bliss Plat! Before my time, but a huge embarassment for the county none-the-less.

I feel the same about what is at stake in this park. Many folks are doing what they can to minimize the potential negative impacts of development, but the commissioners keep pushing for the park to be developed, so that is what is going to happen, I guess.

Phalen

[kunk]

Phalen,

Some interesting info about the 50's and 60's on the lake. My dad had a cabin just up the shore from the Bliss Addition. When I was a kid the lake was going down. We would gain another 50 or so feet of dry ground every year for quite a few years. We used to have family get togethers out there and used play croquet and football 200+ feet out from the present water line. The survey marks were at the high water line. The water never did get above the marks in the 80's as people claimed they did. At the low point, there was a channel to get from the main lake to the north end. It was marked by two 55 gal drums filled with rocks and was about 15 ft wide. The island wasn't an island but a penninsula. The cows from the east side were grazing out there. What is now an island in the north end was a private campground. Boreens ran it along with a boat rental. You may still be able to see remnants of the car tracks out there. It was at that time the Bliss Addition was sold off in lots. Then the lake came back up. At first they were told they would have to move out, but somebody caved, and they were allowed to improve the property and the shoreline. They were originally built on lake bottom. So do I accept the decisions of the county? No way. Just wanted to let you know where I'm coming from.