NEW ??? Map Book

[BillP]

I recently bought a (new?) Sportsman's Connections map book for the Detroit Lakes & Otter Tail area, 2007 edition. I noticed that quite a bit of the information in the book seamed sort of old. The fish counts and that sort of thing of course are based on what's available but a lot of the commentary just seams out of date. As an example for Boyer Lake they say, "access is a problem. You can get in via a ditch off Highway 10 on the North shore. A property owner on the South shore also lets folks use an unimproved launch from there". WHAT! I have been back in the area ten years now and there has been a decent access in front of the nursing home at least that long. About 5 years ago it was improved and is about as good an access as you will find. It also says Boyer is "rebounding from a kill". If that information is as old as the launch info, what good is it? The cover also advertises GPS grids. I don't see them on the maps.

[DEADhead]

In it's day that book was hard to beat. Today, however is a different story, with lakemaster bathymetric data charts for your GPS, internet access anywhere you get a cell phone signal, etc... The fact that you can get the latest survey info for the lake your fishing on, off of the DNR website on your cell phone browser, while on the lake, is nothing short of astonishing. It would be nice if some of the data was updated in the newer additions. I've got the new copy as well, but to be honest, it collects dust, as I rely on the DNR lakefinder website and my 2007 MN lakemaster SD card for most all of my information.

the book probably has a place with anglers who do not utilize GPS/electronics or the internet.

[Paul]

I personally don't rely on the book to much for accurate information. I agree it is frustrating but at the same time even if it were updated how much can we beleive in those books. I use my all the time for searching out a lake ahead of time. It is not uncommon for us to fish 1-3 different lakes in a day so having a map book is handy in addition to the lakemaster chip in my GPS.

[Dahitman44]

Bill --

The boyer info is very old.