Schmidt Lake

[Mgreseth]

Has anyone been out on schmidt lake yet? How is the Ice and have the fish been active?

[beer batter]

Last I heard it was fenced off again. There was some interesting stories about that last year. Is the fence going to stay?

[federline]

Not much of a story to tell, its pretty straightforward as I understand it:

- when the waterline is below the road easement line, landowners have right to barricade access to water (on the private land) and prosecute those who cross exposed private land between road and water (frozen or not).

- when waterline is above the road easement line, landowner is prohibited from barricading access, or prosecuting those who access the lake since the water is public and the lake can be accessed without crossing exposed land.

Since water level is down (I presume, since the barricade is up) and lake is froze, ice season is a lost cause for Schmidt this year, unless you like being a troublemaker with associations and enforcement in exchange for wetting a line. :-) The next time the landowner will need to roll the fence back up, it will almost certainly be open water...

[Snowking]

theres a couple of houses on both points. theres been a couple of guy in a white grand am parked on 35 every nite this past week.

[jigginjim]

I saw 2 trucks parked there this morning, and a van and car tonite.

[bassfishingnerd]

If you can access the water from 50' or less from the center of the road, you are good according to the sherriff and Rick R. from the DNR.

Just west of the fence is 50' or less from the last measurement we did in the fall.

This is a hotbutton topic for my fishing buddies and I.

[jigginjim]

SluggoMaster I understand that but these guys where just going around the fenced area. The short fence that was put up may keep the boats out but not ice fisherman. Having only fished from shore, I do not know If the fish are worth all the trouble.

[bassfishingnerd]

I completely agree with that statement. There are fish in there but there are much better lakes in the same vicinity.

[18 inch Crappie]

Good stay away... The 10" Crappies and the 21" walleye I got must be the only nice fish in there.