Lake Elmo

[phishhead]

Does anyone know if thye let you park by the boat landing at the county park? I was there two winters ago and they had it plowed but the road was closed. I had to park on the shoulder of the highway that runs along the east side of the lake. I called the parks manager and asked why we couldn't park by the boat landing and he told me that the people that lived on the lake didn't want the general public to be able to get 4 wheelers and sleds on the lake. Just wondering if anything had changed.

[ev1001]

I tried to do the same thing a year or 2 ago when I had a park pass. Said I couldn't bring in my atv or snowmobile ...cannot remember which I had with. Planned on unloading on the ice to use ice fishing. I haven't bought a pass or used the park since.

Doubt anything has changed. Just floors me the nerve of people and how the parks or private land owners like to think they own the lake and noone else deserves access to public waters. Always someone worrying about what everyone else is doing. I know there are always some people that ruin it for the general population but who cares if someone is using a machine on the ice. Just to have your own quiet lake is not a reason to deny access. Especially if you have paid access to the park and I don't mean tearing up the park just using the landing for public access to lake.

[phishhead]

I live in Hastings and Elmo would be such a nice option - walleyes and trout but it is actually dangerous to park where they tell you to. It really bugged me that I paid for a "annual" park pass but can only use it for a few months out of the year. What really got me though was when I asked if the homeowners on the lake "owned" the lake the parks manager said "we don't want to upset the nieghbors" and that they weren't going to change the rules so I could go ice fishing. If they are already paying someone to plow the road going down to the lake why don't they just open it to the everyone who payed for a park pass? I did walk down from the highway and I saw 4 wheelers and snowmobiles heading out from private homes - I guess they have their own private lake in the winter. Does the DNR fund the landing at all? Maybe they should here about this. It's kind of the same situation at big marine lake also. The south end of the lake has a nice access but they close that in the winter also because the neighbors don't want the traffic of the ice fishrmen. I guess the $ rules.

[Coach]

Does anyone know anymore about the 3M chemical contamination that was found in Elmo last summer? It did not sound to good for the fish, community or the lake.

[-Marc V-]

I haven't, but sure am interested in hearing about it if someone knows anything. Ate a few fish out of there last week, and have more in the freezer!

[Coach]

Marc V, what kind of fish have you been eating from Elmo? I have only been able to get a northern or two, that is it.

[phishhead]

I just searched Lake elmo fish 3m chemical and about a dozen articles came up. I tried posting a link but that didn't work for some reason.

[bgreen82]

here is one:

star trib article

[kunk]

I'm a property owner on Big Marine. From what I understand is that the southwest access (formerly Shady Birch Resort) is closed for construction of the regional park. I don't have a sled or ATV, and I can't access the lake from my property with my truck. I for one am going to be po'd if they don't allow me to get on to my own dxxx lake through the park in the winter that's going to provide access for thousands in the summer. I wasn't for the park, but now that it's here it has to be open to everyone that has a pass. Excuse the reference to my lake but my family has been there since 1919, and me all my life. Why do we have parks if they are for the convenience of the property owners? The rest of us in Washington County (I live in Hugo so I pay taxes twice in the county) lost a valuable piece of taxable property when we lost Shady Birch, so why can't we use it? I guess I've had my say.

[phishhead]

The access on the north side of the lake has always been open on Big Marine in years past. I don't have a 4 wheeler or a sled myself and it would be nice to walk out from the south end of the lake when the ice is not thick enough to drive on. I was driving toward the access on the south side and a sherriff told me that it was closed because property owners didn't want the traffic. At least the north end is open.

[blueroof]

Phishhead, the new Big Marine Park Reserve will be open next winter. They haven't finished it yet, that is why it isn't plowed. It was open and plowed last winter before construction began. Square lake is plowed, think of it as being like that when done.

There are a few other public access points. There is a county access off of May Ave and 177th, a winter access on the west side at 185th and a old launch on 182nd on the east arm. The best parking is the 177th access.

Are you a ph fan? Spent most of the 90's on the wrong fish tour myself

LB

[phishhead]

blueroof-

Thanks for the info - I have been fishing mostly WI lately so I haven't been up that way in awhile. And yes, I went to see phish plenty of times - didn't exactly tour with them but went to see them whenever they were here, Madison, or Chicago.