Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Recommended Posts

I'm bettin' the farm on Team #144! Duddly and Cal- go get 'em fellas! Brent, if you give me a call a week or less before the event I'll be able to give you some pretty useful info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Scoot thanks for your vote of confidence but I know you are full of [PoorWordUsage], you are a smarter fella than that. I will take you up on your offer of any advise and I will give you a call a week or so before the show down! I hope to talk to you before that however!

Thanks!

DUD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: dtro
Ok so based on a normal year, what is the average drop out rate? I know anything is possible, but do I have a decent shot yet at number 6?

dtro....I don't like your chances. Two years ago my brothers were #5 on the list and not 1 team dropped out. I think "at best" 1-2 teams drop out per year. Better luck next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: Big Cat Dad
 Originally Posted By: dtro
Ok so based on a normal year, what is the average drop out rate? I know anything is possible, but do I have a decent shot yet at number 6?

dtro....I don't like your chances. Two years ago my brothers were #5 on the list and not 1 team dropped out. I think "at best" 1-2 teams drop out per year. Better luck next year.

Thanks man. That's a good enough gauge to go ahead and cancel my hotel and make other plans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Darren-

If a stroke of luck allows you guys in the tourny, you can always crash at my parent's house so you guys have some back up options.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool, thanks for the offer.

It sounds like a stroke of luck is exactly what we will need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I posted some interviews from last years 20th Annual Cats Incredible on the front page of our webpage. Some of you are familiar with the people I interviewed.

Chris Hanson

Rusty Miller

Dennis Steele

They are kind of funny.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

.It sounds like a stroke of luck is exactly what we will need.

Watch what you wish for. The stroke of luck was struck by lightning.

24hrs to make a decision.... Why couldn't we have gotten it out of the gate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Watch what you wish for. The stroke of luck was struck by lightning.

24hrs to make a decision.... Why couldn't we have gotten it out of the gate.

Uff Da... Ya gotta drop the hammer man and do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally Posted By: LFC
Watch what you wish for. The stroke of luck was struck by lightning.

24hrs to make a decision.... Why couldn't we have gotten it out of the gate.

Uff Da... Ya gotta drop the hammer man and do it.

Eloquently stated Hanson.... "UFF DA"

Ohhhrrrr... I had the wife sold on this deal when we registered.... I even put the clauses into place on the "what if we get in at the last minute" ....But now the issue will be discussed tonight. whistle

This one will be interesting. She better not have a short term memory lapse.... or this one will cost me dearly. crazy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well the Tourny is getting closer and closer. And the itch is getting harder to scratch. Ive been out a few time the past couple weeks and did ok....Nothing outstanding but they were still spawning. Going out again this weekend on Saturday evening hopefully the catfish league tourny guys leave a few fish on the south end. We hardly ever go north with our boat in August since the river usually is real low. but we'll see this year we might fish it on Sunday during the tourny. Dtro sorry to hear you didnt make it in. We missed it last year so I know the feeling.

Oh and sorry for not introducing myself on here My name is Chad team 117

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What, you guys got in!!!

I would do it in a heart beet, no matter what the wife said grin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The wife is all about it, but the pocketbook says otherwise.

Probably a $500 weekend frown

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, it can easily cost a few hundred bucks to fish the tournament.

Entry $200

Hotel $150

Bait $50

Food $50

Gas $200

These prices are what it costs me driving only 50 miles...It might cost you a tad more with gas close to $4.00 a gallon!!!

But to me it's worth it...kinda? If I would win one of these, for sure! But until then, I'm willing to part with some of my hard earned money to fish this thing.

It's ultimately your choice, I know what it's like to have your wallet slap you in the face when you need some extra money! but if you decide to fish it, good luck to ya!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:
Entry $200

Hotel $150

Bait $50

Food $50

Gas $200

Lets see grin.

Entry=The $200.00 is all ready paided, correct? You have to send that in when you enter the lotto and you get it back if you are not drawn or called up??

Bait= For these guys (or my self) would be pretty much free. At least they all ready have it and can get some easy. My self, I have about 30lbs of frozen sucker at home yet.

Food=Dollar menu at Mack and Cracks goes a long way grin. Buy a case of pop at cub wink.

Hotel=Hanson has seemed to have a great option from a previous post in this thread (if that still stands). For me, a sleeping bag and a front porch would be just like home grin

Gas=Short of doing some "gas and goes", you are going to be paying this, but split between 2 people should bring the price down.

Sounds easy and it should be.

I would offer to stand in for one of you guys if the other was wanting to go, but I will be in Duluth that weekend, touring Tall Ships frown Plus, I do not know if that would allowed in the rules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will also volunteer as an 'alternate'.. I have'nt fished it since '98 mainly because no one I know up here is much interested in any fish other than them LOTW Wally's!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh trust me...if there's a thrifty guy out there it's me! I try to save money every chance I can. Those prices where just estimates...My cost is less. grin GAS IS PROBABLY MORE!! You could get by on less, or easily spend more...It's what you want to make of it. If they can make it up here to fish the tournament for next to nothing, great!

$200 for the entry is still $200, and I don't think they "take" that money until you are officially in the tournament. So it really technically hasn't been paid yet.

My hotel cost is less than $100 bucks for both nights, bait hopefully will be free or cheaper, I have frozen Goldeye and suckers too. (But I like fresh bait) so we'll see if I can keep live ones going up till tournament time. Plus, Suckers from bait shops in GF/EGF can be tricky to find around tournament time, and they like to charge a bit more for 'em too, it's pretty easy to spend more than you expected on bait, if you have to get it in town...So it is good to bring your own if you can.

Either way, I hope you guys can swing it...You're gonna kick yourselves if you miss out on this chance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Either way, I hope you guys can swing it...You're gonna kick yourselves if you miss out on this chance!

Yeppers... wink

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like we are out.

Yeah I’m sure that I’ll kick myself somewhere in the future. It’s just tough to get it sprung on with only a week and a half to prepare mentally and financially. Not to mention the time of work I would have try to work out.

Conservative cost for me.

$100 entry

$100 Gas

$100 Hotel

$50-75 Food and Drink

$25 bait

Had the river been in my back yard, it would’ve been an easy decision.

-100 gas

-100 hotel

No time off work

Slam Dunk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also I have a sneaky suspicion that if I used that money to go a little further North sometime in the future I'd probably have a lot more fun wink

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do...right. I understand the time off work thing at the last minute, cost, etc.

I guess now you can look at it this way...You just made another team on the waiting list REALLY HAPPY! It's kinda like a good deed done to help two others who where probably super bummed.

Maybe next year.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was high on the waiting list a few years back, sure wish this would have happened back then. Good luck to everyone that is fishing in the tourney this year, it is approaching real quick!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good luck to you all that are fishing it.

It was a tough choice to pass on it.... I wish we would have had some inkling that we had a shot of getting called from the waiting list. (pretty much sounded like real long one, if not impossible.... right after the drawing).

Well toss a hat in next year and take it from there.

Knock em Dead Boys!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man I sure wish it was going to be that easy this year... Im used to driving 30 miles and camping out.. Not this year.

Entry fee.

Hauling huge jet boat all the way up there 4.5 hours.= $300 in gas or more.. sigh sigh... I so look forward to this every year but the price of gas it realy starting to anoy me. Not like you can pull a boat with a Geo.. lol..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bet you "could" pull a boat with a metro...but you might want to leave now to ensure you make it here by next week!!! You should try it, I would love to see that.

Rusty, When are you coming up? I'm gonna fish this Saturday, maybe Sunday and again next Wednesday...then I'm gonna leave my spots alone till tournament time.

I'm sure I'll talk to you some time next week, but if I miss you for some reason...good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am fishing the Franklin Cat tournament all this weekend.

I was going to head up Monday but now I have to wait for some very inportant mail on Monday, registration for the new Jet boat.

So maybe Tuesday and I want to fish Wed for sure, maybe Thurs. but I hate fishing that late in the week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yah, I suppose boat registration is kinda important!

I hear ya about fishing late into the week. If I go out again before the tournament it will be Wednesday only...and it will be more of a "feeling out" trip, rather than a catching trip, if you know what I mean. I'm pretty sure I have enough locations to fish for the tournament, so I'm gonna try and leave them alone.

Went out today and fishing was alright. It wasn't spectacular, but we boated roughly 15 fish in about 8 hours of fishing. Biggest was just under 30"inches, with several between 26"-28"inches, and a few slot fish. I have caught ALOT of fish around the 28" mark this year...ALOT!!! I wonder why?

From what I have been seeing this year, I have a feeling this is gonna be a low weight year? I would almost be willing to bet a weight in the upper 50's to low 60's will get you in the top 15...and 70lbs could win it! I guess we will know soon enough...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
      Facebook?  
    • rundrave
      Leech is missed
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big open water, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  The bays and tributaries of LOW such as Zippel Bay, Bostic Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  The lake is in good shape for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. The many bays and backwaters of the lake have been receiving attention from spring pike anglers.  Some pike have already entered the bays, spawned and gone back out to the lake, but there are still a pile of fish to be had.   The pike season on LOW is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one fish allowed more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. On the Rainy River...  Another great week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  The bite has been very good and lots of fish of all sizes are being boated.     Sturgeon are being caught from Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River all the way to Birchdale, about 42 miles.  There are many boat ramps along the river to make life easy.  Starting from the east going west...   -Nelson Park at Birchdale (About 30 miles east of Baudette) -Frontier (9 miles west of Birchdale) -Vidas (Near Clementson Rapids) -Timbermill Park (East Baudette) -Peace Park (International Drive, Baudette) -Wheeler's Point (mouth of Rainy River)  The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Up at the NW Angle...  The Angle is ice free.  Resorts are gearing up for the fishing opener which is expected to be excellent.  The late ice bite was very good and the walleyes are in good numbers amongst the islands area of the NW Angle.  
    • smurfy
      oh you know where i mean..........where all your friends are!!!!!!!🤗
    • Mike89
      Charcoal Briquettes are great for low and slow cooking as they produce long-lasting heat. Lump Charcoal burns hotter and adds more flavour to your food; therefore is great for hot and fast cooking.
    • leech~~
      Back page?  I've been on here for years, did I miss that page?  
    • Big V Bobcat
      Fake News Alert. Head East 😝
    • SkunkedAgain
      This was posted in the Timberjay this week, and should be in the upcoming LVA publication. Great news for those of us on the west end.      https://www.timberjay.com/stories/west-end-is-suddenly-hot,21403   LAKE VERMILION— How things have changed on Lake Vermilion’s west end. Not that many years ago, resort owners on the lake’s western half were bemoaning low numbers of walleye, particularly fish smaller than the protective slot limit. Those complaints aren’t likely to be heard this year, at least based on the results of the DNR’s fall fish survey, the results of which were released last week, averaged 22.1 walleye per net, the highest number of walleye ever recorded in the western basin. Those strong numbers helped keep the lakewide average walleye catch rate at 16.7 fish per net, according to the report issued by Matt Hennen, large lake specialist with the DNR’s Tower area fisheries office. It was the fourth year in a row of above-average walleye numbers and was virtually unchanged from last year. The eastern basin, which has long been the go-to for walleye anglers, walleye numbers averaged somewhat below the long-term mean, at 13.1 fish per net. That’s in the bottom 25th percentile historically for that basin. As usual, the populations continue to be driven by recent moderate to strong year-classes in 2018 and 2021. But a weak year class in 2022 appears to be responsible for the decline in total walleye numbers, particularly in the eastern basin. But that decline is unlikely to be noticeable to anglers this summer, as the prospects for angler success remain high. “Overall, decent numbers of fish can be found from 13 to 20 inches, which is generally the size range anglers prefer to harvest,” notes Hennen in his report. “Additionally, above average numbers of small fish from 10 to 13 inches were present in the population last fall. These fish will grow throughout the 2024 fishing season and provide ample catch and harvest opportunities in 2024 and beyond. High numbers of fish 20 inches and larger will continue to provide memorable catch opportunities throughout the lake.” While the average walleye count on the eastern basin was relatively low for Vermilion, it was still exceptionally high for most lakes in Minnesota, reflecting the remarkably productive fishery that Lake Vermilion represents. According to Hennen, Vermilion’s walleye population is heavily dependent on the strength of individual year-classes, which have tended toward boom and bust in recent years. The lake experienced strong year-classes in 2016 and 2018, while preliminary estimates point to 2021 as another strong year-class. By contrast, the 2017 and 2020 year-classes were weak, and 2022 appears to also be weak. The outlook for the 2023 year-class, however, looks hopeful. As part of the DNR’s annual survey on Lake Vermilion, fisheries staff conduct electrofishing to detect young fish too small to capture in nets and the results from that effort offer the first glimpse at the strength of that year’s reproduction. According to the report, the electrofishing tallied 118.3 fish per hour, which was on track with the long-term average, suggesting that 2023 will, at least, be a moderate year-class. The fish samples averaged 5.6 inches in length, which was slightly above normal. That can bode well for the percentage of young walleye that survive the winter. Yellow perch Anglers on Vermilion should find plenty of perch this year as well, including many large enough to harvest. “The 2023 lakewide gill net catch rate of 30.0 fish per net was slightly above average compared to previous surveys,” noted Hennen’s report. “The average size of those fish was fairly large with notable numbers over 10 inches and even some fish over 12 inches.” As with walleye, the perch results showed differences between the lake’s two basins. The western basin’s catch rate of 38.5 fish per net was impressive, but more of those perch were small— more a nuisance than a harvest prospect. On the east end, the perch numbers were lower at 24.3 fish per net, but many more larger perch were found there. And even though the numbers were lower on the east end, the results still showed perch numbers above the long-term average for the basin. Northern pike The northern pike population in Vermilion continues to show a declining trend and in the 2023 survey, the DNR caught just 12 northerns, or an average of 0.6 fish per net, ranging in size from 25 to 39 inches. The decline in overall pike numbers coincides with a shift in the population toward larger fish due in part to the protective slot limit, which has been in place since 2003. Panfish The DNR conducted spring trap netting of both crappies and bluegills in 2023 and found sufficient numbers to justify targeting these species, even though Vermilion tends to hold fewer panfish than many other Minnesota lakes. The trap netting found higher numbers of both species on the lake’s west end. The survey found an average crappie size of 10 inches, with multiple fish over 13 inches sampled from both basins. Anglers looking for bluegills would do best focusing on the lake’s west end. Bluegills captured averaged six inches in length, with fish over nine inches found on both ends of the lake. Muskie The DNR did not conduct an assessment of the lake’s muskie population in 2023. The muskie population was established via a stocking program that began in the late 1980s with the goal of providing a low-density, high-quality fishery. During the most recent targeted assessment conducted in 2019, muskies averaged 44.7 inches with over 40 percent of fish measuring 45 inches or larger. Additionally, about 11 percent of the fish sampled were 50 inches or larger. Assessment options for obtaining adult population estimates along with evaluating recent stocking strategies and natural reproduction are being considered for the future. Fisheries management As one of the state’s largest lakes and a popular fishery, the DNR conducts fish surveys annually as part of the agency’s management efforts. In addition to fish surveys, the DNR conducts regular creel surveys, water quality monitoring on Vermilion along with fish contaminant and disease inspections, zooplankton surveys, and aquatic invasive species surveillance. The DNR is reminding anglers that special regulations exists for walleyes where all fish from 20 to 26 inches must be immediately released. There is a possession limit of four walleyes with only one fish over 26 inches allowed. Anglers are also reminded that since 2019, northern pike have been managed under the Northeast Zone regulations requiring immediate release of all angled fish between 30 and 40 inches with only one over 40 inches allowed in a two fish possession limit. Separate regulations exist for dark house spearing which allows spearers to have two pike in possession but only one may be over 26 inches. All other fish species are managed under current statewide fishing regulations.
    • smurfy
      Never tried it. Pretty happy with the Kingsford     There's all kinds of food threads on the back page1🤗
    • leech~~
      Since this site doesn't have a Cooking thread.  Here's one.   Lump coal, anyone ever tried it on the grill?  How's the flavor and does it last longer then the Kingsford?  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.