Private Ice Roads on Lake Of The Woods?

[Roscoe16]

I just got back from a trip to Lake of the Woods. We drove on at Adrian's road. At 3 different places along their main road there were side roads that had signs next to them saying the name of a resort (not Adrian's) and "NO WHEEL HOUSES OR PORTABLES ALLOWED - $500 FINE". What in the world is the deal with this? Does this resort own part of the lake? I have been ice fishing up there for 30 years and never seen anything like this. I HAVE seen signs that say "Please Do Not Drill Holes on the Road" and also "Please Stay Off Bombardier Trail" which make total sense. But putting up a sign saying you can't use an ice road on a public water and that you will be fined??? Is this legal? Fined by who? Who will collect this fine? Is there some law that says this is valid and a fine can be enforced? Who enforces this, the DNR? Can I plow a side road off Adrian's road and make that my own private road and restrict access and fine people? In my opinion, this is an absolute joke. I will be contacting the DNR to ask about the legality of this.

Roscoe16

[Skyndalive]

Yeah, I seen those signs popping up last year. I'm sure it's an attempt by some of the resorts to give their customers some privacy. When there isn't alot of snow, it's not that big of a deal. But, on a year like this it really takes away from our already limited options due to the amount of snow.

I'd be interested on what kind of response you get from the DNR. I hope to hear back from you.

Skyndalive

[Roscoe16]

I am going to call the DNR about this on Monday morning. I will let you know what they say.

Roscoe16

[MinnesotaMongo]

They can't own the lake - although they can own the access point if it's on their property. I would imagine that they could fine me all they want - it ain't gonna matter. They don't own the ice....

[lakowoods]

It is their road for their houses when they plow them, but when you plow a big road for their customers and their houses before they move on to it they leave and start to move the houses to that area they just plowed, they arrive with a house that they just plowed and its full of portables and wheel houses that was meant for the resort which cost time labor gas money, you would be steaming mad too! so its common courtisy to ask before you attemt to set up. they will plow you a slot if you ask and if they have time, make it worth their while there is a high maintainance cost involved in plowing the lake by all. yes the signs are not legal, they just want respect.

[Stradic]

You won't get my respect by being an a-hole and putting up signs like that. The lake is public property and they as resort owners need to realize this. If you don't like it, don't plow a road.

I would turn them in to either the DNR and/or the county sheriff.

Please let us know what was done about it.

[lakowoods]

Don't Plow? then no vehichles would be out there except track machines, this is the most snow we have had in Dec. for 20-25 yrs. and it's only Jan 5th you better be thankfull for the guys that plow out there, there is a couple of resorts for sale up here and you can get hands on experiance of what it's all about working with each other and keeping you guys going fishing. when you go down a road with a big wheel house and no room to turn around it's no fun.

[Red Miller]

We all appreciate the hard work the resort operators do to maintain their roads and give the rest of us opportunities to fish but we pay for it as well. They have the right to charge an access fee that uses their property (land) to get on the lake however, there a few cold hard facts they need to accept.

The road is their road until it hits the water. The ice, the snow, the water, its all public property. I dont care if its groomed with a toothbrush. No different than a deerstand built on public land.

Resort owners that use that kind of backwoods intimidation will never get a penny of my money! I will however afford them a phone call to the DNR.

[only ice]

You guys have to understand that these people work very hard all winter. i also saw the sign and undrestand why its there. Is it right? not sure but i know if you ever get into trouble out on the ice, Most of the resort people would be ther to help you in time of need. The lake is big enough for all to use, so respect other people, and they will respect you. a frien of mine plowed his own road and left his wheel house out ther, only to come back to 15 holes around it and ice 8 inches up the walls on his house. Ya, that was realy nice of the, I can go anywhere people!!

[Roscoe16]

I called the DNR. The guy said the lake is public water and nobody can restrict access to an ice road, regardless of whether they plowed it or not. He was baffled by the "fine" part and gave me the numbers of both COs in the area. I have not had a chance to call them yet.

Again, this was not Adrian's Resort who put up the signs. They have always been great when I have used their access.

Roscoe16

[curt quesnell]

Just so we are all on the same page let me present a couple of

points.

Adrians road is the only organized plowed road out of Wheelers

Point. This is a well maintained ROAD plowed for use by trucks

pulling wheel houses or houses on skids, for cars or anything

you care to drive onto the ice. There is a charge at the

access of 7 or 8 well worth it bucks. If you can find another

way onto this road with your vehicle there is nothing but

ethics saying you cant do it. You can depend on the this road

and Adrians to help you get on and off the ice, around and

over breakers and cracks. The road crew will work for you, they

plow driveways off of the main road for your convenience. They

do not charge snowmobiles or ATVs to use this ROAD.

These other signs you are seeing are not on roads, they are

groomed trails for the bombers and other track vehicles to

use. They are not only for use by the resorts, you can ride

your snowmobile, snow bear or your own bomber if you want

to. It is not maintained for truck traffic, the cracks are

left until the bombers drivers decide to do something about

it. A track vehicle can cross a pretty wide crack, a truck

cannot. These are not roads, they may be 3 feet deep and if

you sink 2 miles away from the real road on a groomed trail

you will wear out your shovel.

There is a "grant in aid" snowmobile trail from Wheelers Point

out to Oak Island. It looks just like the other trails with

minor marking differences. You do not want to drive anything

with out track drive and skis on the front on this trail. This

is the one you need a trail sticker to be on at all under

penalty of a hefty fine. So you dont want to drive your truck

on this one either.

This topic pops up every winter. It is a public water way

you can drive anywhere you can get to. For your safety and

well being stick to the ROAD. There are miles and miles of

them and you can get off on you own if you want to.

Those who think they have a right to tear up a groomed trail

designed for track vehicles actually do have that right. Just

like the guy who pulls a big house 20 feet from you with a

generator because it is a public lake and he can set up any

where he wants to. Nobody has the right to stop you, and

nobody needs to help you of the trouble you can get into out

there either.

[chris63]

Very well said,the bomber guys will pull you out too,but the fee will go up up up if your on the Track trail.(as it should be!)good luck and don't fall in!c63

[Eric Doll]

I gotta agree with the resorts on this one. They bust there hump out there all day while we are having fun. It is alot of work to plow roads and move fishouses so they can stay on fish. There customers depend on it. If there were no customers= no resorts= no roads plowed at all. We should be very grateful that they are even out there.

[brna0102]

They do bust their humps out their so we can have fun. However, lets not forget it is their job. Its not like they are donating their time & plow trucks. They are in it to make money, no different than why I get up & go to work everyday.

[Roscoe16]

The roads that I saw this past weekend that had these signs WERE NOT BOMBER TRAILS. These were plowed roads for vehicle traffic leading to a resort's rental houses. They were plowed off of Adrian's main road.

Roscoe16

I havent seen those. I guess I would not pay much attention to

them and it would be a short conversation with who ever challenged

me being there.

Curt Quesnell

[Skyndalive]

Yeah, we're not talking about bomber or snowmobile trails. It's the lateral trails shooting off from Adrian's road. Plowed ice roads.

Skyndalive

[WhiskeyPete]

I ran into that guy a couple years ago. I was fishing with a friend in my portable and the girls were in the perm. Some guy comes driving up yelling something about being on "his" road. I didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Then he proceeded to explain it to me.

"You see, you paid for Adrian's road and they have orange sticks. You are on MY road, and I have the purple sticks. You can fish here, on my road, for $5.", he said. I said,"huh?"

Now I fish in the Morris Point area. No more argument. I can see how all those resorts get a little "turf" envy after the road crosses Pine Island.

With that said, I give them all alot of credit for the hard work they do during winters like this one. There's a ton of snow out there and we've yet to see what kind of a toll on the ice it will have. But still, every resort with a road on the ice will have it plowed for us crazy folk who like to drive on frozen lakes to catch fish!!

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

[Red Miller]

Curt, I believe I mis-spoke when I used the word "groomed" in my message which implied a trail. I was not referring to the bomber and snowmobile trails. I was talking about the plowed roads for vehicles. I have no problem paying a respectable road operator for his/her services and the use of their road. They do a great job and I hope they make some money doing it.

Getting jumped out on the lake by someone staking out their "turf" with his hand out looking for money??? Youre right, that would be a short conversation.

Hey Red, It happened to me once too. I was so stunned I kinda

just stood there. The point is having fun, dont let the_________

___________get you down

Curt

[curt quesnell]

I want to thank all of you posters for keeping cool heads

on this hot topic. Thats whats great about this website.

That area over Pine is very busy. Many Resorts and hundreds

of private houses are using this very good fishing area. There

are bound to be some issues. Lets hope for the best and

deal with the reality.

Have a great day guys (and gals)

[Notu2]

OK, look at it from the other angle. You bring up your wheel house or portable, leave it on shore while you go out to plow or shovel a spot go back to shore to get your stuff, when you get back to the spot you worked hard to get ready and it's full of resort houses would'nt you be a little upset?

The road fee that you pay goes directly to the person who owns the access they don't share it with the other resorts that are helping maintain the roads. So their gas,time, equipment breakage is out of their pocket.

Some of the resorts even plow spurs off the main road just for portables and wheel houses to have a place to go. But some people still feel the need to be in the middle or the resort houses.

It is a big lake and it is about respect. Just look at the ratio between resort houses and private houses, wheel houses and portables and then thank the resorts for plowing at all, because without them you wouldn't be on the lake at all.

Kim

[Muskie456]

Can you imagine how long of a day it is to approach everyone that you feel is on "your" road and try to get 5 bucks out of them. I am sure by the time they have confronted 3 people in the morning they are diving into every conversation aggresively. If you want to try and collect a fee sit at the enterance of your road and try to collect it. Don't go raging up to people that are set up enjoying themselves and say you owe me money. Of course everyone that this happens to tells them to get bent. Brutal way to try to make a buck. I'm not saying times aren't tough but that seems like a bad way to go about it.

[fishnfool]

Question for Curt or anyone else with info: I have a Ranger UTV with tracks all the way around. Is this legal on the trail to Oak? Also if I have it stickered in my home state do I need a trail sticker for Minnesota?

[curt quesnell]

I just talked to the trails guy at the DNR office here in

Thief River yesterday. Only snowmobiles are allowed on the trail.

Your rig must be track propelled and have SKIs on the front.

(the bombers are classified as snowmobiles). Skis seem to

be the defining item.

Yes you would need a sticker for Mn.

Call any DNR office as ask for the trails guy or gal to get

the info first hand. I have tried to call 2 people in the

know this afternoon to double check this and went to voice mail

on both occasions.

I know several people with your exact question, I am trying

for a good answer for you and them

[fishnfool]

Thanks for your time on this subject Curt. I'm really confused because last year I was told by the DNR over the phone that as long as I had it stickered in my state I wouldn't need to sticker it in Minnesota. And the tracks in the back, ski's in the front makes no sense at all. What really is the difference? Technically speaking, if your pulling a fish trap that would be illegal too because it has neither track nor ski's. I see the bombers pulling shacks with runners all the time and they must do some trail damage. We want to be on the right side of the law when we visit Minnesota but it's hard to figure whats right and wrong.

[salmo11]

the trail on low is a state trail so you need mn trail sticker i live in lindstom and if i wont to cross the croix and ride in wi i need a wi sticker

[chewy630]

all i know is that fish that skndalive was holding looks like one that i pulled out about 2 years ago somewhere on LOTW. Good photogragher too!!!!!

[Roscoe16]

"You can fish here, on my road, for $5". You have to be kidding me? His road? So does that mean I can go and plow a road off of Adrian's road and sign it and that makes it my road and I can charge to go down it to fish? That is absolutely ridiculous. The part about the $500 fine is what really got me steaming when I saw the signs. What gives them the right to impose a fine? What a joke.

I got voice mails of both of the COs when I called them today. I did not leave a message. I will try them again tomorrow and leave a message if I have to. I can't wait to hear what they have to say about this.

Roscoe16

[Roscoe16]

I just spoke with Jeff Bertram, CO out of Baudette. In a nutshell he said this resort has no jurisdiction over the road they plowed and can't require someone to pay to drive down it or impose any kind of fine if they do. Anyone driving on the road they plowed or fishing off of it is not breaking any law. He said he has seen this before in the past and has had other complaints. I asked if the resort was breaking any law by putting up the sign and he said not that he knows of. I asked if the resort were to harrass someone who was using the road if that would be breaking a law and he said it could be considered disorderly conduct.

Someone posted something above about the resort wanting respect. Had their sign said "Please Don't Drill Holes On Or Near The Road" rather than threatening to fine me, they would have gotten my respect. With the signs they DID put up they don't deserve any respect.

Roscoe16

[northerndave]

Bertram gonna put the whammy on them?

[Walleyehooker]

I shouldnt even respond to these posts but I will anyway.I can see where it is wrong to post a sign that says they will fine you when they cant.However people need to look at this from their side to.They put a lot of work into these roads and make sure it is safe for you to travel on and they deserve some respect for that.Do you work for free.I dont.They also will most of the time go out of there way to help you if you have a problem out there.I have no problem paying them their 8-10 bucks and following their rules.This is definitly more of a problem with all the snow up there than other years and you cant get off the roads without other transportation.No they dont own the public water but I dont see anyone else plowing roads either.Im sure if you put your time and money into the road you would feel the same way.I fish Mille Lacs a lot and I see this all the time.A guy goes out of the public access and gets stuck in the windrow and wants a pull out.I usually wave my road pass on the way by.I used to pull them out but I dont anymore.Why should I,if I tear up my truck are they going to pay for it.I dont think so.Or in the summer a guy pulls in with a 40k rig and a 40k boat and launches at a remote access to save 10 bucks and ruins his $500 prop.And like Forest Gump says thats all I have to say about that.

Oh yea and stay off the dang snowmobile trail too lol