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Im going down to the shore after some loops tomorrow and wondering if I should bring my long poles or the short ones? What do you guys think?

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just got back from there a min ago and the whole shore is unfishable. the only place you can fish is in mcquade.

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thanks hound . Is there ice as far as you can see or what just wondering? Would it make a difference if I brought my wadders? Just hoping i guess?

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nope no way you can fish, ice covering as far as you can see, and im guessing its 1 to 2 inches if that so i wouldnt go ice fish out there, and its all moving too.........it was cool to see with that east wind all the ice was moving in towards the harbor and huge sheets of ice would crash into eachother. it sounded like a construction zone. Im guessing all the ice out there was moving to the west about 2 mph. it will definately be unfishable for awhile now, until colder weather arrives.

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No doubt, I hate this in-between stuff...either get it frozen good so we can ice fish or give us some open water. Right now you cant really do either.

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before the ice blew in how was the fishing this week any loopers ? I was down there last week and picked up some coho but no loops.

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All you people who venture down to the shore should take a camera with and post a few pictures... A little easier to see what's happening...

Thanks...

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Heres a pic from yesterday...kind of hard to tell but there was a lot of thick ice piles near shore and very thin ice with chunks floating beyond that. Pretty much impossible to fish. If you come up from buffalo it could be a bust the way things are changing day to day.

003.jpg

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It seems like a lot of people have made the comment that there are less and less loopers every year . I wonder if that is a fact or is it just people voicing their frustrations on their success ? Last year was one of my best and I only went about 9 times. I landed 25 loopers 7 steelhead and about 5 or 6 coho.I think they stock around 135,000 each year. Just wondering I guess. we might get strong west winds tomorrow. maybe fishing by sunday?

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I've had some good days...but I think you have to look at the overall picture, such as the actual returns and overall success. Just in general as far as talking to people and just seeing fish on the bank...its definitely been a bit slower the last few years. I can think of years when you talk to people/look on the bank and this guys got one here that guys got a couple...last few years I just havent seen as many fish landed overall. There will be good days and peak times when fish are caught in good numbers but as a whole by the total of anglers fishing over the whole season there arent as many fish caught as in years past.

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is it just me or does there seem to be fewer anglers down there at any given time than there were say even 5 or 6 years ago ? fewer anglers fewer fish ? I try to go during the week so maybe im just there when most are not.

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Yeah, definitely fewer people. When fishings hot they come out of the woodwork. Doesnt take long for word to get out. Also an indicator that there arent the fish around. A few years ago the run was over 2000 counted at the french. I think last year it was under 500.

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An article in the outdoor news last week says loopers are down, and the DNR doesn't have a definite answer as to why.

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There is no way they stock 135,000 a year. They have dropped their numbers dramatically in the past couple years, and even what they say they are stocking - truthfully it's still significantly less than that. A lot of crooked stuff going on with the MN DNR politics.

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From the dnr stocking report from 2007 looks like about 90,000 total. If they arent going to stock more I wish they would grow them larger, put them in at about 13" or so to reduce predation and give them a better chance at survival in the lake. They could take the money from cutting the king program and put it into that, yeah right. On top of that I believe the steelhead association used to put 40,000 or so steelhead smolts into the knife and I think they cut that out too. Not looking good unless your a lake trout troller. Sure there are fish around but it could be better.

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there is no king program, they haven't stocked kings for many years. The only place stocking kings anymore is wisconsin and canada. the steelhead association is definitely doing their part for the steelhead no thanks to the mn dnr. the 90,000 loopers is still a bogus number - truthfully it is still less than that. If you can find an honest person that works with stocking them, they can tell you that themselves. It's the dishonest ones down at the capital that make up the rest. And when they are dumping all of those 13" smolts in the lake, I imagined the lake trout go into a feeding frenzy. At least that's what I've heard.

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It would cost too much money to raise the trout until they're 13 inches...and the numbers being stocked would still be low because of how many would die in the hatchery in the time it would take them to grow so big.

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Today at 3 in the afternoon it looked like this.

FR2x7x09003.jpg

FR2x7x09002.jpg

This dude had a spud & did Not appear to be fishing. Otherwise no one there.

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Well, just got back from checking things out this morning and it was pretty unfishable except for the usual harbor which already had half dozen or more guys out by 6:30. Was hoping the wind would have pushed it out more but I guess its just blowing it down along the shore.

As far as stocking 13" fish...I know some tailrace fisheries that stock tons of 13-14 inch fish and they dont have any big die offs. I think the slightly larger fish are actually hardier than the small ones. They have plenty of room at the hatchery. would cost more but the returns would be better. Kind of like stocking fry...they are cheaper but the return is much smaller. Not like its gonna happen anyway.

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I think it would be pretty cool if the DNR could put up a web cam on the mouth of the river. Us citiots could check it out at home watch the weather and decide when to leave. I would like it, not sure all the locals would be as happy

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I'm not into Big Brother videoing all our public places but... That web cam idea got me thinking... It would be a good thing to moniter the pool & lot for poachers ( even a fake camera ).

I got there in the dark one morning last fall & there was a guy who asked what kind of fish were in the pool, were they easy to catch etc... He was from DL I think & was spending a few days on the shore. We went down to the pool & saw it packed full of pinks & other fish in the early light so I told him the regs. -No fishing in the pool. He was very suprised to find out because 30 min. prior he had seen people netting the pool, they hastily packed up into a car & left as soon as he pulled in. From this man's description I believe he saw poachers taking fish for the illegal fish trade. I didn't think 4 guys in a light colored 4 door was a good enough description to call TIPs. But a camera in the lot would have got them. I'm sure this kind of activity goes on all over the place.

An under water web cam would be cool in there too.

-CLoma

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n I believe he saw poachers taking fish for the illegal fish trade.

An under water web cam would be cool in there too.

-CLoma

I cant imagine much of a trade for dying pink and chinook salmon. I would bet they were taking them to eat.

what a bunch of slobs, ruining fishing for the rest of us. If i were to see that they sure would get what they had coming.

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