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Thanks for the warning! It was shallow last year, and with the lake down another foot if not 2.. its not good.. I went down and watched boats try and put in at the access this weekend some.. very frustrating to some. if you have bunk trailers, its not easy!

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  • Deitz Dittrich

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Thanks for the update NC. My guess is that it would be the sheriff's perrogative to post a sign in the channel. The DNR really has nothing to do with the existence of it.

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Ripped a prop up going through there last year. No way in heck I'm trying it again this year with as low as the water is. I keep wondering why they just didn't make it DEEP when they put it in in the first place?!

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Ripped a prop up going through there last year. No way in heck I'm trying it again this year with as low as the water is. I keep wondering why they just didn't make it DEEP when they put it in in the first place?!

Couldn't agree with you more on your point Jayber .... you would think it would have been a heck of a lot cheaper if they would have designed & implemented a deeper channel when they rebuilt it a couple years ago. I would be suprised if they would be willing to put any money into it any time soon ... I guess we gotta keep hopping for more rain, and lots of it.

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Thanks for the warning! It was shallow last year, and with the lake down another foot if not 2.. its not good.. I went down and watched boats try and put in at the access this weekend some.. very frustrating to some. if you have bunk trailers, its not easy!

Dietz, did you try putting your boat in? My neighbor has a 20' Ranger Walleye boat on a tandem trailer, he tried putting in on North Center and couldn't get it done. There is a big washout hole at the bottom of the ramp then a big gravel mound from the washout. His trailer is so long it road up the mound and actually started coming out of the water instead of deeper. He eventually had to stop cause his truck was getting too deep in the washout hole.

I'm guessing the bass boat traffic this year on N/S Center will be pretty light if we don't get more rain for the boat launches on N/S Center.

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NC- I have not. I hope to try some night this week.. but do not hold high hopes.. I did put it in about 3 weeks ago, but as you know we have not had any rain since then. and its quite a bit lower. Even then I had to get a good speed going nd slam on the breaks.. but then again, I too have a 20' boat with tandem trailer..

we need rain bad.. very bad.. i even had my kids to rain dances in class today.. 8-)

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we need rain bad.. very bad.. i even had my kids to rain dances in class today.. 8-)

lol hey it worked a little bit.

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I tried opening weekend to launch on S. center and did not work. I went to N. Center and got in but had to venture throught the channel. I made it but just barely. My 1850 Sportfish is on a bunk trailer and it is a tough go everywhere. I am a little dissapointed as my family spends a lot of time on S. Center both fishing and water skiing! BRING ON THE RAIN!!!!

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  • 1 month later...

So since the access is in such bad shape because of water levels, I'm guessing the lake isn't seeing as many boats? Sounds ideal for my 14' cruiser cool

I just patched up a few leaky spots so I want to take it out and make sure it stays dry. How are the bass biting? I haven't been on south center in about 15 years.

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Saw a number of bass boats on N/C last weekend (I assume from one of the bass clubs). Saw some going back & forth thru the channel to S/C. Not sure whick lake they put in, but would have been a bit tricky.

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JB, the bass have been on the chow on Forest for the past couple weeks. Had a thirty five fish night out there the other night in a 2.5 hour span. Lots of smaller fish but there are plenty of big ones willing to bite as well if you can get past the little guys.

Tunrevir~

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I can't catch a fish to save my life on forest lake. I must be cursed, seriously! The chisago chain however, it welcomes me with open arms every time blush

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  • 3 weeks later...

How is the pike fishing on north/south center lakes? I'll be targeting bass, but would like to grab a couple pike for the grill this weekend. My dad wants to go somewhere else, but I'm deadset on the center lakes because I haven't fished them in awhile.

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be careful, the s.center landing is closed till the 23rd.. they are fixing it. I went down last night to look at what they have done. Looks pretty good and am excited to see how it will end up. The n.center landing is almost un usable, you can try it though.

Pike fishing is fair on the lake, there are some good ones in there. Because of the poor landings I have only fished the Centers 3 times this year. And have yet to battle a pike. If you wanted a pike, Big Marine or Forest would be better options.

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The rain we are getting might help a little in being able to get on the lakes.The water level is so low right now. North may be your best bet but get there early because of the small lot. Earlier in the year, fishing for bass with a spinnerbait got me a few pike. Nothing of real size but probably 3-4 lbs.

Fish the slop and you should get both bass and pike.

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just read the sat or sunday star tribune paper and there was a article on the low water conditions in the area. i thought it was cool that frankie stated that if the dnr was going to do anything about the access conditions, he would use his own $ to backhoe out the berms if the dnr would allow him. i thought that was cool if he was serious.

i think that was a good suggestion and that the dnr can't be called out to maintain all the accesses in the area with so many lakes and plenty that are still fine to launch. it isn't there fault that the water is low.

just a heads up if something might change at n/s center.

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Yeah, big marine is where my dad wants to go. I like the lake, but I've already fished it this year, and my fishing A.D.D. is preventing me from wanting to go there again crazy

So how are they fixing the access? Putting in new/extra slabs and/or dredging perhaps? The whole reason I wanted to fish there is because of the access being almost unusable. I have a 14 footer that is barely heavier than a canoe, so bad/shallow accesses are easy pickin's for me.

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Hey just an FYI if you didn't know that there is slot on Northerns with nothing kept 24-36" don't start the grill yet?

HARP

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Thanks for the heads up, that slipped my mind. The 22 and 23 inchers will work just fine.

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Was out on N Center last night. We bottomed out in a little 14ft boat. Its really bad. Lots of small bass too!

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The South Center access is now fixed, they finished the work yesterday. They dredged and added all new cement slabs. Looks very nice.

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Did you put in and test it out? How about that big concrete slab by the bridge?

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I have not put mine in yet.. but I know the slab is still by the bridge. Proceed with much caution! Or do not proceed at all. Until we get some more rain I will not be using the channel.

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Hmmm, new and improved access that everyone and their uncle can now launch on? I've suddenly lost my interest in fishing south center now. frown

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ya the shallow landing was an advantage to some of us i am going to try to get out there a few more times before the pressure takes affect.

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Well, the lake looks like slit pea soup. I think this will keep some of the pleasure boaters off. I know I dont want to swim in it! I would be willing to bet the Secchi disk reading is about 1/4 inch.. LOL

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deitz i think you meant to say you dont want to swim in it again. sorry just had to point that one out.

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Hmmm, well I may give it a gander on sunday. Pea soup huh? Looks like they'll be after the flashy stuff.

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