Maple Lake

[shrimpo]

I was thinking about giving Maple a shot this weekend. Anybody been out? Any tips for sunnies / crappies out there - depths or side of lake to try?

Any help would be appreciated.

[FishSystem]

thought of that myself. Gotta friend who lives there, says it is FULL of hammer handle northern.

[tsande00]

Maple Lake is having their ice fishing contest this weekend on Saturday so it's going to be a complete circus out there, FYI.

[sticknstring]

Big time. Should be fun!

[shrimpo]

We were planning on Sunday, so at least we will miss the masses. Could use some picklers.

I am anxious to hear how the tourney goes.

[Brad B]

the other option would to fish the east end of the lake off the co rd 37 access (most call it little maple but it is really part of maple). the contest people won't be fishing this area since it is outside the boundaries of the contest.

[20lbSloughShark]

I just got back from the contest, and have to say I have never been so disappointed in a fishing contest. The amount of cheating was unbelievable. The guy next to us put his tip ups down an hour before it started, and got a flag in a few minutes. He left it until it started, and then weighed it in. For all the effort, and what should have been good karma, I lost the only fish of the day at the hole. I don't know what all the hype with shiners is, that northern swam by 2 shiners, to get the large sucker. I spent $40 for tickets, drawings, etc. and did not win a single thing, not even one of the 800 pizza's the gave away. I will not be going next year!

[huskie0302]

What other cheating did you see? that big of a tourny, its hard to watch everyone

[20lbSloughShark]

The only thing I saw with my own eyes, was fishing before the time started. Ranging from simply putting lines down early, to catching fish and putting them in a cooler until it started. If they had simply had someone cruising around looking for tipups with flags set, they would have DQ'ed a third of the people. The only good thing is that even if you cheat, you have to be lucky to get the 38th largest pike. This is the first fishing tournament that I have gotten absolutely nothing. I have always gotten a t shirt, or cheap lure or something. I say less prizes, and more little prizes, that everyone can get, especially kids.

[sticknstring]

Hate to hear those things. With houses on the lake and that many people, you just assume a percentage of it goes on. Sad, but it happens. Our group caught two pike, but both were too small to win any prizes. Had a great time as usual. Already looking forward to next year!

[tjoutdoors]

I had a good time out there and my 8 year old son jigged in a tiny pike so he was pumped to weigh something in. A sponsor was walking around with a pail full of ice combos and when he saw my son had a bucket with a fish he looked and said "that looks like it deserves a prize" and tossed a rod & reel in his bucket. He was pretty pumped about that. If I were to make a single complaint, it would be that there were not enough scales. With so many fish coming it, it took 30 minutes to get thru the line and back to fishing. With only 2 hours of contest time, it was a pretty large percentage of time lost to registering a single fish.

[sticknstring]

Here's about half the fish that were registered! Anyone know where to view pics from the blimp or what they had for attendance? Had to be 3,000+ out there.

[fishersofmen]

Yea there were a ton of people thats for sure. Drove by with the kids and they were highly ammused......

[mrklean]

any idea on the big fish?

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

Ranging from simply putting lines down early, to catching fish and putting them in a cooler until it started.

If you witness a person keeping a fish caught before the contest, how hard is it to stroll to a worker and clue them in?

Sounds like a sore loser story to me overall.

[sticknstring]

Quote:

any idea on the big fish?

10.6 lb northern. 6 something was 2nd.

[Mo Gator]

I think they said they estimated about 5,000-6,000 people out there.

Sloughshark - sorry to hear you are so distraught about not winning a prize. if it makes you feel any better I was out there with about 10 people and we didn't win a single thing.

We caught 2 small pike that didn't get us prizes too.

[GIANT1]

Here's about half the fish that were registered!

sometimes this web site really makes me wonder , you read threads like "WHY ALL THE HATE" and then a pic like this gets posted

[BartmanMN]

Giant, you know the lake association on this lake wants the hammer handle population reduced in this lake, do you not?

[GIANT1]

no i didnt sorry !!! but ya know where im coming from i hope

[hockeybc69]

No we dont.

That lake is loaded with fish that size, and I am glad to see a bunch get removed.

[fishersofmen]

I gave up fishing out there last summer, couldn't keep those slime balls off the lines.

[mrklean]

Hopefully our spearing GTG can help out a bit

[20lbSloughShark]

I guess I am a little bit of a sore looser. I just feel they could have done a little more to prevent cheating. I should quit complaining, one of these days Karma will reward me. Its my fault I lost anyway, I lost the only fish of the day, and I could see it was over 1.9 pounds.

[fishfun67]

any place out there you shouldnt drive springs, narrows anything?

[jake82]

as far as i know all i have heard is stay clear of the channel between big maple and little maple thats it.