Curious about the future of the Sartell Dam...

[Stick in Mud]

Hello all,

I read that Verso has sold the paper mill to another company, and I'm curious if anyone knows--or has an educated guess--on what this means for the dam. In all honesty, while I've been fishing there for 25 years, I don't know exactly what it's used for. I assume it was used to generate power for the paper mill, but that could be wrong. If that is the case, then what's likely to happen to the dam in the future? Who's now in charge of when it's open or closed?

In winters prior to this, the dam would be mostly closed (or completely closed), with only the chutes/turbines on the east side of the river open. This year, it's been open enough to prevent any ice from forming. Not that the fishing was consistently spectacular down there, but I certainly do miss catching all those eel pout!

[Rick G]

You were correct, the power plant at the dam was used to help powere the mill. I too am curious about what the future holds for the dam now that the paper mill is shut down and the plant has been sold. I have heard rumors about everything from a housing development to a large industrial complex.

Maybe someone "in the know" will chime in on this.

[Bigtom]

I think the army cours of engineers owns the powerplant. You would think the energy companies would want to run it.

[JeremyCampbell]

Last I heard,a steel company took a tour around the mill a week ago.There going to demo most of it.

[Rick G]

Last I heard,a steel company took a tour around the mill a week ago.There going to demo most of it.

I also heard that a recycling company had plans to purchace the site. I wouldn't think that they would be able to run a scrap yard that close to the river would they?

I have tried looking for more info on this but there dosen't seem to be alot out there yet.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Wouldn't the corp of engineers have a say in the future of the dam? Or does the paper mill have the ownership of it? I wouldn't think the paper mill would have exclusive ownership of it

[eyeguy 54]

AIM Development bought it. Quiet so far as to what the plans are.

[Stick in Mud]

It'll be interesting to see what they do with it. That other side of the river has been boat-access only for my entire life. That's kind of nice for those of us with boats. But it would be nice to be able to fish over there (legally) without having to put the boat in.

[eyeguy 54]

I have quite a few wading and rock hopping memories from that side.

[JeremyCampbell]

Yeah,that corner below the dam would be cool to tryout if they let you. I found there to be some interesting depths above too.To try these things from shore would be interesting.

[Stick in Mud]

I have quite a few wading and rock hopping memories from that side.

When I was a younger and less impressed by trespassing laws, I kept trying to get north of the old bridge....and I kept getting busted by the security guards. As a conseque3nce, all my experience on that side of the river is farther south.

[eyeguy 54]

I went all the way to the dam half a dozen times or so. Got asked to leave one time while fishing by the south fence. Those 2 guards were really nice. Only times I had guard issues was when in a boat and one guard was power hungry. lol We would fish there a lot and the same guy would holler at us. One day I told him to shut up or I will call the cops. He finaly stopped. Many other times the workers or other guards just had a freindy hi and asked how ya doing. I don't think you are tresspassing if you are below the high water mark or wading in the water. Anyways it was good exersize and sometimes fishing was a hoot.

[Stick in Mud]

Interesting....I've never run into any problems down there with the guards or the workers--as long as I wasn't tied up to the wall or on the shoreline. And even then, I was just asked politely to leave and/or untie from the wall. They did like to come out on that walkway and eat lunch and watch us catch fish.

As far as I know, though, if you are in the water, you're not trespassing. I didn't trust myself to jump around on those big pieces of granite without falling in, so I always stuck to shore.

[eyeguy 54]

It was just one young guy that was a bonehead. Everybody else was nice. The guy thought he owned the water from the bridge to the dam. lol Probably 5 years ago or so. havn't seen him since then.

[Rick G]

I used to fish the "other" side from shore quite often when the bridge was still open. Only once was I asked to leave, other than the one time, all the workers and security that I encountered were as nice as can be.

[eyeguy 54]

They were probably afraid of you with all those rods and reels and tackle boxes strapped to your back.

[JeremyCampbell]

Lol

[Rick G]

They were probably afraid of you with all those rods and reels and tackle boxes strapped to your back.

Gotta come prepared

[Stick in Mud]

The view of those guards as you crossed the bridge:

[eyeguy 54]

lol, what was really fun was sneaking up and climbing the fence and crossing the bridge and then climbing the fence again on the other side to get across it... All while peopple were withing 100 yards of a guy. heeheehee. I love low water!!! LOL

[Stick in Mud]

I don't know if others' experience is the same, but the fishing for me down there, especially on the Riverboat Depot side, has not been anything like what it used to be. After they redid the shoreline and dumped all that rock in there, the fishing (for me, at least) has really slowed down. Much of that big eddy that used to actually have current is now silted in.

Both early and late in the year USED to be DYNAMITE down there....tons of fish, including my personal best muskie and walleye were caught right down there. In the last few years--and last year especially, though last fall was a strange year for shore fishing--it's been much less exciting. I've considered starting a new fitness plan and selling it to the yuppies in Sartell--maybe I could get them to move some of those rocks blocking all that current back up on shore.

[Rick G]

lol, what was really fun was sneaking up and climbing the fence and crossing the bridge and then climbing the fence again on the other side to get across it... All while peopple were withing 100 yards of a guy. heeheehee. I love low water!!! LOL

Used to climb the fence at Blanchard to access the bottom parts of the dam when the open spillways got in my way. Much to old for theese sort of things now

[JeremyCampbell]

The fence on Benton drive side has a little flaw on it and well .......I guess a guy might find there way in sometimes and cast a night bobber out .I try not to think about it.It's just not right.

[JeremyCampbell]

I know that spot well carmike I was there a lot last summer.Not so bad if you are in the right place

[Rick G]

I don't know if others' experience is the same, but the fishing for me down there, especially on the Riverboat Depot side, has not been anything like what it used to be. After they redid the shoreline and dumped all that rock in there, the fishing (for me, at least) has really slowed down. Much of that big eddy that used to actually have current is now silted in.

Both early and late in the year USED to be DYNAMITE down there....tons of fish, including my personal best muskie and walleye were caught right down there. In the last few years--and last year especially, though last fall was a strange year for shore fishing--it's been much less exciting. I've considered starting a new fitness plan and selling it to the yuppies in Sartell--maybe I could get them to move some of those rocks blocking all that current back up on shore.

I'm with you on this one, not nearly what it used to be.

I think the tackle companys sponsored the corp of engineers dumping that rip rap in there . I have had to replace a jig or two due to those rocks and I know quite a few others have lost stuff down there too

[JeremyCampbell]

Today I went out to the river depot in sartell for lunch,I got a nice window view of the paper mill and the Mississippi river.It was nice to have a different angle of that site.

[Stick in Mud]

Uh oh...looks like Jeremy is getting kind of close to my secret eel pout spot!

[JeremyCampbell]

LoL

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I grew up in st cloud and hit the west side of the river a few times fishing. I remember hearing stories in the late 80s of the 'guy who caught a huge musky' maybe that was you Carmike

[eyeguy 54]

my biggest up there is 42 and buddy got a 45. I heard of a 50 but never saw it. I had one on that was a beast about 10 years ago while jigging for eyes. Actually hooked it 2 times. Had it with in 10 feet of my feet. That was a rush! Just openned it's mouth and the jig fell out both times. I was surprized the line didn't cut.