Pelican Draining...

[knoppers]

I fished the lake back in the late 70's, I launched my car top boat, and put my 5.5hp motor on, I motored out into the lake, thinking I found a great lake that nobody knows about. yes I caught fish, all bullheads. from what I remember back then, there was little waterfowl, and not much good habitat. to make this a waterfowl habitat, they need to plant rice and celery.

I am not opposed of the draw down, since there are many good fishing lakes in this area, and less habitat areas for wildlife.

[RumRiverRat]

It's not about you and me. It's not about duck hunter vs. fisherman.

It's about fisheries and wildlife management. MN has been losing wetlands at an alarming rate and degrading the shallow lakes and wetlands that remain. There is not a shortage of habitat for sunfish, crappies, bass, or pike in this state. Federal and state agencies have spent millions of dollars to buy land around the lake. That grassland provides for better water quality and nesting habitat for waterfowl. Pelican represents a rare opportunity to manage a large body of water and a large tract of grassland.

Pay attention to what Superduty posts.......he has a degree in this stuff, which is saying more than most of the armchair biologists in this thread.

I say drain it then backfill it and turn it into a golf course.

[jskeff]

ahhhhhhh! another morning of limits of crappies and sunnies. couple nice northerns to go with it. hell, if your going to drain the lake anyways, im taking all the fish i can. freezer is getting full. looks like a fish fry tonight with the kids.

and the ducks or birds or whatever they are draining it for is stupid, how will any birds migrate and stay there if duck hunters are blasting away at them all the time. not to mention how annoying it will be with all the duck hunters around.

[20lbSloughShark]

I agree that wetland for waterfowl is much more important than managing fishing lakes. What makes no sense is why would you ruin what is arguably the best fishing lake in wright county.

[RumRiverRat]

I agree that wetland for waterfowl is much more important than managing fishing lakes. What makes no sense is why would you ruin what is arguably the best fishing lake in wright county.

You obviously do not fish many lakes in Wright County.

[muskE]

It's not about you and me. It's not about duck hunter vs. fisherman.

It's about fisheries and wildlife management. MN has been losing wetlands at an alarming rate and degrading the shallow lakes and wetlands that remain. There is not a shortage of habitat for sunfish, crappies, bass, or pike in this state. Federal and state agencies have spent millions of dollars to buy land around the lake. That grassland provides for better water quality and nesting habitat for waterfowl. Pelican represents a rare opportunity to manage a large body of water and a large tract of grassland.

+1

[Iron Cowboy]

Best fishing lake in the county.....

You obviously do not fish many lakes in Wright County.

Well I do,,, much more than you I will bet and yea you can find better panfish in other lakes when the time is right but pike, Clearwater is second but I can promise you there is no better pike lake. If so name it....I didnt think so. you shouldnt make statements like a local "pro" unless you are.

[jskeff]

speaking of pike in pelican. slammed them today!!!!!!!! gorgeous out! great day chasing flags!

[Iron Cowboy]

Me too! yes it was a great day to chase flags,, and in between the flags for entertainment you got to watch guys getting stuck other than "stupid" and "needing help" what can you say about guys that go out on a big lake after a good snow in a CAR!

[RumRiverRat]

Well I do,,, much more than you I will bet and yea you can find better panfish in other lakes when the time is right but pike, Clearwater is second but I can promise you there is no better pike lake. If so name it....I didnt think so. you shouldnt make statements like a local "pro" unless you are.

Your post is hilarious.

Referring to yourself as a local pro made me fall out of my chair laughing.

Consdiering you know absolutely nothing about where I fish.

I spend 55 to 70 days a year fishing lakes and rivers in Wright County.

I spend over 100 days a year fishing open water.

How many days do you as a Local Pro spend on the water?

Pelican Lake is not the panfish powerhouse it was 5 or 8 years ago.

Pelican Lake is never going to be managed for fishing. It is a lake managed for wildlife, the feds have spent lots of money to buy the property surrounding the lake.

It should be managed as a wildlife area.

It needs to be drained and closed to all human activity for 5 to 10 years.

Then opened up as a limit access area.

[The Griz]

I figured this would turn into a [PoorWordUsage] match. Fact of the matter is the lake is getting drained and it sounds like its too far in the stages to turn back, So deal with it. I will continue to fish it until I can't fish it any more. In my opinion, it's a dam shame, but I don't hunt. I guess i'll try one of the other 10K lakes in MN when that day comes.

[creepworm]

A natural fish kill would be real convenient this winter.

[Iron Cowboy]

O.K Whatever...but you are confused. I was not referring to myself as a pro I was saying you were replying like you are one. But if I want to puff my chest out and throw out numbers being I live on the water and in the open water dont remember many days I didnt fish after work while makeing outings to other waters weekends I'm pretty sure its got to be at least 200+ days a year. Is that good enough. Do I get a prize or something?

[Bogie04]

Why are we still complaining about this? Why can't we just share our fishing reports and pictures of the fun being had out there. There is still plenty of time to be had out there catching panfish and pike! Might as well enjoy it while we can folks

[RumRiverRat]

The internet ruined Pelican Lake plain and simple.

[20lbSloughShark]

Well I'm sick of arguing this. It is the best pike lake in wright county. It is still way better for panfish than most lakes. I'm going to try and protect the lake from being drained, I'm just not sure how yet. Anyone have any ideas?

[creepworm]

Well I'm sick of arguing this. It is the best pike lake in wright county. It is still way better for panfish than most lakes. I'm going to try and protect the lake from being drained, I'm just not sure how yet. Anyone have any ideas?

Run your garden hose out to it.

[rockman]

Well I'm sick of arguing this. It is the best pike lake in wright county. It is still way better for panfish than most lakes. I'm going to try and protect the lake from being drained, I'm just not sure how yet. Anyone have any ideas?

There's nothing to argue about. The project is a done deal, and there isn't anything that is going to change that. Why is that so hard to understand? Maybe it's time to lock this thread.

[jskeff]

what a morning on pelican. couple more nice pike and mix of limits of crappies and sunnies. keep giving my freezer those fish!!

[STMA_I_HUNTER]

Quote:

Wow! Arent you all holier than thou? You must be royalty compared to the rest of us poor peasants out there to pass this judgement of the unclean [PoorWordUsage] all over everything. I take offense to your broad stereotype that were all beer swilling slobs... but as long as YOUR boy has a good time doing what YOU want to do that morning or afternoon thats all that matters, dont bother that with some thought somethig could be worked out for both sides to benefit.....go figuire, me,me,me... todays society.

Hey Black Iron Cowboy, can you show me where I said It should be this for MY reasons? I said that as much as you like to take your son fishing there, others like it for other reasons too. I pointed out that it was known for the ducks it held before it was your go to fishing spot. How many lakes in MN could be classified like that of the 10,000 plus in the state? less than 10?

Your reasons are for YOU and YOUR son...you you you go figure....pot calling kettle BLACK.

If they were trying to turn Mille Lacs into a waterfowl lake, I again would say that while others may get enjoyment out of it, it was a fishing lake first.

Just think of how many fish you can fill your freezer with up till that point...you and Jskeff should get together

[JBMasterAngler]

They might as well turn Mille Lacs into a waterfowl lake. It's being managed poorly as a fishing lake right now!

[expl]

Yeah Im sure your freezer loves those limits of fish,one may want to keep tabs on how many limits his freezer is holding.

[RumRiverRat]

Well I'm sick of arguing this. It is the best pike lake in wright county. It is still way better for panfish than most lakes. I'm going to try and protect the lake from being drained, I'm just not sure how yet. Anyone have any ideas?

Good Luck with all that.

It will be drained nothing going to stop it now

[milkingman]

Grew up in this area. Last 50 years plus, majority of it was farmland. I have fished it twice to see what all the hype was about. Nice size fish at one time to keep and mount. But did I keep any to eat. Nope. Think of the years of cow manure that was put on the ground before it was swallowed up by water. Or worse the decades of pesticides that was used on a lot of this land. Land that is swallowed up by water.

I just can't get out of my head each day these two things are slowly leeching into the water. Plus years ago there wasn't a lot of regulations on pesticide use.

Overall I'm neutral on what happens because I don't fish it nor do I hunt

[eyeguy 54]

Fun morning with the tip ups again. Love that line ripping thru my fingers. brought 10 nice gills home and one nice crappie.

[Iron Cowboy]

Now it blossoms into a very good fishing lake and those that fish it are walking out their fish house door and making yellow snow around all their empty beer cans because "they" want to take it away from them...........really?

As much as you may have a child that gets enjoyment out of the fishing I also have one that enjoys a great morning or afternoon of duck hunting.

Ummm.. First I dont know why it would matter but I'm not black. Second the above will show you where YOU said it was what YOU wanted STMA_I_HUNTER! Not others, along with the not needed insult to the fisherman...really? Anyway this thread has morphed into something that reminds me of why I left "sillytown"....lifes to short man, over it and out. P.s,,,I think the other dude with all the limits stocking his freezer is just trying to do some winter trolling.

[eyeguy 54]

of course he is trolling. he;s a fisherman.

[Fred3]

Your not going to beat the State and Federal government at this stage of the game. I'm sure northerns will still be in their to fish.

[jskeff]

wow! lets go fishing!

[dfv87]

I had 2 very polite and nice emails from Fred Bengsten at the DNR and found out that short of the head fo the DNR reversing the program the draining does not have a mechanism to stop it. It is likely that the fish will not be completely eliminated in draw down but realistically there will be only small fish surviving. They will grow again but the lake is going to be managed as a boom- bust type lake. So the lake will not resemble what it is currently. Fred was helpful and tried to offer the rationale of the decision but while I appreciated the effort I still did not and do not agree with this. Thanks to all that have also checked into this program.