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Posted

Question for all the people saying there are no ducks in mn.

What comes first, the habitat or the ducks?

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  • RumRiverRat

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Posted

I think they should just make a separate forumn entitled "Draining Pelican".

Already have that it's called silly town

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
Posted

I thought silly town was called brain draining...

Posted

I hope St Micheal annexes the land around Pelican so it is closed to hunting.

Drain, close it to all human activity and life will be good.

Posted

Mighty fine location for a fancy country club whistle

Posted

Question for all the people saying there are no ducks in mn.

What comes first, the habitat or the ducks?

Ding ding ding! We're loosing habitat at an astounding rate. How many thousand lakes in mn have fish? And how many dozen big bodies of water have habitat like Pelican? We're not gonna loose "10,000+" fishermen, they'll just go somewhere else. I'm with rrr on this. Close it down, or at least greatly restrict hunter numbers, & let the birds flourish. Then let em come back next year & flourish some more. You do need to allow some hunting to keep it from becoming a preserve and drawing in every bird in the area, draining every other pond of ducks and geese, but we need more spots like this in mn

Posted

Your right, how many lakes have habitat like pelican? For pike I'd put it right up there with mille lacs, right below LOW and URL, maybe close to Rainy. So your going to turn it into a swamp in the middle of 3 big and growing towns.

Posted

You really want to compare this chemical filled farm pond to l.o.w or red? How are these even close to the same fisheries? Have you ever seen a 40+ northern come out of pelican?

Posted

Yes, many. My first time out on pelican I got a 36" pike. The average is nearly 5 pounds for us. The guys who have been fishing the lake for any time have plenty of 20 lb+ fish to show for it. Yes I will compare it to the big lakes. Oviously it is a different story for walleye...

Posted

Pelicans brightest future would be becoming a preserve, it would have a chance at holding ducks this way. Otherwise after the drain just consider it as the same pond with less water and fish.

Posted

Blame farming practices on habitat loss. Just because the lake will be lowered that won't change the flyway that no longer goes through MN. Go to ND if you want to hunt.

Posted

Go to ND if you want to hunt.

Go to Mille Lacs if you want to fish.

Posted

Why? There aren't any fish in mille lacs! And the DNR seems dead set on keeping it that way.

Posted

I mentioned Mille Lacs because his location says Mille Lacs. Insert whatever lake you would like too.

Also making the point that telling people to hunt elsewhere is a terrible argument, and can be turned right back around very easily.

Posted

Your right, how many lakes have habitat like pelican? For pike I'd put it right up there with mille lacs, right below LOW and URL, maybe close to Rainy. So your going to turn it into a swamp in the middle of 3 big and growing towns.

It already is a swamp, just a little too deep right now.

Pike eat too many ducklings on Pelican so I say exterminate the Pike by draining the lake.

Posted

It already is a swamp, just a little too deep right now.

+1

Posted

Well, if this many people support it, the lake has no chance. I doubt it would be a good lake for long considering its location. There are other lakes I can fish, it will just cost me an arm an a leg to drive to any good ones. No, there is nothing else like it in wright county.

Posted

Clearwater is in wright county and is capable of producing equal if not greater results, but most people will not put in the time or effort to learn the structure/habits of the lake. Pelican is just a easy limited structure lake thats is relatively easy to fish without to put in too much work/homework. I had my house on pelican long before the surge and i can say even then it was no clearwater just a bit closer for me. How many +18" crappies, 1 lbs plus sunnies, +40" pike, or any walleyes have came out of Pelican? It is a good lake but not the best, or only option, just the easiest to fish

Posted

Tonka, waconia, Clearwater, independence, the Mississippi, horseshoe chain, lake Sarah, buffalo, sugar lake, maple lake. The list goes on that are better fishing and within $20 of fuel to get to

Posted

lake sarah and maple lake, really? I've fished every one of those lakes you listed, and only minnetonka compares, its just too far for me. Clearwater can be good for walleye and crappie if you break you back drilling holes and looking. As far a 40"+ pike, clearwater isn't even in the same league as pelican.

Posted

breaking your back drilling holes is how people find fish. If it wasn't for people willing to put in that labor you would not be fishing pelican at present day.

Posted

If pelican is this world class fishery you keep claiming it to be then why do so many people spend hundreds of dollars to drive right by this lake to go anywhere else? Sounds like you just need some education in finding and working structure maybe this is why your sad your losing a structure less pond

Posted

lake sarah and maple lake, really? I've fished every one of those lakes you listed, and only minnetonka compares, its just too far for me. Clearwater can be good for walleye and crappie if you break you back drilling holes and looking. As far a 40"+ pike, clearwater isn't even in the same league as pelican.

How many years experience is this based from

Posted

breaking your back drilling holes is how people find fish. If it wasn't for people willing to put in that labor you would not be fishing pelican at present day.

+1000000 wink

Posted

I'll admit it I would like to be better at fishing strucure. I get sick of drilling after like 15 holes. I just don't have the auger for it. I don't need very much experience to know sarah and maple are not even on the same level. Clearwater I have fished my whole life, and it is one of my favorites, but I would never expect a trophy pike from the lake. I would be surprised by a 30"+. They are in there, just very rare. If I had hundreds of dollars, I would drive other places too.

Posted

If pelican is this world class fishery you keep claiming it to be then why do so many people spend hundreds of dollars to drive right by this lake to go anywhere else? Sounds like you just need some education in finding and working structure maybe this is why your sad your losing a structure less pond

sounds like you hit the nail right on the head !!

Posted

That solves it. We need to not drain the lake so SloughShark can save money on gas.

I have changed my mind.

Posted

I dont live too far from Pelican at all,within 10 miles.Its the closest fishable lake to me and Ive been there maybe 6 times in my life,and have never hunted it.Theres way better lakes,and if I were to keep alot of fish to eat I wouldnt want to eat them out of there anyways,the water quality is dump.I cant imagine the fish taste any good.What are the summer water temps? 100+ degrees? Ick.

Posted

Its a longer drive to pelican for me, about 20 miles, and completely worth it. I live a mile from clearwater, and a few hundred feet from cedar, so I have spent lots of time on both those lakes. If you ask me, cedar is one of the worst lakes in the area, but clearwater is great. But thats not what this is about. Pelican is a great lake, and its going to be ruined. I just don't get your thinking. Its a great fishing lake now, mediocre to bad hunting, so you want to ruin it in hopes that there is a slight chance you can get a few ducks.

Posted

If you ask me, cedar is one of the worst lakes in the area, but clearwater is great.

I don't understand how you can say this crazy cedar is one of the best crappie lakes around and I know a few guys that have been doing very well out there this year spearing Northerns !! not sure what your doing wrong on area lakes but with 40+ years fishing on local lakes Im doing just fine no need to drive to pelican . Bust your back and put your time in its well worth the rewards grin

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Wanderer
      Or the other book that said: The bitterness of poor quality outlasts the sweetness of a low price…   Dang, what a mess to have to deal with.
    • leech~~
      When it said. "The foolish man, builds his house upon the sand"? 🫣   Just got back from 10days on the golf of America.  By Panama city Florida.   
    • smurfy
      Venny backstrap and the fixins!
    • SkunkedAgain
      Running on empty at dark on a sled is definitely stress-inducing. Been there, done that. Glad that you made it out.
    • SkunkedAgain
      Eagle swoops are always a hoot to watch.   The snow is mostly gone on the lake. Ice melt made things pretty wet but the ice is obviously still very thick. 
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The big question:  "How is the ice up at Lake of the Woods?"  That is for each individual resort or outfitter who operates an ice road or trail to answer, but overall, ice conditions are still very good and ice fishing is going strong!  As always, stay on the marked ice  roads and trails for safety.     Being up on the Canadian border, the colder temps Lake of the Woods enjoys vs much of the region combined with three feet of ice makes a big difference.  Fish houses are allowed unattended overnight through March 31st and it sounds like a good number of resorts will be fishing through the month, but ultimately, Mother Nature will determine that.     Regarding the fishing, overall, very good reports for walleyes, saugers and perch.  There is a strong population of smaller walleyes and saugers in the lake which bodes well for the future, but in the meantime, anglers are sorting through them to catch their keepers.   The one-two punch of jigging and deadsticking remains the most effective technique. Jigging spoons with rattles tipped with a minnow head or a lipless crankbait on the jigging line is the ticket.  On the deadstick, a live minnow a foot off the bottom on a plain red hook or medium sized ice fishing jig is catching a lot of fish.   Using electronics is super helpful.  Many nice walleyes are swimming through suspended, keep an eye out.   Anglers tip-up fishing for pike have had a great week and it should continue to get even better.  Suckers, frozen alewife and smelt are working well. Putting baits 1 foot under the ice or right off bottom seems to be effective this week.  Most common depths, 9 - 15 feet. On the Rainy River...  The Rain River is still frozen with no signs of open water yet.  Every year can be different, but on average, the Rainy River will start opening up around the third week of March.  The first boat ramp suitable for larger boats is Nelson Park in Birchdale.  We will keep you posted.    As of March 1st, walleyes and saugers are catch and release only on Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River.     Make plans now for sturgeon season.  Once the open water appears, the fish are super active.  Here are the seasons...   -Catch and Release Season: May 8th – May 15th and October 1 – April 23rd. -Harvest Season: April 24th – May 7th and July 1 – September 30. -Closed Season: May 16th – June 30th.  Up at the Northwest Angle...  Fishing remains very good up at the Angle and the ice is in good shape as well.  As on the south end, resorts monitor ice roads and trails daily and there are still some great ice fishing opportunities available.     Walleyes, saugers, perch, and pike are showing up in good numbers.  Those targeting crappies are reporting good numbers of fish.  Work through a NW Angle resort for ice fishing opportunities on this part of the lake. The walleye and sauger season is open through April 14th. Pike fishing never closes, and perch and crappie remain open year-round as well. Whether booking a day house rental, sleeper fish house, or resort stay, there is still plenty of time to plan a late-season ice fishing adventure. 
    • Wanderer
      Looks like a shallow lake with some potential.  Keepable crappies, decent bluegills and some nice perch according to the last survey (2015). Susan Lake   With a max depth of 10 feet, I’d want to know a little more about it before I’d start drilling holes.  Could be a nice little adventure though.  
    • Brianf.
      Jeff and I fished Saturday and half day Sunday, targeting whitefish, ciscos, crappies, and perch.  The bite was tough for us.  We ecked out a few, but nothing special.  Highlight of the weekend was the sled ride into Wolf Lake and having an eagle swoop in and eat a rock bass we had on the ice.  All in all, not a bad way to waste time.    
    • monstermoose78
    • smurfy
      Smoked polish sausage with some beans!
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