Moose's Report - Cambridge-Elk River-Foley-Milaca-Mora-Ogilvie Fishing Reports

[monstermoose78]

The rum is giving up somefish in town, but if you get away from easy spots you will catch more. 

Most area lakes are giving up bass and gills. 

Turkeys are looking like they had a great hatch. I have not seen pheasants for awhile or ant grouse.

[gimruis]

Moose, there was an article in the Star Tribune yesterday about the grouse population and how it has possible plummeted in Minnesota and Wisconsin due to WNV (West Nile Virus).  I wonder if this disease could affect pheasant, turkey, or even duck populations.

[monstermoose78]

I put money it can. 

[Sculpin]

I saw the article also, I think it is possible, but how the population went from up 58% last year to practically nothing is beyond me.  More "science" from our friends at the DNR. 

It is also becoming increasingly more evident that the expansion of the turkey range may be playing a role in the reduction of grouse numbers, both in terms of nesting success, and the survival of chicks.

I'm sure 20/25 years of study, analysis, speculation, comparative data, blue ribbon panels, neighbor states consultations, and hunter surveys will have it all sorted out.

I personally think turkeys can sweep thru the woods and eat everything in sight in short order. I'm a turkey hunter, but its reason for concern  

[Bigfatbert]

8 hours ago, gimruis said:

Moose, there was an article in the Star Tribune yesterday about the grouse population and how it has possible plummeted in Minnesota and Wisconsin due to WNV (West Nile Virus).  I wonder if this disease could affect pheasant, turkey, or even duck populations.

Our  DNR isn’t good whatsoever , mis-management , and a lot of BS .yes the West Nile is out of there control , but does anybody really believe a straightforward answer and/or possible response or plan to combat such  will be brought forward to us ? They will say there favorite line ‘’we will take things into consideration’’ .. our game/fish are in the in the hurt bag in this state . Kiss the good old days away for grouse , deer , waterfowl ,walleye in some lakes with slots , and other game fish . Now with that being said the state just wants money from license sales , imagine that , money , the root of all evil  , hmmmmmm where have we heard this before ?? Our state and our DNR are bogus when it comes to proper management , when oh when are we the sportsmen going to say enough is enough . Period ! Ok , know I now the cumbiya sayers will be defending our DNR here , but fellow people what are you all seeing with our game ? There we go now I think a few others besides me , and the Monstermoose will see what I’m getting at . Ive hunted and fished here in Mn my whole life , I’ve seen the good , and I sure do see the bad now in so many ways.  No none of this game is extinct , but it sure ain’t like it used to be . Probably a lot more hunters and fishermen today with much better technology , that all needs to be taken into consideration and managed accordingly in a biological sense , whatever that may be , not in the holy dollar sense .. By !!

[eyeguy 54]

some of you guys need to go work at the DNR so its run perfect. LOL 

[Sculpin]

If you want to see how the DNR "runs" volunteer, or perhaps you have in some capacity. I have, and what I saw, and learned was very frustrating, eye opening, and for me, almost total disbelief.

It's a world of volunteers, interns, low level functionaries, and a few people who are working their way up the bureaucratic ladder within the organization. For the most part a bunch of "scientists" career bureaucrats, but well meaning, and for the most part dedicated.

They are continually understaffed, underfunded, and their equipment for the most part is broken down. Its not their fault, they have their hands out continuously, and they never get the funding necessary to function at the level that Minnesota outdoors people have come to expect.

If the Sportsmen and Women of Minn. could ever come together and become the political and economic force that their numbers represent, then maybe real change would occur.

In the meantime, sadly, they muddle along with what they have, and it will never "run perfect" But that does not exempt them from constructive criticism.   

[monstermoose78]

12 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

some of you guys need to go work at the DNR so its run perfect. LOL 

Tried but they told me I am over qualified @eyeguy 54 

[Bigfatbert]

9 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

some of you guys need to go work at the DNR so its run perfect. LOL 

Never could work for the state again ..  only did for about a total of 6 months back in the 1980s , and wow what I saw , wasted tax payer money  to the big nuts , hush hush type of doings ,  was even told once that what I saw shouldn’t be mentioned to nobody ..

i happen to know a world renowned , now retired wildlife biologist who reviewed our present DNR whitetail deer strategy just released by the DNR for the next year . His response was “wow what a mess” not liking it at all .. He even offered the DNR tips or thoughts ,just to hear we will take it into consideration .. 

[eyeguy 54]

you shoulda stayed, then all would be great. LOL 

[Bigfatbert]

2 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

you shoulda stayed, then all would be great. LOL 

It wasn’t anything to do with the DNR were i worked.

I never said that I had the answers . 

But neither does the DNR , and they are getting paid to get it great . LOL !! 

[gimruis]

I guess the problem I have with how the DNR is run is that their solution on budget shortfall is to simply raise license and fee prices.  Since so much of their budget is tied to those license sales, when not as many people buy them, their solution is to raise it and cover up the shortfall.  This cycle has gone on for years now and every few years they raise the cost of licenses because they can see what the trend has been and will likely continue to be.  Eventually what they'll end up doing is weeding out the casual hunter/angler because a deer and turkey license will cost 50 or 60 bucks each.  Its not going to stop me from going, but at some point Joe Casual is going to say "not this year."  The solution in my opinion is not to attach so much of their operating budget to license sales because its likely going to continue to go down year after year.  Everyone knows that the average age of the hunter/angler in this state is going up and we're not recruiting the younger generation to replace them.  Stop trying to beat a dead horse back to life with your special youth waterfowl day, deer hunting weekend, and season long turkey hunts.  When I went, it was on opener just like everyone else.

As for the grouse population issue, I am not a biologist nor do I spend a significant amount of time grouse hunting.  I can only read what is posted in articles about it in the star tribune or other public literature.  I have had fantastic pheasant hunting in central MN for several years now so the WNV (West Nile Virus) doesn't seem to be affecting their populations...yet.

I was hoping to fish the rum soon for smallmouth but heavy rains just keep delaying it.  High, murky water is about as poor conditions in a river for smallies as one could ask for so I will continue to wait it out.

Edited July 12, 2018 by gimruis

[monstermoose78]

Youth waterfowl day is great!! It’s so much fun to bring kids and I do most years. 

[gimruis]

They can go on opener like everyone else does instead of pre-emptively scaring the local ducks out of the area.

[monstermoose78]

12 hours ago, gimruis said:

They can go on opener like everyone else does instead of pre-emptively scaring the local ducks out of the area.

It’s the greatest experience to take a kid duck hunting on youth day. There is not enough kids out there to chase the ducks away. When I take kids o rarely see another person hunting. I wish they had youth day when I was a kid. Stop being selfish and give the kids a chance!

[gimruis]

The smallies are going on the Rum.  I fished it for 4.5 hours today.  My Father and I caught 27 of them, all on topwaters.  I caught a new personal best river smallmouth, 20 1/4 inches.

[monstermoose78]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

The smallies are going on the Rum.  I fished it for 4.5 hours today.  My Father and I caught 27 of them, all on topwaters.  I caught a new personal best river smallmouth, 20 1/4 inches.

Great fish!! The river looked good when went to Check my chuck trap.

[gimruis]

It came down pretty quick the past couple days after they got like 8 inches of rain at the headwaters last week.

[rumeye]

How are the deer flies where you were?

 

[gimruis]

Not terrible.  But they can be merciless, I will tell you.

[monstermoose78]

Well I am trying to get into some better shape. Finn and I are walking 1.25 miles a day to get ready for duck season. I hope to add another 1/4 a week. My goal is to get down a size 42 pants. My wife is walking with me and helping cut my portion size down as well. 

[Cret Jigs]

Went out on Blue the other day ... trolling deep divers on deep weed-lines, was able to catch some Pike and one nice Bass.  All returned to live again.   talked to a few locals and they said it had quieted down a bit with pan fish.  (i did not try for Pan fish)

 

Cret

Edited August 4, 2018 by Cret Jigs

[monstermoose78]

Well hunting season is taking over my thoughts. Been scouting for geese, doves, and crows. It looks promising for geese and doves. 

[gimruis]

I have seen a decent amount of geese around the rum river recently.  Unfortunately, the areas I saw them are public spots (parks and golf courses) in town though so that doesn't help much.  The river came up a little with that rain on Friday but its still fishable.  I got 16 smallmouth and 1 pike there on Saturday morning.

[gimruis]

Smallmouth are still biting in the river.  My Father and I caught 20 of them on Saturday in about 4 hours.  The water has come up some and started to cool off so topwaters were not as effective but a tube still worked.  I managed to land three 19 inchers in a span of 30 minutes.

[monstermoose78]

Youth waterfowl day is Saturday who is going out?

[monstermoose78]

It’s that time to start getting the ice gear ready!! Woohoo!! I will be working on my ice gear this week after work. The newest thing I need to get is a better ice rod for gills and after seeing @IceHawk s tripwire I think I will be getting one of those. 

[machinist24]

I’m hoping we have good ice in 5 weeks. Hoping to do better this year than I did last year.

[eyeguy 54]

@monstermoose78   almost time to plan a get-together.

[monstermoose78]

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

@monstermoose78   almost time to plan a get-together.

Will do sir