Mary Lake?

[cupper]

Hey folks!

About 6 years ago I was on a family fishing trip in the area and a relative gave us a tip to try this lake called Mary lake (near Upsala). He said it was a great lake to fish with lots of quality sized pike, bass, and walleye. We went out and had a great day catching many eyes in the 12 in range, one landed pike (5 lbs), and one pike that my friend faught for 25 min and lost (we estimated it to be about 15 lbs).

I went back last summer to try it and the fishing was not good. The lake seemed to have alot of algae in it, which wasn't there 6 years ago. Can anyone tell me if this lake is still a good fishery or has it declined in recent years? What, if any, patters work well for pike and walleye?

[morrisfishingcrew]

hey man, me and my family go up there all the time.. we seemed to have the same problems as you though. But I hear its still just as good as ever.. theyve just moved to most of the west and southern sides..

[Borch]

Many of the lakes in this area experience a algae bloom. It's hanging around a bit longer this year as the water temps have remained a bit cooler than normal and all the rain dumping nutrients into the lakes.

As the water warms up the algae should decrease.

Good Luck!

[merc]

I fish Mary quite a bit yet but not near as much as I used to. The panfish size has declined a lot over the years. It used to be a super lake for nice sunnies and crappie but now it's a numbers lake with most being on the small side. It still has a good population of bass and northern although the size of the northern has also declined over the years. Nice walleye size wise if you can find them but don't expect limits. As far as the algae, it gets terrible once the water temp rises. Too much runoff from the fields and pasture land. It pretty much stays green all summer. Very pretty lake to fish though, kind of reminds you of "up north". Lots of fishing pressure over the years has taken a toll on this lake. I used to go there and be the only boat out there, now the access is full most of the time. I just go more to the other lakes in the area. Good luck!!!

[MuleSkinner]

Wow. I am confused about algae bloom. First off, no confusion about heavy rain washing in nutrients. (Doesn't Roundup wash in too? Maybe we need Roundup-Ready® northern milfoil and cabbage weed).

But, I always thought, like merc says, warmer the water, the more algae bloom. Borch, you say it will decrease as the water warms up!

I know sometime in the future it will be a really hot day on the water, and a fishing buddy will say it's the hot weather causing an algae bloom. And if I quote Borch, and say, "no, tis good, tis killing the stuff", then they will cut me off from the ice cold beer and Jaegermeister.

Borch,are there any magazine (In-Fisherman, or other) articles about this? Internet accessible info? Or does the DNR have info about algae blooms, etc.? Just looking to change my ignorance on this.

[merc]

Hey muleskinner, I used to know someting about algea etc. but the jaeg got the best of me. Still love the cold beer but no more jaeg. Going out to Two Rivers, see how green that is tomorrow. I hope someone with some knowledge can answer your question.

[MuleSkinner]

Hey merc, now that you bring up, I think that Jaegermeister gets an algae bloom on it too. Sure tastes like it.

Got a brother in from New York, for my folks 65th wedding anniv.this weekend. He, my other brother, and me are taking my dad fishing tomorrow (4 of us). He is 90 yr. old. They are all in SW Mn. So going to Kandiyohi. Thought of getting them up here on Horseshoe, but I haven't been very successful there lately. And sounds like a tough walleye forecast tomorrow.
I know that I never could figure out Two Rivers. Good luck there merc.

Probably last time for my dad fishing. He has the alzeimers going, or dementia. But he still remembers fishing last year with us one time. The old man is of the '5 gallon bucket, keep 'em all school.' He gets upset when the rest of us throw back everything. But we're sneaky. Surprisingly, the old man might be the only one catching a limit...right?

[Borch]

I'm talking the blue/green algae bloom that hits the lakes around here late spring and early summer. It has a realively small window in regards to water temps. So the the clumpy slimy stuff you see floating in the water and fouling up your lures will go away.

The general green algae that hits midsummer will get worse as the temps warm up. This isn't the primary bloom at this point. At least not in any of the lakes I've been fishing in.

So I guess I wasn't clear. The lakes will likely clear up a bit only to again green up as the water temps get into the 70s.

For more info just do a google search under algae. I'm sure you'll find all sorts of info.

Borch

[merc]

Borch, thanks for your insight on the algae. Mary is one of those lakes that gets green and stinky early and stays like that until fall. I believe with the fertilizer runoff from the fields that are next to the lake and the cattle that roam the waters edge has a great effect on this lake. I still enjoy fishing it but during the dogdays of summer it can be almost unbearable at times. The nice thing is it only has a few cabins on it which makes it enjoyable to fish. I put off my Two Rivers trip today due to the cold temps and north wind, planning on tomorrow. Instead I went golfing, it was still cold and a north wind. I told you the jaeg got my brain years ago. Muleskinner, good luck on your outing with your dad. I know the feeling my dad is in his eighties and just had a stroke, not moving real fast for now. Good luck to all!!!

[MuleSkinner]

Borch, thanks for algae bloom discussion. I know from your posts you fish Rice a lot. I always thought once that slimy algae hit, it would stay til fall. Now I will pay attention more to different types of algae, having different water temp life spans. I know Bigstone has a very cold water algae type that has been there every year in first May weekend. This year it was mostly gone. Resort owner said was an early ice out, so algae had bloomed and gone already too.

merc, because Friday was windy and cold, we went to an 80 acre lake. NY brother caught a 27" northern. Nothing else bit but bullheads. So we took my 90 yr. old dad to my bother's pond, which they stocked with crappies. We let the old man use minnows and barbed hook. When he had 15 in the bucket (which is all we wanted to harvest), he ran out of minnows (!) We told him he had to use a twister tail. He actually caught 2 more. We did not expect that. So we told him he had to return them to water. He said "then, what's the point of fishing?" So we quit.

Since he now has a fishing license, he may want to go fishing again. He thinks he has to catch $18.50 worth of fish...

[merc]

MuleSkinner, great story, glad to hear your dad got into some fish. As far as him wanting to keep them, all the older people I know that still fish seem to have that idea. I understand that when they were young times were tough and they actually fished for food and not only enjoyment. I don't tell my dad that I threw fish back anymore because his idea is to keep them and eat them. As long as they can still get out on the water and enjoy it that is the main thing. Good luck!!!

[Borch]

Yeah that Big Stone early season bloom can really get intense. Had to resort to using a slime rig out there a few times with a large bead 1-2 ft above the jig to catch the slime that ran down teh line before it got to the jig.

Both Koronis and Rice do the same thing but not quite as bad usually.

Borch