Wild Windy Days

[pahagen]

We love to camp at Norway Beach as many times as possible during the course of a season. Unfortunately, it seems like we always choose extremely windy days, preventing us from getting out in the boat. We end up hiking or just sitting around the campsite playing cards. What are others doing on such days? I know of two fairly protected areas, potato islands and kitchi. My question is this... If we're not staying at a resort, are there boat ramps allowing us access to these more protected areas without having to rock and roll for an hour just to get there? I have a bad lower back and can't handle sustained pounding. Any suggestions would be appreciated. We've been disappointed so many times.

[genegodawa]

I feel your pain..

Windy days are the worst...even with 2 anchors we have been taken on a fast sleigh ride many times. Getting out of the wind seems to always require us to rock and roll at least one way and sometimes both out to our spot and back in to land. As far as ramps go, I'm sure there are several scattered around. What we need is a bridge over to Windigo to trailer the boat in there to get out of the wind.

When are you planning this year's trip? I need to plan on whether or not to bring my windsuit - ha, ha.

[Borch]

I go fishing. I know this often is a difficult thing to do especially with a smaller boat. But I've found with my 16 ft lund with a 20 lb anchor and 140ft of anchor rope I can anchor in most conditions. But I'm pretty comfortable fishing in the wind and many folks aren't. In the past I've trailer my boat to the calm side of the lake or a smaller lake in the area.

But there's nothing wrong with playing cards. We've gone to the waterslide park in Bedmidji for go carts, mini golf and the water slide. But I'd rather fish anytime.

[sunnyj]

Pahagen, next time you are ther and see a guy walking a saintbernard and pushing a one yearold stop and say hi. Me and the misses camp there almost every weekend

[Col Ron guide]

My friend, if you are boating all the way across the lake to get out of the wind, you are driving over many fish. Especially if you have several days of the same wind, where you are with a north wind, I would suggest staying close to home and fish the break in front of the campground. If you want to get out of the wind, hit the inside of Strawberry point. If you can get out to the Kettle, that should also produce, if you can stay on the edge. Most of the time, if you are comfortable on a windy day, you are fishing in the wrong spot. Just my thoughts. Ron

[Col Ron guide]

After thinking about a spot, if you are fed up with the north wind, you may want to try the public launch on Pike Bay Loop. Enter the Loop from Hwy 2, the launch is south, a short distance. If you launch your boat there, and stay on the north side of Pike Bay, you should have an easier ride. I know what you mean about the waves, and the back, sometimes it better to be comfortable, even if you aren't caughting what you want. Good Luck, Ron

[genegodawa]

Col Ron is right on - you don't have to go far to do some fishing. One of my best catching days was when it was real windy and sunny a couple of years ago in June. I took my boy and his friend out and we only had one anchor so we were being swung around like a pendulum. Well, that didn't work so they got tired and wanted to give up. We went in for lunch and it was still howlin' so they stayed in camp while I went out in front of the resort and just drifted the breakline. Got my 3 best walleye that day jigging leeches - no monsters, and maybe not worth the effort, but a nice memory anyway. It's like the lotto, you can't catch 'em if you don't at least try. May not be as much fun, but rain or shine we are out there giving it our best shot.

[pahagen]

Hey, thanks guys for your responses. We usually do fish the area in front of the campground with varied luck. I was hoping you might have some suggestions as to where we could find a ramp closer to the northern end of the lake or kitchi for that matter. Do resorts up on that end allow non-patrons to use their ramps even if there's a fee? On some days I'd be more than happy to pay someone to get us closer to more protected waters. I just want to fish, even if they're not biting. Playing cards all day is fun to a point, but I'm no good and lose all my money!

Counting the days...

[pahagen]

Sunnyj, I'll be watching out for you. Can't miss a St. Bernard, love those dogs. If you see two black curly-coated retrievers around camp that would be us. No one-year old though, just me, my wife and the dogs. Can't wait!

[genegodawa]

I know of ramps at PikeHole on the Turtle River/Pug Hole and Lost Acres resort on Kitchi. That would be about as far north as you can go. Then you could also venture upriver to Little Rice lake and Big Rice too. Lots of fishing out of the wind up that way. So much water, so little time.

[Brian Jones]

You can pay to put your boat in at both places Gene mentioned.