sand lake outlook

[lilgreek]

Jason, whats up? Sand last year was terrible, hoping you can give a positive forcast. whats the water level.

shout back

greek

[Jason Boser]

Sand lake was only so-so last year. It kinda turned on in the fall time and was decent. this year I expect about the same maybe alittle better. There was alot of small fish in sand and hopefully they bite good. Only time will tell

Jason

[merc]

Sand was very slow last year but the year before it got pounded hard. Takes a while to come back after that, could be another slow year but who knows!!!

[lilgreek]

Your right Merc,

we pounded em 2 years ago and we ate all we could. Pretty sad when your goin, not wallleye again.Caught all the 3 and 4 pounders we could reel in, every body caught fish. Then last year not so good, but heard they did pretty good on Winni. The same year we did great at sand they were slow on winni.Cmon warm temps.

[muskiejoe]

maybe if you did not eat all ya could, it might have been a little better?

[lilgreek]

Im sure your joking, cuz we are up there for 6 days and if 3 guys could sway the fish population that much in 6 Days, i mean cmon. the fishing sucked last year , it happens.

maybe if all the locals didnt go there every day it would be alot better too.

[magnum165]

Locals?Ah maybe we should drive to Iowa to fish.NAW no tks.I mostly eat cows.Good Luck this year

[woodsandwaterguy]

The locals are pretty good about not keeping a lot of fish, usually its the out of towners who come up once a year to gods country and try to keep enough fish for the whole year, 3 to 4 pounders? please tell me you didnt keep one of these fish those are all of the most fertile females i hope you know this. I own a cabin on little sand so please keep those nice tasty 14 inch males instead.

[muskiejoe]

My point exactly. meat hogs

[full force five]

Most folks who are either local or have a cabin on lakes in Itasca Co. would rather let the big ones go. I have a place on Round and we let everything over 17 go back, personal slot. Now there will be a slot on the lake anyway just like Winnie.

[Wayne Sieber]

Does anyone know details about the slot on Sand this year for walleyes?? Is that on the dnr website somewhere?

[lilgreek]

And just where do the locals go to pheasant hunt? Look im not trying to flame or start anything here but we saw plenty of locals knockin em like we were and KEEPING them.

the ramp was packed everyday and those arent people who are staying at cabins or resorts, those ARE locals. wich i dont have a problem with its your folkes lake. We have released plenty of bigger fish, im not sitting real well with the fact that we are being blamed for a lakes demise when we fish it 6 days a year. Muskie joe if you have sand in your pussy thats your problem, we can meet at 2 jacks and settle it real simple.

[PerchJerker]

I've got a cabin about 15 mintues away from Sand. I've seen enough locals being fish hogs, and heard enough stories and bragging from them, that I think a small percentage of the locals do more damage to hot bites and big fish than 90% ++++ of vacationers and cabin owners combined. It doesn't stop at fishing either - there's too many "oldtimers" and out-of-work loggers and miners up there that think deer seasons, duck seasons, fishing seasons, and limits don't apply to them. Not everyone is like this of course and I'm not trying to single out any groups, I'm just saying that from what I've seen the worst meat hogs are usually guys that live there year 'round and probably take it for granted.

[wishin' fishin']

Lil' Greek

Relax my boy. You need some time on the water to settle those nerves. I am going to have to review the terms of the Fishing Minnesota forum for you. #1 says: "state no personal attacks" so please tone down the inappropriate language and #12 states to "just have some fun." You don't sound like a person having much fun. Lil' your not playing by the rules. Naughty naughty. Hopefully this is the only rule you intend to break this year. Here is the rule I don't want you to mess with this year... Are you paying close attention? You might want to be sitting down when you read this......You MUST throw back walleyes between 17 and 26 inches on Sand Lake THIS YEAR! Those 2 and 3 pound walleyes will be in that restricted slot. So back in the water they go. Can you just visualize the tip of the white tail disappearing in the cold water as you release it from your grips. What a great feeling Lil'. Try it. It's just one more time that darn DNR is getting in the way trying to maintain another quality fishery so some select few fisherpeople think twice about damaging the lake that they intend to fish year after year. So comments like "Years ago fishing was really good on this lake, but now..." So people can fish the lake today, have some or much success and just have fun and not fish a lake that only has memories of "the good old days" when the walleyes bit. Those 15 inchers are the ones for the frying pan my boy.

Maybe another lake would be a better option for you. One without a protected slot. One not as far of a drive from Iowa. Gas prices being what they are. I am just here to help relieve some of your frustration, Lil'.

Wishin' Fishin'

[bigeyeguy]

Actually Wishin I like your post, but you're wrong. No slot on Sand this year. There was too much opposition and it didn't go through on Sand.Maybe not Bowstring either.

[lilgreek]

Wishin, i think you have me confused with the first attacker muskiejoe, he doesnt start it, i dont respond to it.

Didnt swear, didnt personally attack., and no 12 hourdays arent any fun. would like to clear up the slot deal tho, someone shout back.

lilgreek

[Jason Boser]

ther is no slot no Sand this year it got shot down on there and I think Bowstring. the different lakes up here with slots on them now is so bad I might have to read the rule book. The guides up here have always had a personal release size before the slots even came on 19 plus usually go back. lets not be blaming everybody because a lake dont produce for a year or two thats just the way it works around here.

play nice

Jason

[bassman222]

Having worked at a resort on the lake for four years, I will say that the vacationers do some serious damage(not every single one, but the vast majority). The mentality of some of these people is to just pile em up, every shape and size. I personally have cut up plenty of walleyes up to 6lbs because people just didn't want to let them go.

[full force five]

The only new slot that I’m aware of are on Round (near Squaw) and Island lake near Northome. Bowstring - No . . .Sand - No.

My personal take on slots is KISS (keep it simple stupid) . . .the entire state should have 17 - 26" slot on walleye with only one over.

[bassman222]

State-Wide slot would be a great idea IMO.

[woodsandwaterguy]

Im all for a state wide slot on walleyes and i hope they bring the limit down to only 4 fish a person. Who honestly can eat 6 walleyes themseleves in one sitting? I believe that is just way to much fish. And i think it should be from 17-28, 26 and 27 inch fish arent true trophies i to many anglers eyes and some people who catch them sadly still will put them on the cleaning table. These fish arent your most fertile but if there put back than they have the oppurtunity to become that mythical plus 30 incher everyone craves for their wall. Just my two cents.

[8-Ball]

I agree with state-wide slot. This is getting too confusing for those of us (majority) that don't overharvest. Can you imagine the built-in excuse that the overharvesters will have now when caught red-handed? " There are so many special slots and regulations now, I can't keep them all straight." It is too confusing, etc... I can hear it now...

[lilgreek]

thanks jason,

When the rooster pop goes down i dont blame the outastaters.I wonder how much out if our outa state fishing license goes to stocking lilsand?

[woodsandwaterguy]

Speaking of the bowstring chain. Does anybody plan on fishing opener up there. I know at my cabin i actually get to see quite a few boats up by anchor inn in the channel there. After that its strange if i see more than 2 boats a day. Just wondering if anybody will be joining me chasing those hearty little guys around there. Ill be in a two tone grey crestliner if you wanna say hey.

[lilgreek]

Jason,

What about smallies or lmouth on Sand?

greek

[Jason Boser]

The smallies are in there but there are not huge numbers but I have caught some dandies. The largemouth tooo are in there and probably more than the smallies some real dandies of them also

Jason

[coffcakes]

On a side note, does anyone know where they sell big rainbow chubs around deer river/grand rapids this time of year?

[Jason Boser]

sometimes freds has them

Jason

[Tebassco]

I personaly know resort owners and others that pushed the petion to get the slot limit stopped on Sand. They believe the tourists would not come with it on. Now they will come and fish from all the close by lake resorts that do have the slot! This just might backfire on them? I thought the slot was to save fish not tourists? BTW Some of these are the same people that ask there clients to take out the bass because "they" are the reason for the low walleye population!! Not sure where they got their education? Everbody have a good, safe opener!!!

[full force five]

The resort owners are just trying to save their way of life, however misguided. Owning a resort is a hard way to live. Most/many of the resorts on Round have shut it down, I’m not sure what impact the slot will have on it. A slot on Sand/Bowstring can only help the walleye fishing in the long run and improve the quality of fishing, not sure how they (resort owners) can’t see it.