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Here, talk about whatever you want PERTAINING to TURTLE lAKE. I do know there is much to talk about, my grandmother lives up there, and i head up whenever i can, ussualy spending weeks at a time. so, talk about hot spots, water temps, current issues, what do you guys think of that slot on bass now?

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Hey Dave, the Family and I are headed up to Arcadia Lodge June 2nd for a week up there. Never been on Turtle Lake before, I'm a pretty avid walleye fisherman and the eye's look to be pretty decent size up there. I do see that they have a new bass slot as of last year with only one over 20" and all bass must be released from 12"-20" both LM and SM bass. Maybe you could hit me up with a few starting spots for some panfish and eye's.

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I have a cabin a few miles away from Big Turtle. Have never had my boat in Big Turtle but have always wanted to. Been to Arcadia for dinner a few times, I like that restaurant.

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I had one of my best days of smallie fishing out there. Not gonna say where, but it was July a few years back in 18 fow. We only found 'em in one spot but it was literally as fast as you could drop it down. There must have been a massive school down there. Several times we'd be bringing one up and there'd be a couple more following it. They were actually eating the crawfish that the one we were catching was vomiting! I've never seen that before. Any of you guys ever see this?

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I have fished Big Turtle numerous times with varied success. You are right , the smallies can be phenominal. It seems that June has been the best month for us. Shallow and in the rocks. The large mouth are also decent size. The walleyes are nice size but are difficult to find. Deep and clear!!! You Definately need good electronics and know how to use them in Big Turtle. Not the best lake in the area to consistantly catch 'eyes. Good luck to ya!!!

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Agreed by 100%, the eyes are not doin so great these past years, i believe the last stock was in 04, i couldnt really tell the difference. that lake is extremly hard to fish, too many steep drop offs and random weed beds, not alot of consistant sand bars, you would probably do better fishing for smallies, that way, you could get both the action from bronze backs and a possibility of picken a few eyes of the bottom. i dont really think theres a definite GOOD SPOT, because it changes every year. i do know thru the summer the smallies will hit excellent on topwater, just before the last sliver of sun goes down is the best. they even hit good during the night, but the mosquitos will probably get ya before then!

hope that helped,

Dave

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Wow, sounds like it's going to be a bit tough looking for eye's on Turtle. I know from experience that deep sharp drop off lakes that are clear are tough to fish for eye'e. We found them last year on Sand Lake and had a blast, put over 57 keepers in the boat in less than 5 days and also on Bass lake the year before. Might have a challenge this year it sounds like. I'll have to report back in after our trip. Might have to try the dark night time bite on Turtle, but also liek mentioned above, do come crank'n for bass and pick a few eye's too at the same time. I'll be in a white Lund Proangler16 with a 75hp Merc 4-Stroke EFI tiller on the back with wackers if anybody is out on the water from June 2nd--9th. I don't give up real easy on eye's, but I love bass fishing too. How about any areas for some panfish???

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panfish are everywhere, but yah, my uncles fished a little at night with rapalas last year. i think both of them caught an 8 pounder.

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Anyone know who bought out governor island, says KEEP OFF nailed to a big tree. i used to camp there!

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Hey guys, anybody know if theres any bait shops in either Big Fork or Marcell? Looking to buy liek a pound of leeches? I know there's a ton in Grand Rapids, just wondering if I need to get leeches in GR or closer ot Arcadia Lodge wise?

Thanks,

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I like the Wilderness Edge store in Talmoon, it's close to my cabin and the people that own it are really nice. I know they have bait but I doubt you'd get leeches by the pound there.

Try Frontier Sports in Marcel, I'm sure they'll have them.

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that place closed a while ago, an employee that worked there robbed the place, now there closed. but yah, go to marcell

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I think you're confusing it with someplace else, it has been open all spring and as far as I know they have never been closed.

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Frontier is in Marcell. A very good baitshop IMO. Bigfork had bait at the gas station near Kocian's Grocery. Frontier is the closest and best "real" baitshop though. (In Marcell and Bigfork anyway).

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Thanks for the bait shop info guys. I know Arcadia sells bait but hopefully the bait shop will be a bit cheaper quanity wise??? Excited to get up there and get some lines wet.

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Wait... terry (the owner) tells his employees to count out the shiners and minnows, there sticklers about that. i can almost garantee u that arcadia is cheaper. frontier is SOOOOOOOOO expensive. he's the only "real" baitshop around, so he jacks up the prices! trust me. i think its like 6.50-7.00 dollars for a dozen shiners, but if your only gonna buy leeches, go for it. they should be regular price. i was once looking for milk, your probably not going to believe this but... 4.99 for a gallon of milk!!!!!!! i can imagine how his gas prices will be this weekend, probably normal, but we'll see.

hoped that helped!

Dave

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Thanks, Say also are there any Laundry Mats around to do a few loads of Laundry in either Big Fork or Marcell????

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there used to be a mat a little ways down, the road from terrys frontier, it was a resteraunt too. i think its called like trapper lounge or somethin, im not sure if the mat is still there anymore.

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We got some great minnows from the Wilderness Edge store on Opener, good prices and the minnows weren't counted. The shiners weren't spottails but all the minnows were good and lively. I've only bought bait at Frontier Sports once but they were good minnows too. There's not too many places to choose from around there, I think both the store in Talmoon and the store in Marcel are good, especially considering you're pretty much in the middle of nowhere out there.

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I get most of my live bait needs from the Bowtring Store on Hwy 6. Tim and Chris Schultz are great people. Prices are fair and minnow scoops are generous. They have shiners, suckers and a choice of fatheads. However, if you are looking at purchasing leeches by the lbs, I would recommend picking them up in Cohasset (River Rat) or Deer River (Fred's).

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I used the laundromat in Bigfork when I was there in October. Near Kocians Grocery. Now that I think of it, I guess everywhere in Bigfork is near Kocian's. grin.gif

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The restaurant/landromat in marcel is still there and open for business. As far as Turtle lake goes... I have been there a few times and didnt catch much, so rather than blame my lack of success on my outstanding fishing skills, grin.gif I just always tell poeple its over rated and there are no fish in that lake.

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Dave, I don't know what a "mat" is, but I do remember Pete's store, just north of the lumber yard is now. he had gas, I use to deliver it to him....back in ...oh..1984-85?

he used to be the place to buy milk, deli meat, shelf type grocery products.

nice little mom and pop store.

I think it was called Marcell Mercantile?

then there was the snowshoe inn.

that was a place to get a hamburger!

I can tell you, even the largest of appetites did not order two burgers!

I used to work in Marcell at the old Marcell Mill.

I worked for that old basterd Wally P.

man I could have choked that guy more than once.

that was still back when we had winters up around these parts.

I remember driving to work when it was 47 below, all the way from south of Grand Rapids.

spent most of the day just staying warm!

oh the good old days.

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Correction: trappers grill is the laundry "mat".

and i guess that cornerstore in talmoon is open still, sorry for the inconvience. fishing was so-so on turtle, i think it was to cold for the bass to go in shallow, i caught an eye and about 8 smallies. not one bass in shallow hit a topwater. maybe in about 2 weeks. the are sure shallow, hittin just about anything anyone throws at them in any water less than 4 feet. very windy, did not help, but it was an ok time.

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Pete was great guy, you had a heck of a time getting out of there, he sure liked to visit. It would be 30 below and he would put on his jacket and fill my fuel oil cans and he was around 90 years old. The first time I went to the Snowshoe I ordered two hambugers and she said "no you don't" and brought me one and man she was right, I barely got that one down. The cafe and mat is now called the Marcell cafe and yes it is open. As far as Frontier goes he is very high on the small items but as far as guns, depth finders, trolling motors, etc. he is as cheap as any place you will find. Turtle is a very hard lake to fish because of the water clarity but when it is overcast and windy it can be good. Marcell is a great area to fish and relax. Good luck to all!!!

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Jiggle and Merc.

You guys are talking about the good old days. The old Marcell store and gas station have been gone for years. The lumber yard has taken over that area now. The snow shoe has been torn down and a Snow Show liqour store now sits there.

Frontier has everything you need but as stated before you will pay for it. The Laundry Mat does have a restuarant if you have a hour to kill. The service is slow with the little grill they have. They don't always open on time either.

The Laundry Mat was owned as a General store by my great uncle and my great great uncle for many years.(Kurt and Jenny Newstrom) It was the first store and mail station in the area back when you had to ride a train from Deer River to get to Marcell.

Go to the Husky Cafe in Bigfork for breakfast. You won't leave hungry, I promise.

Try the Timber Wolf on 38 between Marcell and Bigfork for dinner. Good food and drinks at a reasonable price for the area and it is nice and clean. The owner is a brother to Terry ( The owner of Frontier).

My dad was raised in Marcell and lives there now with my mom. I grew up visiting my grandparents there. Funny I never really fished the lakes in that area. We always went to Winnie, Red or Kab.

Writing this takes me bak to my youth. I wish I could have those days back with my grandparents again.

Oh, one more thing. The sawmill is gone now too. The only part still operating is the pellet plant. I imagine when all the old sawdust has been used up it will be gone too.

Enjoy the North Woods. I know I go there in my head on a daily basis.

Todd

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snowgoose,

the marcell mill was owned by wally probst back when I worked there.

so much money was owed to the electric co-op in big fork and the freebergs who basicly kept that place afloat for years.

wendle freeberg lost nearly everything he had trying to make it go.

he ended up living in the house that is/was the scale house-office.

last year, a worker down in the pellet plant got his arm stuck in a machine or conveyor. he was there for quite a while when wendle found him, screaming for help.

wendle couldn't free him, so he ran for help.

wendle never came back and another worker found wendle dead, (heart attack) at the door, in his rush for help.

the worker who found wendle found the stuck worker and got him out.

wendle's widow, leased the place to an outfit who was in the market to buy a pellet making plant.

they let their lease go about one month ago because the plant wouldn't produce what they had hoped, in quantity.

they are now going to build a new pellet plant in Deer River at Rajala timber company location west of Deer River and be up and running by this fall.

as for the pellet plant in marcell, I'm not sure what she will do now.

just a little catch up for you.

I too miss the old days. I used to go rutting around up there with guys that like me worked at the mill.

we were so broke back then that we didnt even know how broke we were smirk.gif

the fishing was good that's all I cared about.

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Thanks Jigglestick

I guess I had heard the story about Wendall. I did not know the pellet plant had been shut down since then. Good to know. I wonder what they are going to do with the rest of the wood sawdust. I know it catches on fire almost every year from combustion.

My family land is right behind the sawmill. I remember deer hunting on our 120 acres as a kid and waiting for the sawmill to sound the lunch wistle at noon. I knew I had been in the woods long enough and it was lunch time.

I still enjoy rutting around that area. There is always anougher lake to find and try. I'm going to have to spend more time on the little lakes up there.

I fished North Star in the winter with my uncle right in front of the public access. We used to catch a couple walleyes a night but they were nice fish. 2 to 3 pounds each.

Have a great day.

Todd

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