Anyone have any feedback that has stayed at Agate bay resort on Mille lacs. Planning a week there mid July to experience the small mouth bass bite. Also any recommendations to target them at that time of year. If a guy gets blown off the lake. What’s a good backup lake to goto. Thanks in advance
Other than the fact the guy held my drivers license for using his access in the winter, my experience wasn’t bad.
It didn’t occur to me until I was on the ice that he can’t and shouldn’t do that. I’d be curious what he would’ve done if I refused to give him my license.
Other than the fact the guy held my drivers license for using his access in the winter, my experience wasn’t bad.
It didn’t occur to me until I was on the ice that he can’t and shouldn’t do that. I’d be curious what he would’ve done if I refused to give him my license.
Was it Dean Hanson? Did you not have the $10
Payed $10 and he asked for my ID. Said he keeps it until you come off the ice. There were 4-5 more propped up in the window.
He dropped it off to us as we were driving off the ice. Didn’t bother to ask why and start an argument.
My uncle had his fish house there. Agate Bay Reef right off the resort should hold some smallies.
Are you staying in the house/cabin, tent, RV??
-J.
My own Truck camper. I was able to get there best spot right on the lake. So far they been very good to work with.
You will fit right in as most of the people at the resort are RV campers. (Seasonal)
The harbor and access there is nice. You will get a nice breeze off the lake. Smallie fishing right out front of the resort.
They have a nice little diner there. Nice to get breakfast and not have to do dishes!
Hope IDO member “Buzz” chimes in. Pretty sure he keeps a place at Agate.
Good luck,
-J.
I like Agate bay and would recommend it. Nice bath/shower house, like Jon said Smallie action right in front of resort try to the left as you are going out of marina to lake. Good luck you will have fun!
I have been going to Agate bay for 20 plus years, my family has been staying there since the 60’s, in fact my grandpa had the opportunity to buy the resort in the 70’s back when it was considered the dead sea, I just wish he was still around so I could ask him why the hell he didn’t buy it!! It is a nicely kept up resort, all of the seasonal campers there can only be 5 yrs old or less, if fish houses start looking shabby Dean tells you to fix it up or its going across the road in the back 40. The bathhouse is nice, bring some quarters to take a shower, a buck gets you about a 6 minute shower. Dean and Renee treat us pretty good there, but don’t expect much in the way of any fishing tip from him, better off going on here to get info or run down to Malmo to the gas station and look at the board for reports. As far as fishing, like others stated you have agate reef, flamingo, lakeside and 3 mile reef a little further to the south about 5 miles from agate, to the north you have some rock humps out in front of wilderness and fishers. If you are bringing any kids with there is plenty of perch, rock bass and hammerhandles to catch in the harbor, plenty of dock space if you want to keep your boat in the water over night. The spot you got is a really nice spot but can be a pretty bad spot you if there happens to be a bug hatch or if it gets really windy from the northwest, the waves crashing in may keep you up at night. but the sunsets can beat that though any day.
If it is windy you can always trailer around to the calmer side, no matter how hard the wind is blowing you can get out on the lake from somewhere. Otherwise you can go north up thru glen and hit clear, sugar or rabbit.
Other than the fact the guy held my drivers license for using his access in the winter, my experience wasn’t bad.
It didn’t occur to me until I was on the ice that he can’t and shouldn’t do that. I’d be curious what he would’ve done if I refused to give him my license.
He may have done it to make sure that you made it safely off the ice, that way he knew that anyone that used his road is accounted for?? Dean is very leery of ice conditions, he shut the access down and pulled all houses this past winter 2 weeks early because of conditions deteriorating so rapidly
He may have done it to make sure that you made it safely off the ice, that way he knew that anyone that used his road is accounted for??
That may be. I tried emailing them to find out but I never got a response.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>biggill wrote:</div>
Other than the fact the guy held my drivers license for using his access in the winter, my experience wasn’t bad.It didn’t occur to me until I was on the ice that he can’t and shouldn’t do that. I’d be curious what he would’ve done if I refused to give him my license.
He may have done it to make sure that you made it safely off the ice, that way he knew that anyone that used his road is accounted for?? Dean is very leery of ice conditions, he shut the access down and pulled all houses this past winter 2 weeks early because of conditions deteriorating so rapidly
That thought crossed my mind too as most all of the ice fishing operations on that lake are very cautious and err on the side of safety concerns when other non local cowboys are free wheeling. It is or would be for any of the resort or ice fishing businesses (justifiably) to have an incident or fatality out of their operation or road system. A P/R nightmare as well as the guilt could bring on the end of their business and life as they know it.
Most all of the sunken vehicle recoveries performed by Jim Staricha the Mille Lacs extraction professional involve those that have chosen to renegade off the designated or suggested roads that originated from a resort or other ice fishing operation to begin with.
I can understand why Dean Hanson might want to account for everyone going out of his place made it back in safely. Just wanted to sleep good for another night.
Holding someone’s license also forces them to exit using the same access, (for the most part anyway) thus deterring someone from finding their own uncharted path to another ice access.
Not necessary since they aren’t liable for accidents on the lake anyway… But might be a good way to keep the googans a smidge safer.
I’d want my driver’s license since I’m operating a vehicle and it is visual proof that I am the man on the fishing license I’m carrying.
I’d want my driver’s license since I’m operating a vehicle and it is visual proof that I am the man on the fishing license I’m carrying.
Exactly. There’s two sides to this story.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:</div>
I’d want my driver’s license since I’m operating a vehicle and it is visual proof that I am the man on the fishing license I’m carrying.Exactly. There’s two sides to this story.
Yes, although Dean may have his reasons I think holding your drivers licence was an overreach. Furthermore, that license with the photo ID could be instrumental in helping to identify your body after it has been pulled back up through the ice. 
Many resorts will hand out pieces of paper with dates to prove you paid. If he’s concerned with people getting off the ice, why not communicate that concern and turn those papers back in at the office?
Furthermore, that license with the photo ID could be instrumental in helping to identify your body after it has been pulled back up through the ice.
Even more effective if it’s on my body when they find it.
Called and asked why they do that. Response was they do that for day pass wheel houses because some people pay to get out and stay out all week and drive on and off, they work hard to keep the roads open for there season pass people and this way they keep people from abusing the pass. She did say they walk your ID out to you when they see you coming off the lake. She was real nice about it.
I sure hope for their sake they find a new process. They might get and earful from a co if someone is missing their ID.
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