My parents and aunt and uncle owned the resort for many years they turned it from the rundown thoroughfare in about 72,redid the whole thing and put in the trailer and camping ground opened bar and restaurant.I think it sold a couple times and sometime in the 80s the lindners bought it. we raised alot of hell o up there on Platte. my dad built his house on Sullivan after the sale where he lived till he passed
Cokato was one of the first lakes I consciously remember fishing. Used to spend a lot of weekends in the area.
Me, 19, and my brother John,16, chasing brown trout in Arkansas for 8 days unsupervised. I had been reading everything I could find about the cold water fisheries down there and after a couple years of research I had a plan to make the trip and, outlandish as it sounds now, presented it to mom and she gave us the green light. Austin, MN is a long way from Arkansas when you’ve never been more than 44 minutes from home.
We got a hotel in Mountain Home for $115…for a week. I’ll never forget the clerk agreeing to the price while reminding me it wouldn’t include daily room cleaning. I remember thinking I’d be ok if someone didn’t empty the little waste basket while I was out fishing.
To keep mom happy I agreed to call home every other day from the phone in the room after sundown, no cell phones in those days.
I cut my teeth fishing stream trout in MN so I felt we had the knowledge to be successful. And we caught some giants. First day I landed a 27″ brown and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. By the end of the week we had a number of fish in the 27-30 inch range. All caught on spinning gear and artificials by a couple young pups from MN. It was /is one of my favorite trips of all times that in this day and age wouldn’t even be possible.
Thanks mom!
Having Dad wake us up at some ungodly hour – at least by a 4 year old’s perspective.
Wading through saw grass that was above your head to some “Secret” hole that I was forbidden to mention.
Bug bites and ticks were something you had to get used to – no bug dope – Dad didn’t like it because of the chemicals + the stuff in the mid 60’s was crap anyway.
My job was to gather bait – frogs were my specialty. I could catch a couple dozen within a few minutes.
Fished all day without a lunch packed or even a beverage to drink, no complaints.
Getting home after dark with a hot meal ready and waiting – Thanks Mom!
Can’t remember how many fish we caught – most adventures were pretty uneventful.
I was obsessed with catching fogs, snakes, turtles (still am) – so slow fishing meant I could wander off and explore.
Fishing with my Dad in our 1960 Lonestar runabout with a red 1959 Evinrude. No depth finders at that point. He always looked for the edge of the weeds and we would start fishing there. Bobbers and split shot and a hook with live bait. When we would keep some he always cleaned them by scaling them with a spoon, cut off their heads, removed the cuts and used a toothbrush to make sure the inside was clean, rinsed and then dipped in egg, dredged in seasoned flour and then fried. I can hear and see them frying. Wow what great times I had fishing with Dad!
First time in 1976 to fly-in in Canada I’ve been hooked ever since.
I enjoy reading these. I grew up in a family that didn’t do any hunting or fishing. So my memories are me sitting on a dock on fawn lake with a can of corn catching sunfish. When I turned 14 or 15 I bought a ton of old fishing magazines from a garage sale and read them like they were my school books. I pretty much completely self taught my self, and did a ton of chores for a fishing rod and some jigs. I never would have imagined that would have turned in to the addiction I have today. As kids we used to camp alot. But never fished. My dad did have a old tackle box and a daredevil or what ever it was then. If he did attempt to fish, that 1 spoon was what he used no matter the species he went for. ( probably why he never fished )
I enjoy reading these. I grew up in a family that didn’t do any hunting or fishing. So my memories are me sitting on a dock on fawn lake with a can of corn catching sunfish. When I turned 14 or 15 I bought a ton of old fishing magazines from a garage sale and read them like they were my school books. I pretty much completely self taught my self, and did a ton of chores for a fishing rod and some jigs. I never would have imagined that would have turned in to the addiction I have today. As kids we used to camp alot. But never fished. My dad did have a old tackle box and a daredevil or what ever it was then. If he did attempt to fish, that 1 spoon was what he used no matter the species he went for. ( probably why he never fished )
You should have the kid read this thread. 30 years from now it will be him posting his story. (which is pretty damn good) These stories teach us not all people have the same opportunities.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
I enjoy reading these. I grew up in a family that didn’t do any hunting or fishing. So my memories are me sitting on a dock on fawn lake with a can of corn catching sunfish. When I turned 14 or 15 I bought a ton of old fishing magazines from a garage sale and read them like they were my school books. I pretty much completely self taught my self, and did a ton of chores for a fishing rod and some jigs. I never would have imagined that would have turned in to the addiction I have today. As kids we used to camp alot. But never fished. My dad did have a old tackle box and a daredevil or what ever it was then. If he did attempt to fish, that 1 spoon was what he used no matter the species he went for. ( probably why he never fished )You should have the kid read this thread. 30 years from now it will be him posting his story. (which is pretty damn good) These stories teach us not all people have the same opportunities.
I was thinking the same thing. His story will be so much different then mine. And that makes me happy.
This thread is also an important reminder to help as many kids as possible get into the sport. Bearcat’s story is unique. Most kids who grow up without fishing never get into it. It’s the same reason I never got into hunting — I never did it as a kid.
From birth to 9 years old I lived in Mpls. This was in the ’60s. Every weekend in the summer we’d go to my grandpa and grandmas cabin on the south side of Fishtrap lake just of highway 10. Sat next to a resort owned by Oscar and Nina. It was the biggest cabin on that end of the lake since the others were small “cottages”. Had electricity, a hand pump for water and a two-hole outhouse on a cement slab. Fished with my dad, grandpa, older brother and older sister. Mostly sunfish with a cane pole but did some trolling for northern and walleye after supper. We had a fish basket but when the bite was hot and heavy, just unhook them and let them patter on the bottom of the 12 foot Alumacraft. I can still remember that sound. We had a 2 1/2 hp green Johnson. Spin it 180 degrees for reverse. My dad got my older brother and I each a spincast rod and reel. The first day we both “casted” the whole rig into the lake off the dock. My dad had to get them with a bow rake.
At age 9 we moved to the north side of Lake Minnetonka in Orono. Still farm fields back then. We’d play baseball or fish in the summer. Biked all over carrying a rod, small tackle box, can of worms. Going home was harder because one of us would have a stringer of fish. We never quite perfected the scaling of fish in the spokes of a bike wheel. There was a fire lane on the north side of Maxwell bay we could access the lake with. Wade the shoreline from there. When older we used that road to launch a boat we transported in the back of a pickup. Still remember my dad casting a Bass Oreno with an old level wind with black dacron line.
I have been blessed and proud to be a fisher.
This thread is also an important reminder to help as many kids as possible get into the sport. Bearcat’s story is unique. Most kids who grow up without fishing never get into it. It’s the same reason I never got into hunting — I never did it as a kid.
I’ve introduced 3 pretty good friends to the realm of hunting when they were in their 30’s. None of them grew up in much of an outdoor family. They all took firearms safety training in their 30’s with a bunch of 12 year olds and they have continued to hunt since.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>queenswake wrote:</div>
This thread is also an important reminder to help as many kids as possible get into the sport. Bearcat’s story is unique. Most kids who grow up without fishing never get into it. It’s the same reason I never got into hunting — I never did it as a kid.I’ve introduced 3 pretty good friends to the realm of hunting when they were in their 30’s. None of them grew up in much of an outdoor family. They all took firearms safety training in their 30’s with a bunch of 12 year olds and they have continued to hunt since.
That is something special, I know when I first started to actually right now there are many people that are and act superior. It’s not easy trying to learn. I didn’t shoot a deer until I was 25. So many guys I know acted like I was a idiot because I asked questions that me as a newbie ask. I love taking new comers out to hunt or fish. The one neighbor I have, I’ve taken him and his 14 year old out many times in the last year and he thanks me all the time. He wants to do the same but just doesn’t have the knowledge. So for the kids b day I bought him and the old man a rod and reel and told them we can go any time. I also took them out deer hunting this year for both there first times after they seen mine and masons bucks. It wasn’t successful, but that’s part of the hunt
Our big trip from SoDak was Ottertail Lake every August. My parents were teachers so this was was the last big trip after baseball was over and before school started. Fishing for my dad was trolling shad raps. We caught walleye, perch, pike, and rock bass. My mom cleaned em and we ate everything. The boys would go out perch fishing during the day. Fished off the dock for perch and casted a by a creek for small walleyes and the occasional smallie. Best days of my life.
Great stories. My best memories are rooted in good times on the water with people that aren’t here anymore or are no longer able to get out. To go back and relive some of those times knowing what I know now would be beyond priceless.
Oh and the smell of grandpa’s tackle box. He passed away before I ever knew him so my only tangible, physical connection to him was that tackle box.
That is something special, I know when I first started to actually right now there are many people that are and act superior. It’s not easy trying to learn. I didn’t shoot a deer until I was 25. So many guys I know acted like I was a idiot because I asked questions that me as a newbie ask. I love taking new comers out to hunt or fish. The one neighbor I have, I’ve taken him and his 14 year old out many times in the last year and he thanks me all the time. He wants to do the same but just doesn’t have the knowledge. So for the kids b day I bought him and the old man a rod and reel and told them we can go any time. I also took them out deer hunting this year for both there first times after they seen mine and masons bucks. It wasn’t successful, but that’s part of the hunt
Because of their age, they were generally more willing to learn and had more patience than kids do. I took them deer, turkey, duck, or pheasant hunting and we generally had success doing it, so that probably helped. The DNR also allowed them to come with me the first season under purchase of an apprentice license, without having firearms safety training. They all got the training after the first apprentice season and they can now hunt on their own, which they all do.
Sometimes people just need a slight nudge or someone to guide them a little bit on how it works. One of them doesn’t have as much patience as the other two, so he is more into duck and upland hunting. The other two enjoy deer and turkey hunting.
My wife’s grandpa was Ed Morey from Morey’s in Motley. He started the place. I’ve been given anumber of his old reels and rods. I don’t know what to with them. They may be worth with something. . The new reels are much better. I don’t have the heart to sell them. They may mat sit in my garage for years. Pretty cool old stuff. He wanted to catch the world record lake trout. Got some nice ones. No world records.
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