Where I would like to be…

  • hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #1323041

    I will swap a day trip to Secret Lake… it is a secret private rock quary actually… near Owatonna, Mn. Lots of bass (to 5 1/2 lbs), crappies (to 1 lb), and big bluegills (four fingers past your wrist). I catch the ocasional walleye and norhtern. Best panfish is at spawn period. Not uncommon to catch 200 nice big sunnies a day each (catch & release on all game fish). Included is a tour of Cabela’s Retail. Bait, over-nighter at my place, and meals included also.
    I would like to be taken musky fishing in MN or WI. I have fished Bone in WI and French in MN.
    Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #245039

    Hey Dave. How about a weekend at Mille Lacs in September? I have a fish house (10×16 sleeps 6) at Flagship resort. I’ve been doing my homework a little and have been up there muskie fishing twice this year. Only one 37″ in the boat so far with more than a dozen at the boat. I’ve been gearing up to do some trolling on the north end with big crankbaits. I’ve gotten some inside scoops and I understand this is a dynamite pattern.
    The only thing I would request is that a couple of “pan” fish come home with me for the pan.

    Mike

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #245047

    You are on!
    You can keep a limit of Sunnies and Crappies from Secret Lake… Again, the best time to go is spawn in spring, if you can wait that long… if not, right now it is great Bass time. The Sunfish are scattered but I can locate enough to fill you out!
    Up to you…. you call it. Panfish in Secret Lake can get even tougher after about September.
    I recomment you wait till next Spring…. you’ll never forget the Sunfishing you’ll get then!
    Mille Lacs…
    Which weekend is best for you? What kinda boat are we fishing out of?
    Fun… I can not wait !
    Dave

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #245533

    Sorry Dave, Have been out on business again. Anytime after Labor Day is good for me. Maybe the 14th and 15th of Sept. I think the moon phase should be pretty good about then. I can wait until spring for the panfish, that’s no problem. Would it be possible to bring my 4 yr. old nephew along?? he would have a blast!
    We will be fishing out of an Alumacraft Tournament Pro 175 tiller with a 75 Merc. Tons of room to cast and set up with rod holders galore for trolling.

    Mike

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #245549

    Spring it is then…. I’ll keep you posted on when it is just right and the big brusers are in on the beds.

    A four year old? Sure! We can plan on that… I can have a ball with him too! Fun .Kids make fishing more fun!

    Reason I asked about your boat and the size is that I have this tiny little problem… I tend to bring “way too much stuff”. Sounds like it’ll be plenty of room for a “few” extra tackle boxes and half dozen rods (or so) .
    I’ll get on my calendar and get back asap.
    Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #245580

    Sounds Good! Lot’s of room in the boat.

    Crossin’

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #245656

    Wow…. I do not know how…. but I scored! I can come up on the 14th and 15th.
    I’ll bring my 19 footer also, so I can make a marathon out of it. I’ll fish out of it when we are done. I guess now we need to work on the paticulars… where to meet, what you may need that I can bring… etc.
    2cool ….

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #245816

    ….well, that was tough! But, I finally got clearance from THE BOSS to have Sept, 13, 14, 15 off…. so I am ready to roll.

    What day would you arrive, Friday or Sat.? Please give me driving instructions to your place and I will go up on Friday AM early…. I’ll pull my boat too.

    Say, I just found out that my mother-in-law will be in town for two weeks at this time. Would you mind if I brought her to join us, she would have a blast! I’ll have her stock up on “Depends” so we are not having to run in to pottie every hour (her bladder has been better lately). She is kind of “kookie” in a fun way…. sort of repeats everything several times (actually, several hunderd times). Last time out, she lost one of my rods… and ten minutes later… lost another one (I’ll bring her a number of Zebcos to be on the safe side). By the way… what is the weight capasity in your boat? She weighs in at 320 (kinda heavy for a woman of 5′ 2″) but she will bring her own life jacket (we had to have one made to fit (they did a great job at Olson’s Tent and Awning).

    just kiddin…. about bringing her….

    This should be fun! Do you use Suckers at all? I have in the past and can bring some with. Shoot me a P/M and give me the low-down on how to get to your place. Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #245867

    I would drive up on Friday after work. the house is at Flagship resort. when you turn off the highway, you take the 1st gravel driveway on the left. the house is unmistakeable. we are putting on new siding and are still in process. It just has bare plywood on it right now and has a barn shaped roof. If you wanted to stop by my place of work on Friday a.m. I could give you the keys.

    Crossin

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #245873

    I would not need keys till PM and you’ll be there by then… I will be ther before daylight on Friday morning and fishing! I’ll see you at the shack about 8:00 ish? figuring you’ll have arrived there by then.

    I amy fish Friday day with Mike Little if he can make it… depends on how many “cool points” he has…to get off work AGAIN on a week day.

    I’ll bring some grub and my sleeping blanket…. I’ll leave my mother-in-law home ! Anything I can bring? You want or need anything from B-Fish-N Tackle? No shipping….saves you some $…

    Is Flagship Resort on the internet?

    Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #245930

    Bring any tackle or Rods and Reels you have. I have 3 rod/reel combos and quite a bit of assorted muskie/pike lures. A sleeping bag and pillow is all you’ll need. Bringing whatever food you want and I can bring drink for both of us. Just tell me what you want to drink and I’ll bring it.

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #245947

    I have been a big friend of Bill W. for 12 years now…in AA,
    so… it will be just pop for me. I am a Pepsi-a-holic now ! But I make a heck of a designated driver !
    I’ll bring my big lures also and the big guns…. what aprox. time in the pm are you getting there?
    HAwger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #245957

    No problem. I can drink Pepsi with the best of them! Regular or unleaded?
    I should be there by 8 p.m. or so.

    Mike

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #245959

    Regular if you want me to talk your leg off….but you’ll have to keep me to a limit of half a dozen a day . Only two Mountain Dew is the limit!
    Hawger

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #246024

    I have an invite to one of the EFN Media Pro-Staff to come fish with me on Friday all day… daylight to dark… so I can MAYBE get some product photos. Now…. I gotta catch some fish !
    I’ll see you at the shack about dark… Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #246085

    Sounds good. Like I said, it will probably be 8 – 8:30 before I get there. Just look for the house with regular plywood and no siding. It’s right next to a camper that’s parked in there. Directions again are as follows… going up or down the east side of the lake, turn onto Big Point rd. there’s a huge Flagship Resort and Marina sign. Take the first gravel drive on the left. Drive until you can see the restroom facilities in front of you, and look to the left. the house is right there. I will be driving a silver F-150 pulling a balck and gray Alumacraft Tourney Pro 175.

    See you there. If you need to call me this week for anything just send me a PM and I’ll give you my number.

    Crossin’

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #246104

    Got ya!
    Fun… can not wait .
    Dave

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #246228

    Crossin Eyes…. I had a blast.
    Reel-fun!
    I will post the photos as soon as I get them back from processing.
    Thanks for your kindness and generosity, and for putting me on the two 25 inch Walleyes!
    Nice place and boat you have…. Your Alumacraft has a cool & very dry ride, great fun to fish from.

    Great meeting and fishing with you.
    I’ll check out the “Secret Lake” and get back asap!
    Hawger

    leinieman
    Chippewa Valley (Dunnville Bottoms)
    Posts: 1370
    #246229

    Crossin Eyes it was great meeting you this weekend. Thanks for letting me camp out by your place.Those are some nice dogs you have there.Hawger don’t tell me you caught two 25 in Walleye’s
    Wow. Tell me you caught them on a Salmo Slider or Fatso. That would be great. We’ll have to get out and try those baits on Bone,Round or Wissota what do you think.Hey that ice house is really nice Mike and if you need another stick come winter I would love to fish out of that cabin on the lake. Hint I posted that walleye picture on FTL under the Mille Lacs forum. Steve

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #246236

    My report on the trip…
    Thanks to the EFN Trip Swap Forum… Friday, I spent the day with EFN Media Pro-Staff Steve Greene (Leinieman) on Mille Lacs. We were joined that afternoon by EFN Pro-Staff Bob “Bobber” Carlson. The fishing was good, but the catching was slow… REAL SLOW… slow being the word on Mille Lacs this weekend. In the morning on Friday with Steve Greene. We fished the North end of the lake, near Barnacle Bill’s and down to Knox Point. I had follows to the boat from two big Muskys…one while using a Salmo Slider and the other while throwing a Salmo Fatso… but no hook-ups. “Bobber” guided us to some deep water sand near Doe Island, Friday later in the afternoon, that produced a huge Walleye for Steve Green. He was using a Bait Rigs Walleye Willospoon dressed with a crawler. This was our only fish of the day! Thanks “Bobber” for spending your time with us, I realy enjoyed fishing with you. Saturday, I fished with “Crossin Eyes” (from FTR) and got to stay over at his place at Flagship Resort. Nice place he has there, rest rooms near by and a ramp, with a sheltered harbor/lagoon. “Crossin Eyes” guided me to two 25″ Walleyes. “Crossin Eyes” had one of his two Musky follows actually hit (or rather bump his bait), but got no hook-ups. Fun to watch him figure 8 these two big fish. He did a good job at the attempt to get them to hit at at boat. He was using a big Rattle Trap. I threw Salmo lures the whole time while Musky fishing with “Crossin Eyes”. I wanted to see how they would fair, in comparison to what “Crossin Eyes” was throwing and considering that Salmo took both the fish taken on the trip… I am glad I did stick with the Salmos. I took a 25″ Walleye on the Slider… which is a smaller “gliding jerkbait” having the shape and size of many bait fish. I was throwing the Fire Tiger. There is a very unique action in this lure. It has a tantalizing side to side darting action when you crank/pause… first a right dart, then it darts to the left. And a side to side dart action on a troll… not a wobble, rather an action I have never seen before! Very cool to throw… it can “walk the dog” real easy on the surface and will dive to about 5 feet on a crank or troll. After a full day of fishing… the Salmo Slider took the only fish and it was fished against a long list of in-line bucktail spinners, and many brand name Musky Cranks, top water baits, and walleye lures that Crossin Eyes was throwing. I was impressed. The Walleye that I took on the Slider was over the weeds in 11 feet of water, just South of Big Point. The wind was right so the water was fairly clam in the bay where we were fishng. I am convinced that when the fish become more active, that the Slider is going to be a hot bait for big Walleye, Northern, and Musky. I took a 25″ Walleye in hte same weeds on Sunday about noon. I was throwing a Salmo Minnow M7F in the Clown color (red head and yellow body). This lure dives a bit deeperthan most cranks in its class and I could attain nine feet which put me right at the weed tops. I loved the tight wobble action and the run is perfectly straight even when hooked on a ultra-light wire leader. This lure took the only fish of the day also…. making me now a die hard Salmo freak! I know a good thing when I see one and the Salmo Minnow I was using realy took a real pounding when it was trolled into rocks and bounced off the gravel… it still ran straight. Kind of a learning trip for me. I enjoyed meeting Crossing Eyes. Turns out he and I have mutual friends and he has lived in Owatonna.. and I enjoyed fishing with his two Springers… they are a great couple of good dogs. Real “lovers” and both loved getting my attention, they were good in the boat… and they were great hand warmers too. I ate something that did not agree with me Saturday night off the salad bar, that had me up half the night “spewing” my guts out and shaking like a leaf… but I was in good enough shape to fish on Sunday morning… which was just beautiful on the water. By Sunday noon I was in pretty fair shape… glad I stuck it out as I would have missed out on the second 25″ Walleye. Over all, I had a great trip. Thank you Steve Hougom and James Holst for adding the Trip Swap Forum and allowing this to happen. My digital crapped out on me so… I will have photos after they get back from processing. Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #246238

    I had a GREAT time too Hawger! Sorry we didn’t put a gator in the boat. I was hoping to educate a couple. Oh well.
    Thanks for putting up with the mutts in the boat! Can’t wait to hit Secret Lake.

    Leineman..it was great meeting you too. hopefully we’ll have good ice this year and be able to put the big shack to good use. I’ll let you know any time I have an opening.

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #246243

    Jim Rossel and I are checking out Secret Lake on next Wed. morning… I’ll give you the report. Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #246257

    Sounds great! Say hi to Jim for me.

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #246290

    I did just that…. Jim says he wants me to set it up with you and your dad… we kicked butt on the bass today , lots of three to four and I found the big sunnies too… time is right, right now. When can you two make it for a day? Hawger

    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #246328

    You hammered them! that’s great!
    Not sure when i can make it out for a day and bring dad along. this weekend is out of the question for me , and I think his sister from Seattle is in town all of next weekend. Ugh! I’ll talk to him tommorow to see if we can figure something out.

    Later.

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #250565

    Crossin Eyes… I thought I better start you thinking about our spring 2003 trip to “Secret Lake”…. Here is a start .

    Hoggie

    Dave Hoggard

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #250566

    Mo sunnies, mo sunnies….

    hawger
    Owatonna, MN
    Posts: 608
    #250568

    Big ole brusers!… Fun!

    Can not wait… Nine incher! Well worth their weight in gold (jigs that is).

    Hoggie


    crossin_eyes
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 1339
    #250654

    Alright, alright!!! You have my attention! When do we go?? those big hogs look like fun. Have you been doing any ice fishing as of late? I’ve been up to Mille Lacs at the shack twice. have caught 2 real nice fish over 27″ but the recent cold weather has most of the biters pretty shy right now. I’m kind of eager for the warmer (30+) temps to come back so I can get over to Red Wing.

    Good Fishing!
    Crossin’

    James Holst
    Keymaster
    SE Minnesota
    Posts: 18924
    #250692

    Crossin,

    IF you’ve took any pics of those big Mille LAcs Lake walleyes and would be willing to share them with us, I’d love to get them posted up on FTL.

    If you do, send them to [email protected]

    Thanks a bunch in advance.

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