|
|
Posts: 238
Location: Illinois | Usually in October, my father, myself and a group of buddies head up north to eagle lake for the week. Unfortunately, my wife is a little hesitant about holding down the fort this year with a new baby coming in June and and our 3 other kids. She doesn't like the idea of me being so far away and only being able talk to me when I call from the lodge at night. I was hoping to convince the group to give one of the wisconsin waters a shot this year. We're not exactly setting the water on fire up at Eagle, but we have a nice setup, fairly cheap, with nice rental boats. I was hoping to gather some info on a few lodges that could accommodate a group of about 10. We don't need any cooking or housekeeping, just a place to sleep, good water and decent boats. Any places come to mind? I have to really try and sell these guys! As of right now they're wishing me luck with the diaper changing and promising to keep me posted with many picture messages of the muskies they're catching! I'm desperate!! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 791
Location: WI | Look up Rob Mantei on Little St Germain. He has a full resort with Lund boats and is one of the top guides in northern wi. Great water all around. |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | If you manage to convince your buddies to fish Wisconsin instead of Eagle, you will have accomplished two things:
1) A lifetime of razzing by your buddies about how fishing WI sucked compared to Eagle and why did they ever listen to you
2) A lifetime of guilt trips from your wife about how you went fishing and left her alone with YOUR children (one a newborn)
Suck it up and stay home. Forgo this years trip, change diapers willingly, and don't complain about missing out on fun with your pals. Simple priorities.
I know this doesn't answer your original question, it's just additional food for thought.
Edited by dfkiii 3/30/2015 7:36 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 255
| I gotta agree with the guy above. It won't feel like a big trip, and it will be a big let down at home. Maybe go on a small fishing adventure with your kids. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1039
Location: North St. Paul, MN | Or, stop at one kid like me  |
|
| |
|
Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i was able to maintain my 1 week a year at LOTW or Eagle pretty easily with 4 kids ... even around the time the youngest was born. today is her birthday, so wifey-pooh had a few months under her belt before i left for the week in mid July. it became easier and easier to leave for that 1 week a year as they grew up. divorce will make that happen. for me it was a great investment and life is good now, not sure if that's where you want to go with yours though.
take a year off ... make sure she's comfortable and invest your week into your family ... buddies will understand and if they don't then you need to find some new ones anyway. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 238
Location: Illinois | I hear you guys, and your advice is right on! I initially told my wife that I wasn't going to go, that it was too soon. She is actually the one who brought up wisconsin, but not for a week, more like 3 nights. My mother was planning on staying with her for the days that my father and I would be gone. I appreciate your insight and this pep talk maybe exactly what I needed (except when I say "pep talk" I think I really mean "scolding")! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1023
| Where do you live? If you are close enough to Milwaukee, you could hit Pewaukee, Okauchee, Oconomowoc or head over to the Madison Lakes. It won't be anything remotely close to Canada, but you would have a good chance of getting some fish.
If you are interested in that, hit me up via PM and let's talk. I'll see if I can help put something together for you. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 151
Location: Chippewa Falls, WI | I think it all comes down to what you and your wife can agree on. I have two young boys 2 & 4 yrs old. When the oldest was born (our first) I left 8 days later for a 2 week elk hunt in Montana. It was something we had discussed and had agreed on earlier in the year when I applied for the tag. Didn't help that he showed up 2 weeks late but with a little help from her mom while I was gone, everything worked out. If you don't live that far from LOTW or something like that going away for a few days isn't that big of a deal. Especially if grandparents can help out. Depending on how old your other kids are and if they can help out I really don't see a reason why you shouldn't be able to go. Your new addition will be 4-5 months at that point correct? Just make sure your not too far away to drive back if need be. For me LOTW is about 6-7 hrs away. I would book a trip to a resort with internet and cell reception and go. Even if you only fish up there for 3-4 days with your buddies and head back on your own, I wouldn't pass up on that trip. As they get older and play sports, or get their own hobbies there will always be a different reason why you shouldn't go. I don't travel for work but I do take a few trips for my hobbies each year, elk, muskies, and ducks. It's something I do with my father and brothers and there isn't much that would stop me from taking those trips (except for an emergency or death). Its not that my wife and kids aren't my number one priority but it doesn't have to be one or the other. If talked about and handled like adults you can and should have both. Just make sure that for those first 4-5 months, especially the first 3 you are there for her as much as possible!! If you can't go to a lake like eagle or LOTW I woudn't go away from my wife and kids just to get away, it would have to be destination that made it worth while.
So in short go big, or stay home...a compromise be definition means neither of you will be happy. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 92
| Lost Land and Teal, Sawyer County. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1283
| FYI Rob is on Big St Gemain. Try and convince you friends to go to Hayward area(Muskie Capitol of the world). Can feel pretty remote and yet still not be too far from home. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | grab a buddy or two, wish them luck, and do a couple days on LSC with a guide....you will probably catch 3x as many fish alone on LSC as the rest of the group will combined on Eagle during the same span. Good way to stay closer to home yet still do a little damage |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | With 3 other kids already, she should know how to handle another one. Go fish. You only live once. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 64
| Pointer -- I sincerely hope you are kidding. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 397
Location: Wisconsin | Musky Brian, best advice on the page. LSC is by far the best bet if you are going to try to stay close to home. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 31
| Trophyseeker50 - 3/29/2015 11:44 PM
Look up Rob Mantei on Little St Germain. He has a full resort with Lund boats and is one of the top guides in northern wi. Great water all around.
X2! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | jamesb - 3/30/2015 7:49 PM
Pointer -- I sincerely hope you are kidding.
For once, I'm not. It's not like he's going to Egypt.
Another poster nailed it, as kids get older they will do more and more activities and there will be more and more reasons why he shouldn't go.
I went to Canada when my kid was 4 months old. I'm going again this year. Just because you have a wife and kids doesn't mean you can't do things you enjoy as well. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 20179
Location: oswego, il | Agree on lost land and teal, lake st Claire. Lost land and teal you can rent boats from a resort but lsc you will need a guide without a boat. You could also go to Indiana but you would have to hire a guide or do an off water boat rental. Lake vermillion is another option, plenty of resorts and rentals. Many more Minnesota options too.
Pick your poison, when you have a few kids there will always be reasons you cannot go. Just make sure your wife gets some free time as well.
Edited by ToddM 3/31/2015 6:47 AM
|
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | ToddM - 3/31/2015 6:44 AM
Pick your poison, when you have a few kids there will always be reasons you cannot go. Just make sure your wife gets some free time as well.
Todd makes a good point. If your wife gets to go down to South Beach and sit oceanside sipping margaritas with her lady friends, there's no reason you shouldn't go fishing.
Fair is fair after all, and you have three other kids already, so you should know how to handle another one while she's gone. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1023
| Pointerpride102 - 3/30/2015 10:07 PM
jamesb - 3/30/2015 7:49 PM
Pointer -- I sincerely hope you are kidding.
Just because you have a wife and kids doesn't mean you can't do things you enjoy as well.J
I think my wife wrote the exact opposite into "our" vows. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 238
Location: Illinois | This is a good discussion and I agree with a lot of what's being said. My wife has the green light to go on her own trip or trips. It's only fair. Plus, I love being home with the kids, and due to my work schedule, I'm home a lot! My wife and I pretty much have a unspoken agreement...instead of going fishing throughout the summer(without my kids that is), I can get the majority of the years fishing done in one week on a trip somewhere. It seems to be working out so far. With that being said, I'm looking forward to the next trip as soon as the last one ends.
LSC is definitely on my list to fish, but not for this trip, especially if the group goes to Canada. My dad is not the best fisherman, but he has gone the last couple years for the fishing, food, laughs, and a reason not to go to work! I'm going to recruit my 2 other brothers if it's going to be just us, so something reasonably close is a must. I've looked into Rob's place on st. Germaine, looks good. I will def check into something on lost and teal. Any experience with a resort on either of these lakes? MN is also an option! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 64
| I don't think it's a matter of stopping doing things you enjoy -- it's a matter of making adjustments. The original poster isn't stopping what he loves, just changing to a closer locale. Being a father is and always should be #1. With that said, if you have a good marriage you work things out and everyone gets some time to themselves. I have a neighbor with a seven year old who goes fishing every weekend and leaves the kid with mom. Can the mom "handle it"? Of course. But do I think he's a great dad -- no. Life changes. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Google VRBO and whatever lake or area you want to fish. Cheap, and you choose whatever you want for accommodations.
I do the same thing every Fall, just me and the boys. Kids at home with the wife.
I earn it. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 238
Location: Illinois | Just looked up a couple spots on Teal. Does the 10mph speed limit make it tough to cover a reasonable amount of water or go from spot to spot? |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | Natureboy - 4/1/2015 4:07 PM
Just looked up a couple spots on Teal. Does the 10mph speed limit make it tough to cover a reasonable amount of water or go from spot to spot?
It's not like you're running and gunning LOTW. Together the two lakes are about 2300 acres total. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 29
Location: Romeo Michigan | Musky Brian - 3/30/2015 5:53 PM
grab a buddy or two, wish them luck, and do a couple days on LSC with a guide....you will probably catch 3x as many fish alone on LSC as the rest of the group will combined on Eagle during the same span. Good way to stay closer to home yet still do a little damage
Copy that.
Folks bag on LSC for its lack of scenic beauty, however there aren't many places where 12 fish days are realistic.
C'mon June.
Cheers
Jake |
|
| |
|
Posts: 20179
Location: oswego, il | You will find that nobody goes 10mph on lost land and teal. If you go there, do not travel between the two big islands on teal. It is a wide open area, 2ft feet deep with scattered boulders. You might make it a bunch of times and then.....bam! Fished that area one morning watched 5 boats bite it. Go around north or south side.
Lsc has a different kind of beauty. A great lakes beauty. Big ships, big sky, open water, incredible sunsets.
Edited by ToddM 4/2/2015 6:39 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | ToddM - 4/2/2015 6:37 AM
If you go there, do not travel between the two big islands on teal. It is a wide open area, 2ft feet deep with scattered boulders. You might make it a bunch of times and then.....bam! Fished that area one morning watched 5 boats bite it. Go around north or south side.
Good to know. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | dfkiii - 4/1/2015 8:40 PM
Natureboy - 4/1/2015 4:07 PM
Just looked up a couple spots on Teal. Does the 10mph speed limit make it tough to cover a reasonable amount of water or go from spot to spot?
It's not like you're running and gunning LOTW. Together the two lakes are about 2300 acres total.
Yup. It takes a little while to go from the landing on Lost Land to Teal with the 10 mph limit and the long no wake channel. Once there, it doesn't hinder you much going slower. They aren't lakes I fish if I only have a couple hours to get out, but if you are on them all day you'll be able to fish everything you want.
I have seen people definately NOT going 10 mph out there but others do, and I try to stick pretty close to the speed limit. It's nice that they are free of jet skis and pleasure boats, but I do have to say that 10 MPH is about the most annoying speed to go in at least my boat. Just a little more speed and I'd be on plane rather than fighting the tiller trimmed all the way down with the bow in the sky.
Nice lakes to fish though. |
|
| |
|
Location: Sawyer County, WI | ToddM - 4/2/2015 6:37 AM
You will find that nobody goes 10mph on lost land and teal.
Todd's right. Like highway 35N out of the Twin Cities, few people observe the posted limits. Don't make the mistake of thinking that it isn't enforced though.
It's my experience that you'll probably be fine if you use common sense. You simply do not need to run 50+MPH on lakes that are at the most less than 4 miles long and two miles wide. |
|
| |
