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Posts: 223
Location: minneapolis | Does Lake X still exist ?
Years ago it seems as though alot of muskies were being caught on the various lake X's. As a season or two goes by the Lake X's become defined as more and more anglers are introduced to these waters.
Has our improved methods of communication within the muskie community made Lake X's disappear ? Are we less concerned about sharing our Lake X's with each other ?
Do you still know of a Lake X and if so- how long do you think it will stay that way ?
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Posts: 32901
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | There are plenty up here, little 100 to 250 acre puddles kept quiet by the very few anglers hitting them. |
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Posts: 572
| Recently I saw a message referencing lake-x......funny, but I saw a similar (ealier) message somewhere else where the lake's name was referenced. I guess it's possible to forget the lake's name or forget how to spell it, but I wondered why it was ok to brag about the lake and forget to mention its name.
Personally, if one doesn't want to share a lake's name, just don't brag about the lake nor mention lake-x.
I've always thought that most muskie fishermen are more than willing to share information. And this site helps promote that willing to share information.
PS - the above lake was named Fluke lake in Ontario.....big secret...?? |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Steve, do these little lakes you mentioned support natural reproduction? I'm assuming they must, as it would probably be difficult for the DNR to stock every "puddle" in your area due to sheer numbers. Or maybe is it done on a rotational basis?
Kevin
Muskies for everyone in 2007. |
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Posts: 32901
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Natural reproduction. Several have only been stocked one time, and long time ago. |
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Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | Cool. I like the idea that there are tiny lakes with generally undisturbed naturally reproducing populations of fish. In a couple years when I get a boat, I'd like to disturb a few of them. Seems like even I could find my way around 100-250 acres of water.
Kevin
Muskies for everyone in 2007. |
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| I fish Lake Xs and River Xs in different states and parts of Canada. They are there if you know where to look for them and know how to find them. Stocking and musky population density information is what you need to research  |
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Posts: 786
Location: Minnesota | My lake X is Waconia. Hard to keep it quiet when pictures of 52"-54" muskies are in the paper now and then. lol! |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I remember when Webster was a lake x. Now it's well known and still kicking out major numbers of fish and some big one to boot.
I have never liked the lake X term unless it is a small unstocked lakes that need to be kept quite about. |
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Posts: 3873
| I feel Lake X is ok if the purpose is to limit pressure on very small bodies of water, especially if I spent many hours sluething thru maps and talking with folks and the DNR fisheries dudes. I've been informed of a couple Lake X's thru the years by other M1'ers, and I always kept my end of the bargin, not talking about those waters with others.
Bankson Lake is my local muskie hole, maybe 300 acres and it is just about impossible to see a fish of legal size, 42". That's because EVERYBODY seems to know about Bankson. Up until a few years ago IN muskie clubs hit it pretty hard, but now they go to Webster. Anyway, seems I hear of one 42-44" fish being taken out of the lake about every year. I rarely hear of a legal fish being released and it's a bummer. Too many people talking about a small lake has left it all beat up.
Lake X, Y and Z are ok with me. If you worked hard to discover productive waters, you should be able to not have to share info and other folks should respect that. |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | Increased communication has definitely hurt the Lake Xs of the world but increased communication has also allowed many of those lakes continue to be great lakes despite the pressure thanks to better understanding of Biology and CPR. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | By Lake X do you mean Bass Lake or Mud Lake? |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I don't mind when guys use the term Lake X...like SWorrall said there are alot of smaller lakes in Northern WI and elsewhere for that matter that don't get stocked and are low density where word getting out can effect them greatly...I fish a few lakes I like to keep under wraps except for a few very trusted friends... it's not that I don't want to share, cuz I will and do on many other lakes I fish but for those little gems that we took the time to uncover and find out where the best spots are do I want to show up and find a few other guys right on my spots if word got out? no...don't take the term Lake X so personally if someone isn't willing to cough up the lake name...we all have stuff we don't share with the masses...
bnelson |
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Posts: 8795
| There are two kinds of Lake X's
1. Those that used to be great fisheries until word got out
2. Those who are great fisheries because word hasn't gotten out yet
It's not elitism or selfishness in my opinion, it's just simply wanting to preserve a place that is relatively unpressured. When that information is shared, it is shared in condifence. There's an underlying level of trust that the person you share it with will be discreet about it.
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | Well put esoxaddict. |
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Posts: 1168
| There's also those lakes that once were Lake X's, became well known, fizzled out, and made comebacks to become Lake X's again. |
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Posts: 136
| I agree with esoxaddict. I don't know why anyone would take it personally. I think the Lake X term is like a spectrum from pressured yet productive water to a zero pressure pristine untouched trophy fishery. I know for a fact such places exist and one in particular. I think it's all about far away, hard to get to water where fish have never seen a bait. I for one would like to keep it that way. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | I don't mind the term at all. I used to use it alot, but rarely do anymore, as I don't even talk about the fish I catch from them anymore. I guess I'd rather not even bring up catching the thing if I don't want the lake disclosed. With 900+ Musy waters in the state, there are surely enough places that I don't want written about in the next WI Outdoor Journal, and there are plenty more that the next guy doesn't want me to know about. Having that number of options, is what is so cool about WI Musky fishing.
Edited by Reef Hawg 1/26/2008 4:04 PM
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Posts: 3150
| there are plenty of Lake X's in Minn especially in North Central and one real sleeper in the NE,,,not to mention a couple of abandoned dnr rearing ponds where 10-20 fish a day can be had if you like 34-37 inchers,,the problem is getting the TIME to explore |
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Posts: 785
| I am ok with keeping a lake X a secret and I have a couple myself that only a few dozen people know about where the fish are dumb. More importantly these are small Canadian lakes couldn't handle much pressure. I do tell some people about them but not over the internet where EVERYONE can see them. That said though, I sometimes wish when people display lake x fish that they would say "heres my big fish caught on this bait on this date" and not including "on Lake X that no one knows but me so you can eat your heart out". I myself rarely advertise lakes, even well known ones, but there something about calling it "Lake X" that strikes me wrong. I figure if you don't want to say the lake then just omit it all together. |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | There is so much musky water in N Wisconsin there are always going to be some lake X's hanging around here. Lakes with poor landings, not as much hype and so on and so forth, but some are right under everyone's nose and still remain very underfished. There are always people that know about them, they aren't completely secret, but they are not on anybody's vacation destination list.
The locals know about them, and usually keep their yaps sealed pretty tight on them. Here is a pic of a former lake X that still stays pretty quiet.
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Posts: 4266
| I have a couple of Lake X's. I don't mind the term, and I don't mind if other people don't tell me where they catch their fish.
Instead of Lake X, I would have to substitute...."A body of water where I catch and/or see large fish. A lake with little fishing pressure and natural reproduction. A lake where I wouldn't take anybody that I didn't trust to not tell or to not take anyone else after I turn them on to it."
We've all spent a day in the boat with some people that we would never want to be in the boat with again. Those people would never get a whiff of Lake X. I made that mistake once, only to return to Lake X on a weekday, only to find that person on one of the best spots on the lake.......followed by a brief discussion about respect, among other things.
I believe in the "Lake X Principal". Like I said in the beginning, I don't expect people to tell me where they catch all of their fish, unless we are incredibly close friends. In that case, I would be happy to reciprocate.
There is a huge amount of trust that goes along with Lake X.
Beav |
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Posts: 8795
| Beaver,
My "Lake X" was private. I had an unspoken understanding with the property owners. I fished there, I released everything, I never left as much as a cigarette butt. I told no one. One day I was feeling particularly nice, took a "friend" there to fish.
Fast forward a few weeks -- silently fishing my little slice of heaven, when I was approached by a now very irate owner of said property. Between the F bombs and the name calling I was able to discern a few key phrases:
"you and your friends"
"bonfire"
"beer cans and bottles"
"trash all over"
and this came across very clearly:
"if you ever come back I WILL shoot you"
I later came to find out that my "friend" was bored on a Wednesday night and decided to take a carload of guys out there to fish, drink beer, get drunk, have a bonfire, light fireworks, shoot the place up, and leave it looking like the aftermath of a frat party. We're talking beer bottles floating in the lake, burned lawn chairs, garbage everywhere...
I figured that when I said "just keep this place quiet" it didn't mean "why don't you gather up every $%#^$& you know and bring them out here to trash my secret lake"
Needless to say my "Lake X" is now "Lake EX"
My New Rules for Lake X:
1. You respect this place. Pretend it belongs to the pastor at your church.
2. I brought you here because I trust you. DO NOT betray that trust.
3. Keep your mouth SHUT about it!
4. If you fail to do any of the above, hope we never run into each other again.
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Posts: 2515
Location: Waukesha & Land O Lakes, WI | Over the years I've noticed that some Vilas Co lakes are cyclical X lakes. Some are hot as hell, then comes word of mouth and every tom, dick and harry fish it. After it cools because of all the pressure, anglers move on the next X lake, thus leaving the original to get hot again. It takes time, but every good Musky lake slows and gets good again. |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | I like Lake Xs. I've been the guest on no less than 3 of them. Maybe more, I don't know.
What's the name of that Pond that Jonesi fishes? I ain't tellin.
S. |
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| In northern WI there are a TON of lakes with NO public landing...those to me are the true Lake X's...
and why it is good to keep them quiet... |
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Posts: 724
Location: Southern W.Va. | Me and Mikie found a couple of out of the way/in your back yard Lake X type lakes that will be nameless. All I'll tell you is that they are both north of W.Va and each hold a BIG fish with our names on them.
This message will selfdestruct in 30 seconds!!
Mauser |
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Posts: 3150
| Im finding if you talk about lake X,,you'l end up in an unmarked grave  |
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Posts: 136
| I love Lake X!!! |
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Posts: 20231
Location: oswego, il | Plenty of lake x's out there, you just have to be willing to put the time and effort to finding the recources to find these waters, then take the time to fish them. |
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