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Posts: 734
| At least this weekend. 1) Pontooners/pleasure boaters. 2) Tubers. 3) Jet skiers. 4) Water skiers. 4) Wake boarders.5) And finally, fisherman. On my chain, that's where I'm at, in 5th place. Happy 4th. Kdawg |
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Location: PA Angler | I try to stay away from Lakes like that. Especially on holidays. Happy 4th.
Edited by Solitario Lupo 7/4/2022 10:33 AM
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Posts: 1192
| My late father was born 1932 and started going up north in 1936, He would go up last week of June with his aunt uncle and cousin then the next week his parents would come and my dad and his cousin would get a second week. The first week they would stay a resort that did not have bar the second week they stayed at a resort that had a bar. This went on to the early 50's. Then from the 70's and 80's we would go to the same lake to my retired grandparent Lake front home. As things got more crowded from 2001-2004 we crossed the border and fished in Canada. |
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| Fishing is still possible on the chain where I live before 10:00 AM and after 5:30 PM.
No wake boats but everything else. Folks having fun, don't begrudge them that at all. Love seeing the young kids being pulled on tubes, they are having a ball.
The week of the 4th is the only time our chain really gets busy.
The one activity that does not interfere with fishing but always puzzles me is the folks that anchor their pontoons in the lake near my house, out a couple hundred yards from shore for hours. I know they enjoy the sun, out of any wind but sure looks boring to me. I don't sit still that well. |
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Posts: 32798
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | North of 8 - 7/4/2022 11:10 AM
Fishing is still possible on the chain where I live before 10:00 AM and after 5:30 PM.
No wake boats but everything else. Folks having fun, don't begrudge them that at all. Love seeing the young kids being pulled on tubes, they are having a ball.
The week of the 4th is the only time our chain really gets busy.
The one activity that does not interfere with fishing but always puzzles me is the folks that anchor their pontoons in the lake near my house, out a couple hundred yards from shore for hours. I know they enjoy the sun, out of any wind but sure looks boring to me. I don't sit still that well.
Check out Minocqua, seems like the pontooners there are all racing. WOT with 200 to SIX hundred HP. They'll end up wearing that cocktail at that speed. |
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Posts: 1192
| One of the best day's of my life took place on 4th of July. (and could have been the worst) 1979 just got out of high school and going to spend a month with my grandparents. None of my family was up and I didn't have a car and my grandparents used to have three season cottage and a second cottage they rented. Over the winter they sold half the land and the two cottages and keep the best half of the land and built a four season house. No more fishing pals. My grandparents didn't want to go into town for fireworks. This could be a bad day! The good news I went out fishing in my 12 foot row boat with a 4 horse motor. After a day of fishing I came home and grandma says "there's a big picnic at the resort" So we go over there and everybody at the resort brought something Rib's, porkchop's, hamburgers, hotdog's , corn on the cob, cakes, and beer.
I was 18 and in 1979 I could drink legally in Wisconsin. I ate a weeks worth of food and beer and walked home (about a mile) took a nap. A friend got off work early and pounds on the door a gets me up. my reply "no firework show"? oh we left early some jerk shot a tear gas canister into the crowd! So we head off to a different resort and go around a corner and there's a bear in the road. Wow I've ever seen a bear before! So we get to the resort and I'm shooting off bottle rockets and looking at the sky and what's the hell is that? "Oh that's the northern lights" Well I ate like a king, had my first legal beer, saw my first bear and the northern lights and did not get gassed at the firework show! (drinking age was 21 in my then home of California and I did catch a 32" 10 pound Muskie on the 1st of July) |
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| sworrall - 7/4/2022 12:25 PM
North of 8 - 7/4/2022 11:10 AM
Fishing is still possible on the chain where I live before 10:00 AM and after 5:30 PM.
No wake boats but everything else. Folks having fun, don't begrudge them that at all. Love seeing the young kids being pulled on tubes, they are having a ball.
The week of the 4th is the only time our chain really gets busy.
The one activity that does not interfere with fishing but always puzzles me is the folks that anchor their pontoons in the lake near my house, out a couple hundred yards from shore for hours. I know they enjoy the sun, out of any wind but sure looks boring to me. I don't sit still that well.
Check out Minocqua, seems like the pontooners there are all racing. WOT with 200 to SIX hundred HP. They'll end up wearing that cocktail at that speed.
That is not something I have ever seen here. Much more laid back, on nice days we often see pontoons anchored out couple hundred yards from shore, either just enjoying the sun or sometimes having kids jumping into the lake while parents, grandparents watch. I don't get the mega powered pontoons and haven't since they started showing up at boat shows 10-15 years ago. Heck, when I bought mine, I put a 90hp on it in part because I wanted a motor made in Fond du Lac where I lived at the time and their employees were customers of my employer. The guy at the dealership was fine with it since pontoon was rated to 115hp but said a 50hp would get the job done too.
Edited by North of 8 7/4/2022 3:00 PM
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Posts: 488
Location: NW WI | Find the filth and they will not come... I have 2 systems I default to for the big 3 holidays. Just nasty stuff, single hook spinners wake bait burned in some areas,12/0 hook giant bass swimbaits texas hooked,or top water only type of stuff. A mud motor would gain you access to 35% more of the system. Theres A few tiny 10ft deep holes that get hammered regularly by bass fisherman. Officialy/unofficially there is and is not musky in the system. DNRs site, Independent Lake websites, say they're not there. Muskies Inc query isn't clear on it...But if you know how to look up the DNR stocking database you'll see they're there. In my time hitting it I've had 2 unconfirmed follows from low 30's, caught 1 tiny fella I didn't measure (19-24"). Hit it with my dad on Sunday, hopes became elevated right away when a giant Bowfin followed in hastily after a Musky Mahem Hurricane. Than the rest of the day was a grind with him catching a dozen dink pike, myself 1 bass and 1 more bowfin follow. He wanted to call it a day early, I said NO way. Not with weather moving in. Totally banking on that to trigger at lest the larger pike. Kept grinding for awhile and than when the temp dropped,clouds came in,and wind picked up strong we agreed to stage for a few wind drifts back to the landing. Approaching one of those 10 ft holes I switched to a double arm/bladed Musky Safari Spinner bait. Burned it over the shallows and slowed it in the hole and burned it coming out, hot out of the hole came the widest girl I've ever seen, she was 47" smallest. Bait was weeded up and she was still hot on it, got to the boat and she just stared while I ovaled, Turning into the 3rd oval she flipped me the fin and in a big splash she was gone. Went back on her 3 times, and nothing. Sooo bitter sweet, so many days spent endlessly grinding without anything to show, and I finally have proof for myself they can thrive in the system.
Also, July 4th is a blessing. To me it marks the beginning of night bite season. As water Temps increase and now that all lake cabins and homes are setup up for recreation, the fish are more and more likely going to be switching to a nocturnal bite on heavily trafficked waters every day. Helllloooo bass exploding Musky topwaters!!! |
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Posts: 734
| Give it a couple more years and the jet skiers will over take the tubers. I'm starting to see more jet skies at docks and on lifts, and for some reason, doing donuts around every other boat on the water. Kdawg |
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| kdawg - 7/5/2022 8:25 AM
Give it a couple more years and the jet skiers will over take the tubers. I'm starting to see more jet skies at docks and on lifts, and for some reason, doing donuts around every other boat on the water. Kdawg
I don't know, was looking at price of new jet skis, whew! I will say they have not been a big issue for me. Last time I was out at mid-day, during the week, two young guys came into the lake on jet skis. When they saw I was fishing, they gave me a wave, headed for other side of the lake and did the donut, wave jumping thing about as far away from me as you can get on a 110-acre lake. I don't get the whole donut thing but they probably don't get why an old grey beard is throwing big baits over and over in the mid day sun. |
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Posts: 386
| Since I have younger kids, I go with the "if you can't beat them, join them" route. The pleasure boaters, not my kids. ?? |
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Location: E. Tenn | Was up in Oneida Co. the first couple of weeks in June.. There was a wake boat on each of the two 120 acre puddles I was on, and another on a 360 acre lake.. Five more on Medicine, docked with one more tearing up the lake well after sunset..
While fishing a weed edge fairly close to shore, several cruising pontoon boats were bound and determined to pass between my boat and the shoreline, even tho they knew which way I was casting..
Many ignored "no wake' buoys as well.
Edited by miket55 7/5/2022 9:12 PM
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Location: NW WI | Jet ski's are like recreational UTV's in my opinion. I don't get it, I don't respect it, buuuut hey whatever trips your trigger I guess. I've only had 1 run in with 1 spaztick operator. Dude was operating completely negligent and waaay too close to me. After a bit of tearing things up and waking me regularly even though he had the whole lake open to him on a fall weekend, he sped off to the center. Awhile later he came gunning back straight towards me. Dude pulls up right to my boat and grabs the edge. Than offers a deep apology with an obvious southern draw "Hey man I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be an asshat, it's my first time on a jetski and I'm staying at my buddies cabin over there." (Dude was completely hammered). We chatted for probably 15-20min. Dude was completely courtieous and curious about what I was doing and muskies in general. His buddy came over in his jet ski and tried to coax him away. He told him 'Go away man, I'm talking to this guy about fish and stuff". Oh lord I tried not to laugh.
Moral of this tale is-"Not every asshat on the water is an asshat, they're probably just drunk".
Edited by 7.62xJay 7/5/2022 9:53 PM
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Posts: 1192
| Being a older guy (born 1960) my perception is that for the most part people are less polite and lack manners then in times past. And if you don't believe me ever hold a door open for young person? No a thank you or even a look back!
Of course there's always been rude boaters and that type of thing except my dad's not around bounce lures off the side of there boats. |
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| miket55 - 7/5/2022 9:03 PM
Was up in Oneida Co. the first couple of weeks in June.. There was a wake boat on each of the two 120 acre puddles I was on, and another on a 360 acre lake.. Five more on Medicine, docked with one more tearing up the lake well after sunset..
While fishing a weed edge fairly close to shore, several cruising pontoon boats were bound and determined to pass between my boat and the shoreline, even tho they knew which way I was casting..
Many ignored "no wake' buoys as well.
The wake boats are terrible. Unfortunately, until the state issues some regulations on their use, such as distance from shore, nothing can really be done. Some townships are passing ordinances, but then the township has to enforce. Sheriff, wardens do not enforce local township ordinance. Most townships just have a part time constable that primarily is used for nuisance dogs and parking issues.
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Posts: 2005
| chuckski - 7/6/2022 9:19 AM
Being a older guy (born 1960) my perception is that for the most part people are less polite and lack manners then in times past. And if you don't believe me ever hold a door open for young person? No a thank you or even a look back!
Of course there's always been rude boaters and that type of thing except my dad's not around bounce lures off the side of there boats.
Agreed. And it i not just the youngins! Most of my runins have been with older guys, you know, guys my age... 51. |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Wakeboarders and giant tri-toons putting out 3' to 4' wakes are a danger to smaller crafts, shorelines, and loon nests. Minocqua is basically unfishable from 9 AM> Eventually there will have to be regulations on times they can be out tearing up the lake with a stereo blasting so loud it can be heard a half-mile away. It's especially nice when there are several with opposing music styles in the same bay. Unreal cacophony. One way is a very restrictive speed limit, that would allow the 'tooners to join the 'tuners daisy-chaining along the shorelines waving their cocktail glasses pleasantly at me as they run over my line. |
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| sworrall - 7/6/2022 11:57 AM
Wakeboarders and giant tri-toons putting out 3' to 4' wakes are a danger to smaller crafts, shorelines, and loon nests. Minocqua is basically unfishable from 9 AM> Eventually there will have to be regulations on times they can be out tearing up the lake with a stereo blasting so loud it can be heard a half-mile away. It's especially nice when there are several with opposing music styles in the same bay. Unreal cacophony. One way is a very restrictive speed limit, that would allow the 'tooners to join the 'tuners daisy-chaining along the shorelines waving their cocktail glasses pleasantly at me as they run over my line.
Reality is that it would require state legislation. The days of the DNR making rules in WI of that nature are over, the legislature and the courts have seen to that. And the folks with the big wake boats and 600hp pontoons are people with money and connections. I think a great example of how important money is to the process is where Assembly leader Vos in WI told the Milwaukee paper that if a lobbyist wished to meet with him, not only must the group represented by the lobbyist have donated to the GOP, but the lobbyist must have personally donated. So, unless a group is well funded and ready to spend, forget about it.
Maybe if wealthy property owners suffer damage to their water front, they would be willing to put money up for an effort to control wake boats, etc. But ticked off voters is not nearly enough to get things done. |
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Posts: 3779
| You folks are getting just a taste of how bad it's going to get on your treasured waters.
First, there will be more and more and more pleasure craft. And they will get bigger and bigger and bigger. These days if you have money to buy lakefront property, you have money to buy all the toys. A new wealthy riparian usually has a pontoon/tritoon boat, a ski or wake board boat, a couple jet skis, a paddle boat and maybe a fishing boat. A huge pier system and powered lifts for every single watercraft. That means that the end of that owner's pier system, with the lifts, is about 40' wide. Plus, a swim raft out in front. As time goes by there will only be more of those huge pier systems. And fistfights every spring because the 40'+ spread is wider than the property at the shoreline. What was a sorta green shoreline will be mostly aluminum and fiberglass.
Second, remember when the lakes were only busy on weekends and holidays? Remember when the water clarity was dirty and the surface covered with debris by the pleasure boats, but it usually cleared up by Wednesday? That's ending. Lakes will be increasingly busy from spring thru fall and the water will be dirty with weeds floating on the surface 24/7 from May thru September.
Third, overworked septic systems and runoff from lawn care products means more fertilizer for weeds. Lots more fertilizer = more weeds. Weeds are necessary for a healthy lake, sure, but not when the system is overwhelmed with nitrates. Throw Zebra mussels into the mix, which provide clearer water in the fall/winter/spring months, then sunlight penetrates much deeper and weeds grow where they didn't in the past. What was 15' deep of open water from the bottom to the surface is now solid weeds from the bottom to where boat props trim the tops. Next come the air boats spraying defoliant to kill the weeds. But the decaying weeds, many of which float up to the surface, provide more fertilizer for more weeds.
Fourth, what used to be scenic and relaxing, being at the lake, will be nothing but noise from boats, lawn mowers and weed eaters. And after dark, rowdy drunks and #*#*ty music from huge sound systems on $100k boats. Fights over parking rights as wealthy homeowners' many vehicles plus those of their guests spill out onto the small roads.
Fifth, see those cute little fishing cottages that were built back in the 30's and 40's? Expect every other one to be replaced with a 2-story house that is built to the zoning limits. If you have one of those little cottages you may well soon be in the shade of a big house, so close you'll be able to hear you neighbors flush their toilets.
I experienced all of this bull#*#* with the lake house I inherited in SW MI. My family was one of the first to settle in the area back in 1865; we owned most of the east side of a 300-acre lake. The family lotted up and sold the lakefront in the '20-'30s, when there were maybe 25 fishing cottages on the whole lake. Now there isn't a single lakefront lot that doesn't have an old cottage or a new 2 story house. Every lot is developed; not a single open, green lot on the whole lake. There are so many lights that in mid-winter, with the ice, the entire lake it lit up like a parking lot.
Well, you guys get the idea. Progress isn't progress for many of us. I found a new lake upon which to chill and 95% of the shoreline is owned by the Corps. I traded 300 acres for 50,000 acres. The current plan is for it to never be developed any more than it is right now.
I didn't mean to write that much, sorry if you read it all the way thru. |
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Location: E. Tenn | Ranger - 7/6/2022 8:23 PM
You folks are getting just a taste of how bad it's going to get on your treasured waters.
First, there will be more and more and more pleasure craft. And they will get bigger and bigger and bigger. These days if you have money to buy lakefront property, you have money to buy all the toys. A new wealthy riparian usually has a pontoon/tritoon boat, a ski or wake board boat, a couple jet skis, a paddle boat and maybe a fishing boat. A huge pier system and powered lifts for every single watercraft. That means that the end of that owner's pier system, with the lifts, is about 40' wide. Plus, a swim raft out in front. As time goes by there will only be more of those huge pier systems. And fistfights every spring because the 40'+ spread is wider than the property at the shoreline. What was a sorta green shoreline will be mostly aluminum and fiberglass.
Second, remember when the lakes were only busy on weekends and holidays? Remember when the water clarity was dirty and the surface covered with debris by the pleasure boats, but it usually cleared up by Wednesday? That's ending. Lakes will be increasingly busy from spring thru fall and the water will be dirty with weeds floating on the surface 24/7 from May thru September.
Third, overworked septic systems and runoff from lawn care products means more fertilizer for weeds. Lots more fertilizer = more weeds. Weeds are necessary for a healthy lake, sure, but not when the system is overwhelmed with nitrates. Throw Zebra mussels into the mix, which provide clearer water in the fall/winter/spring months, then sunlight penetrates much deeper and weeds grow where they didn't in the past. What was 15' deep of open water from the bottom to the surface is now solid weeds from the bottom to where boat props trim the tops. Next come the air boats spraying defoliant to kill the weeds. But the decaying weeds, many of which float up to the surface, provide more fertilizer for more weeds.
Fourth, what used to be scenic and relaxing, being at the lake, will be nothing but noise from boats, lawn mowers and weed eaters. And after dark, rowdy drunks and #*#*ty music from huge sound systems on $100k boats. Fights over parking rights as wealthy homeowners' many vehicles plus those of their guests spill out onto the small roads.
Fifth, see those cute little fishing cottages that were built back in the 30's and 40's? Expect every other one to be replaced with a 2-story house that is built to the zoning limits. If you have one of those little cottages you may well soon be in the shade of a big house, so close you'll be able to hear you neighbors flush their toilets.
I experienced all of this bull#*#* with the lake house I inherited in SW MI. My family was one of the first to settle in the area back in 1865; we owned most of the east side of a 300-acre lake. The family lotted up and sold the lakefront in the '20-'30s, when there were maybe 25 fishing cottages on the whole lake. Now there isn't a single lakefront lot that doesn't have an old cottage or a new 2 story house. Every lot is developed; not a single open, green lot on the whole lake. There are so many lights that in mid-winter, with the ice, the entire lake it lit up like a parking lot.
Well, you guys get the idea. Progress isn't progress for many of us. I found a new lake upon which to chill and 95% of the shoreline is owned by the Corps. I traded 300 acres for 50,000 acres. The current plan is for it to never be developed any more than it is right now.
I didn't mean to write that much, sorry if you read it all the way thru.
Yeah, that's what I've been noticing over the last couple of years.. I get it that change is inevitable, but the rate of change of late is ridiculous..
And there's property prices.. I know of one place that's had offers of $250-300k on 50+ year old seasonal "fishing" cabins.
On one property I rented from, mine was the only boat tied up at a dock that could handle 10-12 boats..
Mom & Pop resorts used to be the heart and soul of the Wisconsin Northwoods. Anymore not so much..
I'm old enough to remember gazing at the weekly winning muskies, northern pike, walleyes, and other species in ice filled display cases, in front of the tackle shops in Three Lakes, Eagle River, and Rhinelander, and likely the same in Minocqua, and Boulder Junction...
...and there was the Chicago and Northwestern passenger train service, over tracks long gone..
Edited by miket55 7/6/2022 10:19 PM
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Location: NW WI | Housing market at a high, every realtor I know is selling lakefront at an avg minimum of 15% above asking.
Building costs at a high, and majority of the generals I sub with are building castles in comparison to the old standard "lake mansion".
Where was this money a few years ago? I don't understand it.
Be interesting to see when/if a crash occurs, how many collateraled items and foreclosures we'll see on the market. |
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Location: SE, WI. | sworrall - 7/6/2022 11:57 AM Wakeboarders and giant tri-toons putting out 3' to 4' wakes are a danger to smaller crafts, shorelines, and loon nests. Minocqua is basically unfishable from 9 AM> Eventually there will have to be regulations on times they can be out tearing up the lake with a stereo blasting so loud it can be heard a half-mile away. It's especially nice when there are several with opposing music styles in the same bay. Unreal cacophony. One way is a very restrictive speed limit, that would allow the 'tooners to join the 'tuners daisy-chaining along the shorelines waving their cocktail glasses pleasantly at me as they run over my line. Drive 4 hours South and C how you like it. Skiers and Such start at 6 am. And go till 9 pm. And it seems, nobody works anymore;( …..Quiet times now to fish are 9pm - 6am….or Rainy days….Crazy…..I’d take a jet ski over a wake-boat any time! It’s like fishing in a water park title wave;(With wake- boats… And Ranger, you are correct on all 5 accounts. It’s all happening like described in SE WI. And Ya, read it all!!!  JD
Edited by jdsplasher 7/7/2022 6:50 AM
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Location: oswego, il | Indiana has some pretty good lake restrictions on many of it's smaller waters. 10mph and open boating from 1pm to 4pm only. I am surprised these have not been overturned by big money but that's what you will have to fight to put restrictions on them. I have a small favorite lake up north and in the last 6 years a family bought on the lake and they have a ton of toys. I've never had to leave that lake mid day but now I do. |
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| The wake boat issue might be one that forces the hand of the legislature in WI. So many people are angry over both property and habitat destruction that there may come a tipping point. A warden I know up here said he gets calls from people who have had waves come over their docks, throwing kayaks into the water, fishing boats getting swamped while tied to the dock, etc. He said he gives folk an empathy statement but explains his hands are tied if they are abiding by the minimal rules and they should contact their state legislators. He said the number of complaints about the boats has risen sharply.
And I agree with JD, jet skis are nothing compared to the wake boats. We just started experiencing this last year on the small chain I am on and it amazing how much water they move. One lake association member suggested that the association remove the rock warning buoys it places. She felt that might help alleviate the problem ;>).
Edited by North of 8 7/7/2022 7:42 AM
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| Remember twenty or thirty years ago when we only had to worry about the increasing fishing pressure? Ahhhh, the good old days. Kdawg |
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| Well going back a generation there's a reason all the outboard manufacturers started making 9.9 not 10 horse motor's for the use at small lakes with restrictions. Shield Lakes with rock and Flowages with wood help kept the skier's at bay and of course cold water of the fall period. |
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| I fished the lake I described above for my whole life. I was taught by my grandpa who fished it for most of his life. The 300-acre lake has 3 distinct "deep" basins separated by relatively shallow sand bars. Almost like 3 lakes.
I have a recurring nightmare where I can see the lake in the future, in about 200 years. Most of the lake surface is covered in dense weeds, though there are small open areas over the center of the 3 basins. Nobody uses the lake for anything, with one exception... Riparian owners now pipe water from the lake to run large, elaborate fountains in their front yards. Kids play in the water while adults sit around the fountains like they were bonfires. Runoff from the fountains carries lawn fertilizer back into the lake, promoting weed growth and further accelerating the development of the swamp that was a lake. |
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| chuckski - 7/7/2022 10:35 AM
Well going back a generation there's a reason all the outboard manufacturers started making 9.9 not 10 horse motor's for the use at small lakes with restrictions. Shield Lakes with rock and Flowages with wood help kept the skier's at bay and of course cold water of the fall period.
I once bought a used 15 Merc that had 9.9 stickers on it. Seems the year of manufacture Merc was putting 9.9s and 15s in the same housing. Original owner was limited to "less than 10hp" but obviously found a way around it. After I wore out the motor with a zillion hours I had it bored out and rebuilt and then it performed like a 20hp. My alum 14' Stella Blue Fin was wonderfully fast. |
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| North of 8 - 7/6/2022 12:37 PM
Maybe if wealthy property owners suffer damage to their water front, they would be willing to put money up for an effort to control wake boats, etc. But ticked off voters is not nearly enough to get things done.
Nope they just dump loads of riprap along their entire shoreline (which I'm pretty sure isn't legal?). You can tell the property lines by where the rock starts/stops/changes between lots. |
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| I have almost that same dream about the lake I grew up on. Instead of a lake it's turned into a giant sand bar with all sorts of unmentionable people sitting around blasting music and throwing garbage and beer cans everywhere. Where there is still water it's just mats of algae and milfoil, and it smells like the porta johns at a concert on a 95 degree day.
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