Going through your e-mail after a vacation can be quite a chore, especially when you've been gone as long as I've been gone.
But I did receive a nice little e-mail from Stu McKee with an update on the final regular-season Tuesday Nite Walleye Tourney at Lake Tetonka. I'll rehash a little of what Mckee said below, and after I track down Tim Hobbs, I'll get you a more detailed finish to the walleye tourney finale.
"Roger and I got First Place with Big Fish and Team of the year," Mckee wrote. "We had 3 walleyes — 4.9, 4.5 and 2.9."
Mckee said second place had 4 pounds, 4 ounces and two other boats each weighed a fish. Unofficially, I have the team of McKee and Kramer besting the team of Dan Griep and Bill Holland by five points for the title. That could change, but I'm pretty confident the final numbers will come out at 59-54.
Here's what McKee said about their strategy:
"We fished in 4 to 6 feet of water all night, bait was #7 Ratten(sic) Raps. We fished 30 and 50 lbs test line made by Fins. You need the heavy line because we are always hook in the heavy weeds. No weeds no fish."
Pretty good information from one of the area's experts. A reader once told me that he's never seen McKee fish with anything other than Rattlin' Raps — now he and Kramer have won their fourth-straight Team of the Year award.
Makes me think I should restock my selection of Raps in my tackle box. Oh wait, I've got plenty of those!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The student and the teacher
When you're up against your best friend and mentor, Dan Griep says, you know it's a special moment.
"Stu (McKee) is the best fisherman in the area, and it's sort of a feather in your cap to be there with him," Griep said.
Griep and McKee, both of Cleveland and friends of 30 years, are members of the top two teams in the Tuesday Nite Walleye Tourneys series, which winds down the regular season Tuesday at Lake Tetonka with a winner being crowned.
McKee and partner Roger Kramer have won team of the year the last three years, so an upset by the student would be appropriate.
McKee says if Griep and partner Bill Holland win, he'll be very happy for them. Griep says the winning aspect wasn't the most important part of fishing the tournaments.
"I'm just out there on Tuesday nights to have fun," Griep says. "If I catch fish, great. If I win money, even better. If we win team of the year, of course we'd like that."
Griep's admiration for McKee goes beyond what he's learned technique wise.
"He's kept me on the cutting edge of what baits are out there," Griep says. "He'll share his information with you. He's not secretive at all. He likes to teach everybody so they can catch fish."
After Tuesday's tournament, the field will vote on which lake to hold the postseason tournament. Griep says his vote is for Lake Washington, but he'll fish where ever the tournament takes places.
McKee says he usually just waits to see what everyone else votes and then goes along with the vote. But he said he wouldn't mind seeing the tournament at Washington or Tetonka.
Monday, August 17, 2009
McKee's take
Received a nice little e-mail from Stu McKee the other day. Here's his take on Lake Tetonka:
"The Tetonka tournament should be a good one, and as of this last week there are a good number of walleye's biting. There are a bunch of fish in the 13 inch range, but the lake is giving up some nice 17-inch fish."
McKee says the Aug. 25, regular-season finale at Tetonka is shaping up to be a good one. He says the approach for he and teammate Roger Kramer will likely be the same.
"I've been getting some new lure from J.B. Lures and some new fishing line from Premium superlines (FINS Fishing) in the 30 and 50 pount test. This has really helped
Roger and I put some very big fish in the boat."
McKee said the trick is to stay in shallow water. To be fair to him, I won't give away the exact depths he is shooting for, just in case any of his competition is reading this blog. But I will say this, you'd be surprised at just how shallow they go.
The purpose of the heavy line is to allow them to get into tough spots and not worry about breaking their line, and also to keep their lures "up a bit."
We'll see if that strategy works or not.
"The Tetonka tournament should be a good one, and as of this last week there are a good number of walleye's biting. There are a bunch of fish in the 13 inch range, but the lake is giving up some nice 17-inch fish."
McKee says the Aug. 25, regular-season finale at Tetonka is shaping up to be a good one. He says the approach for he and teammate Roger Kramer will likely be the same.
"I've been getting some new lure from J.B. Lures and some new fishing line from Premium superlines (FINS Fishing) in the 30 and 50 pount test. This has really helped
Roger and I put some very big fish in the boat."
McKee said the trick is to stay in shallow water. To be fair to him, I won't give away the exact depths he is shooting for, just in case any of his competition is reading this blog. But I will say this, you'd be surprised at just how shallow they go.
The purpose of the heavy line is to allow them to get into tough spots and not worry about breaking their line, and also to keep their lures "up a bit."
We'll see if that strategy works or not.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Winding down the walleye tourneys
The Tuesday Nite Walleye Tourneys are coming to an end, with one regular-season tournament remaining on Aug. 25.
I wrote a column about the tournaments for Sunday's edition of The Free Press. It's also available online.
Without rehashing too much of what I wrote there, what you need to know is that Tuesday, Aug. 11, no one caught a walleye at Madison Lake.
That means two teams, locked in first place with 49 points, will be battling it out for team of the year. Stu Mckee and Roger Kramer, winners the last three years, are trying to hold of Dan Griep and Bill Holland.
The important thing to understand here is that all anglers receive five points just for fishing a tournament. If a team weighs a fish, they receive seven points, and placing nets you eight points for third, nine points for second and 10 points for first.
So basically, these two teams could come out in a tie after the Lake Tetonka tournament.
Now, the Tetonka tourney is the final regular-season tournament, but there is another tournament slated for anyone who fished in all the tournaments this year or placed in the top 10 in points.
That tournament is at a site to be determined. Basically, all of the anglers who fish the Tetonka tournament get to vote afterward for the lake they'd prefer to fish in the season-ending tournament. The lake with the most votes becomes the site of the winner-take all tournament.
Stay tuned, because it's sure to be a fantastic finish.
I wrote a column about the tournaments for Sunday's edition of The Free Press. It's also available online.
Without rehashing too much of what I wrote there, what you need to know is that Tuesday, Aug. 11, no one caught a walleye at Madison Lake.
That means two teams, locked in first place with 49 points, will be battling it out for team of the year. Stu Mckee and Roger Kramer, winners the last three years, are trying to hold of Dan Griep and Bill Holland.
The important thing to understand here is that all anglers receive five points just for fishing a tournament. If a team weighs a fish, they receive seven points, and placing nets you eight points for third, nine points for second and 10 points for first.
So basically, these two teams could come out in a tie after the Lake Tetonka tournament.
Now, the Tetonka tourney is the final regular-season tournament, but there is another tournament slated for anyone who fished in all the tournaments this year or placed in the top 10 in points.
That tournament is at a site to be determined. Basically, all of the anglers who fish the Tetonka tournament get to vote afterward for the lake they'd prefer to fish in the season-ending tournament. The lake with the most votes becomes the site of the winner-take all tournament.
Stay tuned, because it's sure to be a fantastic finish.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Comedy in fishing — The Streater file
(Editor's note: The link to the print edition of this story was incorrect and has now been fixed.)I had an interesting week.
On top of my normal duties as a copy editor for The Free Press — I've never liked that title because it doesn't begin to encapsulate the wide variety of duties I perform for the paper — I had the privilege to interview Dick Streater, one of the top authorities on collectible fishing lures.
But Streater isn't just a collector, he's also a funny gentleman who incorporates all those collectible fishing gadgets into a one hour talk.
"When I find something funny, you have to think of something funny to say," Streater says.
After talking with Streater for nearly an hour, it became clear to me there was no way I could tell all the interesting stories he told me in the space of a newspaper. It's just not possible my friends.
So I've compiled a few interesting things that didn't make my story in Sunday's print edition. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.
On Mankato
• Streater said he was deeply rooted to Mankato. Part of that, he's said, was because his father was the Chief Clerk of the Blue Earth County Rationing Board during World War II. His father was also the business manager of the Mankato Legion, and hence, because business manager of the Mankato Merchants baseball team.
"The players would crack their bat and my dad would bring them home, and I'd glue them and tape them up tight," he said, "and we'd go out and play with them."
• Voted the funniest guy in his senior class. "I guess I was just destined to do this (comedic lure talks)."
• Once bought a bottle of Kato Beer at an antique shop after it had stopped being brewed, and at a class reunion ordered a Budweiser and poured it into the Kato Beer bottle. Everyone asked him where he got it, and he'd tell them the bar. Then they'd say "that's impossible, they went out of business."
Which lures are better
Streater said a good many of the collectors out in his neck of the woods are switching back to the old lures and are having good success catching fish. From reels, to line, to lures, these guys are getting a feel for the classics.
"Of course, none of the old stuff has rattles or any of that monkey business," he said. But he said the equipment works just fine. "I've used several old lures that I've fished with and I enjoy it."
Odds and ends
• Once caught an 11 pound, 2 ounces bass in Mexico on a Zara Spook.
• Currently working on a collaboration with another guy on the history of mosquito repellents. Listening to him rattle of names like "Scram," "Scat" and "Swat that Skeeter" make me think he'll do just fine with his blend of humor and wit.
• Played trombone in both the University of Minnesota marching band and the Army Marching Band. He owns both a slide and valve trombone and is comfortable playing either one. Talking about the U of M band, he said, "It was a hell of a good part of my life."
• He introduced a variety of old lures and collectibles in his talks. I gather the format is much like a stand up routine tooled toward each interesting "gadget."
• Steater will be in Minnesota for about two weeks this fall — toward the end of September and into the early part of October. He said he'd like to give a few talks while he's here.
In a packet of information he sent me, I came across this: "I enjoy giving this talk so much that I have not established a charge for it. On the other hand, with gas and food and the time involved, I have never refused to accept an honorarium if offered."
I asked him about this and he stood by what I typed above. Basically, as I see it, that's a pretty cheap cost to get him out to an area sportsmen or fishing club. But that's just me.
• If you would like to contact Streater or get more information on his "talks," e-mail him at lureguru@aol.com.
On top of my normal duties as a copy editor for The Free Press — I've never liked that title because it doesn't begin to encapsulate the wide variety of duties I perform for the paper — I had the privilege to interview Dick Streater, one of the top authorities on collectible fishing lures.
But Streater isn't just a collector, he's also a funny gentleman who incorporates all those collectible fishing gadgets into a one hour talk.
"When I find something funny, you have to think of something funny to say," Streater says.
After talking with Streater for nearly an hour, it became clear to me there was no way I could tell all the interesting stories he told me in the space of a newspaper. It's just not possible my friends.
So I've compiled a few interesting things that didn't make my story in Sunday's print edition. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.
On Mankato
• Streater said he was deeply rooted to Mankato. Part of that, he's said, was because his father was the Chief Clerk of the Blue Earth County Rationing Board during World War II. His father was also the business manager of the Mankato Legion, and hence, because business manager of the Mankato Merchants baseball team.
"The players would crack their bat and my dad would bring them home, and I'd glue them and tape them up tight," he said, "and we'd go out and play with them."
• Voted the funniest guy in his senior class. "I guess I was just destined to do this (comedic lure talks)."
• Once bought a bottle of Kato Beer at an antique shop after it had stopped being brewed, and at a class reunion ordered a Budweiser and poured it into the Kato Beer bottle. Everyone asked him where he got it, and he'd tell them the bar. Then they'd say "that's impossible, they went out of business."
Which lures are better
Streater said a good many of the collectors out in his neck of the woods are switching back to the old lures and are having good success catching fish. From reels, to line, to lures, these guys are getting a feel for the classics.
"Of course, none of the old stuff has rattles or any of that monkey business," he said. But he said the equipment works just fine. "I've used several old lures that I've fished with and I enjoy it."
Odds and ends
• Once caught an 11 pound, 2 ounces bass in Mexico on a Zara Spook.
• Currently working on a collaboration with another guy on the history of mosquito repellents. Listening to him rattle of names like "Scram," "Scat" and "Swat that Skeeter" make me think he'll do just fine with his blend of humor and wit.
• Played trombone in both the University of Minnesota marching band and the Army Marching Band. He owns both a slide and valve trombone and is comfortable playing either one. Talking about the U of M band, he said, "It was a hell of a good part of my life."
• He introduced a variety of old lures and collectibles in his talks. I gather the format is much like a stand up routine tooled toward each interesting "gadget."
• Steater will be in Minnesota for about two weeks this fall — toward the end of September and into the early part of October. He said he'd like to give a few talks while he's here.
In a packet of information he sent me, I came across this: "I enjoy giving this talk so much that I have not established a charge for it. On the other hand, with gas and food and the time involved, I have never refused to accept an honorarium if offered."
I asked him about this and he stood by what I typed above. Basically, as I see it, that's a pretty cheap cost to get him out to an area sportsmen or fishing club. But that's just me.
• If you would like to contact Streater or get more information on his "talks," e-mail him at lureguru@aol.com.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Fun at Frances
A lot of little fish. But a lot of fish.
This is how are afternoon was at Lake Frances in Elysian. Fishing partner Dave caught 14 fish, all on Mimic Minnows. He caught seven bass and seven little pike.
I came in at nine fish — seven bass and two pike. I also lost two pike that bit me off, so the count could have been higher.
We pretty much worked around the shorelines and docks. There is a lot of weed cover, but if you look for pockets, it's pretty manageable.
It'd been a long time since I'd been on Frances, and I have to say, that's a nice little lake. The people living on the lake take good care of their properties, their shorelines. There is a nice beach that seems to get used, and the overall quality of the lake just seemed good.
I can't imagine fishing there on a weekend, as I'm sure the recreation traffic would be intense. Even for a Monday, we saw a lot of people making good use of the lake.
Most importantly, with all the fish we caught and the strikes we had, the future for Frances looks bright.
Correction
A reader said I miss spelled Ballantyne (Ballentine is how I'd labeled it). I took my spelling directly off Google maps, which happened to be wrong. I double checked the reader's spelling against the DNR Web site and found the reader was correct. So my bad and thanks for the heads up.
Monday, August 3, 2009
MIxing things up
I went out to Lake Ballentine near Madison Lake about a week ago. I'd heard good things about the action out there, both for bass and northern, and was interested in giving it a shot.
My fishing partners for the day were Danny Williams, a former standout athlete at St. Clair who is know going to school for golf management at Arizona State University, and his older brother Mike, who happens to have a pretty decent collection of newspaper clippings and photos of some pretty impressive fish.
One of those newspaper clippings happened to have a 15 pound striper, which was one big fish.
Mike Williams likes to fish bass, so naturally, we expected to get on top of some serious fish between the two of us. Danny Williams likes to get sun, and fish on occasion.
While pitching docks, locals would come out and tell us the big ones were "out there." One fella told us to work the weeds for northern.
We did all of that and then some, but Danny was the only one who actually caught a bass — two, as a matter of fact. Yours truly missed two fish. The first one, a fat hawg that boiled the water next to the boat, ran deep and snapped my line — operator error here; I set the drag too tight only moments before.
The second I missed on a scum frog — again operator error as I set the hook too soon.
The boat traffic, according to the locals that day, was the busiest they'd seen in a long time. The small public landing was full for most of the day, and the lake definitely was abuzz. Mike Williams blamed the boat traffic for our slow day, and was already making plans for a weekday trip where he could "enjoy" the lake.
The trip to Ballentine came on the heals of a trip to Lake Francis, which fell through. That trip, however, will take place tonight. We'll shoot for bass and northerns, but, as always, all fish are fair game.
I'll post a fishing update from Frances later.
My fishing partners for the day were Danny Williams, a former standout athlete at St. Clair who is know going to school for golf management at Arizona State University, and his older brother Mike, who happens to have a pretty decent collection of newspaper clippings and photos of some pretty impressive fish.
One of those newspaper clippings happened to have a 15 pound striper, which was one big fish.
Mike Williams likes to fish bass, so naturally, we expected to get on top of some serious fish between the two of us. Danny Williams likes to get sun, and fish on occasion.
While pitching docks, locals would come out and tell us the big ones were "out there." One fella told us to work the weeds for northern.
We did all of that and then some, but Danny was the only one who actually caught a bass — two, as a matter of fact. Yours truly missed two fish. The first one, a fat hawg that boiled the water next to the boat, ran deep and snapped my line — operator error here; I set the drag too tight only moments before.
The second I missed on a scum frog — again operator error as I set the hook too soon.
The boat traffic, according to the locals that day, was the busiest they'd seen in a long time. The small public landing was full for most of the day, and the lake definitely was abuzz. Mike Williams blamed the boat traffic for our slow day, and was already making plans for a weekday trip where he could "enjoy" the lake.
The trip to Ballentine came on the heals of a trip to Lake Francis, which fell through. That trip, however, will take place tonight. We'll shoot for bass and northerns, but, as always, all fish are fair game.
I'll post a fishing update from Frances later.
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