On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 23:31:14 GMT, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

wrote:
...
If we get to fish together, ...

We should have a SE Minnesota mini-Clave. I fished in Whitewater
State Park years ago, caught some fish while wet wading and had a
nice enough day astream but when I got back to my campsite I found
a sweet 16 complement of leeches on my legs. What a bloody mess
THAT was. Kinda put me off SE Minnesota, if you know what I mean.

Wow. I've never done any wading in Whitewater that wasn't wet wading
(in fact, I just got some waders this year, as yet unworn.). Never
got a leech.


One of the beauties of Whitewater is that there are supposedly no
mosquitos. I've been camping there on and off since '86 and did
finally see one mosquito last summer. It was weak, like the last
mosquitos of autumn, and it seemed almost a shame to kill it. I did,
though. It might have come in on a camper's vehicle.

I do have waders, even though I hardly ever use them, so it's
high time I gave SE Minnesota another shot, especially if you're
willing to be mini-Clavemeister.

I have not the least idea how to be a Clavemeister, even mini. There
is a large group of bunkhouses with a sort of lodge for gathering and
a shower / toilet building among them that'd be great for a large
clave. Expensive compared to camping in the group site, unless you've
got a good sized group. But there's heat. That can be important early
or late in the fishing year.

Hmmm. Anyone else interested in SE MN in '04? If so, I'll question
the DNR about rates and ask my boss (who stays around there sometimes)
about other places nearby. Nearest towns are Elba (just north of the
park. Sort of a crossroads with a biker bar and gas station and a few
houses) and St. Charles, a few miles to the south (a real town, with a
supermarket and all that.). St. Charles has at least one motel on
the west side of town. Well, sort of. 40s or 50s sort of thing, IIRC.
I think that some of the pretty nice trailer park looking place
between the Park and Elba are rentals.

Rainbows might be stocked, but I don't believe browns are. I'm not
sure about brookies. If there are any that is. Maybe up the expert
creek where you have to walk to get to it. The fish might be pretty
naive up there. I'm the only person I ever saw (of the very few I've
seen at all) hike up there with fishing gear.

I do not organize things well. On the few group camps I've been, more
or less, responsible for, I've rented a group site, told everyone the
dates and assumed they'd arrange their own tents and food and chip in
on firewood and let it go at that. I've not tried to arrange any
amusements, group cooking, or trips to the local drinking
establishments. I do occasionally bring along larger screen tent in
case of rain or too many bugs.

--

rbc:vixen,Minnow Goddess,Willow Watcher,and all that sort of thing.
Often taunted by trout.
Only a fool would refuse to believe in luck. Only a damn fool would rely on it.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli