TO ALL...MY GRANDPARENTS USED TO LIVE IN DETROIT LAKES WHEN I WAS A CHILD. MY FONDEST MEMORY WHEN I WOULD VISIT THEM WAS THE FISHING. I AM FLYING OUT FROM N.J. FOR 4 DAYS OF FISHING ON DETROIT LAKE THE LAST WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER. WILL BE RENTING A BOAT FOR 3 FULL DAYS AND AM WONDERING IF ANYONE COULD GIVE ME ANY TIPS (AREAS,RIGS,BAITS,WATER DEPTHS) FOR FISHING LAKE DETROIT. WILL BE GOING FOR MUSKIES AND EYES. I DONT EXPECT TO GET ANY DECADE LONG SECRETS, JUST SOME GENERAL TIPS TO HAVE THE BEST TIME FISHING. SPENDING ALOT OF MONEY FOR SUCH A SHORT TRIP AND I WANT TO COME PREPARED TO HAVE A GREAT TIME, JUST AS I REMEMBER AS A CHILD. THANKS IN ADVANCE TO ANYONE WHO CAN HELP. IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED.

Well I sure hope someone on here helps you out there is a lot of knowledgeable people on here. I'm not a Muskie fisherman and nor have I ever fished Big D. So I wouldn't be much help. If no one else does I can give you an idea on what kind of pattern they may be into then.

Let me know when you get in town - I'll take you out a few times (assuming you will be here over a weekend).

Lenny

Let us know a little closer to when you will be coming. Hopefully I will have a report for you by then. I don't chase the skis but I have spent some time on there chasing eyes. My guess for late september would be either jig/minnows or lindy minnows or even pulling cranks along the weedlines. I like the south shoreline near the bluff area on the south side and humps nearby. 15 to 20 feet would be a good startting point.

Ditto on the south shoreline with a jig and minnow. As a fellow born and raised Jersey boy, I'd be more than happy to take you out one day.

HELLO PETER...HOW ARE YOU? SO WHAT PART OF JERSEY ARE YOU FROM? HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN D.L.? MY NAME IS ED, BY THE WAY. TENTATIVELY, I WILL BE ARRIVING IN THE DETROIT LAKES AREA ON FRIDAY SEPT. 26TH AROUND 5-6PM AND WILL BE LEAVING ON TUESDAY SEPT. 30TH AROUND 1PM. IT'S BEEN QUITE SOME TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN TO D.L.! WHEN I POSTED THIS EARLIER TODAY FOR SOME TIPS, I WAS SURPRISED TO GET A COUPLE OF OFFERS TO TAKE ME OUT FISHING. I'M NOT LOCKED IN TO FISHING BIG DETROIT, IT'S JUST THE ONLY PLACE I COULD FIND ONLINE THAT RENTS BOATS. IF THE OFFER IS STILL AVAILABLE, I JUST MIGHT TAKE YOU UP ON THAT. YOU NOW KNOW THE TIME FRAME THAT I WILL BE IN TOWN, SO LET ME KNOW IF ANY OF THESE DAYS WILL WORK FOR YOU. I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY COOL TO HANG OUT W/ SOMEONE FROM MY HOME STATE. THANKS FOR THE QUICK REPLY. HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.
ED

Oh the memories... Kiddyland is long gone and now had condos, the old Dairy Queen on the main drag is gone, Walthers Tackle faded away, but a little shop called Quality Tackle is nearby. JK Marine now has the marina, but they are usually shutting down by mid September or doing weekends only, so don't plan on getting fuel on the lake and make sure you can still get a boat. Lakeside restaurant has the best burgers for a lunch break, so you can beach your boat by the marina and walk across the street for lunch (warm up?).

COPTER...I DON'T REMEMBER MOST OF THOSE OLDER PLACES, BUT I DO REMEMBER KIDDYLAND. OUTSIDE OF FISHING, WE WENT TO KIDDYLAND PLENTY OF TIMES. I ALSO REMEMBER AN OUTSIDE MOVIE THEATER AND A RODEO TYPE SHOW OUTSIDE OF TOWN. OF COURSE, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACT LOCATIONS FOR THESE, BUT DO YOU REMEMBER THESE TWO PLACES AT ALL? THANKS FOR THE TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE. I WAS ONLY 3-5 YEARS OLD FOR MOST OF MY VISITS TO D.L., SO I CAN'T RECALL THE FINER DETAILS. THE FISHING WAS MY #1 MEMORY.

Muskie fishing should be pretty good then. I get up that weekend every year and fish one of the local lakes. i do very well at the time. At the end of september i mostly use Top Water, Suicks, and buck tails. You can find fish anywhere in the lake any depth and any type of bottom. One thing i like this time of year is fishing the rocks. you can usually find a few big dawgs cruising these shollow rocks, or the drops near them. I boated a 47" and 40" off a 20 foot drop off last weekend.

You are probably thinking of the SOO Pass Dude Ranch which became the WE FEST site in 1983 If I recall. "We in '83". Don't recall the drive in theater. We did use to roller skate at the old pavillion. I learned to fish in DL as a 5 year old and spent nearly every summer there until my grandparents passed in the mid 70s. Then the cottage passed to to my family, so now I travel up from Iowa several times each summer so the kids can get the same memories I did. The glory days of easy walleyes, whopper crappies and jumbo bluegills ended in the 80s. However, quality fishing is still available, especially this time of year. Obviously the Muskie deal took off of DL and Pelican. Experimental pike regulations on Sallie and Melissa have resulted in a large number of 30-35 inch pike, and we routinely catch them to 40 inches.
The hints on Walleyes on DL were dead on. Out from the south hump has been good. Bass are usually cooperative if the eyes are slow. The weedbeds off the swimming area are good now that the vacationers are gone.

The drive in theater was called Skyview if I remember right and it was just west of the airport. Mabey it was old Fort Detroit you remember the rodeo atmosphere. It's now a golf course. There are dozens of good spots for fall fishing on both Little and Big Detroit for eyes including all the above named "community hotspots".

DLSfinest is correct, the old Skyview theatre site is where Wold's RV is present day. Probably ran all the way back into the Foltz Builder's site as well. My guess as well of the rodeo type attraction was the old Fort Detroit. This is now Forest Hills Golf and RV park. Fort Detroit looked like an old time army post. something you would see in an old western movie. The Soo Pass ranch, site of the We Fest now, was a "dude" ranch where the city slickers could go out and rent a horse for a trail ride.

Seems to my there was a drive in out by the airport back in the day??
I'm not sure about this but I seem to remember a drive in out by what is now the Wal Mart- airport area.
To help with the Skis, I know of a guy that is fishing Big DL out in front of the Lodge Inn. I think he's fishing in about 10-14 fow.Pretty vauge I know but thats all I got. Hope you have a great vacation.

Never heard a report from "Miss the Lakes"? Anyone know if he caught some fish? I was back in the area for a couple days last week but got really sick and managed only about three hours on the water. Stumbled into some very nice walleye in very shallow water (inside weed edge) while treating my muskie addiction. Always fun when the eyes are active and smacking magnum rattle traps. Threw them all back so you guys can eat this winter. Muskies were very active but only put one in the boat. Solo trip so didn't even photograph. Hopefully sneak in another trip yet this fall, but archery deer season has arrived and we are headed for the tree stands in the morning. Time to focus on that 12 pointer. Good chatting with you all this year. You are a good bunch.

good luck with that buck John. Don't be a stranger.