cribs in front of Hiawatha

[Zeke]

Maybe I missed the post but what happened with the exposed cribs in front of Hiawatha and Flambeau Vista? Ice go out too early? Will they be towed out at a later/higher water time? The latest DNR high tech fish crib?

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

The cribs were built by local volunteers over a number of days and many hours of labor in the cold of Winter under the direction of the WDNR. The TFF Asociation donated the funds to feed the volunteers and Donners Bay Resort hosted the feeding and warming of the volunteers in late February and again in early March. Local fish manager, Lawrence Eslinger, is in charge of the project. The cribs were built off of the property of another volunteer next to the old Hiawatha Resort. The fish cribs have been left in the water until they are sufficiently "water logged" to sink in 12'-15' fow by the WDNR.

The cribs were not staged in front of Flambeau Vista; however, a natural crib (large tree) has lodged on the sand bar in front of Flambeau Vista that will provide some great fish structure.

The TFFA will try to find out additional information about the placing of the cribs in the Lake Bastine area and will post it here.

Additional information may also be gained by contacting WDNR Fisheries Biologist, Lawerence Eslinger, at www.lawrence.eslinger@wisconsin.gov

Thanks for your interest in the project. Please see www.turtleflambeuaflowage.com for more information about Wisconsin's Scenic Wilderness Waters Area.

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

I contacted Lawrence Eslinger of the WDNR and he told me the cribs will be moved to their final locations in mid to late June.

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

Lawrence Eslinger, DNR fisheries biologist from Mercer, emailed me on July 3rd, 2012 to advise that 8 of the 29 cribs that were built this Winter were placed in the Lake Bastine area that day. The others are not sufficiently water logged to be placed in their final destinations yet.

[George G]

Hi Scott, curious how the cribs that we saw on the shore line can get water logged if they were just sitting in the sand with at least 4 or 5 feet above the sand. Not sure how deep they were in the sand either. Curious how they did this. Thanks Scott for the update.Will they let us know where they were placed ?

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

George G,

Your questions will be best answered by Lawrence Eslinger. Please see my May 26, 2012 post below for his contact info. Please let us know what you find out.

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

I received an email today from Lawrence Eslinger of the WDNR that they will try to set the remaining cribs during the week of July 16th, 2012. Eight cribs have been placed around the island in Lake Bastine and on the southern end of Lake Bastine.

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

14 more cribs were set in place this week.

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

All cribs have been set in their designated locations throughout the Lake Bastine area.

[George G]

Hi Scott, will their be a map of their approximate placement for us outsiders that could not see them being placed ? Thanks

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

George G,

I wasn't there when the cribs were placed by the DNR, so I don't know their locations. Darn job keeps getting in the way of being on the water. I suspect we will simply be told they are in the Lake Bastine basin area, just as we have only been told the general location of cribs from past years. Time on the water with a locator will give you the GPS coordinates. They are easy to see on a locator if you pass over one. For more information, I suggest you contact Lawrence Eslinger of the DNR. His email adress is lawrence.eslinger@wisconsin.gov Please let us know what you learn if you contact him.

[BlueRanger]

In the past, they have sent out maps to people who donated to the Adopt-A-Crib program - you can email fishcribs@tfftl.org to see if that's still the case. But don't expect to learn much more than what Scott already told you - the maps just show circled areas indicating the general location of each year's batch of cribs, and how many were placed. To my knowledge, they do not record the exact location of individual cribs when they place them. They do tend to be placed at a consistent depth - typically about 12-16 ft. depending on water level - and more or less evenly spaced in most cases. They shouldn't be too hard to find in a defined basin like Bastine - find one, follow the depth contour and you should find more.

[George G]

Thanks Scott, how are the mosquitos with all the moisture you have been experiencing. In the Milwaukee area with hardly no rain you can actually sit outside and enjoy an evening relaxing. Anxious to come up in September for some fishing and enjoyment of the woods.

[George G]

Of all the areas around the flowage, Bastine is the easiest to scan. Not much structure their. Nice bottom.

[sureshot612]

some have said in the past that the older the crib the better anyone have any idea if that is true. and how has the weather been hope its wet to keep the dust down will be up atving soon

[George G]

Hi Scott, talked to a friend in the area by phone yesterday. He said the bugs are next to intollerable and fishing on the flowage is just a real challenge , Lots of big , agressive bugs , too much rain I would guess. Early Bow season sounds like a challenge unless an early frost comes around. Comming up with lots of bugs is a big consideraton to look at. Always something I guess. At least the water level is very good.

[FraudDog]

We picked up a little rain last evening. Things are pretty good compared to the southern part of the state.

Don't know about how old a crib needs to be but I did catch some walleye and bass off the cribs while they were soaking along the shore last month. There is not a lot of 12-16 foot water in Bastian- most is deeper than that so finding the cribs should not be too hard.

[Flambeau Vista Retreat LLC]

Skeets are primarily at dusk and last about an hour.

Frauddog is right about the new cribs. Many were catching fish off them when they were in 5 fow off of Hiawatha. So much for the theory that they need to sit for 2-3 years before they produce.

More rain predicted for Saturday.