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**freedivernd** · 08-18-2008, 07:57 PM,

geez, I tried to keep it short but I think it is like 3 minutes long.. .there was just too many fish and it was way fun so couldn't hardly not add all the clips. Thankfully, for your sake, I didn't.

Fred

holophonervirtuoso · 08-18-2008, 09:24 PM,

Great stuff! It is so amazing to me how fish don't really seem to mind a comparatively giant person swimming around with them.

DiverQueen · 08-18-2008, 09:42 PM,

That was awesome! This is the type of footage that gets people psyched up to go diving in Minnesota! Lots of fish and nice lures too! I was just out in a little pond that I didn't know had any fish in it....And they (bluegills) were right in my face and nipping at my fingers.

nellamit · 08-18-2008, 11:17 PM,

Cool video. Where were you diving at?

popolarbear · 08-19-2008, 07:00 AM,

dude! thats the ****! amazing!.. sign me on. give me 15min notice and ill be on my way..just kidding. were was that again.. no serriously golden suckers limit this water way to afew feeder rivers of afew major river systems in the state. not much of the weirder fish from the lower mississippi river systems. so thats limmits it to the upper half of the state and maybe the western side of the state. very nice posting. thanks. this is exactly what the doctor ordered. im in the quest for this kind of thing. id just like to find it below pool 2 of the misssippi river so all the weird exotic fish would be encountered. like paddel fish, eels, sturgeon ive seen enough times(up to some that i think approached 7ft). would also like to encounter our amphibians like the aquatic phase of the tiger salamander, and i think helbenders are present(although not native) as my bait trapping pals have come up with one or two from time to time(in the 24inch size range!)... whooops sside tracked. nice posting. im waiting for my camera to get back(from repair) then if i can figure out how to post pics im going to.

**freedivernd** · 08-19-2008, 03:18 PM,

this was filmed below Big Winnie Dam.. about 9 miles north of Bena, MN. And sorry to all the walleye fishermen... all the walleye except a few small ones were just beyond the "No Fishing From Here to Dam" sign. Nice thing about winnie dam is there is no "No swimmin' from here to dam" sign so you can go as close as you'd like. Nothing to exotic as far as fish go.. There was a nice northern in the I'm guessing 10 - 12lbs range but I didn't get any photo of that one. That walleye that thought he was pretty tough was a nice one.. hard to tell just how nice in the video.. but I'm guessing maybe 6lbs.. I'd say at least 5lbs.

The largest fish I've seen in the rivers was a few weeks ago a 4' long sturgeon graced our presence in the ottertail river.. and then the occasional monster carp. The muskies that have had the presence of mind to let me photo them have been rather small as muskies go.

Fred

popolarbear · 08-19-2008, 11:21 PM,

say are you diving or snorkleing? how deep is this streach behind the dam, and when you say the current is shut down low. how low. ive done afew of the twin cities minnehaha dams and even when the main dam is shut. enough water can be moving to make it tricky if you get close to the dams... even so this is the best place to view tons and tons of fish in a single congregated spot. i would like to see a forum disscusion and shared input with as many other of these majical spots as people would like to share. i think i could personaly contribute a few good greater twin cities spots.
stephen

**freedivernd** · 08-20-2008, 05:28 AM,

I pretty much still to snorkel breathing.. I think I maxed out last weekend at a whopping 10'. below the dam is not intimidating at all.. it's just nice when they shut most of the water down so working against the current isn't so much work, and at b.winnie the river is wide enough below the dam that you can just move off to the side of the flow for a break. the rivers around the dams at ottertail and phelps mill are narrow.. and those can be a bit more exciting.

popolarbear · 08-20-2008, 06:08 AM,

freediver nd. your breaking up. "I pretty much still to snorkel breathing.." i dont understand what that ment?

also when you go up to this big winni area do you tent or what? im realy interested in doing a trip here before they open up the dam. any ecconomical ideas. or other gas saving tips. i might have a freinds place to stay if not, its a tad 40 miles or so away. and id have to tent it there. oh oh oh... last important question do i need a boat or can i snorkel out of the trunk of my car???

**freedivernd** · 08-20-2008, 11:30 AM,

sorry, .. "still" is "stick" mispelled...as in "stick to snorkel".. I most always snorkel outta the car.

We have a place up at North Star Resort on Leech Lake. They allow camping, but there are all kinds of state and other camp grounds in the area. Tenting up there this time of the year is great.. wife and I, even though we have a place, still pitch the tent on occasion.

I don't think they'll open the dam anymore this year unless we get torrential rain falls.. it's usually a spring thing where they let more than the average amount of water out of Big Winnie lake.