Memorial Weekend Horror Stories

[WAeyes]

Memorial weekend has never been kind to me as far as traveling, camping, fishing etc. This year I stayed home and did some local fishing. Not much action, but when all the lunatics got in my personal space, it was very easy to say "lets go home" only 10 minutes away. Last year was a different story. We drove 4 1/2 hours to fish my supposed "hot spot". Having never been there before, we didn't know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised to find a brand new campground that had many available spaces for tent camping. We did notice though that it was on an Indian Reservation and they said it was free camping for the weekend. Hmm...free camping with spotless, brand new facilities and a casino to to gamble? "OK, I'll stay here", besides it was real close to where I wanted to fish. The only catch was they were having a "jamboree" this weekend. No big deal right? They must be going to show off some of their culture, thats fine. We set up camp in an almost empty campground and everything was just peachy. After a few hours go by we notice the vehicles start coming in, one after another after another. Wow, it's filling up now, glad we got a spot. Pretty soon we notice a stage being put up and alot of Indians getting dressed up in the headgear and all the native clothing. We decide to go down the road and do some fishing before dark. While we were fishing we heard some chanting going on in the distance. "Wow, this really is an Indian reservation". After a couple hours of slow fishing,(one shaker) we decide to go back to the camp. After getting out of the truck, we couldn't believe it. There was one group after another chanting for rain or peace or whatever. They had microphones, amplifiers, and speakers that would rival any rock concert. IT WAS LOUD! So this is what a jamboree is. Well, hopefully this won't last much longer right? How about until 4:00 AM. We got 2 hours of sleep after they stopped, and then went fishing. Certainly they won't do this again tonight? Wrong, in fact it started back up again at 7:00 AM. Well, it must have been a wind dance because it started gusting to 50 mph. This is just great, now what? We decide there is no way we are going to put up with this for another night. We call around for an available motel room or campsite...nothing. Remember, it's Memorial weekend! After taking down the campsite in the gusty winds and taking a shower in the now disgusting bathrooms, (vomit,blood,fesces) we get in the truck and drive straight home. 9 total hours of driving and home on Saturday night...exhausted. This experience may have scarred me for life. Anyone else have a bad experience over Memorial weekend? Misery loves company!

[BD]

Long ago,even before there were jet skis, there were water skiers and other assorted crazed idiots on the lake every holiday. I stay home and work in the garden etc. until the long weekend crazies go home. It beats throwing a fit because I can't shoot the lot of them.

[Hunter]

I know how you feel, drove 4 hours to the cottage on the weekend. Only to get within 2 miles of it, and hit a deer. Great way to start a weekend, at least we ate very well.

[cisco]

On the lake where I live there is a narrow, deep bay that extends inland about 400 yards -- at the entrance there is a buoy with the "no wake" info displayed for all to see -- BUT, it seems no one sees it -- half to 3/4 throttle is norm.

I saw plenty of discourteous and intrusive activity (trollers crowding still fishers, etc.), but it bothered me most to see guys calmly puffing on cigarettes, then flipping them into the water. Certainly it's possible to keep cigarette butts on board, if a guy really has to smoke.

[TBO/MN]

This was not a good weekend for these two:

Struggle Caused Boat To Take On Water
FERGUS FALLS, Minn., 10:42 a.m. CDT May 28, 2001 -- Otter Tail County authorities say that a man drowned over the Memorial Day weekend while fishing on a lake northeast of Fergus Falls.

The victim has been identified as James Scheffler, 44, of Harlan, Iowa.

Scheffler and another man were trying to land a fish on Fish Lake Saturday afternoon when items in their boat shifted, causing the boat to take on water.

Both men tried to swim to safety but Scheffler went under about 75 feet from shore. The second man made it to shore and called authorities for help.

Scheffler's body was found about two hours later.

Must have been one of those Minnesota GIANT walleyes.....

Good Fishin'
TBO/MN

[WAeyes]

Hunter, can we assume you weren't eating Walleye Florentine? LOL

[Hunter]

That deer was gutted and buchered pracically before it hit the ground. Was suprised only lost the neck and 1 front quarter, Ive seen slugs do more damage.

[gertzie]

Headed to the lake today about 10 to 3 got about 10 miles down the interstate ,and came up on an accidents,traffic was stating to back up behind me, got pulled over and then look up the road about 350 feet seen a body laying in the middle of the left lane not moving and a body on the shoulder of the right lane rolling around,blood every where, was not a petty site. Had to medivac one and bagged the other. It was the last thing I thought i would see on the way to the lake.My thought really go out for that family, may GOD BLESS them and look over their family tonight.

[Box]

That "butt" thing really gets me too, Cisco. My Dad doesn't smoke anymore, but I always made sure he ripped off the filter and put them into his pocket instead of the lake, or I'd kick his "butt". I also make anyone else in our boat do the same if they smoke. It's funny, now a couple guys who we fish with have little cans for their filters in their boats... hehe... maybe it would catch on some day.

As for Memorial day. I fished a local lake (caught nice eyes on Sat and Sunday morns, but none on Monday...) all three days, but went out from 4 am till about 9, when the rookies started hitting the lake. Then a 3 minute drive home. It works nice on these busy weekends. Didn't see anything weird except a lot of people who don't know how to operate their boats or motors.

Box in MN

[Hawgeye]

I have to say it was a pretty non-event filled weekend. I have to agree with some of the previous posts about going close to home so leaving is not an issue.

I also have to respond regarding "rookies". WOW, is it fun to just sit at the landing and watch people that use a boat once a year! While waiting to load my boat, I saw three things that seem to happen every year.

One is the tie strap still hooked to the trailer bit. No matter how high the throttle went, the boat did not move.

Second would have to be backing the trailer so far in that loading the boat is impossible. Watched a guy for 20 minutes try to load his boat.

Third was the old "I can power load on a cement landing with the trailer in shallow" grrrruuunch!!! as the prop dug into the cement! OUCH, that prop is shot!

[Eyez]

That's about how mine went too. Wife, kid and I went out for a bit on a lake a few miles from home monday. When we got back to the ramp to load, there was a boat tied to each side of the dock, kids fishing out the back of both of them, parents standing on the dock chatting. I sat there for 5 minutes just idling, and they didn't move. I left and came back 15 minutes later, and they were still there, but this time they got the point and moved the boat. I think we need signs on all the ramps.. "This is not a parking spot, take your turn and get the heck out of the way."


Eyez

[Grey Wolf]

I agree with all the fun and stupid things one can see over the Memorial Day Weekend. I've got one that never happened before and don't want to repeat. Did the politically correct thing this weekend, and instead of going fishing to my place on Mille Lacs went to the girfriends cabin on a small lake in Northern MN. We left my boat home because she has a run about on her lake, in fact I didn't even bring a fishing rod. I survived the weekend without wetting a line, played with the kids rods off the dock, but that was about it. We decided we would wait and go home around 4:00 in the afternoon. One mile from cabin, transmission on the Suburban pukes! Not fun, do I turn around and head for the cabin, or head for town. Well, I made it to town, got a hotel room and though ok, I'm here for the night with girlfriend three kids and all our junk. Called her brother who is wonderful. Him and his dad show up about 10:00 PM with a pickup with a flatbed trailer, and his 4 door pickup. We loaded the sub on the trailer and headed home. Got home at 2:00 AM. That is a Memorial Day weekend that I don't want to repeat. It's great to have family like that.

[Kelly]

I saw a guy at the public access near Myr Mar Marina back his new Ford pick up and trailer into the water or should I say onto the dock.Blew the tire on the trailer and scratched the side of the truck.OUCH!!Acted as if nothing happened.

[Walleye Guy]

Got up to the lake to catch me some walleyes and before I could get the boat in the water,my wife went into labor.Or as I said when we got back to the cities FALSE labor.I did enjoy watching the Indy 500 though.No baby yet,I still love her :-)

[Lou in Alex.]

Aside from a little rain- my only complaint was the hoardes of mosquitos(sp) and ticks. The ticks were so bad- I slapped a mosquito- and it had two woodticks on it. Lou in Alex.

[EB]

I thought I'd mention that it's not all doom and gloom everywhere, there are alot of good people out even on holiday weekends. I had my wife and 18 month old son up to the lake where we are building a home. Our place is on a small bay that has some largemouth and pike in it. We were sitting down by the water eating lunch and right in front of us were two guys pitching jigs into the shoreline reeds. They were only about 15 feet away from us when I see the guy up front tense up and set the hook. Out of the water comes about a three pound bass, and my little boy got pretty excited by the action. The guy lands the fish, held it out for my son to see and then carefully slipped it back into the water right where he pulled it from. My wife and son really enjoyed the show, and the guys got a kick out of my wifes applause for catching a fish.
About 10 minutes later I see a small boat pulling a pontoon boat back into our little bay. I recognized the gentleman in the pontoon as a neighbor on the opposite shore. Apparently he was out fishing when his motor quit. So along comes a stranger in his little 14 ft boat with 9 hp motor and offers to tow the pontoon. The guy in the small boat was spending the weekend at a campground on the lake and thought the older gent looked like he needed a hand. All in all for me a great Memorial weekend!

[Eyez]

Is that the same Lou that's been MIA for so long?

Anyway, nice to see you back. :)


Eyez

[Joe]

Everytime I went to hook up boat it started to rain. Spent alot of time on couch. Best Memorial ever!

[WAeyes]

Interesting stories guys but lets not get too serious. My post was meant to be more of a humorous reminder of the crazy things that happen to us during the holiday weekend. Did Tough Guy go fishing over the weekend?

[MarkG]

Learned long ago that best thing for me was to volunteer to work Memorial day weekends,get payed double time,and an extra day off,and take my long weekend some other time. Seriously dislike dealing with the Memorial day traffic and crowds!

[Buckeye]

My Memorial day weekend plans got ruined by the weather. Rain on Thursday and Friday which put an end to trying to finish up planting beans and starting to bale hay. I was hoping for nice weather to get all that done but since it rained I was forced to take the kids fishing on Saturday evening (tough decision). Fished 1 hr 45 min before it rained again and chased us in but got a limit and a half of really nice fish. Sunday it rained 15 minutes after we got out there so we went to see the new movie Shreck. Monday we fished 3 hrs and brought 3 limits home. My 10 year old daughter got a 9.9lb. 29" fish that really put a smile on her face. After cleaning fish we bagged all but enough for dinner, fired up the cooker, and had a great meal.

Gotta love living close to Lake Erie. Make having those ruined holiday weekend plans easier to take.