Waconia LIONS annual "Take a Kid Fishing" Event

THANKS to our Waconia LIONS for choosing our marina to once again host their annual "Take a Kid Fishing" event on Saturday, 7/23rd! About 35 kids shared donuts & juice while they received new rod and reel combos and goody bags of tackle & treats to take home! Even though the day was cut short by storm conditions, the kids are rigged & learned how to get fish- next time they go out!

Fun Event on Lake Waconia!

A big thanks to Avtex , who brought 100's of employees to Waconia on Friday, 7/22. One of the lucky groups was bused to the In Towne Marina. About 80 lucky guests enjoyed fishing Lake Waconia out of our marina. Travis Frank of Trophy Encounters Guide Service, along with several other local guides he recruited, showed the Avtex group a good time on the water.

Our 4 Marina Rental Pontoons were also filled with groups touring the lake & having fun in the sun! Island View Country Club hosted a coinciding golf group while more were bused to visit the Arboretum. All joined together at 1pm for lunch at Waconia s' Regional Park & Event Center- & also to share games at the beach & grounds ! What a great business - and lucky workers! Thank you especially to Keith Rachey, Waconia resident & Avtex exec, for introducing your company and employees to Waconia for their fun day!

End July 2011 Waconia Fishing Report

As July 2011 wraps up, this month will be remembered for weather extremes! Changing strong winds, heavy rain, temperature & humidity spikes kept us watchful while on or in the water!

This past week it either felt like or was 100 for a few days!

High temps can be good and bad for fishing- some species get much more aggressive- making for great fun. However, if you intend to catch & release- take extra care not to overtire fish before releasing. Heat makes it tough for fish to recover from battling your hook. Live bait & fish kept for a meal, will stay more lively & fresh if kept in a cooler or on ice, rather than on a stringer or in a live well. Keep fish & bait cool, & the fish will stay firm, fresh & safe to eat. Also, bait kept cool [we share refrigerated water for FREE] won't have to be disposed of if it's NOT held in lake-water [new exotics law]. Drag out the old Coleman cooler for hot days, you'll win all the way around!

Bass

These fish have been the go-to fish for a few weeks now! Their numbers have been excellent this year. Guys are finding them in all types of terrain, such as reefs shallows and break-lines. To start the day, grab a top water bait -throw it in the shallow shorelines or move to

Cemetery, Reds or Center Reefs to try a spinner-bait or a jig and a leech.

Sunfish

Sunfish are as active as ever, if you don't mind waiting to find the ones to keep & release the young for future outings. Those finding sizable fish to stay in the boat, locate them in weed pockets near or on reefs, in 12-15 feet of water. Most productive reefs have been Center, North, and Kegs. This week those using a small jig tipped with a small leech or wax worm, had luck.

It's good to finally complain about "hot" weather- it seemed like it would never arrive! There's lots of Summer left, and fun to be had! Hope you come here to enjoy it!

See you here, on beautiful Lake Waconia!

The Mase Family & Staff,

In Towne Marina

Slip & Buoy Customer Appreciation Day 2011

Saturday, July 16th we enjoyed gathering with our slip and buoy members and their families to thank them for choosing to share their boating summer with us at the In Towne Marina. It turned out to be a great, albeit hot day for the festivities. We started the day with a "laid back" small fishing contest for them. The winning bass was a 3 lb 8 oz. lunker caught by young Haileigh Norling (see photo), representing the Wong family. Jon Ragnow was the winner in the Crappie portion by catching a 5-ouncer. The Wellhausen family had a hoot watching their granddaughter Dyllan catch the winning sunfish that weighed near 4 oz. Marina Gift Certificates were awarded in all 3 categories.

After the contest, we provided lunch for all attending, as members listened for their name to be drawn to win one of over $600 total value in FREE drawing prizes. There were lots of smiles, especially on the faces of the kids when their name was called. Every child received something! The Grand Prize ticket ($100 Gift Certificate) was awarded to sailors Dave and Jane Shaw (see photo).

All in all, we couldn't have been happier with the turnout and the day. Thanks to those who could join us and also those who couldn't make it. We can't thank you enough for the opportunity to do business with you. We are blessed to say, ALL our marina customers are the BEST! Slip and buoy members help make it possible for our family to continue serving all lake users. Thanks for partying with us! See you at the lake!

July 6th Fishing Report

Summer is finally here! We want to thank everyone who celebrated Independence Day weekend with us! It was an enjoyable and problem-free weekend, with a spectacular fireworks show as always on the 4th. Special thanks to the Waconia Lions Club for their great work putting on the show, as well as the Waconia Chamber of Commerce and the many who donated to the effort.

The last few days have been great for boaters of all kinds. Water temps are in the mid to high 70's, which makes for excellent water sports and summer pattern fishing.

Panfish

If you're just looking to keep busy, smaller sunfish will always be hanging out by most docks in swallow water. Now that the spawn is mostly over out here on Waconia, we need to start thinking deeper water. Sunfish will hide themselves in the weeds on the reefs such as Center and Keg's. If you find a weed line and drop down a small jig and a wax worm, or a small chunk of angleworm you'll have a good chance to find a few nice sunfish.

Bass

Since there is a lot mid lake structure there are a lot of areas for the big bass to take cover. Cemetery and Red's seem to be producing the most fish off the points and where you can find a few rocks. Bright spinner-baits and lip-less crankbaits have been the most popular choice while a Texas-rig worm wouldn't be a bad try. The most popular live bait continues to be large or jumbo leeches.

Walleye

Water temps are rising which sends the walleyes deeper. Like every year Keg's is a great spot to hit every night with a jig and a leech or a jig and a minnow. Most reports are coming from 14-16 feet of water on the edges of the reefs.

It looks like the forecasters are predicting continued "Summer-like" weather and temperatures in the low to mid 80's for the next week. Take advantage of this great weather and join us on Lake Waconia for continued boating fun and fishing!