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I hope you had a chance to take in at least one of the Memorial Day services over the weekend.  I think the sheer number of people who turned out seemed to be greater this year than in the past.  Maybe it had something to do with the weather being so dreary, nonetheless, it was great seeing so many paying their respects to our Veterans.

In this Press, you will find a spread that features the Chisago Lakes Senior High graduating class.  The pages feature a huge class photo and grad names as well as many local businesses that have chosen to sponsor this keepsake. If your soon-to-be grad is in the picture and you would like extra copies for your scrapbook or grandparents, make sure you contact us sooner than later.  We will have plenty on hand, but they will run out like they do each year.
Speaking of seniors, I would like to take this time to personally congratulate this amazing group of kids.  I have come to know many of the graduating class, and I can honestly say, this class is exceptional.  I am positive we are looking at future leaders, educators, and upstanding citizens.  No matter what career path you choose, I am sure you will be great at it.

We have aways supported local fishermen here at the Press.  I am a huge fan of local fishing.  I think of myself as a fair-to-middlin fisherman.  That is until my son goes with me, then I am a terrible fisherman and he assumes the pro status.  We always like to take pictures of the fish we caught, usually to prove to friends that we actually caught a fish, but occasionally because the one we did catch is fairly large.  This is where you come into play.  We want your fish photos!  

If you caught a good sized fish locally, we would love to put it in the paper.  It is up to you if you want to say where you caught the fish, but we at least would like the lake and date and the fishing spot should be in this county  please.  I had a guy on Sunday tell me he caught a 20 inch Largemouth Bass on South Lindstrom Lake.  There is a tip for you.  Send photos to [email protected].

This weekend is the annual Carp Contest.  The contest has been re-named and is now called “Extreme Bow Fishing Tournament”.  Still sponsored by the Chisago Lakes Lions Club and Frankies Bait and Marine, the contest begins and wraps up at Frankie’s instead if Lions Park.  
There is still time to get into the tournament.  The cost is $150 per boat.  The payout is a 100 percent payback along with some great prizes including three G3 boats.  The tournament takes place on multiple lakes in our area and hunters will draw which lake they will be hunting in.

For those of you who are maybe a little put off by people taking so many fish out of our lakes, trust me when I say it is a great service these fishermen are doing for our lakes.  

Carp are a “rough” fish.  Meaning they multiply very rapidly, and they destroy lakes quickly.  They root up and destroy vegetation as well as eat other fish eggs, thus keeping the sport fishing populations down.  

If excess carp were not bad for lakes, why then would the DNR harvest them?  Like it or not, we have a Carp problem.  So thank you to Frankie’s and the Lions for hosting this event.  If you would like to enter the tournament please call Frankie’s Marine at 651-257-6334.

The tournament runs Friday night through Saturday, May 30, with a 10 a.m. weigh-in.

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