It all started with a simple email from The Analist that was intended to be helpful and informative...

• Was out on Pokegama today. Ice is 85% off. Was told it went out 2 days ago. What is left is mostly broken ice/slush and is concentrated on the East side of the main lake. Navigation across lake is not a problem. Catching crappies was, however. My brother and I fished from 10am -3pm and caught 6 fish. 4 Largemouth bass and 2 White Bass. No crappies. - Analist
• I was up that way on Wednesday and this morning. The ice covers about half of the lake. I agree that it should be out by next week. The Snake river is still pretty high. -Nasty
• Does anyone know, can OJ go fishing? -Old Fart
• I hear forecast of 2-3" of rain for north of Brainerd for Friday. I bet this system slows down a bit and moves over Pine City for Saturday. The folks in Pine City should buy flood insurance TODAY! - Mama's Boy
• We may need to start running public announcements in local papers:"Waterdogs are coming...batten down the hatches" - Carmen
• A little rain , cold weather and wind. A perfect dog tournament! -Bud
• OJ will be added to the team of L Angel and Felix for the Crappie event giving us 25 participants. The ice is out on Pokey Gama and normal Waterdog weather is moving in for Sat. Don't forget your 2008 fishing and boat licenses. -Shatner
• I can't wait to feel the sleet pounding on my back as I try and bait the hook with frozen fingers. - Fishdick
• Just put a little bear grease on your face and you will never feel the pain of the frozen rain. -Bud
• I heard a rumour that Shorty bought a new boat with central heating. - Greenstick
• And HD TV. -Shorty
• I'll bring the movies that will keep us toasty. - Carmen
• Buick will be paired with OJ giving us 26 participants and 13 two man teams. They can decide who will Captain. Stay tuned. -Shatner
• I just check the DNR website - 2007 MN fishing licenses are good through April 30th this year. Make sure you bring either your '07 or '08 fishing license.-Buick
• What is that about Buick. I'm looking at my 07 license and it says it expires on 2-29-08. Whats up? - Old Fart
• Must be one of those changes to the regs that was not publicized like the end of the musky season? Do we expect to run into a warden tomorrow? A government employee just as crazy as 26 Waterdogs to be out this weather. - Carmen
• Checking the forecast for Pine City they're calling for 2-4" of snow tonight. Are we sure we're going to be able to maneuver & launch boats (safely)? Just hate to have 13 guys worth of gas get up there, or 1/2 way up there to find undoable conditions. Not trying to wimp out but..... -Rocky.
• I just checked and tomorrow temp there 41 with 20-30 mph winds and rain/snow. do we have a backup date? - Carmen
• Back-up date was made available. Why not use it? - Fluffee
• Bunch of women. -Nasty
• I agree I agree I agree. Let's reschedule!!!!!!!! I admit it I'm a wimp, but by next week the fishing will be expediential better once the water warms!!!!! -Shorty
• Bring a shovel. Let's fish. - Helen
• Guys, I have a suggestion, why don't we all fly down to Florida and fish with the SUN The tarpon are starting to bite!!!!! Don't we have something in the bylaws about minimum temperatures for tournaments? -Shorty
• I think there's some really, really small print between subsections 4f and 4g (it almost looks like a smudge) but when you magnify it, it says that temperatures are measured in Kelvin degrees and as long as there's a reading, we're fishing. -Greenstick
• Hey the silver lining to this wonderful weather is I’ll bet we have the landing to ourselves! Although I’ll have to admit Shorty’s idea sounds much more sane. - Analist
• I'm wondering more about the safety of people & equipment if we indeed have snow on the ground on the way up & at the landing. - Rocky
• There's a difference between fishing and catching fish. The latter is less likely tomorrow. - Fluffee
• Kojak needs to give us his boat in a ditch story from a few years ago. It was snowing, Icy and guess what he wound up in a ditch!!!! - Shorty
• Why do we have the alternate date anyway? In case of...? If it's changed, some guys will not be able to make it, but others who couldn't make tomorrow will be able to do the next Saturday. I can go either date, but I guess it would be better not to be wearing both the long johns and the rain gear, not to mention the dork hat. Tournament committee make a decision - and soon! -Fishdick
• I agree I agree I agree. Fish Dick you are very Eloquent. -Shorty
• This is the result of scheduling March, April, and October tournaments. What do you expect during these months? Guys with strong opinions should be on the tournament committee next year. -Nasty
• I am not fishing the tourney, we have five priests being ordained that morning and I not sure if I would be able to make the makeup date. Either way, as an outsider, I think you guys are nuts if you can reschedule and you do not. Fr. Bertha
• AMEN!!! -Shorty
• We had the same discussions a month ago. Turned out to be a pretty good tournament - Nasty
• I have a strong opinion. We did pick a back-up date. I vote use it. -Fluffee
• Temps at 27degrees with snow is great for ice fishing, but in a boat. We have an alternate date Let’s use it. And I will be there next week. Whine Whine Whine -Shorty
• Fishdick, whatsamatterwiththedorkhat??? It makes you look... well.... distinguished isn't quite the right word.... -Greenstick
• What can I say? Chicks dig it! -Fishdick
• The tournament is being rescheduled to alternate date due to safety concerns with possible ice conditions. I apologize for not getting out sooner but have been watching forecast. Each updated forecast seems to be colder. Please update Banana Boy on your ability to participate next week. -Shatner

The following Friday night, around 7:00 p.m....

• Guys, not to beat a dead horse and for the benefit of the captains who have to drive up to Pine City. Weather forecast is calling for snow, 20 to 30 MPH winds NNW until 12:00 noon. Needless to say driving conditions will be challenging at best, the landing from reports will be more than challenging, and the fishing will be probably hopeless. The question that begs to be ask.  WHY ARE WE DOING THIS!!!! I know everybody is excitingly anticipating munching on a soggy subway sandwich in the cold and the rain. Wouldn't be a lot more fun guys culling for larger fish instead of desperately trying to catch a 9 inch counter. Tournament Committee, how about taking the bull by the horns and reschedule. By the way, I'm not captaining, Kojak was kind enough to offer his boat with a cover and full windshield. But he still has to drive up!!!! I await your advices  -Shorty
• Sorry once again but after talking to a number of Dogs we are canceling the crappie tournament. Next week is the opener so we may look at still slipping it in maybe mid summer. I did not want to rely on the e-mail only so we called all the captains and they were to call their little buddies. May the sun shine on your face and the wind be at your back. OK a light breeze. -Little Angel
  
  As it turned out, the sun came out around 10am, it was breezy and cool, but no snow or rain.

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