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McCook Gazette
Letter to the Editor

Open Macklin Bay

Monday, June 28, 2010

Dear Editor,

The good news is Swanson Lake is now high enough you can launch a boat at the boat ramp in Macklin Bay. The bad news is you can't get your boat through the trees to get to the lake.

The Game Commission, National Turkey Federation and others spent thousands of dollars the past few years removing trees on the Republican River to try and save water, but they did not pay any attention to the trees blocking off Macklin Bay.

Maybe some thought the lake would never be high enough to use the ramp again. I've lived across the road since 1975 and witnessed the lowering and rising of the lake into the bay three different times. Each time most thought we were out of business, but it always managed to come back.

The Game Commission was quick to put Swanson on their minimum maintenance list, but then, OOPS, Red Willow had to be drained and all their resources are were concentrated on an overgrown duck pond.

Then, lo and behold, the fish started biting at Swanson and the Game Commission started advertising that it had the best catchable population of walleye in the state. So here come the fishermen in droves and we had one little skinny-ass boat ramp with one dock to handle the crowd.

The Macklin Bay ramp is the best facility on the lake. It has the perfect slope to unload a boat, it has a nice parking area close to the ramp, and is the easiest access from the highway and it is by far the safest, best protected to load a boat when an evening thunderstorm comes roaring down the lake.

Oh, by the way, it also has a brand new handicapped toilet facility and a fish cleaning station that is still waiting to be taken out of winter storage.

I see this as a real problem with management and foresight of the people entrusted with the care of our resources but maybe that is just me.

I think our Game Commission personnel should be required to take a trip to Lake Oahe in South Dakota and see how the Army Corp of Engineers builds and maintains boat launching facilities. This would be far more productive than argueing whether or not we should be able to drink beer on the lake

Paul J. Forch

Trenton

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  • How about our Game Commission just having an education or a brain with some good ole common sense, oops sorry, that won't go over well in Nebr. Jamie, maybe you should suggest they hire the goats from the Petersons at Enders or others to clear the trees and shrubs and then they would have plenty of money to clean Macklin Bay

    -- Posted by Oh what a wonderful day on Mon, Jun 28, 2010, at 4:48 PM

  • Maybe when Tom Baker gets reelected they will get something done, at least the people in Lincoln had respect for him and his intelligence. Keep up the good work Paul (J****). We need Bob Turpin there to clean things up.

    -- Posted by geewhiz on Mon, Jun 28, 2010, at 4:51 PM

  • They really missed the opportunity to clean things up when the lake was low. Made a lughingstock with their minimum maintenance BS at Swanson. So is it still min maint? Is it now being taken care of.

    A few years ago I asked one of the G&P guys when they were going to do some habitat work with some food plots and other stuff at Swanson and his answer was, "We don't care about Swanson we have more imporrtant places to take care of like Harlan." This person is no longer with G&P but the mindset is certainly still there.

    -- Posted by Chaco1 on Tue, Jun 29, 2010, at 8:34 AM

  • Back in early spring I took six pictures of the area around macklin bay. Three were the ramp area and of the cattail investation in the bay area.The other pictures were of the trees in the bay. I wrote notes on the pictures, describing what to do in killing of the cattail plus I gave them the name of an aqua vegitation killer that won't harm the marine life. It's on the internet.The pictures were 8x10's One would think there bio- people would of this product? I also told him too send the workcamp people up there with pole saws and a pontoon boat.

    That just happens to be parked at the fish&game station,up by Straton. I told Amack how the job could be done, and in a safe manor. Cut the trees 1-2 foot under the waterline, I was just up here this past sunday and there starting the irrigation cannel release which would be a good time too start cutting and draging trees into deeper parts of the lake for fish habit structors. These pictures and the things that I have mention were send too MR.REX AMACK I didn't hear a word back from him . Like thanks for your concern for our state lakes and fisheries. I think it high time for (term limits) on state game and parks offials (who ride a desk). I think its time to show these biger than god acting and thinking jerks!! just where the hell our licesens and permits money is too go. WE should also show them and tell them the states West boundry doesn't end at Hasting and Kearny. I also would like too say this job of taking care three lakes is too **** big for one or two people. It's also time too clean out the District H.Q.'s in North Platte. Mr. Forch I thankyou for your letter you wrote. If we people that live out here don't start to stand up and speak up, nothing will never get done or fixed. Why should we have to wait for two years too get a **** dam fixed I feel its' time for senator Nelson too come home and start being a man. Start kicking some butts senator. To mr. Amack I say if you ever read this. You sir owe me an achknowledgement, of the pictures and notes that I sent too you.!! THINK TERM LIMITS FOR ALL ( DESK RIDING) GAME & PARKS PERSONAL. Talk and call the State Representive get him to introduce a bill for term limits. If these people can't get the job done try some one new.

    -- Posted by stpm43 on Tue, Jun 29, 2010, at 3:22 PM

  • How right you are Paul J.

    Its so hard to believe what weather cycles and The famous G. & P's can or can`t do. It also would help if they had people working at Swanson.

    You as well as many others have seen Swanson lake come and go with the weather cycles.

    It`s hard to understand why THE NEBRASKA GAME & PARKS can`t figure it out the cycles and what to do.

    I guess the G & P and most commissioners are looking at bigger $$$$$

    (Like trying to lifting the drinking ban)

    Maybe they need some more Assistants to help REX.

    Looks like its time for the Govenor to get rid of the director, 3 assistants and commissioners!! Maybe we need someone that has a interest in the lakes and wildlife with some common sense rather than sit around brag, about how great they are and what they have done.

    It seems they can`t even control the deer & turkey populations.

    Yes, geewhiz, I am sure Tom Baker will make a big difference when he gets elected again in dist 44. We need a man to help S. W Nebraska, and the rest of the state with many problems!!

    -- Posted by Just a reader on Wed, Jun 30, 2010, at 7:39 PM
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