Out & About

OUTPADDLE

910 lakes and counting

Minnesotans call her The Kayak Lady.

For 12 years, Mary Shideler, 46, has been on a mission to paddle her hand-built kayak on all 1,007 of the lakes in Itasca County. By July, she was at 910.

The 94-pound massage therapist from Grand Rapids — somewhat lighter than when she started — is down to the lakes that require a bushwack up to 1.5 miles or a swamp slog from the road.

“I’m 50 percent Russian and 100 percent curious,” she says by way of explanation.

“The first 400 or 500 had public access. You could drive to them,” she says. “The next couple hundred were across someone’s land or down a trail, either carrying the boat or dragging it or putting in on the cart. The next couple hundred, I’ve had to bushwhack or use GPS.”

“It’s really weeded out who goes with me,” she says. “It’s getting far more interesting.”

Along with paddling the lakes, she also takes a depth reading and a Secchi-disc reading to determine water clarity. She provides the findings to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Itasca County officials.

Except for one man who told her she was “nuts,” people have been supportive of Shideler’s challenge, she says. Many have allowed her to cross their property to reach a lake.

She plans to finish her quest next summer.

OUTBREAK

Clean boats required

Recreational boaters in Washington are required to remove all aquatic plants from their boats and trailers before driving away from the launch ramp, according to a state law that went into effect July 4.

Violators could face fines up to $378.

Washington state law makes it illegal to transport aquatic plants that may be dispersed unintentionally along roads and highways.

“Noxious weeds such as milfoil are typically spread to lakes on boat trailers and fishing gear,” said Bruce Bjork, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department enforcement chief. “Controlling the extensive spread of milfoil alone has cost the state millions of dollars.”

OUTLOOK

Best fishing times

Lunar tables from the U.S. Naval Observatory. Be fishing at least one hour before and one hour after peak times. Applies to all time zones.

(* indicates best days.)

Through Aug. 10

Today

3:10 p.m., 3:30 a.m.

Monday

3:55 p.m., 4:15 a.m.

Tuesday

4:40 p.m., 5 a.m.

Wednesday

5:20 p.m., 5:45 a.m.

*Thursday

6:05 p.m., 6:30 a.m.

* Friday

6:50 p.m., 7:15 a.m.

* Saturday

7:40 p.m., 8:05 a.m.

Next Sunday

8:30 p.m., 8:55 a.m.

See the Hunting-Fishing Report every Friday in Sports