Fortune Pit - Crystal Falls Michigan - 4K Aerial drone video

[@eddiechip]

Man I remember swimming there as a teen. My grandparents lived just north of there on New Bristol. There was a sweet rope swing on the SW corner...man that water was cold.

[@HaightsWanderings]

The water is still cooold :) I do think the rope swing is still on the SW corner. At least two years ago I saw some kids swinging out on it.

[@iamkazie9401]

Tim Toscano back in the early 80s my cousin owned property there he sold it to the state probably 10-15 years later

[@melindarussell-haight369]

Well, that is truly something! If you are this good now, just imagine where you'll be by the end of the summer.

[@HaightsWanderings]

Hopefully. I just don't want to hit a tree or crash it in the lake...

[@BassManStrikes]

I have pics somewhere of when it was a open pit mine, I will see if i can find them. That's one of my all time favorite scuba diving spots. Last time I was there zebra mussels had started to establish in the shallow warmer water near the edges. There is a weedy section on the north side and the west side were the road went into the pit has some weeds and might hold a few bass or gills.

[@HaightsWanderings]

It's a fun lake/pit. Although no bass or gills currently live in it. It holds a variety of minnows and stocked rainbows and brook trout. The rainbows could be seen from the dock - all in the 6-10 inch range. Although there are some huge ones in there (or were).

[@uncle-andy-guitar-herbst]

Great footage, was just there about 6 weeks ago and someone was scuba diving on the north side of the dock. Interesting strip mine lake. Cool video.

[@HaightsWanderings]

I was there today and someone was scuba diving as well.

[@BassManStrikes]

So are you going to bring that in the Kayak with you?

[@HaightsWanderings]

I don't know. I need to get more comfortable with using it. Not sure how precise I can get it. Would be really hard to take off/land with the yak, but if I got to shore it would be fine.

[@BassManStrikes]

You could dangle a lure from it and catch a smallmouth :-)

[@HaightsWanderings]

I could - but then I am pretty sure it would get pulled in and my warranty would be voided. Although I have seen videos of people flying baits half a kilometer into the ocean and dropping it on tuna to be caught - so it could work with a larger drone.

[@scottb6098]

I like it....well done

[@HaightsWanderings]

Thanks - I look forward to using this drone with my fishing footage.

[@BassManStrikes]

Have you checked the local ordinances on drones? I was shocked at the draconian ones they have in some places in Milwaukee county.

[@HaightsWanderings]

Good question. I believe I did look into it last spring. Specifically I could not bring the drone to places like Sylvania Wilderness as they are banned from use there. As for flying in town - I've never done it so I don't know.

[@BassManStrikes]

Yep, banned in all national parks and most state parks.. I did register mine with the FAA as if a local cop asks you and you don't have it registered you can get in trouble.

[@HaightsWanderings]

Yeah, the FAA thing is important. Gotta have your number with you at all times.

[@BassManStrikes]

If you get the airmap app for your phone it shows the national parks in the UP as restricted, however national Forest like around Ottawa lake are ok unless there is some goofy local ordinances about take off and landing. The locals don't realize they can't control the airspace and sometimes will word the ordinance so it violates federal law. I will be in Iron River(class reunion 😀) this summer so maybe I will see you around, will be hitting Ottawa lake and paint river for sure and maybe bad water lake or paint pond. Have to see 👍

[@HaightsWanderings]

Yeah, it's such a new feature that many places are still new to the idea of drones. Email me when you are closer to the date. Depending on time we might be able to do something.

[@iamkazie9401]

Kind of reminds me of the old Bristol mine just out of Crystal Fall s a few miles down US 2

[@BassManStrikes]

That is the Bristol mine, fortune pit is what it's also known as. I have scuba dived it many times. On the south side there used to be a rope you could swing into the water off of. Technically it's the new Bristol open pit mine. The original was a shaft mine. The pit operated from the 50s until early 70s I believe.

[@HaightsWanderings]

As BassMan said, this is the same one. In town we call in Fortune Pit... or at least some people do.

[@BassManStrikes]

Some people also call it Fortune Pond :-)

[@iamkazie9401]

BassMan Strikes my cousin used to own property there back in the 70s& early 80s he finally sold because the insurance was to high

[@BassManStrikes]

Bet he wishes he still had it :-)

[@MrPaulinmi]

How was the fishing? Cool video.

[@BassManStrikes]

Very little fish in it except trout they plant in the spring, by Aug trout are fished out.

[@HaightsWanderings]

As BassMan mentioned - fishing is generally poor. Some trout, but not much to speak about.

[@BassManStrikes]

It must have low dissolved oxygen or something as birds etc would have deposited fish eggs with the close proximity of Fortune Lake. There are rainwater detention ponds down here is southeast wisc that have more fish than that pit does.

[@jojensen7118]

I lived near their ,3 milesif that alm my childhood and encountered bigfoots. My mum later before her stroke said she'd feed them, which now old myself, Iots makes sense to things that happen around our home... anyone else had encounters?

[@izzymorgan2461]

Nice!

[@HaightsWanderings]

Glad you enjoyed it - I hurried in putting it together - when I have more time I am sure it will be nicer.