Eelpout Fest-Walker Bay Ice

[Ice Ranger]

We plan on coming up to the Eel Pout festivities.

I'll tell you right now. This will be my first time I won't be cutting my line when I see I've hooked a pout...

[SomethingFishy*]

Never fished leech, I may have to check it out for the pout festival. I should hurry up and make a decision what lake I want to set the house on for that weekend. My girlfriend and I were supposed to head uo to URL but now she is stuck working, but atleast it won't stop me from fishing.

[WalleyeMaster87]

Hey everyone! this will be my first year at pout fest! im excited to finally be making it there! Hope to see some of ya there! And good luck to everyone!

[GoggleEye]

Oh yeahhhhh, only one more week till poutfest!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait! Those pout are in for it this year. I am going to win it this time boys! That grand prize is mine! (I'm talking about the beer drinking contest though ).

GoggleEye

[teresa]

I'm venturing to my first Poutfest next weekend as well. Looking forward to some fishing and fun.

[Sarpy Creek Boy]

What are you guys going to do now that Peppers is shut down.

For you Pout newbies, you are going to miss having fun in that bar...

[GoggleEye]

The fun has always been on the ice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you kidding me???? You don't need a single bar to have fun on this weekend!!!!! The action is around the city that develops on the ice in Walker Bay. Good fishing, cold beer, great atmosphere, lots of great people, and a party that doesn't stop till sun up........what more could you ask for??!!

GE

[GoggleEye]

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[Sarpy Creek Boy]

GoogleEye wrote:

The fun has always been on the ice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you kidding me????

Actually, the fun does start on the ice and continues on the ice but tradition in our camp was go to Peppers and hook up with our friends from some of the other camps for a few before we went back on the ice. It's not like we spend the whole weekend in a bar maybe an hour or two, on Friday night.

Peppers was a great place and it's too bad they sold it for some developer to come in there and put up God knows what.

[GoggleEye]

Ya, that is too bad that they sold to a developer. Traditions are being lost everyday because of this type of stuff......oh well, just make new traditions I guess.

GE

[BucksnDucks]

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[anamod]

This will be my first time couple questions. Do most people come up on friday put out the permanant and leave the ice on Sun?

I assume most people stay on the ice at night and party?

Any things I must bring to make it more enjoyable?

[Ice Ranger]

What's the latest on the ice conditions?

[Gofishleech]

Ice conditions are good with over 20 inches and up to 25 of so. If your drilling in a drop down house an extention is helpfull.

Travel on walker bay up until today was pretty good, but the little bit of snow and very high winds have caused some drifting.

If the pout fest would have been today it would have been a nightmare!!!!!!

[jigginjim]

Anyone ever sleep in a tent during the contest?

[mnclayshooter]

Just got back to the cities after a frigid weekend off of Pine Point. Friday night was pretty nice - we were able to walk around a bit and chase a couple of schools of fish around, but Sat AM the cold front came through and the bite shut off. The roads all pretty much drifted over... had to dig ourselves a path back to the launch. Not much to speak of fishing-wise... a few tiny (3-4") perch and a few 7-8" perch.

Good luck to everyone! Hopefully the weather turns better for the 'pout!

[dirtking]

I will be there as Puddleduck noted. I'm bringing three newbies - should be fun! I missed tying 10th place last year by .2 lbs - game on this year.

[GoggleEye]

Hey JigginJim, people sleep in just about anything during the eelpout fest. Some of the stuff you see is just plain crazy during this weekend. If you have an insulated tent, that wouldn't be too bad I wouldn't think. A non-insulated tent and you may need a couple heaters in there with ya. Just make sure to have some ventilation as I would hate to see anyone pass away from carbon monoxide exposure during pout fest!! My group of Buddies and I always take my friend's camper and then build an enclosed ice fishing area off of his camper with 2x4's and construction grade plastic wrap. We just staple the plastic into the 2x4 walls that we build and we have a nice enclosed fishing area to jig and cook all our food and play cards. It's pretty cool. Plus you get a bunch of people stopping by to shoot the bull and hang out, which is what the weekend is all about.

GoggleEye

[wasssit]

they have the polar plunge at city park, that's always fun to watch. most everything is in walking distance, so you don't need to drive. noboby wants a dui. Gotta check out all the bigger tents at night, the ice is rockin. Don't forget to eat the eelpout nuggets, yumyum.

[Doop]

DIRTKING....hey if you get a second..I have a couple questions about Reed Lake in Manitoba..would you mind emailing me?

jensenmd@hotmaildotcom

[cluelessfisherman]

I have heard that people fish deeper on Leech than on most other pouting lakes - like 40+ feet. It that true?

This will be my first time as well. Look for a green 8x16 with a white 4 door ram outside and stop by!!!

[bigyooper]

Big Yooper will be there for my first time, Chefrey, do you need any help frying fish, I've worked with you before and I could probably handle it again. let me know if you need a couple hours.

[ImissReeds]

Some of the best advice I received about Pout Fest over a decade ago (when I was in my crazy mid twenties) was from my college buddy. I asked what type of fishing tackle to bring along on the ice. He said " I'd advise you not to bring anything you want to bring back home in one piece!" I thanked him later.

I saw para sailing behind a pickup,

snow skiing behind snomobiles,

frozen pout broomball, ice volleyball,

skiing behind a snomobile with empty beer cases on feet,

sit and spin contests on top of 'soon to be broken' power augers,

a really drunk guy standing on top of his huge icehouse stripping to his undies in a -40 wind while his couch was in a raging fire on the ice below him and then he jumped into a huge pile of snow from 10ft up (unknown to him it was rock hard and not fluffy)

a ten dollar wristband for all the beer you can drink and hog roast you can eat for the entire wknd in the Pink Flamingo Party Tent (we spent alot of time there because of the cheap beer, food, and women dancing with no upper insulation on picnic tables in front of the DJ and dance area <on ice, inside a tent>)

That's just the stuff I can remember or repeat on here, so if your into fishing, I'd keep your gear away from the masses, if your into people watching you'll have a blast, and if your into drinking and acting dumb you better have a safe driver/babysitter or you'll wind up in the clink nowadays, or worse. Have fun Pouters, I'm too old and married...

[tweeder]

Good luck everyone, we are leaving early friday morning, focus is on fishing more than anything (as I have been the guy with ski's on behind snowmobiles etc... to many times now) but for sure will take the sleds into walker from the cabin to check out the festivities.

[dang]

with the nasty weather and snow coming in I was wondering if anybody plows roads on the bay? coming up fri nite with a sleeper house was wondering if it is going to be possible to get around.

[Tom Linderholm]

 Originally Posted By: bigyooper

Big Yooper will be there for my first time, Chefrey, do you need any help frying fish, I've worked with you before and I could probably handle it again. let me know if you need a couple hours.

If all goes well we should have it under control Nick, spent the past three days getting products ready and currently have everything set to go! Heading over in the am with 1,000+ pounds of food, a trailer grill, 2 fryers and some beverages to get set up. (0 room for Ice gear )

Swing into the tent, thats where we will be set up and I will be there all weekend so the chances of catching me should be 100%. I also caught word that the ice fishing bikini team will be around this weekend so don't miss out.

BTW, thank you very much for your generous offer!

[duckguy]

Went there for the first time last year, got married Feb. 10, left for Vegas (for honeymoon), came back and drove straight from mpls. airport right to Leech for Pout fest and will never miss it again.

[TrailerTrash]

How does the ice look for a motorhome? Not a little one either, 34 ft. Are there semi's out there yet? I REALLY don't want to sink that sucker!

Thanks.

JB TrailerTrash

[Tyler D]

This year was my first time going and I have to say I was quite impressed with it, probably not quite as entertaining as we fest but it ranks right up there. only caught one fish but then again didnt really try at all either but we did drink quite a bit and made some questionable decisions. All in all a succesful trip.

[Tom Linderholm]

I would agree with you Tyler, being my first trip (working) I did not really partake in most of the festivities but saw enough to make me wish I had.