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Staying with Chad Benson in 2 weeks 1st time URL questions


Big Jeff

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1: There are eight of us heading up in two weeks to stay and fish with Chad Benson but just wondering if there is anything extra I might need to bring. i.e. generator, lanterns, any thing that you found help full.

2: I am also brining my portable and some sleds so we can move around if we need to, but I am a first timer on URL. I have heard you should look for the rough ice any one have a comment on that one?

3: I already have the reels weeds and started using them a month ago, they seem to help the fish stay around longer, but I don’t know if they bring them in. I have tried different configurations with no one standing out better than the rest. Are there and favorite styles people use at URL? And has any one put them out around their sleeper shacks?

4: I have been monitoring the site regularly and I see what the reports are saying, plain hooks seem to be winning. I have pimples, buckshot’s, demons, tear drops, a few frostiest, doodle bugs, a few jigging raps, a few chubby darters. Any other favs to add the box for URL?

5: Is there a fav bait shop to stop at on the way up? We are leaving from the Twincities. I head there is a bait shop that has colored shiners is this true?

6: Last but certainly not least is there a bar/ restaurant on URL to sled to that serves more than Pizza?

Thanks for all the help in advance and good luck on the ice!!!!!

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west wind has a great bar an great food.

if your bringing your portable i would bring a heater and lantern.

as for the bait shop there is 1 in town but its spendy.

bring a battery opp co detector just be safe.

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Chad will have lights on battery power in the rentals. If you run on portables heater and lantern needed. Their are stoves in the renals also. West Wind does have nice bar and food but will be about 8 miles or so from the South Shore JR access. Good luck and the bait shop in Kellier has a good selection and bait is reasonable. Their are lots of bait shops in Grand Rapids, Deer River as well but that is about 1 1/2 hours from Red.

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Haven't notice a preference on bait, have done well on golden shiners, emerlads, and fatheads. The emeralds are a bit harder to keep so I rarely use them. I'm a big fan of red or pink jigs, phelps and/or frostees seem to do well. I have tried reel weeds and not noticed much of a difference however I have not been targeting crappies just walleye. If you catch some keeper walleye JR will cook them up for you with a bunch of fries otherwise west winds or hillmans has food. Sounds like chad has been on a few fish, either way he is first class and will do everything in his power to make the trip enjoyable. Good Luck

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Just a couple comments on the Reel Weeds. I've used them a number of times on Red with little success. Left them overnight once but didn't notice much difference as jarnotski says.

I always kinda wondered what would happen if you got into a northern with the weed structure out close by. Wellll I was on another lake over X-mas and found out what exactly can happen. And it wasn't pretty. I've had some messes and tangled lines with northerns on crappie rods before but this took the cake. Fortunately I was fishing by myself at the time but I managed to get all 5 of my weed strings and both my lines wrapped together.

( Note from Admin, please read forum policy before posting again,Thank-you)

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One method that can work very well is to deadstick a rod with a plain hook and minnow and then jig another to bring them in. At times, the jigging will attract those eyes and then the deadstick will catch them.

Check out the Angel Eyes and the Go-Devils here.

http://outdoorprostore.com/glow-devil.html

One could also check out the JB Ants and the JU-Ju's. Also, the Rattlin varmits for the eyes or crappies.

http://jblures.com/

The Go devils and varmits and Eyes will work for both specie. The Ants and Ju-Ju's will work for crappies tipped with a waxie or a minnow.

Good luck.

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I was up last weekend and our house had pretty good fishing. Harvey nailed it with the dead stick and jig with the other. jigging would bring them in, then they would hit either stick, but mostly the dead stick. We also heard plain hook, but caught most of ours on a gold Ant and a Ratso (pink bodied yellow glow)Tried plain red hook and had little success. Three of us in three days caught 69 walleye and no crappie. most fish caught after dark.

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 Originally Posted By: mnhunter3815
west wind has a great bar an great food.

[Note from admin: Please read forum policy before posting again]

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Guys I am about 6' 9" with boots on and I going to need a helmet in these houses? Not that one wouldn't help a guy out ice fishing with Jack Daniels anyway.

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