Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Recommended Posts

Trying something new this year and staying at Kitchi Lake instead of regular place north of Bemidji, a couple weeks from now. Don't know much about Kitchi. Any fish in there? General spots to try fishing? Appreciate it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will tell you Kitchi is good springtime lake, good panfish and pike lake, and decent for eyes. This time of year , with the higher water temps, I'd spend more time on Cass. There are 7 lakes all connected by the Mississippi and Turtle rivers....all accessable by boat from Kitchi. Lots of depth changes/ structure, so a good map or gps chip is invaluable. Even downloading the dnr maps will help you locate some spots. You will see people trolling raps on some HUGE bars at night on Cass, north of Cedar island, and east of Star island, for eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My boat is probably too small for Cass, but thanks anyways. Maybe take a trip down the chain and do some scouting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's an idea if your luck on Kitchi is slow---run up river and fish Little Rice Lake (LMB, pannies, and pike).

Oh, and don't overlook chasing delectable Rock Bass on Kitchi near the reeds with a leech under a bobber.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How bout I catch em, and you can eat those rotten old things! Like the fight, thats about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What size boat/motor do you have? I started going up there with a 14' and shortshaft 15hp. I was on the southwest side of CASS near allens bay, and I could almost always get out to fish. The north end is bigger ,with little wind protection, so you would have to wait for a quiet day or evening, but if it happens, it would be worth trying. Otherwise upstream from Kitchi (on the Turtle River) ,you can fish Little Rice Lake or Big Rice Lake, or the river between the lakes. Panfish, pike, and bass would be likely up there. I'd probably try the west arm of Kitchi (where the river comes in), cause it is quite deep, and may not be affected so much by the hot weather. Where are you staying? Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 footer with a 25 merc. Staying at Kitchi Landing, on north end. I did look at lake map, didn't realize Cass was so shallow all over.

I'll probably fart around with some raps or lindy rigs early AM and evening, see what happens. More of a family vaca, so not too worked up about fishing (at least on this trip), just wondering. If I can get kids on some northerns or sunnies, bonus. Thanks for the info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That sounds like a put-down and is not fair to Soldon if it is indeed meant that way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

cardfan,

Your boat will work anywhere on the chain....but watch the wind, be selective where you go. We stay at the next resort east of yours. Cass has some BIG shallow bars, but also 100 feet deep in spots. Kitchi has many "humps" in it also, which could be good. Kitchi is known as a pike lake, but I don't have any experience there in August. MN Dnr has a Kitchi lake map on "lakefinder" also.

The harvester,

Actually I don't like crowds, so I stay on the outskirts instead . I was just giving him a clue about what other people do there. See what works on the lake....then find a quieter spot similar, is my idea. wink

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, I can't believe how informative you have been either!!! hahaha.

I probably won't do a lot of fishing on Cass/Kitchi anyways, but appreciate the help.If you see a guy in a red lund with a boat full of girls, swing over and say hi! Be up there next week (14-17)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have fun. We try to get up there, for a few days,around Memorial Day . The lake is 1700 acres, so big enough.....but not too big to intimidate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well there wont be an outside edge any more after this lol small lakes get hit hard we all learn after a few of your good lakes get burnt out

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a cabin on Cass for 9 years... I don't think any cat was let out of the bag. Plenty of boats already at every spot disclosed. Those are the spots that are easy to get the info on. You will have company, but will most likely catch fish. in the end it's No biggee... fish in the group or strike out on your own and find your own spot. Those are the secrets never disclosed.

Good Luck!

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Want to know my secret fishing hole this year on Cass??? Deadmans Bar, it is a very secretive spot so please do not tell anybody else. I limited out my walleye tickets for the wife and me with 2-22", 2-20", 3-19" and 5-18", we also ate about 30 more during our family fish frys while we were up there. That is where Brian and I caugth my personal best walleye of 26" this year, she was CPR'd in about three minutes to go make millions of more walleye babies!

Again, please using this spot sparingly, it is a very small hump in the lake and I don't want people fishing it out! (yes, my tongue is firmly placed in my cheek right now)

Windy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to clarify my previous post, the 22" walleyes and the 26" were CPR'd. Brian has always stressed that releasing the fish over 20" is a good idea since the meat is not as good on a big fish and they are the fish that make the most baby walleye for our children and grandchildren to catch. I stressed the fact that the 26" was let go in 3 minutes to let people know that it is important to get a few quick photos and then to let them go asap. All three of those big girls swam away without a problem and gave me a nice tail kick shower of Cass Lake water to remember them by when I catch them again next year!

Windy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks C,

I just did not want anybody thinking I was keeping those big girls. Some of my family members have in the past but Brian from First Choice has taught me that those are the ones to turn loose and that they do not taste that good anyway. I know he only keeps 18 and unders to about 15 but he is up there year round. Us visitors want to take our limit home with us so we can enjoy a few meals throughout the year. Keeps up wanting to come back the next year!

Windy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Way to go Windy. A PB on both walleye and pike....NICE!

You ain'ta justa kiddin' when you say you can't wait for next yr.

Me either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.