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Sportland Report- Last Week for Biggies

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Sportland_Bait Veteran

Sportland_Bait

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Wow it's been busy around here this weekend. Filled up with bait on Friday morning had to fill up again Sunday morning. Overall the fishing has been darn good. For walleyes during this last week of the season I would stick with Gull Lake. Shiners or fatheads fished along the old weedlines in 14-18 feet has been the best. Mille Lacs has been good for a big fish here and there. The rest of our lakes like North Long, Round, and Pelican have been on the slow side. Anglers fishing Hubert have been catching northerns mostly with a stray walleye here and there, slow on the crappies and panfish too. The crappie fishing continues to be very steady on the smaller lakes such as the Gull Chain, Mission, Cullen, and Sibley. Look for the crappies to be suspending over the deeper holes. Anything small has been working pretty good( glow jigs+ maggots, wax worms, crappie minnows). The pike fishing has been very good lately. Again the smaller lakes have been best but some of the bigger lakes are worth a shot. Some of the best pike lakes are the south end of Gull, Edwards, and the Gull Chain. This week the tip-ups were waving when tipped with a shiner or a sucker minnow. Try setting up in 10-16 feet. The pike are cruising the shallows looking to feed up for their spawn, they are hungry.

It's time to start thinking about spring. Anyone else excited for open water yet? I've been getting cabin fever for the last month. Can't wait to get the boat out on the rivers for those early season walleyes. March and April are prime time for big walleyes and lots of them. The Rainy River, Missouri River, and The Mississippi are all going to be hot this year. It is one of my favorite times of the season.

Jason Erlandson

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Shoogs32 Enthusiast

Shoogs32

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Jason, have you heard a good crappie bite with the new weather? I am thinking of trying the Brainerd area out on Thursday or Friday for some panfish if I can get a good report. Any info would be greatly appreciated. wink.gif

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Sportland_Bait Veteran

Sportland_Bait

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Sorry I didn´t reply sooner. My wife and I are on the beach down here in Mexico. As of a few days ago the bite was pretty good for crappies. Dave is at the shop, he should be able to give you the latest. Over last weekend quite a few dandy crappies had come through the shop. Stick with any of the smaller lakes. As for bluegills, it is a crap-shoot. You can get them almost anywhere but you´ll have to sort. Good Luck.

Jason Erlandson

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Ouimon Explorer

Ouimon

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Yes, and thanks for all of your great updates during this year of uncertain ice conditions, safety warnings, of the Ice Fishing Extravaganza, baits, depths, etc...

3 weeks ago we worked deeper in Gull by Govt Point, and got into a mess of perch at 32' deep on outer humps but no walleyes. 2 weeks ago we checked out Round a bit shallower in the mid-lake structure and got a baby-eye, a load of micro perch, but were rewarded with 2 mongo jumbo crappies about a pound each just after dark. 18' deep, 1/2 suspended, silver spoon tipped with goldies.

Just last week we started working Gull on a shallower plan of attack, and got 4 walleyes in 14-17' of water and 25 perch. They were actually hitting on medium minnows over the small ones for me. It seemed for me that the shallower depths were producing better than the deep, just like Jason said.

Good luck to everyone out on the ice for the last weekend until opener! Paul W.

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Ouimon Explorer

Ouimon

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OK, so I really don't know what it is that makes a person decide what lake to fish for the last day of the season... I really like Round, so I went there. Fishing shallow, we got six perch and 3 walleye! Last night they were hitting smaller minnow on teardrop jigs, and were leaving the regular minnow on a hook rigs alone. It will be nice to do a bit more crappie fishing before ice out, and will REALLY be looking forward to fishing a couple weeks after opener when things warm up a bit.

This website has been a great source of information, and I will keep posting through the year. Thanks to everyone who posts here! Paul W.

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rockyhook Contributor

rockyhook

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I too decided to head out for the last night of the season. Ended up catching a 12" I put back for next year, also I caught a 15" and a 18". The last week was by far the best for me of the season on Pelican. Two C&R 20's and a 23 to match my biggest for season came in the last week. Now I'll look forward to that warm March weekend to head up towards Leech, where I know a small puddle that holds 7"+ sunnies. That's one of the things I love about fishing, there is always a new season to look forward to enjoying. wink.gif

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Sportland_Bait Veteran

Sportland_Bait

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After a week in the sun it was a shock to the system to come back to a snowy mess. But I guess I can't complain we had it pretty easy all winter. It was a great season here at the bait shop. Dave and I really appreciate all of you loyal customers. I'll do my best to keep the updates coming through the end of the ice season and on into the open water season. It's already March. Things will happen pretty fast now. We have a couple of remodelling projects at the bait shop to get finished in the next couple of weeks. Then all the new tackle will hit the shelves, time to fill up again. We just started a new guide calendar for the 2007 summer and the calls are starting to trickle in to fill the charts. With open water here at home only 6-7 weeks away it is time to start getting the big Warrior boat ready. I'm getting pretty excited for the new season, for now though I better get my butt cleaning up some snow before the next wave of fresh stuff hits us. Again thanks everyone for the great 2006 season.

Jason Erlandson

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