3/14/07 Report

[mnvikings1]

Fished the North side of the Lake yesterday for about 4 hours. Fishing was very slow. Started out on Mickey Mouse Bar/Humps. Had the best luck here, keeping around 15 eaters for two fisherman. Tried The Perches (Perch Bar) on the Tamarack Point side. Fished the top, 17 FOW, towards HighBanks, down to 32 FOW, with no takers. Had fish on the Vex the entire time, lots of lookers. I'm begining to wonder if any Minnesotans fish Winnie in the Winter anymore? The past 3 years I have seen nothing but Wisconsin license plates throughout this lake. Yesterday was no different. Talked to 3 different groups and drove by several others. My truck was the only vehicle with Minnesota plates! I just hope people are abiding by the limit laws and not having the "I drove this far and paid this much for my license and this much for my hotel and this much for gas so I deserve to keep anything and everthing I catch." attitude. Just going off of past history and what we have heard in the news with that last comment, not trying tp upset any "Cheeseheads" out there! Good luck fishing.

[colt44]

We have a small party coming up from Upper Michigan next week and trust us,we are not "meat fishermen". We love and respect Winni too much to abuse her. Sure we would like to take a few more filets back with us, but the limit is the limit.

[Bobberboy]

I noticed the same thing last weekend. It,s good to see that Packer money coming over this way. Maybe it will help the Vikes if that's possible.

My wife and I pounded the Perch last weekend. 28 to 30 FOW

"Your bobbers down!"

[get-the-net]

Thanks for the info. I'll be heading to Tamarack Lodge for the 5th annual boys weekend out from the 26th through the 29th. I'll be looking for any reports on ice conditions, locations, and depths that people can give me.

Bobberboy, what were they biting one? (besides the end of your lines ) Were you using plain hooks? A buddy of mine was out on Mille Lacs yesterday and the best fish were caught on plain hooks and a minnow head.

Has anyone tried going shallow? (I mean really shallow like 6 fow?)

Any slush? How are the pressure ridges?

Thanks for the advice

GTN

[Bobberboy]

All fish were caught on small fatheads on a plain hook or minnow heads on gold forage minnow with the green and red pattern. Most of the time the fish were tight to the bottom and would not chase. Limited jigging seemed to get the bigger fish. Most of the time we wouldn’t even see them on the locater.

"Your bobbers down!"

[Lake Alice]

We stayed at GDP wednesday night and fished thurs AM, out of Highbanks. We fished North and Zoomers and moved quite a bit, from 28-30, to 22 or so. Lots of fish on the graph, the biggest takers were maybe 8's, not quite, and not many. It was cold, windy, and painful. Lots of little fish. At about noon the whiteout started and we got off. Never made it back on. Drove out to West Winnie Camp (do not try doing that for a few weeks, everyone) and could not get on. Tried to find a place to get on Cut Foot for crappies and couldn't get on. Left for home rather than try to catch 5 inchers at 5 degrees this morning, and drove almost 5 hours white knuckle through a snowstorm. It was depressing, but you gotta laugh I guess. On the plus side, the people at High banks were really nice, and helpful, and their road was passable.

The size structure of these fish is just not what it used to be, for us anyway, and we've been fishing it ten years and had plenty of success. The DNR creel guy interviewed us and said the same thing, lots of small fish in the system. I'm not sure what is going on, but I don't think we'll be back for awhile.

LA

[Wayne Sieber]

Lake Alice - What was the problem with the road to the West Winnie Campground? Was it a problem all the way off the highway or just the last couple of miles to the lake? Also, once you were there you said you couldn't get on the lake - Like you couldn't drive a truck on the lake or get anything (like a 4 wheeler or sled) on the lake? Thanks for the info!

[Lake Alice]

That last 9 miles was pretty bad-- not impassable, but rutted, frozen, etc. I'm not sure I'd try it with a trailer, and the snow at the access was so deep that I'm not sure a truck would make it on. Yes a wheeler could get on, I think, but I'd bring it in the bed of a truck. We had no wheeler. We just could not risk trying it. There were only two of us, no one in sight for miles, and it was a driving blizzard. It's something I would have tried 10 years ago, but not today. I must be learning.

[Fishn addict]

Lake Alice,

Sorry to hear about your fishing experience. I have been fishing Winnie very faithfully for the past 6 years or so now in the winter for perch. I have noticed a size reduction if you want to call it that from 5-6 years ago. I have also noticed I'm catching more fish than years back. Maybe it because I'm learning most spots to try without fishing blind. Although I have always managed to catch some nice perch along with the smaller ones. Last weekend 4 of us fished Sat & Sun morning till 10:30 am. We kept a total of 75 perch didn't keep anything under 9" and I'd say better than half were 11"- 12" We threw back on average 5-7 perch for everyone we kept. When your in the right location and patient the lake will pay off. I'm looking forward to the up comming years when all those 6"-8" perch get a little bigger. I have found fishing around the structure or on top of the structure with 30 fow around it holds the larger perch. If you wan't to catch ton's of smaller perch with some keepers and a few walleye's and notherns mixed in fish tamarack bay area. I pulled my house home last weekend but, you can bet I'll be back as soon as I can get it back out on the ice next year. Winnie is a great lake I have noticed the weather will effect the bite and it doesn't sound like it was in your favor the last few days.

[Lake Alice]

No it was not. Your post gives me encouragement. i also think we were a week early, but could not control that.

Ironically our initial plan was to fish Rush all day as a day trip. You have our favorite local fishery right in your back yard!

[Wayne Sieber]

Lake Alice! - Thanks for the info! I will be making a trip up there the last weekend in March and I know EXACTLY what you are talking about in regards to "that road" Many times I asked myself "should I, shouldn't I" drive down that road and always the dumb (but fishing-o-holic)part of me said GO! there's perch at the end of the road!! Thanks again!

[get-the-net]

Thanks for the great info Bobberboy! It sounds like I'll need to slow down my presentation. Fine by me, that gives me more time to have a cold beverage!

Do you use a camera? In the past, I've had pretty good luck using an aquavu to see the light bite and also to "sort" smaller fish out.

[Bobberboy]

My son and I made a quick run up on Friday evening and fished Saturday the 17th. We moved 3 times and finally found fish on the SW side of Zoomers about 12:30. We left the lake at 4:30 with a limit all over 8 inches and 17 fish over 11 inches. My son had one just shy of 14 inches. The presentation was the same as last week. (See post)

I don’t own a camera and when the fish our active I don’t even use my Vexilar. I hate loosing fish on the transducer cable. I drill several hole in the area and move from hole to hole. If I start catching fish I pull the flasher and focus all my attention to the tip of my rod. I start with the jig on the bottom and lightly bounce it up about a inch at a time. Pausing for a few seconds between jigs and work up using the same pattern to about 18 inches from the bottom. I find most Perch hit the jig in the first 12 inches.

I use my Vexilar to determine a bite pattern and where they seem to be hitting in the water column. Keep in mind the pattern can and will change during the course of the day.

There is nothing better than setting the hook and the fish wants to stay on the bottom.

Good Luck

“Your bobbers down!”

[Lake Alice]

Good luck--I think you'll be right on time. Should be melted by then.

LA

[Shoogs32]

Hey Bobberboy,

I am going to Winny for the day on Thursday. Any suggestions to try first? Do you recommend bringing the wheelers? My buddy caught his first Jumbo two weeks ago and is really exited to find a few. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[Bobberboy]

I would hit the Zoomers area. Target the 28 to 32 FOW areas. Fish the breaks not the holes. We fished 2 holes before we hit fish on the break. Stay as close to the break as possible but maintain the depth. I hope this helps.

Good Luck! Please post your results.

"Your Bobbers down!"

[colt44]

Where did you access? Good shape yet?

[Bobberboy]

We went on at Highbanks. The landing was in great shape on Saturday when we left. I pretty sure the Lodge has closed but you can put the fee in the slot by the door and go on. You can try and give them a call the day before your planning on driving on and see if it's still intact.

Good fishing!

"Your bobbers down!"

[HIGHBANKS]

Our access remains in good condition. Please refer to my report under "access conditions" for further details. You may also contact us at 800-365-2560 for an up-to-date ice report.