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Great Outdoors,

I never could get a bite off Burntside on Saturday either. I tried the bays and marked plenty of fish but to no avail. Even the bays were miserable with that front! crazy.gif

I launched in Farm about 4 pm Saturday and planned to try a coulple spots on my way to the river, thinking current and close banks would be the best place in that weather.

I never made it outta Farm! The wind blown break in 15 FOW had em stacked! I didn't make it 50 yards trolling a ripstick when a heavy fish grabbed that. I had it half way to the boat when the line popped where it met the water. mad.gif It felt walleye-ish. You know, a wet bag with a couple head shakes thrown in!

I think there was a nick from trolling Bside earlier.

I retied and finished the run but no more bites. I dropped down a jig and minnow and drifted back with the wind and instantly got bit, and bit, and bit.......... cool.gif

I was going through minnows like crazy but alot of short biters. I changed to a lindy rig so I could let em take it a bit longer and that helped alot. Most of the fish were cigars but there were some 15 inchers in there as well.

C-C-C-COLD! shocked.gif My hands were numb and I didn't have the benefit of the opposable thumb anymore buy I kept drifting till dark.

The minnow bite died so on the last drift I did the best I could to operate a baitcaster and work the break with a Shadling. I popped a slot fish (about 3 pounds) right away. Nothing further down the line but that was OK since I didn't think I would be able to hold on to the rod anyway if something serious hit the bait.

At the end, I threw back what was in the well as I was shivering and wanted nothing to do with cleaning fish that night! At 5 the next morning it didn't feel much better so I stayed on land and worked around the lot before going home.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Thanks for the story, I wussed out on the fishing but I did get the big boat in the driveway this weekend.

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Frank,

I won't call you a wuss for not going out! Matter of fact, after I left Burntside that morning I thought I was done for the weekend and home that night. Its just that after 240 miles and the cost to be there - well, I couldn't throw in that quick!

Gettin the Big Boat ready huh? I know nothing about the Pond fishing in a boat, just some from shore. I assumed you guys were out there earlier.

I stopped by the course Friday to see if Justin had time to come out and play, but I couldn't contact him unless I went out on the course and hunted him down. Busy, busy, busy... Last weekend was the first time I've been solo in a boat in years. I used to like it that way but now I prefer company.

Oh well.

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Man I seen that on the news this am. Im down home for a week in southern MN and its HOT! Im not used to this wamrth crazy.gif

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Wanderer:

Chunkytrout and I got skunked all day Saturday on Bside, too. We spent most of our time on the North Arm, with some trolling around Van Vac thrown in.

Where were you, and what boat were you in? We were in my '88 gray/blue Alumacraft competitor with a tall black 90 Merc and two downriggers.

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I was out on the river sat morn, nice warm weather early until bam that cold front hammered in!in a few min i was seeing my breath! but it didnt stop the fish from biting for us, nailed 3 eyes over 20 in about 15 min time trolling crawlers released a lot of nice fish also, the three of us filled out pretty fast but as soon as 8:30am rolled by it slowed down,short morning bite! sunday got out earlier and was done fishin around 8:40am, man it was chilly!!!caught some hard to find smaller eyes also a 19 3/4" should get back to tournament fishin! boy i bet it was rough out there for the tourney,was goin to Cass this weekend but it looks like another cold front coming highs in the fifties, the wife won't camp with me in a tent when its that cold lows upper 30's. GAS PRICES ARE KILLING ME!!good fishin all!

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Hey Steve,

I only spent about 3-4 hours out there Saturday morning and all of that was around Crab Creek and School Section (I think thats right). I fished Friday evening up in the North Arm around the areas we ice fish. I was still learning about that area even though I wasn't catching anything.

There's so much I need to learn about the area lakes that I decided to scrap the Laker hopes and check for Eyes somewhere else until I get the proper gear. G/O and I talked at his shop for while and he fed me full of information on the Bside ecosystem smile.gif

I have a blue 16 foot Lund Rebel with a 50 hp Yamaha. 1990 vintage. It has an old white Motorguide bow mount that you can spot a mile away. No downrigger yet wink.gif. I'll keep an eye out for ya! By the way, Sunday morning I was sipping coffee and reading your catharsis in the T-jay. I didn't know the biz was like that. I've considered trying some outdoor writing but not sure if its the right place for me anymore. confused.gif One thing for sure: There's alot of space to fill in that paper if there's no more Foss!

Mr Marbles,

Where you fishin the Kawishiwi? Curious where. Oh, and yeah, gas! mad.gif I figure if I skip one planned trip up North, that should cover a downrigger kit for my boat!

Nah, I can't skip a chance to get up there!!!!!!!

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Wanderer, the newspaper business is what you make it. And the outdoor writing fraternity is a better home than a daily newspaper newsroom. I've lived in both homes, and I'll actually continue to freelance as an outdoors writer.

And the Timberjay's already found a couple people to replace Mr. Foss, so things will go on much as they were there with no hiccup, although different personalities/abilities will make for some changes in content and presentation.

As for the lakers, this time of year, downriggers or dipseys are not required for inland fishing. Surface temps were about 50-51 degrees on Saturday, and lakers like water in the mid 50s, so even if they're hanging deeper, they'll come all the way up the water column to smack a lure in cold water if they're active. I've had that happen in May a lot. Last year, even though I had riggers, I fished in May with a 3 oz slip sinker above a ball-bearing swivel about seven feet up the line, using superbraid as my main line, then the swivel, then seven feet of 14 lb fluorocarbon for a leader, then the lure. Lures are usually a flutter spoon or smallish husky jerk.

I did quite well on that setup, trolling from 2 to 2.5 mph, last spring. I figure my lure was about 10 feet to 15 feet down, and I long lined it.

Saturday was quite a contrast from opening Saturday the week before, when they were snapping it like crazy. But that's fishing.

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OK, got it. Work is work and its more about attitude than anything. Done. laugh.gif

I'll keep trying for lakers most times I'm up there - they're a new fetish. And I'll keep soaking up these tidbits of wisdom I find on this website. I'm just not used to a fish with a 50 foot strike zone! grin.gifgrin.gif

I was wondering how fast to troll - thanks for that too.

Sinkers, line and spoons... I have that stuff!

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Hey Wanderer: The 2 to 2.5 mph worked well for the lures I was using. It's less about trying to please the trout with a specific speed than it is trying to get the best action out of a lure. The flutter spoons I use the most switch from a back-and-forth wobble to actually turning over when the speed hits about 2.2 mph, so that's the best range for that lure's action. Any time I try a new bait, I troll it alongside at various speeds to see which give the action I think I want, and then keep things at that speed. I also troll in s-curves now and then, so the lure speeds up and slows down at intervals, which can trigger strikes from any fish species that takes trolled lures.

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HEYYYYY WANDERER!!!!!

I heard you stopped by to see me last Friday! Sorry I missed you, but I have been super busy out on the course! We are finally making good progress out there and everything should be back to normal in a few weeks- there is light at the end of the tunnel! Stop by and see me the next time you are in town. Make sure you see me before you check in with the Great Outdoors-so I can dish out some smack talk about his lack of finding you guys a spot to catch fish on Burntside!

Do you have a cabin out there?

Later,

Justin

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laugh.giflaugh.giflaugh.gif

Funny!

Yeah, I'll stop by again some time. I want to meet the "Fishmaster". I was suprised you are so lucky to not have radio contact at work! I'm thrilled my work phone doesn't work up there! grin.gif

I don't have a cabin yet and its not on Burntside. I have a travel trailer on a lot with access to the Kawishiwi between White Iron and Farm. I can beach the boat there while I'm up but I usually just trailer in and out since I don't always know what lake I'm going to fish next.

Someday I hope to afford a lakeshore cabin but not till home is paid for tongue.gif

Steve, thanks for reminding me of trolling techniques I should be aware of. I haven't put much creative thought into trolling for MANY years. I can flip the heck outta heavy cover for largemouths though! However, not very useful around Ely.

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No prob, Wanderer. If it's a lazy man's way to fish, I likely know the ins and outs. grin.gif

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Wanderer,

Be prepared for a big letdown when you meet the self dubbed, "Fishmaster". It'll be comparable to Toto pulling open the curtain on the Wizard of Oz, and seeing the real thing! grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" smirk.gif

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Steve - did you happen to see a group of canoes that paddled up to the south channel site and put up camp? That was me and my group. Sheesh, if you thought saturday was bad, the snow sunday morning was definitely the straw.

Tough trip.

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