Leaderboard

Took my last ice fishing trip of the season to Burntside on Thursday. Went out on the snowmobile to fish better spots. I waited until daylight to go out so I wouldn't get lost or run into open water. When I got to my destination I discovered that the battery fell off of my Ion auger on the trip out (I won't make that mistake again). I backtracked all the way back to the landing before finding it on the ice. I got my lines in the water just before sunrise and caught a 24 inch lake trout 45 minutes later. Always exciting watching the lake trout peel line off of the tip-up with their strong runs. He quit running with the pike sucker soon after I took the video and I thought it may have dropped the minnow. Pulling the line in by hand I could feel it still on so I set the hook and caught it on the lip. Think I caught it before it was going to swallow the minnow and take its 3rd and final run. Was nice to finally catch a laker on Burntside again after 5 straight trips getting skunked. It was a beautiful day on the ice with good ice conditions, warm weather, and fairly calm winds. The creel survey guy stopped and checked on me. He said I was the only one he saw fishing on Burntside that day. He said that most anglers he checked on Burntside that winter were skunked for lake trout, so I guess it was just not my problem alone. 20250327_072410.mp4

Fishing I did in the last three weeks since I can't fish walleyes on Vermilion.

Self satisfaction and the unending admiration of anonymous internet friends

Went out this evening for a couple hours. Three of us only caught 4 crappies, small perch and a small bass. Ice is getting a little soft, but still 22" and tight to the shore where we were. Going out later tomorrow, caught more a dusk last time out.

I think it's alway fun to try local fish or foods when I go somewhere! A few weeks ago I was down on Dauphin Island Alabama and tried a little flounder. They had small, mid and large. My wife had crab cakes, I got the mid!

Driveway at home. This guy had the full paint brush beard but this was the best pic I could get from the truck. I think I’m gonna go this direction though this spring. Actually make a hunt of it this year. Yes…. I have a few buds that have open invitations already…..

Hunnydo list sounds anxiety provoking. Probably wouldn't go well with my fishing habit. I'm already going back to the Rainy this weekend and have 16 days on the calendar starting opening day through the end of May I'll be fishing. I've ended several relationships in my life when I was told I needed to fish less and hunt less. I don't need that negativity in life

Cold and windy day but we got on some decent walleye on the Rainy

Skunked-no-more. Or does it count if the fish is out of season (note - quickly and safely released). Made another "walking" trip on Burntside and again didn't catch any lake trout. When I saw the tip-up start to spin I thought for sure I might get one, but just ended up being a 26" northern. At least I did mark a few fish this time, and did get to use my 5th fish house this winter. May try one more trip. Beautiful day on the lake at least.

I think it all helps to create motion and confusion to keep their attention away from the blinds. The hurricanes seemed pretty important though. 6 of them per spread and moved around dependent on wind direction. Some tall silo socks mixed in with them too. Kill hole in the middle with a few decoys clustered over the e call. That was about 25 yards from the blinds. 7-8 batteries to run everything. 2000 decoys per spread. I wasn’t the shot caller. We were taking them at about 40 yards on average but I believe we could’ve gotten a lot of them feet down. We all remember the single Ross’ that broke off from a group of snows hovering at 100+ yards and took the elevator all the way down to its demise. The shot was called just before it lit but we were all sure if it was left alone, the audience above would’ve joined. It was mesmerizing to watch to watch how much they work a spread without flapping their wings much. These pics were waiting for them to come down closer. They did.

I'll put new plugs on the top of my list; cheap fix. One of the plugs had the threads worn off on the cap on top and it stuck in the rubber cap. Thought this may have been part of the problem but a new (used plug) with a tip cap didn't change the issue. The change in one plug is why I have mixed plugs in the picture. Lots of shopping to do at Haydays next fall - new belt, plugs, track, ski spindles/ bushing, clutch puller for a start.

We are in full blown hunnydo season in central MN.

Went and put up 2 blinds today and was trimming some brush and look who came out 15 yards away. IMG_1736.mov

I caught the 10pm news the other night. They said that starting next week Minnesota will be above average for temps. I give them a 33% chance of getting that right.

10 inches of snow in cook this morning. 53 was pretty messy

No, they were all catch and release. We did eat some piranha and catfish. Had plenty of walleye to eat at Lake Winnipeg too.

Looks like Twin Cities lakes are about 2 1/2 weeks ahead of schedule. Our local lake (Medicine) went out 3/23 and it's average is 4/10. Hopefully the northern lakes will be similar

It's tough to find the etymology of numb nuts. Lots of guesses that it came from the military and/or cycling communities, but nothing definitive. It's meaning has no doubt though...

Barely had time and data to post a few random daily pics! Iffen you’re self banned, how’d ya know? Sunday - Tuesday hunt near Yankton, SD. We found ourselves there between two of the big pushes north. Adults first, pushing the ice line north, slipped through a couple days before we got there and the second juvie push held up by the storm that went through the night we traveled. Our best day was Monday. Sunny and warm with a nice south wind. Day 3 was cool with a stiff northeast wind bringing in another storm. A select few groups did well with birds coming off Lewis and Clark lake but we weren’t in their path. We packed up early and hit the road. We headed north and found them between Brookings and Watertown. Saw 100’s of thousands at the ice line.

I hauled a dresser out from my place on Friday. I had it nice and wrapped to keep all of the melt water off of it as it towed behind my snowmobile. When I got to the truck, the entire sled was full of water - so I kept the top dry but the bottom got drenched. I also spilled water into one of my boots as I emptied the sled. At least it was nice outside!

It's kind of sad. The two lakes I loved the most in this state are Mille Lacs and Burntside. And I think we broke them both!

Went back to Burntside on Tuesday and I got "skunked again" (LOL). Looked like the lake was a mess over the weekend, but it was all frozen solid by sunrise Tuesday when I arrived. The new ice cleats I got worked very well on the glare ice. Was a beautiful sunny day but cool and quite windy. I had a nice view of my tip-up from my warm fishhouse but the flag never went up, and I didn't mark a fish while jigging. May have to try North Arm next, or go back into the BWCAW if the ice conditions improve.

I'm glad y'all support my fishing addiction. This place is like AA except for fishing for me!

On the prowl…. lol! Fishing more than he should…. lol!!!! Did you hit your head on something?

Nope, he beat me fair and square, all his. This weather had been depressing. As it sits now we are looking at a later than normal ice out. I hate scrabbling with docks, lifts, boats right before opener. Also limits some pre opener crappie chances.

Something in May, like around Opener. Could be white knuckles for boaters that weekend with the way things stalled out since the contest started and how thick it still is. Highs in the 50’s coming but lows are around freezing and not a lot of wind in the extended forecast. I’ll tell ya what, if you change from 4/26 and it hits that date, I’ll buy ya some mythical FM beer. And you know where you can find it. . But don’t change on my account - this is still a free country!

April 26

I was on the lake this morning. There is still a lot of ice. I went down to the housing on my auger a couple of times. I'm not sure how much snow we got yesterday and last night but it looks like around 7 to 8 inches at least.

Go back to bed. Get out on the right side and reply to the right post. Focus!

I had my 550 fan rebuilt a couple years ago. After burning through the overly rich breakin gas and changing spark plugs, it rips better than expected - or at least better than I remembered! Those old girls still git r done.

Unhooked the sled and left all of my gear on the fishing spot. Wanted to find the battery before somebody drove over it or picked it up, and before the morning bite was over. My 30 year-old Indy 500 still has a little bit of pep left in it. Wasn't even full-throttle at 70 mph (speedo number; GPS likely closer to 65 mph).

hope you finished it!! WOW!! that looks huge!!! but good eats!! Yep, my buddy ordered one too so it was Game on!

Well see there yea go. I'm just a humble fisherman, I'm not up on all those big words. I thought etymology was some kind of rectal test you needed?

I scheduled Medicine Lake early in our Fishing Club season for 2025, hoping to avoid some of the terrible milfoil that grows in there. An early ice out doesn't help my cause, but I'm sure that I'll still snag a few nice pike trolling around that western point.

Because I temporarily changed the rules, and smurfy was the 2nd person to wager a guess, I changed his prediction to April 25th. Also, since SkunkedAgain was the originator of this competition and was the 1st person to guess, I will give him until Friday to change his prediction if he wants to (although he may regret if the ice goes out on April 18th). After him, no more "changes" will be allowed on my board. Lots of "good" open dates available for those that have not predicted yet. Updated board below:

My 35th is March 30th. That could be a bit early.

Winner will get a free ticket to the Makinen Volunteer Fire Department cash raffle. Chance to win $2,500 among the 15 cash prizes.

There now looks like a great hunt, hope posting didn't bruise as much as your shoulder was after that weekend! I can still peek, without signing in next door!

Nope, I can see. Self banned. Don't need to argue political and religion all day on a Outdoor forum.

Are you banned from crossing said fence,,

Ya know I typically don't cruise through Inger too often. Still looking for a plastic, orthopedic or cardiothoracic surgeon so I can be a stay at home husband and catch walleye every day. Not a whole lot of those in this neck of the woods

ran into an old famous feller today at the grocery store.......spent about 20 minutes BS'ing with the world famous icehawk. yea he still hunts and fishes more then he works!!!!!!!

I love fileting out a good pike, or pickling it. Good eating.

You got to do, what you got todo!

the best laid plans of mice and men!!! we have all done something like like that...

Smurfy there's a lot of pike in Mille Lacs tho...

Jeff and I fished Saturday and half day Sunday, targeting whitefish, ciscos, crappies, and perch. The bite was tough for us. We ecked out a few, but nothing special. Highlight of the weekend was the sled ride into Wolf Lake and having an eagle swoop in and eat a rock bass we had on the ice. All in all, not a bad way to waste time.