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Pelican


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Has anyone heard if the panfish are hitting out there and how the size has been running?

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they havebeen doing pretty good. you need to be very mobile to find them and when you do you will get some nice ones and some little ones.

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 Originally Posted By: Crazy4 Ice
Has the lake been listed as a WinterKill lake by the DNR?

NO! not until the oxygen dips well below 4 ppm or fish are seen in obvious distress. You will know by signs at any accesses. It has a long history of winterkills... FYI

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Smallie, are there any lakes around here you know of that are winter kill prone this year? thanks

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Since the lake has a long history of having winterkill, this is why I asked - I will keep a look out for any posting on the public access Thanks for the input

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 Originally Posted By: K Dawg
Smallie, are there any lakes around here you know of that are winter kill prone this year? thanks

Well.... Pelican, Milstone, Green Mountain.. Others that have killed in the past include Emma, Dutch, Dans and Fountain.

The DNR generally tries to get out oxygen testing on the lakes that have potential for aeration. So lakes like Crawford, little Waverly, Mink and Somers all have the potential for aeration. Others do not... those are usually the ones that get opend up to liberalized fishing opportunities.

In our area now there is Lake Fremont in Zimmerman open to liberalized fishing. Just remember if you go to one of these lakes that are "opened" be sure to take the fish with you.... too many people feel like it is open season and forget that the law requires you to dispose of the fish you harvested.... If you kill it you need to bring it with you!

For lakes open to unlimited fishing opportunities you can always check the Main DNR site... here: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/liberalized/index.html

And for ones in Wright, Stearns and Sherburne County area specifically: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/montrose/events.html

Hope this helps.

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I think Dean lake has had issues as well. I remember about 5-6 years ago they were going to drill a big hole in it. Dont know what happend though.

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I believe they've put a areator in dean so that lake should be ok. Thanks for the post smallie. Appreciate it.

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Just an update...

Dissolved oxygen readings out there today (1-24-2008)were higher than expected.

11.9 ppm at the surface and more than 8 ppm @ 6 ft, So, unless something strange happens, the lake will probably not kill this year... Strange, considering values for some of the other are lakes.

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Hey smallie...do you have an email address? I have a couple questions for you if you wouldn't mind. Thanks.

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Any recent fishing reports? I was on the lake for the first time last night - It's BIG. Found a 12' hole and gave it a shot. Got into some small crappies after dark but have heard of some very nice gills and crappies showing up so I may have to give it another shot. Anyone willing to toss out any pointers for this body of water?

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Craig, in my profile. I'll do what I can to answer the questions you might have....

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I have been spending a bit of time out there lately. There are some nice fish to be had. I have been fishing in 13 fow and been getting some 10" gills, and 10-12" crappies. On Wed, my 3 y/o daughter got a 15" crappie. Very very light bite. I will be back out there on Sun. The key for me has been being quite mobile. The good non-stop bite has been from 5-6.

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I'm trying Pelican this weekend and I'm wondering how much ice is out there? Got a heavy load going out. Thanks for the help...

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Where has the best bite been, the North or south or the bays, might be heading out there today.

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Thanks Anyfish for the ice report. I did bring the big shack out yesterday with the kids and had a blast with the crappies.

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Hit Pelican yesterday and marked fish from 2pm-5pm with no takers but as soon as it got dark the crappie hit light on waxies on a white jig. 7-9 inch crappies. Then a few sunnies would smash the same set up. Knew immediatly the difference. The sunnies were nice, 9". Fished 9-11 fow. They did not hit anything other that waxies.

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That figures. I couldn't buy a bite on Pelican this afternoon using eurolarvae, and minnows.The fish would come up to my jig with the maggies,'sniff' it,and then take off without biting.Frustrating,to say the least.Fished in 8-12 feet,at several different spots.Left the lake right at dark when it started to rain.

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Rockman, you left right when they start to bite. I was out on Sunday from 1-8, and didn't get a bite until 5. My 6 y/o daughter and I had 17 crappies and 8 gills on the ice by 7, with another dozen or so smaller crappies back down the hole.

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My buddie was out there this past weekend fishing tip ups for pike when he had a flag and ran over to it. He said he's never seen the spool spin so fast from the fish running and when he tried to set the hook it cut his finger. He said the thing felt huge.

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hi i live 2 miles away from pelican and have never fished. i just have a couple questions, how is the water clarity. does a underwater camera work at all out there. i also was wondering if the fish are any good to eat out there? i have been told by a couple people that the fish arent good to eat because all pelican is is a big run off. thanks for help. chris

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I also live only a couple of miles away and as far as I'm concerned the fish taste just fine out of pelican as for the camera you can see OK with it but it is a pretty mucky lake (swamp) so your visibility is limited.

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pelican lake has low water clearity because of all of the farm fields around it and the fertalizer that runs off into the lake. as for eating the fish their should be no problem. i know a ton of people who are eating fish from pelican. so i wouldn't worry about that

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What advice would someone give to another who has never fished this lake? What areas to start? What part of the lake has the deepest water? Where is the best access point? Thanks for any and all advice...

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Try changing the profile appearance of your bait by adding plastic. Black or red seems to work the best. Those fish need a reason to eat. Offer them something more appealing.

I've been catching all of my fish on a size 8 Ratso head with a blood red body. Also caught several on all black. No live-bait. And no matter what, when a fish comes in, don't stop jigging. Keep that bait barely quivering and you'll get bit.

Those fish are starting to see a ton of pressure and noise, so don't be afraid to branch off from the crowd either.

Some very nice fish to be had out there, but you're going to have to work for them. I usually run dang near an entire tank of auger gas everytime out. 100 holes later and it pays off with trophy size fish...

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