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New Bside laker report (updated 2-17)


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Correct, you can use live smelt on Burntside if they're caught on Burntside, but it's illegal to transport them off the lake if they're alive. Dead smelt you can take anywhere.

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Lakerunner, Sounds like you had a good time, even though the big one got away. But thats what keeps a person going back.

How much snow was in the crab creek area? Could a person drive in that area with a 4x4 truck?

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If I am not having any luck with the lakers and my Vex is lit up like a christmas tree I will fish for smelt. I use an ultra light with a Hali Dropper Jig and a Berkley Gulp Grub/Maggot. I have pulled in 30 in one outing and there were still a lot more down there.

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Casey, I figured a dropper would be a deadly smelt deal. Considering how much I'm using smelt instead of cisco these days, and how ridiculously unavailable smelt are commercially in Ely, I may have to add a short dropper line to my jigging spoon and throw on the maggots.

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A Jiggin' Rap seems to work too grin.gif

jigrapsmelt2vr1.jpg

stf I think I'm going to be going back out Friday or this weekend, if you aren't draggin' swampies or pack sackers through the woods with their cameras and want to go let me know, or maybe you already had plans to be out there. crazy.gif

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I'm wide open right now, Casey. Shoot me an e-mail with your preferred day Fri-Sun and we'll make it happen.

It's clear from your pic that you actually SNAGGED THIS SMELT! I'm a gonna turn you in if you kept it! grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

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I am finally headed up to Burntside this weekend for my first ever attempt at lakers thru the ice. I will be leaving the Twin Cities at around 2am to be up there and fishing hopefully by 7am....I was thinking of stopping at Babe's or Great Outdoors beforehand. Does anybody know what time both places open? Also, will they both have the live baitfish to use on my tipups and jigging spoons?

What is most commonly used for live bait on tipups? Shiners? But if those aren't available what other live baitfish is available in Ely to use? Also, when tipping my spoons with minnow heads, what type of minnow do you all use? Fatheads?

Sorry for all the questions but thanks in advance for any advice, I cannot wait to get out there.

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jdney, neither bait store is regularly open as early as you'll be pulling into town. You can look each up in information to get phone numbers and call and ask them. In either case, they might open up early for you. If not, buy your live bait the day before you leave and make sure it's in an oxygen bag. I hear shiners are hard to find in the Cities. If that's true, don't sweat it. Get rainbows or fatheads if you think you have to have live bait.

Lucky 7 is open that early on weekends in Ely. They are half way through town on the main drag on the right side of the street.

But live bait isn't necessarily that big a deal on your tip-up. Dead bait works well, too. If you can get dead frozen smelt in the Cities, get smelt (bait store or grocery store), and cisco works just fine, too.

You don't need any live bait for your jigging lures. Just cut a chunk from just in front of the tail of your frozen smelt or cisco and put that on your lure and you'll be fine.

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jdndey

We are open 7 am-3 pm Saturday and Sunday, 8 am-5 pm Fridays.

Also, gas stations will sell you bait 24/7, but don't have any info about area lakes. \:\/

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Thanks GO -

I wouldn't be surprised if we slip a little behind schedule and end up being able to see you Saturday am. You have given me great walleye advice in the past....I could probably use some friendly advice on lakers.....

Hope to see you Saturday.

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We can give you some laker advice but only if you're sworn to secrecy and don't tell stfcatfish (aka FishFaceFoss) where you were!! grin.gif

He'll have that spot as his mailing address if you do!!! \:D

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Oh dude, that's too funny! grin.gifgrin.gif

We fish at different depths anyway, you shallower and me deeper, and both seem to find plenty of fish.

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Yeah, and the same holds true. Either brand works great and will help you catch fish. And either depth works great and offers catchable lakers.

There, end of debate for ME! Don't know about the rest of you. grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

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Im thinking of making my first trip to Burntside this weekend finally...and was just wondering what the easiest place to access would be coming from Duluth. Also about how far of a drive is it up there?

Thanks

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grits, it's a bit over 2 hours from Duluth to Burntside. You'll come up 53 through Virginia, turning right on Hwy 169 after you're about four or five miles north of Virginia. You'll pass through Tower, and about three miles short of Ely will see a left turn for Cty Road 88, with a street sign that says Grant MacMahan Blvd. Take that left. A couple miles up you'll take another left on Cty Road 404, which is Van Vac Road. The public access will be about a mile up on your right.

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Stf i remeber seeing a post with your "laker fishing journal" entry included in it. I was just wondering when you are planning to publish this? ;\)

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Hay Jigman here was wondering about this fluorocarbon leader is 10 lb Berkley vanish any good for this or is there something better i should be using.Thanks good fishing

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heading up the 15 and 16 and wondering about any starter spots i got gps lake chip so i have a idea. alittel info still helps.

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Finally caught my first laker today!! caught it and several smelt at about 11:00 in 80 ft. of water. 23" long and released to swim another day, thinkin im definatly going out all three days this weekend. Later,

Blake

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Good job, Blake! grin.gif

walleye365, there are a handful of very well known spots that continue to attract anglers because they hold fish.

East side of Dollar Island, NW side of Waters Island, the whole area where the Dead River comes into the lake and the south shore of Van Van Bay in either direction from the public landing. I typically push people toward the 45-55 foot breakline, which is where I'm typically set up whatever the structure. You lake map will show you some very nice structure in all of these places except Van Vac, which shows up on most maps as a fairly featureless breakline (holds fish anyway).

But those are simply starting points, and while they are good spots, they are very well known spots and get lots of weekend traffic. The simple thing about Bise that is true is this: If it looks like a good spot on the map, it probably IS a good spot.

Humps, sunken islands, main lake points, very steep drops. These all hold lakers on Burntside.

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I want to hit B-side this weekend. Are there any areas one should avoid driving a half ton on B-side? Or are there good areas I could drive to from Van Vac with out having to worry a lot about bathing my truck?

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yeah i also had a good day on b-side. i caught one crappie one gill and 59 smelt. all caught on a small jig tipped with a wax worm.

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You can drive most anyplace on the lake, but progress can/will be slow by the drifting in some areas.

NEVER drive on the right hand side (east) of the islands at the north arm entrance. This includes the island with the cabin facing south, and the next island to the north. You will definately take a bath.

There are a few other places that are bad, but for the most part, stay in the middle of the lake and away from very narrow areas between islands and islands and shore.

You should be okay.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
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