Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Very suprised by low number of fisherman


ib_jigged

Recommended Posts

I was up with some friends over the weekend (Friday-Sunday) and was very suprised at how few people were on the lake. I know fishing or should I say catching was very slow. The fishing is always great and was fun to catch up with some friends from Buffalo/Delano area. We did not have much for luck, even moved around a bit, but that is what fishing is all about.

I remember my first trip to URL about 6 years ago, man it looked like a little city out there at night. Maybe the crappies miss the crowd??

Would be nice to know if they are all still holed up on the deeper side of the lake (off limits to us). If the weather holds out and things are right temp wise I think that we can still have a great chance to still catch some through the ice yet this spring.

Remember everyone catching fish is only part of the experience!!

fishon!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 60
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • theicehooker

    7

  • kgpcr4

    5

  • Random guy

    4

  • shaky legs2

    4

I have given this some thought, and I am SURE that the guides up there have given this ALOT of thought. I am not so sure it is the bad fishing that is reported to be the problem...perhaps the real problems are what no one is willing to admit. These are in no particular order: 1) It's the economy stupid! Let's face it, the cost of gas to drive up there is becoming very expensive. 2) More and more families are watching "discretionary" spending, and find the money spent going up there and fishing for a couple of days now top over $500 easily. 3) The fish limits are so overly restrictive that the fish you can take home are not even enough for a family of 5 to have a nice fish fry. 4) The length of the usable fishing season is short(late Dec - Feb), and I can see how the resorts might champion a longer season for themselves.

For full disclosure let me tell you that we are coming up to a noted resort in URL in the middle of March. My first pick was declined to me because they were taking down their permanent houses by the end of this week? My second pick is not a sponser here but the prices will be $200 per day (for two days), at least $140.00 for gas, $60.00 for food, and say $20.00 for extra tackle and minnows. This will cost us (three of us) about $620.00. One of us is a minor (my son), so to catch a few fish will cost us about $320.00 each for two days of fishing. When the exact same crew go to Lake Vermillion and stay at a hotel in Tower for 6 days in the summer, we usually spend the same amount of money per person. How did URL get so expensive?

If I was a resort owner I would be looking across that huge empty lake and ask myself, What is going on here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Add $10 per day for the lake access pass and beer. For me that may cost an additional $75 or so. Gotta count that. And Thanks for all the work on the roads fellas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel your pain guys, I like to go to Ely as much as possible. Maybe this will help (a little) though... Deduct the food and beer from the cost of the trip.

You're going to eat and drink over the weekend no matter where you are!!! ;\)grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reminds me of a story I heard when I was up there last. Pat Foster had a group of guys out and they only caught one fish. They went on an on about how much money they spent and how much that one fish cost them.

Pat said, "well guys, you should feel very lucky"

They said, "why is that?"

Pat said, "The way I look at it, if that fish cost you X dollars, just think if you would've caught two"

grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: dtro
Reminds me of a story I heard when I was up there last. Pat Foster had a group of guys out and they only caught one fish. They went on an on about how much money they spent and how much that one fish cost them.

Pat said, "well guys, you should feel very lucky"

They said, "why is that?"

Pat said, "The way I look at it, if that fish cost you X dollars, just think if you would've caught two"

grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif

The meat fishermen are gone and heading to Winnie or the "Woods". I quit trying to figure out what each bird or fish cost years ago. The economy/price of gas I'm sure does have an impact but if the crappies were being caught on Red as in the past you would see the same scene repeated regardless of the cost. Personally, I like it this way even though it does same strange to have it so quiet. I love the history of the area, memories from my childhood on the lake plus more recent years, and the people up there are the "salt of the earth". Catching fish is secondary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I drove by Red Lake Monday morning and noticed almost nobody out fishing. I also noticed lots of houses on shore already. I drove by Mille Lacs Monday afternoon and saw almost nobody fishing either. I was on Lake of the Woods for a three day weekend and they too seemed to be on the slower side.

A three day weekend renting a cabin and fish house for two days cost me $400.00. That does include the food I ate, the beer I drank and my share of the gas bill. I quess that doesn't sound outrageous but it is expensive for me. That was the last trip I will make anywere this winter.

I think most people are feeling a little pinched with money these days and some fishing trips will have to be postponed for now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you go to Red or any lake for that matter for the meat, save your $ and go to your local supermarket or fast food chain and buy fish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think people now days go fishing for the meat, regardless of what they say. BUT.... the 200-400 dollar per person trips are starting to wear on the average joe. Back when people weren't worried about losing their jobs, 3-4 a year was cool. Now, 1-2 might be pushing it. The fish are there, but the money aint.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Originally Posted By: late night
A three day weekend renting a cabin and fish house for two days cost me $400.00. That does include the food I ate, the beer I drank and my share of the gas bill. I quess that doesn't sound outrageous but it is expensive for me. That was the last trip I will make anywere this winter.

I think most people are feeling a little pinched with money these days and some fishing trips will have to be postponed for now.

I thinnk it's a spendy trip. Something like that I would have a hard time doing once a year. I make decent money, but have expenses as well. I went up to Red and Black Duck this year. It was with Big Wade and we stayed at his father in laws. That really cut costs since his father in law provided unbelievable food and we didn't have to pay for lodging. That's the way I like to go out of town. Next year we are already talking of doing it again, but spending a day on LOW and rent a house.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that the cost of fuel is causing a lot of people to think twice about making trips to Red. Combine that with the generally poor fishing this year and it's tough for people to justify the expense in this economy. I work in construction so my income has taken a huge hit for the past year or two but my son and I still head up there as much as possible. I keep a wheel house up there so it is really just the cost of fuel once I've already paid the storage and season road pass. Can't count food as we have to eat any way. My boy (who is 10) doesn't do organized winter sports because it would interfere with our trips to Red. He is crazy about it and you just can't replace those memories. I will find a way to pay for the fuel. The time spent with my son doesn't have a price. Hoping for at least 2 more trips this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well lets see here..... Expensive trip and no fish or just a few. I got a limit of nice crappies 15 miles from my house. total cost 10.00 maybe 15.00. Trip to URL 300.00 maybe two slabs... Not a tough one to choose. Why spend big money for no fish?? Or spend the bank on 2 walleyes?? its just not worth it and from the looks of it i am not the only one who feels that way! i love the lake but this coming weekend i will hit Winnie and do well on the perch, we always do. we have to look at work at them but we find them. then in the early evening we hit a small lake and do very well on the crappies, again not URL slabs but there are numbers of very nice fish. Not a tough choice! I go fishing to catch fish. A buddy has a sleeper on a local lake that produces nice fish. its a 20 minute drive. Why go through all the ho hah for a URL trip and catch 3 fish??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well after hearing a few reports I am finding a way to get up to red in the next week or two.....glad I will have room!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Well on a bad weekend maybe 3 fish. If a guy is willing to work for them they generally are doing better. We'll be up this weekend renting a sleeper and exploring during the day. It's a spendy trip but then again it's not about how much each fish is gonna cost.

During slabfest I gabbed and offered a few drinks to old and new friends far more than I fished. Sunday my wife and I got serious and headed out to a spot we recieved a tip about. After about 75 holes we found them. Sometimes you can drill all day and not find them other times they are there right away. That's URL.

My wife is trying to talk me into another trip up there after this weekend. We'll see how the finances look. ;\)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, I need a wife that tries to talk me into another fishing trip. Nice catch. \:\)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let me just start out by saying, to each their own. I'm not judging anyone but I'll put in my 2 cents. I have a place on Vermilion and the ice fishing there is hit or miss at best. I go on one up-north trip per year with my Dad and 2 brothers and we rent a sleeper. We went to LOW one year and did well as far as quantity but our biggest fish of any species was 14". The next year we decided to stay closer to home and go to Mille Lacs. We caught Perch but not in large numbers. We tried URL and have been coming back ever since. It's worth the drive to me, just for the potential: Walleyes, Crappies and Pike. If you're going to use the gas argument, you're spending about $1 per gallon more than when it was "cheap" and hordes of fisherman made the trek. Even with the worst gas mileage vehicle, that's maybe $60-100 per trip, right? If that's the deciding factor as to whether one stays home, I'd consider a new getaway. URL is cheaper than LOW and the service at least from the guides we've used is much better overall. Mille Lacs doesn't compare to either one. For one trip per year, you still can't beat URL even in a bad year. It's not always only the fish that you're after, is it? 2 cents from a one weekend warrior.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All of you who have friends at URL have a great time seeing old friends and that may be the reason you are going up there, and getting into a few fish is always a lot of fun as well. Now think of this....take away what your going there for....the people, would you still go to a dead sea???? I think it is just natural to stop going places ounce you remove what attracts them. I would not hunt North Dakota, 7.5 hr drive, if there were no birds. We as sportsman take trips to places that are known to be a reasonable place to have fun fishing or hunting and not only the boozin. Not that I am against boozin but I can do that right here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

First off I'm a lucky man no doubt! The better half just loves going up to red.

Well I guess I wouldn't even think about calling URL the deadsea. But then again I've heard the same discription regarding Mille Lacs in the past even when we were hammering them.

No doubt the bite has been slow compared to past years. Last winter was the best I can remember in the past 5 or so. The year prior to that was very much like we are experiencing this winter. Money is tight for folks and that's just the way it is. Whether it's a slow bite, the cost for fuel or whatever weighs on a person, it is what it is.

Good Luck where ever you wet your lines.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you may be nagging about Red, but let me tell you there is fish in the lake mybe you guys that are complaing need to quit playing cards and drinking and go find the fish the guides on this lake put you in the gereral deriction, dont think if you come and rent a house that the crappies will magiclly apper its just not going to happen. i know that you prolly going to get a few in the hard house but get out there and explore, i have cought so nice numbers of crappies this winter but we had to work for the fish, thats why they call it fishing and not catch, if catching was all we did thats what theyd call it, we dont put your lake down so dont put ours down,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so people keep saying that there is no fish, well how many lakes can you go to and catch possible up to 30 to 50 fish a day, well Red has been known to do that often, how many other lakes do you have a chance at that 40 in pike, and the 14 inche crappies, really you never know what your going to get! please dont say theres no fish out here cuase there is a [PoorWordUsage] load just get out there and look

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wet up for slabfest this year, it was my first trip to URL. We stayed in Black Duck and fished there Friday all day and Saturday morning and caught some nice fish. We headed to URL for the slabfest cause we wanted to experience Red Lake. Didn't manage a crappie, but I saw a few get caught and it had me pumped. I did manage a couple of small eyes. I had fun being with FMr's and fishing. Not always about catching fish for me but the possibility of hooking into a slab is nice to have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a love affair with URL that I can't explain. Sure, by comparison to previous years the bite is slower. However the opportunities Red presents are incredible. On Red I've caught many nice walleye, perch, crappie, and pike. As a bonus, one day I caught the 4-some out of the same hole.

I have a hard time believing Red is a dead sea.

Do what you like to do and go where you want to go, but passing by Red because the bite is slower than previous years isn't something I'll be doing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To each their own. Like I tell my kids at the dinner table if you don't like it don't eat it but don't tell me how bad it tastes while I'm eating it and enjoying it. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I truly get a kick out of this. Yes the bite was slow this year but Red Lake is far from dead. Let the snow cover drop or the ice melt away and it is a whole new game again. Red Lake can be a very moody lake just like its other big neighbors such as Cass, Winnie, Leech so on and so forth. Trouble is the last few years truly spoiled many anglers from the massive amount of crappies coming through and the ease of catching them.

Now something I would like to comment on is the numbers from last year. Last winter was one of the best winters as of yet for us, the catch rate of crappies went through the roof. This last summer we would catch crappies while fishing walleye and even pike fishing. I got into a school of crappies last June while tossing crank baits into the shallows looking for pike. So we definitely still have a solid crappie population as we do walleye. Look back to last summers posts complaining about having to catch fifty, one-hundred and even some boats catching over one hundred walleye looking for perfect keepers. So these fish didn’t die or all get caught, we just had bad conditions, it happens. Actually it is taking place across the state. From Baudette south to Walker and even into Brainerd bait dealers that I work with are all discouraged about a slow bite and slow business, what can you do? That’s fishing.

My entire livelihood comes from Upper Red Lake, from the groceries to gas money it all comes from the lake and I’m not packing it up nor am I afraid of the future, I’m actually pumped for the snow to drop and open water to arrive. I am still very confident that I am sitting on one of the best waters Minnesota has to offer. I know the fish are present and I like that it may take a little work to find them, makes for a better bite for longer periods before I have to search for the next bite and I don’t have to battle hundreds of limit orientated boats on a daily basis.

Yes it has been tough but we have had tough conditions. When you depend on mother nature you take that risk, she will humble you and teach you just how powerful she can be from time to time. Then she can swing the other way and show you just how good it can be, consider this one of those periods. It has been that way since man realized fish are good to eat.

So if you don’t like the fact that you may not limit out or you may have to switch gears a little that is ok. You are free to travel about the country as you chose. Although many are still coming to Upper Red Lake simply because they like it, they may not catch a limit and this winter some may not have caught a crappie but they had a great time either way. These are the anglers that truly drive the fishing related economy, they are diehards that are steady, persistent and a constantly moving force that takes the good with bad all the same. These are the folks still coming to Upper Red Lake because they are also free to move about the country as they chose. Hopefully these are the anglers I am photographing on the water holding up a trophy pike, a stringer of walleyes maybe even a handful of monster sized crappies as the rest of the world drives past the “dead sea”.

I look forward to the future of Upper Red Lake, in my eyes it is very promising and exciting and have everything to lose.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as price per pound of the fish or other game, I like to use the analogy of the guy(could be me!) that goes to a bowling tourney or golf outing. These are both recreation but amount of meat brought home for my family after spending the same money is usually less.

Another problem with slow fishing is the increased liquor bill--

More $$ spent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont know about other guys but my problem is time. I got more then enough money but who has time for 3 day fishing trips. With kids and work and keeping married I am lucky to get one morning/afternoon a weekend. My antelope hunting trip last fall lasted all of 19 hrs from departure to return. I slept 3 hrs of that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.