"The Lodge" fishhouse.. How's mobility on area lakes??

[marshmallow]

Thinking of heading out towards Hutch area lakes "next" weekend.. Bringing the "Lodge" fishhouse, and portables.. How has the mobility, travel, been on the area lakes?? How has the walleye bites been?? No need to name a lake, just how the bite has been??

[marshmallow]

I'll just call a couple bait shops.. Maybe hook the plow up..

[Take'Em]

Mobility is good fishing slow

[LMITOUT]

You should be fine as far as travel goes, depending on what happens with this snow that's coming tonight/tomorrow.

Ditto on the flow fishing.

[Stradic]

Try Minnie Belle in the morning for eye's.

Howard Lake for crappies in the evening and eye's during the night.

Ripley and try Stella for dink eye's.

Travel in not a problem but bring a shovel, there are some 1-2' drifts out there! Ice is anywhere from 12-20+".

[WildCountry]

Pelican Lake for Crappies, Ripley only has HUGE eyes, everyone that is out there is catching good eating crappies

[Stradic]

LMAO!

[hunter101]

hows the ice on minne belle? i didnt see many houses on the lake and not many vehicle tracks?

[Hester]

Walleyes in Ripley? I think you have the wrong lake. I would try minnie belle, Bell or Erie.

[Stradic]

Yeah, there are NO walleye's in Ripley .

[LMITOUT]

Status of the fishery as of 2005:

(Ripley)

Moderate numbers of walleye were gill netted, for this type of lake, ranging in length from 10.0-25.9 inches. Walleye averaged 20.0 inches. The 2005 walleye catch rate (4.0/net) was almost identical to the all time high catch rate from 1995 (4.1/net). Walleye were last stocked in 1981, indicating that natural reproduction is sustaining the fishery.

[WildCountry]

Last time stocked in 1981. It would be safe to assume that yes there are hogs in ripley. Average of 20" Them are not hogs, but having an average like that sure does sound pretty dang good. Thanks LIMITOUT

[WildCountry]

Info from MNDNR LakeFinder on MinneBelle,

A total of 51 walleye were sampled by gill nets for a catch rate of 5.7/net. This catch rate was slightly down from the last gill netting in 2003 (6.7/net). Of the 51 fish netted, 75% were 15 inches or larger and 16% were 20 inches or larger. The average length of fish captured in 2006 (16.9") remained about the same compared to 2003 (16.7"). Fish age determined from fish scale samples revealed walleye of 11 separate ages. Fish that were 3, 5, 6, and 7 years old were most common. Walleye fingerlings are stocked every other year at Minnibelle to supplement natural reproduction.

So comparing Ripley and MinneBelle, if you were to catch bigger walleyes, Ripley sure does give MinniBelle a run for the money

[Mnwalleye39]

walleyes disappeared and the travel i good, been to alot of lakes north of hutch but wolf lake i got northern and crappies other then that i could be mowing the lawn.