fishing reports 2020 - Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports (URL)

[Fishalittle]

I didn't find that in the regulations can you post your source?

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/bemidji/upper_red.pdf

According to this link there is only 20-26" protected for summer?

[StarShooter]

My bad, you are correct. Not sure where I got the 14" and under need to go back.

[laportian]

Made it up for the first time in a month. My truck had issue and I didn't figure it out until last week. Normally I don't mind staying off Red in july, but it has been really good this year. But anyhow I went out of the river about 7 am Saturday morning. There were a lot of boats herded up along the first break to the south of the Tamerack. I turned north. I picked up a few little ones here and there . I fished anywhere from 10 feet up to the edge of the rushes. I finally relented and joined the crowds by mid morning. Trolled spinners with half a crawler and pounded dink walleyes. I caught nothing bigger than 15 inches. Didn't keep any.

[memyself@I]

Was up last Friday with my stepson, same results. I think we fished for 2 hours before we caught one worth keeping, we probably boated 50 walleyes overall and kept 6 14"-15", nothing even close to 20" over or under. Guessing the larger fish have been thinned pretty hard and the rest moved to different area. Great day to be out even if it wasn't what we hoped for. I am guessing the winter slot will be nothing over 17", with as much pressure as the lake has had, lots of guides bringing clients up there since Winnie and Leech have been so slow this season.

[MgFisherman1984]

I'm nick and I'm going up there this weekend will be staying at big bog campground. I will be fishing from a float tube with my fiancée . How far do I have to go out to catch walleyes? Also what are you using for tackle? Is tamarack river good? Are there catfish in there? I have a mr buddy depth finder that can attach to the float tube. Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

[memyself@I]

Hey Nick

A float tube? That sounds pretty adventurous! No catfish in Red lake or the Tamarack River. I think the biggest issue you'll face on Red Lake is getting far enough out to where the fish are. And of course the wind. If you want to fish the lake, I would suggest floating out of West winds, or off the end of the Kansas City road, as you hit the SE corner the lake drops faster.

If you want to fish the mouth of the Tamarack go out of the old hatchery access, years ago they used to fish big northerns in that area. And you could certainly try the river itself, not sure what is in there this time of the year, you never know!!

Good luck

Dan

[JERRYatROGERS]

Yes... blame everything on the handful of out of town fishing guides. They really know how to empty a lake of walleyes in just a few weeks.

Jerry former owner of ROGERS'

[memyself@I]

Jerry

Who said anything about blame??? I believe its you, not I. I was merely stating the facts. I do use a guide on occasions, and he asked if I wanted to fish Red, to which I said no, thats a lake I can fish myself. And HE himself has expressed concerns about hammering certain lakes when thats the only place a bite was going on, and he was NOT talking about Red.

What is a concern (to me) is anybody fishing more than one lake a day coming to lake uninfected with Zebra Mussels after fishing infected waters. There is no way to dry your boat out enough and my own boat is a perfect example, the only way I can get the water out of the bottom of my live well is to sponge or towel it out.

I get it that things change, and the amount of consistent pressure that Red gets has certainly changed over the years, when the fishing is on, its an easy lake to fish, and I've been fishing it for 33 years now. And the lake will respond accordingly-or not.

Dan

[Boreas]

This is what the docks look like at Red now, only the boats are deeper, still lots of stickers, fancy boats and Nascar looking shirts.

[Portavilla]

Nice artistic rendition of a make believe world. It's more like a dozen boats, two to three guides and a few fisherman enjoying a nice day on the lake. I do find inspiration in your concept of a booming local economy filled with the excitement of what may happen throughout the day. We will work on it and thanks for the inspiration.

[Random guy]

August 2nd I counted 23 non local (over 60 miles away) guide boats on the water or at the landing that I knew or was able to confirm where guides. Guides from Grand Rapids, Deer River, Mille Lacs, Bemidji, Duluth, Leech Lake, Ottertail area, Brainerd, LOTW, Park Rapids and International Falls.

It may not be what many want to hear, but I am personally concerned with the pressure on Red Lake, not just with guides but masses of boats and wheelhouses. When the catch numbers and angler hours go public I think a few jaws are going to drop. The annual target harvest, ya, we passed that many weeks ago. Yes, things are changing, but I feel we may have a little too much coal in the boiler.

[srj]

I have to agree with Jonny that the catch numbers will be way up. It's been a while since the August bite has been this good. Do you think the state should lower the bag? Aug 2 must have been a very busy day. Saturday the 9th my lady announced she wanted to sit in the sun....means lets go fishing. We got to Red about 2, launched at Westwinds and headed south a bit. We pulled cranks for a couple hours and caught a nice bunch of good fish, some sheep and she caught a 40+ pike. Really good fishing. However, the bait fishermen were not doing well. For the good bite going on, the number of boats seemed pretty low. I didn't see any guide boats, but did see some really nice rigs.

I am puzzled why a Lake of the Woods guide would drive down to Red when the bite has been stellar up there. Unless the wind was really bad, the bite north of Garden has been nothing short of amazing. That usually peters out mid or late June but not this year with the high and cool water. Maybe they were fishing pike?

Next year will probably be back to the mid summer doldrums with empty accesses. But this year sure is fun.

Good luck with your new venture Jonny.

p.s. Was up again today with an acquaintance of yours on the north shore. Like the old days with fish still hugging the rushes....just not very big.

[Random guy]

Next year will probably be back to the mid summer doldrums with empty accesses. But this year sure is fun.

That would be my guess, this has to be the best year with the longest running bite I have ever seen.

[Portavilla]

Cooler water temps have kept the dog days off but I do think winter fishing pressure will climb this year. With the Mille Lacs barrier down its hard to tell what the impact will be on the other big lakes. We could easily see 15-25% increase in pressure as it's going some where. There has been a few more guides this year but not a huge issue as most of the pressure has been by everyday guys and the family, can't blame them fishing has been good.

What about negotiating with the tribe they are a wholesaler of fish. What do they want for a couple hundred thousand pounds of their quota?

[JERRYatROGERS]

I thought that was the reason we spent all the time and money bringing the walleye numbers back was done to bring people back and to revitalize the economy for entire area, and from what I see it is working well.

Seems to me the some think it was all done just for their benefit.

Jerry

[analyzer]

What about negotiating with the tribe they are a wholesaler of fish. What do they want for a couple hundred thousand pounds of their quota?

According to their booth at the State Fair, I would say $14.99 a pound for walleye, pike, perch, crappie, and whitefish.

x 200,000 lbs gross weight or maybe half that in filets, I'd say right around: $1,499,000

[wally243]

Portvilla you can't e serious????

Think about what you just wrote a minute. How do you think a potential client like myself interprets it??? Not sure many tax payers and potential clients would find that idea a very good one. Just saying!! Unless of course you were thinking the guides would foot the bill??? In that case disregard the first part of this suggestion..

[Portavilla]

Guys I was not suggesting tax payers pay for a football stadium or that smokers should pay more tax. Just said what would it take for 200,000 lbs. One poster put out a comment on what he thought and there is a number out there that works. Just look at why stadium deals are made in the first place it is because Uncle Sam makes more money on every business in taxes than the owners themselves.

Property tax, payroll tax, sales tax and on and on, our country has done a good job exporting our jobs and importing others to do the other jobs. Should Uncle Sam have some skin in the game you bet he should. My favorite is paying tax on equipment to put guys to work but this is not why the statement was made I have been asking guys for two years would you pay another $20 for another limit? Not one has said no. What would that mean for the local economy, jobs and so on? Would it benefit the tribe maybe and maybe not?

[Markit]

Any reports on people catching? How's the bite?

[Xplorer]

I am guessing the winter slot will be nothing over 17", with as much pressure as the lake has had, lots of guides bringing clients up there since Winnie and Leech have been so slow this season.

How prophetic. No report but there should be many after the weekend as it will be crazy busy.

[Jmeyers]

Heading up there next weekend, just wondering what accesses are lake accessible?

[minnowdragger]

Went out from rogers this morning and the 3 of us just caught our 12th walleye all are just about 18-19. Now heading in before we get blown to Canada. Wind is really strong.

[fish_hunt_guy]

Thanks for the report, was the wind blowing this morning when u were catching fish?

[fish_hunt_guy]

Also can anyone give me an update on water claity out there so far? More specifically north side vs. south side? Thanks for any help!

[minnowdragger]

I like he south side better. The wind increased all morning. The water is always stained. Just the way it is. Its bog stained from the Tamarack River

[fish_hunt_guy]

Thanks minnow I realize that but some parts are more bog stained than others depending on the area and the time of the year. I think it depends some on the wind direction and speed right before and during the freeze, as far as ice fishing goes, as to how churned up the water gets in different areas. Then it takes X amount of days to clear up some.

[ETH310]

Went out of rogers yesterday and today. The water is still pretty murky. There was 8-9 inches of ice and the fishing was good.

[MuskieFever]

Went of of rogers today as well. Fished from 9-5 and it was okay. Not fast and furious and not dead. Moved a lot. Swiss-cheesed the ice, hole-hopped a lot as well. Would like to take another trip out there later in the year.

[laportian]

I fished on the south shore yesterday. Went out on my sled with otter in tow. Wind was awful. I went out to 11 feet and the ice was 8 inches. It was a slow bite. Picking up one here and there thru out the afternoon. Then at about 4:15 I had a nice flurry and had four on in about a 15 minute window. I had a rattlin Flyer in glow red tipped with a minnow head that caught all my fish. I jigged up a few with a chubby darter in perch and purple. But they would only come in and look at it, then ease over and slurp up the spoon. I plan on going out today and tomorrow too. Weather looks nice. I think I only have to work Monday and Tuesday this upcoming week so will be out through out the holiday weekend fishing the last hour or two of each day. Nuts because it not even December yet!!!

[laportian]

I finishing a nice weekend of fishing today. I went out Friday, Saturday, and today. Today was the best of the three. I tried something a bit different. I used a lindy darter in perch to bring them in. I would jig it very aggressively. This would draw fish in to look. And as soon as I had a fish on my graph I'd reel up the darter and drop a rattlin flyer down on their nose as fast a possible. The spoon was tipped with a minnow head. They'd almost always then smack the flyer. I iced 12 or so in two hours this afternoon doing this. Before that I was using the darter and had a slick jig with a whole minnow two feet away kind of deadsticking it. Meaning the darter was the attracter and I would reach over and maybe give the jig just a twitch to get them to notice. This was working but not consistently. The constant was the darter attracting walleyes. I think I only had two or three hook ups on the darter itself all weekend. Next time out I plan on tipping the front treble with a minnow head to see if a little meat on there will produce more strikes.