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2020 - Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports (URL)


Rick

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Just came in from the lake and we did a limit of 12 fish with none smaller then 16 inches in 1 1/2 hours pulling the #5 NEW yellow perch color in 7 feet of water at a super slow 1.7-2.2 mph and the third line that did well also was a gold spinner pulled behind a planer board running right down the break.

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Traveler - we were between 5-7 FOW. Johny nailed it. The best action was on the edge of weed patches. I could see the changes in the bottom on my sonar and the transition edges held the fish. There were plenty of boats in this area both weekends. I have to say the boating etiquete was exceptional. We were never crowded and everyone did their own thing. When I was being towed, the other boaters gave us a wide berth to maneuver.

If my motor is ready by Friday and the wind stays down, I would like to take my wife for the day. 3 trips to the same well? I don't know if I can be that lucky but the fishing is horrible on my lake and I might find a new "Honey Hole" on URL.

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  • 2 weeks later...

...and Upper Red Lake still pumps out fish. The last three guide trips have been intense to say the least. The key to it is you have to be moving. I am having great luck either pulling perch pattern Lindy Shadlings or pulling spinners on bottom bouncers. Speed has been key with both. Shadlings they want at 2.1-2.4 mph, no slower and no faster and the spinners at 1.7-2.1.

Also don't get stuck on a depth range, yesterday the active fish where in 5 fow, the day before I couldn't find a fish in shallow so I busted out the downriggers and pulled smaller #5 Shadlings in 15-16 feet of water and we limited the boat in a hour. They are spread all over the lake now and looking for something moving.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Spent a couple of hours with greg and pat last night pulling cranks. Greg had the hot lure a shadrap x blue and silver. he landed three and we kept two. I may of missed one as well as Pat. Greg missed atleast two. So it was good action for greg anyway.

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  • 1 month later...

Hit the lake yesterday around 4. After fueling up at westwind I took Larry,Jessie and Christian fishing for the evning. We started out fishing around the rock as last year at this time we had goood fishing there? Not this year though after working the area for an hour I made a call to mark who was fishing in shallow and they had gotten one. That was good enough for me and we headed in to fish closer to shore. Pulling spinners in 3 to 6 feet of water landed 3 keepers. With numerous misses the three of them struggled to land any fish and today we will work on helping them give the fish a little line and then set the hook.

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Ridiculous, insane or just plain out of control are ways I can explain he current bite on Upper Red Lake. After a few calms days the Eastern shoreline has erupted in fish. We are talking mid May type bite with bigger fish and lots of them. 4-10 feet of water pulling spinners has been the best. Especially the Lindy spinner in the purple smelt color rigged with a minnow; it was the hot ticket this morning in fact it even out produced the classic gold or silver.

This morning I couldn’t tell you how many fish we caught but in three hours on the water we had grown tired of handling fish and called it a day with a limit of 17-19” walleye. Once we stowed the rods and looked around everybody had landing nets out. If you can't leave the lake with a limit of walleye right now you are doing something very very wrong. They are on a rampage right and my guess this may be the start of the fall bite that has become so prevalent the last few years.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was able to get out last night with the two grand kids for an hour figuering I better get in on a little of this good fishing before it changes. There was a small breeze that Made it a little tougher but we managed to miss atleast 4 and landed one fat 191/2 and a 14. Ashley had another one and lost as well as me.

With ozzie and his crew coming saturday morning lets hope they keep biting

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I had the pleasure of taking Dave/ozzie,Wayne and Jeromy fishing saturday. Do to the high winds from the nw on thursday I figured starting close to the mouth of the river and trolling with the wind/whitecaps would tell us a lot in a short time .With 4 lines in and two 30 minute trolls not a nibble.As the wind picked up we decided the guys should spend the day grouse hunting and possible give it a try on sunday. Not sure what happen but they did not get one grouse and only flushed one. I took Bell the blue berry eatting lab and my grandson jacob to drop off some wild grapes. We decide to walk the roasd going down to Ednas. Bell did a tremendous job working the cover on the other side of the ditch. As I spotted a grouse sitting in the grass, bell came across the ditch and flushed one of the two . I would of had a shot with the bow on the one I saw and a shotgun would of had a chance at both when they flushed. What a excellent hunt in my book even if I did not have my recurve.

Ozzie and his crew left early sunday morning so Jacob and I fished yesterday afternoon for about two hours with not a bite. I did here of some one at hillmens that got 4 and a guy at the park got one 18incher. It was nice to meet dave/ozzie as he was the winner of my fall give away.It turned out Wayne knows my friend Lyle and he has camped on my river lot a couple of times over the years.Thanks again guys for coming up you made the right call heading home instead of fishing.To bad the vikes lost again,but way to Lions and Bears

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  • 2 months later...

We made a quick trip up North this weekend and hit up Red on Saturday. Fished from 1130 to 4 out of hillmans and we out a little ways further than the rest of the people. 10 feet of water. The two of us caught 14 walleyes and one perch. Kept our limit, which were 14-16". Released a 14" or 2 and also a few 18.5"-19.5". Lost a few near the hole and missed on some bites. Jiggin was the only way to go. Lindy rattlin spoons was our weapon of choice. Don't turn away from the flasher cuz you might not see the fish flying off the bottom! They would come out of nowhere and just pummel the spoon!

One other thing to note was we were noticing a lot of what we thought was clutter all over the place on our flashers, then after awhile we saw what looked to be shiner minnows swimming everywhere right under the ice. I've never seen that on Red or any lake really. Maybe Jonny P can let us know if he sees that often?!

Anyways it was darn good fishing and hope to back up again soon!

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Yes I have been seeing them also. They are young Emerald shiners. They cruise in MASSIVE schools and I'm sure are followed closely by fish with teeth.

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Geez those red lake eyes are hungry! Seems like they have plenty to eat and still are ready to attack those Lindy lures when dropped under the ice sheet!! Awesome!!

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Ya know I seldom see Emerald shiners in walleye bellies on Upper Red. Lots of big Spottail Shiners, perch and even snails in their belly but seldom Emeralds. I wonder if the Emeralds are not targeted as much as they tend to run higher in the water column. Plus they are not much of a meal when sized against a perch, spottail or chub.

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Had two groups of two guys each out today. One of the groups was in 7 feet of water and the other in 8.5 feet of water. The group in shallow landed 39 walleyes during the day with the best bite coming before dark. They found it easy to catch their limit of eatters. The group out in 8.5 feet of water didnt do as well but was able to land 17 walleyes. It was a struggle for them to get their limit of eatters but with some work they were able to get it done.

The magic color of the the day, was hands down red / pink glow red with fat heads. The shiners seemed not to do so well.

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Just back from a long weekend on URL. AWESOME. No problem catching fish ranging from 14in to a beautiful 28in. Had a few big ones up to the hole but not able to finish. It is nice to see some bigger fish coming in. We don't bring fish home and only keep a few for dinner each night so I dont have a count but would have to guess we caught well over 50 each day. Fished south of Westwind about 3 miles in 10ft of water with 10in of ice. Best time was early afternoon to sunset. Emerald shiners outfished fathead 2 to 1. Staying away from people was the ticket in shallower water as the first day we were surrounded by traffic and didnt get into em' until we moved away from the crowd. Funny how you have all that open area around you and people want to set up right next door. Good luck everyone.

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Figure you are after pike and we did have a tip-up in shallower but only caught walleye. Shiners worked best for us. We started with golden and ran out so picked up some emerald and they worked just as good. Bigger ones definitely brought bigger fish!

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Well i will take anything that will bite on a tip up. How is the ice, will there be enough to pull a large ice castle out next week some time.

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What looks to be the most stable place to fish? I mean if i wanted to get my ice castle out and get on some fish, nothing amazing but some fish what would be a good spot? Would the North or east side be good or in front of west wind is also a area i hear has been producing.

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What looks to be the most stable place to fish? I mean if i wanted to get my ice castle out and get on some fish, nothing amazing but some fish what would be a good spot? Would the North or east side be good or in front of west wind is also a area i hear has been producing.

It's a big lake, go where it looks fishy and fish it, be mobile if you're not getting any fish/bites/on electronics. Go out of Hillmans, West Wind, Morts, Rogers, there are a few other resorts as well. I've gone out of most resorts and have had good and bad days of fishing but great times out on the lake however.

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Heading up to the great red lake on sunday for a couple of days of hog hunting....Never been to Red on early season ice. Of course, i am all geeked up and checking the reports/conditions constantly. Have noticed there hasnt been too many reports in the last couple days. Hope this doesnt mean the bite is slowing down just for us! Where have all the reports gone, bad or good?? You know people like me just eat em' up! Personally, i like a little mustard on my fishing reports when i eat em up...

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Most of us are moving houses on the lake so now its hush hush from here on out. Just kidding I fished in front of the river tonight and it was slow and brutal with the wind.Missed one with the rod and reel and never had a flag with the tip up. I fished maybe a hour just at dusk.

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Quote:
Have noticed there hasnt been too many reports in the last couple days.

We're just keeping you in suspense. confusedgrin There is not a lot of people fishing. The people that I talked to today when they came in said the night bite was the best.

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Where have all the reports gone, bad or good??

I shot for the fences last night going way out to the deep holes and struck out, one spot not to go! Somebody has to find the bad spots and I just had to see what was going on out deep. Today I spent the day sitting in the Red Lake Technical Committee meeting and that was a LOOOOONG meeting that killed the chance of fishing today. I am booked Saturday through Christmas eve with trips of one sorts or another so the reports will be coming in.

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Every year its the same thing. Until the ice seems safe in all directions the resorts hold off allowing vechicles as once there on the lake its hard to controll where they go.Then this year with no snow a guy could get turned around out there. There are some patches of broken ice that needs time to freeze if its not. I puunched right through the ridge in front of my place with a chisle. Where I fished tonight there was a solid 13 +.

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thanks for the report jonny... That is the type of stuff that really helps. I like to hear the bad reports too! Looks like my buddy and i will not be getting greedy and taking the portable out deep, as it may be pointless at this time. Hope to see a few of you sunday-Wed morn, cant wait and will report when home....

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