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2020 - Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports (URL)


Rick

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We are running wheelers out of Hillmans at least a 1 1/4 mile. Buddy Hillman is staked out as far as the eye can see but stopping everybody at the that mark for now. It puts you into 9-10 feet of water and the fish have been showing up in 7. That could change quickly so ask the guys in the store when you pick up your road pass. They will have the latest conditions.

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For walleyes it is across the board, 12"-17 1/2" seem to make up the majority with some in that 18-23" mark and every so often a tanker 25" plus shows up. Pike have been great with LOTS of 35-42" fish, a few smaller ones but not many. Crappies, if and when they show up, will most likely be around the 14-15" mark. Eelpout are also coming back in size as are the whitfish. Nice to see after they got cooked out several summers back.

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I heard someone took a dip on the east shore today. Any details? I've been lerery about heading up there and this doesn't help.

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I don't know the details but I did talk to the recovery guys and it sounds like a wheeler hit a crack and dropped in.

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Fished the south shore by Roger's Friday and Saturday. Worked from 7 to 9 feet. Fish seemed to bite on and off all day but a little better during the evening. Lots of nice eaters, I think the biggest from our group was a 23 incher. Did catch a 40" snot rocket that was fun. I am not sure if color mattered. I used a glow red rattle spoon with a minnow head all weekend and did well. Dead stick with a fathead minnow caught 1/2 my fish Friday. Jig caught 90% Saturday. Other guys in my group also did well on gold and chartreuse.

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I fished the south shore yesterday near the rez line. I made it out to ten feet and found 10 inches of ice. I was out in the open as I pulled a sled out and did not bring my portable with as it is a suitcase frabil cub that I hate. Gets me pretty riled up putting it away when it is cold, windy, and dark out, so i made the decision to leave it at home. But anyways once I was set up I was set up, too miserable out to move. I was fishing by 230 and waited around until 4 before I caught my first fish. I iced 6 fish in the next hour. I lost two at the hole and didnt get the hook set on at least three others! I had two rigs I was jigging with Lindy Rattlin flyers in golden shiner and one in firetiger. The gold one was the one they were hitting. I only got one strike on the firetiger.

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I heard someone took a dip on the east shore today. Any details? I've been lerery about heading up there and this doesn't help.

Go to YouTube and search for "Ice Fishing Red Lake 12 08 12" and you'll find a clip where he's talking about the guys who went in and shows them from far off trying to get the ATV back out.

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Until the ice gets to the 16 to 18 inch range hard wind will open up cracks fairly often. Through the years alot of my bad memories of ice fishing URL have involved the same 2 things. Early ice AND a low pressure system with snow and wind. The oldtimers used to say that the low front moving across that big sheet of ice flexed and cracked the ice and then the wind moved the ice. The cracks skim over quick in cold weather and are hard to see. Then there is a weaker line in the ice and the next wind from the other direction will push that weak line back shut but leave a crack on the oposite side of the lake. The ice is never the same all across the lake and should never be taken for granted. When a person says that there is 10 or 12 or 14 inches of ice on URL it only means at that spot on URL. Always talk to the people at the road where you are going out from. Do not take the thickness or condition of the ice for granted. It's a huge lake and the ice varies all the way across it.

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The wife and I stayed at Beacon Harbor Friday and Saturday. We did very well in 8 fow. The majority of fish were caught on dead sticks with Orange/glow jigs on Friday. It was the direct opposite for Saturday with a wide variety of colored spoons producing fish. Most of the fish caught were in the 17-19" range but no big fish. There was some bad ice to the south of the access that had to be avoided and one crack to cross close to shore but beyond that it was a good solid 8".

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Came back from fishing the URL on Sarurday and cleaned after a good day of fishing with my dad. Cleaned the fish and found some long white worms in one of the fish, same worms like I found in all the croppies on Pelican Llka near Monticello. They were still alive and moving. None of the other fifh had it except one. Anybody else knows anything about it? I am still going to eat the fish, since they were not in the meat, but it kinda looks nasty

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Two of us went up this past Sat/Sun out of Rogers' outfitting with Justin from Up North Rentals. He pulled our portable out and gave us rides out to the first break and made multiple runs to accommodate us on the ice. We stayed in one of his houses on shore. Ended up with 50 eyes and 1 snot rocket with a 22" and 24" eye being the biggest of the trip. Had a great time Up North and would recommend to anyone wanting to get a rental for your trip! Sat. was all about jigging with either gold or red spoon tipped with minnow head and Sun was completely different where red hook and smallest minnow finally made them commit to the bite.

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I, new to the forum. I am planning a trip to upper red in Mid to late Janurary. would be about 7 people total. How ismthe fishing looking.

thanks in advance

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sirj, welcome to the forums! If you look at the list o sponsors you will find a few that cater to the URL area that should fit the bill. JohnnyP and Kelly will have some great info for you and if you look back and search previous years there is a wealth of info for you to look at as far as bait presentations and accommodations. I am hoping to hit the lake this weekend for a whirlwhind tour with a couple of friends.

Tunrevir~

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Heading to URL for the first time this weekend. Whats the best way to get to Rogers Resort from the twin cities? What are some "hot" lures/baits to get before we head up? Thanks

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I like to take 35E to Moose Lake-take 73 to Floodwood-Take 2 thru Grand Rapids to Deer River-take 46 to Northome-take 1 to 72 to Artesian Spring road.

As far as lures, my go to is various size and colored Lindy Rattlin flyers and 1/8 oz custom jig and spin Slender Spoons in silver/red and gold/green. I also have had good luck with a dead stick with a plain red hook or various jigs.

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73 has some tight turns is weather is questionable. I usually cut across at pine city on 11 and then N on 65 to 2. Takes the same amount of time as running up 35 - 53-2 but cuts off 30-40 miles and save gas as if I run the super stretch I tend to run a little faster then I should.

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Out of Rogers in 9'. It's very slow. One 15" eye since 5 pm. Can't believe it. We will see what the rattle wheels produce overnight. Think I may head to low in the am.

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jjonhnson5150

9 feet has not produced much since last weekend try 11 or 6 at night and go deeper during the day. In shallow you have to be more quiet but don't be afraid to tap that transducer and send some vibration down the hole let them know your there. In the day head out to the broken ice, there are some pressure ridges but wheeler transportation is recommended at this time.

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Out of Rogers in 9'. It's very slow. One 15" eye since 5 pm. Can't believe it. We will see what the rattle wheels produce overnight. Think I may head to low in the am.

If it was me i would try and find 11.5 /12 ft, find the inside turn of a contour/depth change. Above all try and get away from the crowds, as always be careful when exploring.

I have friends up there the last 2 days and they have had no issue catching fish, its a big lake, with a ton of fish, if you are not catching fish its not because they are not biting, it just means you drilled in the wrong place. wink

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As others are saying the bite has slowed from last weekend but yesterday still managedto pull up 20 fish between 2 guys (less than half of last Saturday) still a fun time out on the ice though. Fished from 8 to10 ft out of rogers and didn't notice a difference in action where we were. Was slowest for us from 3pm - 630pm. Caught fish all day besides that time frame.

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We rented a sleeper house from Justin at up north fishhouse rentals. It started out kinda slow from 230 till 630 all we had was a perch and Justin suggested we make a move. After he moved the house its been game on. 5 fish over 20" so far. Hopefully today is as good.

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We went out on our own Saturday afternoon. No outfitters, guides, no resort roads, or special directions.

We used our own gear, our own baits, walked out a mile to an area with no one else around for 3/4 of a mile, found our own spot, drilled four holes, and landed right on top of the mother load.

We iced 25 walleyes and two nice pike in less than two hours. Absolutely some of the fastest, most aggressive fishing I've EVER seen! Most of the fish came in and hammered baits so fast you didn't even see em' on the electronics.

Left with a beautiful limit of fish before dark. This day reminded me very much of how Upper Red Lake was before the walleye crash. The good old days of URL are back! smile

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