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

[halad]

Looking at the South shore its as low or lower than it was last fall. There is some open water on shore but the lake is ice bound yet be hard to tell until ice out but doesn't look good. Waders and a small boat maybe. I know that last fall you could only get a fishing boat through Rogers channel. Sitting on Kellys dock and drinking is looking like a plan. Dogs been gone for a long time now miss her she bailed me out more than once driving home from the W.W.

 

 

[kelly-p]

"Kelly, If Hal is going to have cocktails while fishing off your dock make sure he brings his dog along so someone can drive him home.  Kinda like a sober cab, I mean Lab"

We'll make sure he gets home, Don't want him hanging around the yard for days.  Actually I've been thinking  that with the lake so low there could end up being a lot more boats in the river then there is room for, could be an interesting show.  

  The mouth of the River could be tough. It was not cleaned this Spring. The ice is about off the river today. It just kind of faded away with no current to move it. Back in the "80's" when I was night guard at the Hatchery we had a year like this with no current in the River. The walleyes never really ran up the River with no current coming out of it.

[halad]

The south shore and it looks like the east shore is open for about a mile out. Been here since the early 70,s and have never seen the lake this low in the spring. Small boats only from this side of the lake.

[kelly-p]

halad, I noticed this "gift" the ice fishermen left us along #23 where you clean up the litter. When I went back it was cleaned up. Are you the good soul that cleaned it up? Have you noticed that it is so dry there are no mosquitos. Want to buy some rice paddies? Ready to go just need some water.  

[halad]

Yes I found that mess when I did road clean up. I don"t understand it. This was my 10th. and last year I haven't found anybody who wants to help or take it over at my age its to much for one person. Anybody interested?  Contact Beltrami County Adopt-A-Highway Program 218-647-8118. 

[ozzie]

Camper Ice house owners (sorry for grouping) have to be some of the biggest slobs out there!!  not saying all are this way, as I am sure many are not, and maybe majority are not, but holy cow do a few make a group look horrible!!!!

Thanks Halad for your years of cleaning up the area!!!  A thankless job most of the time I am sure but there are others out there that really appreciate all your effort thru the years!!! 

[kelly-p]

12 hours ago, halad said:

Yes I found that mess when I did road clean up. I don"t understand it. This was my 10th. and last year I haven't found anybody who wants to help or take it over at my age its to much for one person. Anybody interested?  Contact Beltrami County Adopt-A-Highway Program 218-647-8118. 

The bags of human waste really complicate it. A person almost needs a biohazard suit. I think the people caught throwing that stuff along the roads should be sentenced to community service picking up garbage along the roads. Thanks for all the stuff you have picked up through the years halad.

[gunner55]

Yep, thanks halad. Our lake association has 2 three mile sections, 1 on each end of the lake, that it does twice a year & I help when possible the last few seasons. No human waste, that I know of but it's crazy the stuff we do find. There's a very busy PA for another lake nearby on 1 end of the lake & that section gets a lot of trash, but nothing like that. Someone pick it up already this season, even before the association got to it.

[halad]

If that rain last night dosen't bring the lake up nothing will I measured 4".  My wife called and said get in the crawl space under the cabin because a tornado was coming actually we had very little wind just rain.   A  tornado did come across the lake back in the 70's or early 80's. I had a small boat pulled up on the beach with a new 9- horse motor when I heard the storm coming I put on hip boots and went out to get the motor off the waves were slapping me in the chest but I did manage to get the motor up on shore. The storm came across down the shore down from me where it picked up a pontoon and deposited it on shore then nocked down a swath of trees in the woods. In the morning all I  could see of my boat was the tip of the bow it was covered with sand. What will the rain do to the fishing that has been good for the middle of July well I will have to go out an see after the NW wind quits.

[kelly-p]

Computer is working right again so it is a little easier post. The one tornado lifted off the ground about 6 miles SW of you hal. It came off LRL and traveled far enough to cross County #23 before it lifted.. The other 2, one west of Ponemah and the other east of Ponemah left land and went NE out over URL.

ozzie,  We have finally started to get some decent rains the past 3 weeks. Erratic, 3 inches one place and 1/2 inch a mile away but welcome moisture.  We were so dry earlier that we didn't even have mosquitos and the Tamarac had not flowed for almost a year. The ditches and rivers are flowing again now but the flow is dropping off pretty fast. I would guess the bog is soaking it up.  I think the lake is up about 6 inches. The lake is less then a mile from my house but the last time I looked at it was my last day ice fishing.

 

[ozzie]

so just curious how is the water situation in the area?  the document didn't open and I don't get up in the area as often as I would like but I have heard of quite a few storms roll through the area.  I know the sentiment earlier this year was it was gonna take a lot to get things going in the right direction, so has that started to happen or still way below normal?  Thanks

[BassDr55]

Went up Friday to West Wind with atv and small ice castle.  They had a new crack about 1 mile out that kept everybody in 8' or shallower.  We decided to go out of JR's.  They had a heave a couple of miles out, but could get to 13'.  Caught 25 and missed 15.  Only 4 were under 17", the rest were up to 21"  When leaving today, new crack had formed overnight half ways back to shore.  JR built a small plywood bridge to get over.

[KidMoe]

Just got back and the fishing was pretty slow for us between Friday night through today. We only managed 9 keepers for three of us the entire weekend and that was about all we caught. Fished everywhere from the rock pile to center bar once we could get out there. The resort we went out of was really busy managing their bridge and roads. The warm temp over the weekend then quick freeze last night opened up a bunch of cracks. 

 

Also heard of at least 2 trucks going in over the weekend. Be safe and good luck!

[murrster]

Visited URL for the first time over the weekend.  Terribly slow.  Went through West Wind, about 4.5 miles out on the South Road.  Between 10 of us, we caught 10 eyes and 2 perch on Friday.  Saturday was worse.  Very few marks and literally no bites from a little before dawn until about 4:30.  Tried numerous presentations and bait with no luck.  Then, over the next half hour, we caught 5 keepers and it shut down after that.  Two caught during the jig, the others via deadstick.  Nothing overnight and nothing this morning.  Sounds like most around us were experiencing the same.  Hopefully others have better luck!

[cookie129]

Same thing out of hillmens with my houses. The fish are so fat I don't think they need to eat. Trying to figure out what they may bite on is tuff.  If any one figures it out let me know, maybe they want a treat like a leach, blood worm? 

Edited January 7, 2019 by cookie129
misspelled

[aczr2k]

Fished out of Boondocks landing on Saturday, about 8 miles north and right on the reservation line, fishing was sloooow, only 2 keepers and 3 fat perch.  Won't be going back thru that access at $30 per day. 

[cookie129]

30 a day? wow

[aczr2k]

Yeah $15 for the truck and $15 for the fish house.  Nothing plowed other than main roads, nothing was marked not even the main road.  No parking spots or really any off shoots just try and get off the road where you can, kind of tough with 3 foot rock hard snow banks on both sides.

[Parmer]

Every place I have gone too this winter on mille lacs and lake of the woods has been 10/day. With a truck and wheel house. Talk about price gouging. 

[sunniewally]

How's the water clarity on red now? Will a camera work? tia.

 

[murrster]

7 hours ago, sunniewally said:

How's the water clarity on red now? Will a camera work? tia.

 

My camera worked.  It was murky, but I was able to see my bait from one hole over.

[cookie129]

8 hours ago, Parmer said:

Every place I have gone too this winter on mille lacs and lake of the woods has been 10/day. With a truck and wheel house. Talk about price gouging. 

price gouging? so we have a 35 thousand fish house a  25  30 thousand truck. talk about price gouging

 

[fins_n'_feathers]

I like how everyone buys $40k fish houses and pull them with $50k trucks and then whine about paying to go on the lake. if you don’t like it go buy a plow and your own piece of land to access the lake. 

[Parmer]

40000 truck.... 17000 fish house... 30 a day for road access is way too much that's all I am saying and ya I wouldn't go there. 

[aczr2k]

More than one place to go out of.  I won't be going back there either.  I have no problem paying my fair share.  Other places on the lake are cheaper and will get my business.  I'd gladly pay extra for the house if they had some parking spots.  Yes I'd plow my own but you can't use your own plow thru their access.  

 

I don't think it really matters whether or not I have a $50k truck and a $35k fish house or a $10k truck and a $5K wheelhouse. 

Edited January 9, 2019 by aczr2k

[Roscoe16]

Any current fishing reports?  I am heading up Thursday.  Thanks in advance.

[PRO-V]

Talked to a buddy that was out there today. Has been slow. They finally got on some and after two hours they shut down again. Didn't hear any further reports from them.

[paceman]

Buzzed up there yesterday. Took my son and BIL. Pulling spinners/minnows in 5-6 we caught 55 walleyes fishing from 9-3. 43 were under 14". The other 12 were 14-16". Nothing over. With all the little ones the great fishing should continue long into the future. Bright green spinner and float was the ticket. Not to many boats out there. Maybe a dozen or so... We went out of West Winds resort. Pretty fun day!

[jigginjim]

Anything happening on the lake lately? I have only been there once two years ago during New years weekend. one, 25 inch pike and zero walleyes. auger died so not able to move.  Looking for a change, see if walleyes will be better in the fall.

[steeplechaser2]

Curious if the Big Lake is in good shape or if the snow messed with ice levels.