Jonny P's North Shore Report

[Random guy]

“ I jiggled the hook and the fish didn’t bite, so I stopped jiggling the hook and the fish biteded the hook a lot”- 7 year old angler giving me tips on the hot bite.

Just as the young angler told me it has been a finicky but productive walleye bite the last few days. Walleyes are faced with cold fronts, pressure systems and even what appears to be some serious competition from a now very aggressive pike population.

Walleye anglers are seeing a new type of bite I like to call an electronics bite. With walleyes coming in on bait several times before a strike anglers utilizing quality sonar units are out producing the old bobber stare and silent rattle reels. Best bet has been a smaller but very colorful presentation such as glowing Demons, Frostees, and Rattlin’ Flyer’ spoons twitched in place verses a more aggressive jig while the sun is in the sky. Once darkness rolls across the snow covered ice of Upper Red Lake the tail hooked fatheads on a rattle reel or deadstick is the easy meal dedicated feeding walleyes are looking for.

Crappies are showing up as the classic clusters of gentle biting giants. Schools of the famed trophy class fish will slip in as they use their paper mouths to silently strip the bait from the sharpest of hooks. Remember these trophy class fish are old and apparently they have learned a few tricks in their later years. Crappies are targeting the same presentations the walleye are, only difference is the ultra sensitive rods and accurate electronics are detecting the light biters. I have spoke with several anglers with crappies in the bucket and a lost look on their face- “I didn’t even know it was there, I picked up the rod and it was heavy.” So zoom in those flashers and dial in the target separation when seeking crappies. Even as frustrating as it may sound by the time March shows up on the calendar these light biters will have multiplied and become super aggressive as they always do.

Numerous Perch are showing up all along the north shore for guys pounding rattling spoons, slender spoons and dropper rigs tipped with minnow heads or larvae. These bottom hugging fish are hitting with the ferocity of a poodle chasing the mail man. Many dandy sized perch in the ten inch class range are ending up in buckets and photos…could this be the next Upper Red Lake craze?

The fast is over! Pike are showing up in record numbers and some record sizes! I made the comment about a month ago;

As for the pike it has been slow with a few popping up here and there. Looks like we are going to have one of those years where they turn on mid winter and go nuts on the walleye jigs.

Looks like the pike had my back on that one.[whew] Sucker minnows and classic pike presentation have produced but not as well as the cute pink jigs. Walleye anglers need to be prepared to handle a large beast with a bad attitude when hitting the ice of Upper Red Lake this coming weekend.

For North shore location Hillman’s road is seeing some outstanding Multi species action at the six mile mark and the angle road heading NW towards the famed “Crappie Highway” at the six mile mark. Several crappies, limits of walleye and even trophy pike that make the paper are showing up in that region. Buddy did a great job this year punching out some of the best fishing grounds with super straight roads and great customer service. Make sure to have your Hillmans road pass visible and Buddy or any one that works on the Hillmans road will be happy to plow you a little spot for your house, assist you with any problems or just point you in the right direction. If you do not have a Hillmans road pass the story of how you got to the far reaches of the north shore without one should be an interesting tale at the least.

Good Luck and enjoy the outdoors.

[iceman16]

Jonny great report. cant wait to make it up for trip number one this weekend. its gonna be a short one but i hope its full of eyes pike and crappies.

iceman

[Aces In The Hole]

Great report. I'll be in one of Buddies sleepers on the 23rd of this month. Hopefully we'll run into you guys up there then. Otherwise, I rented out your 2 man sleeper for the 15th of Febuary, then I will finally be able to meet the Famous Jonny P! Keep up the good work!

[SomethingFishy*]

We plan to be up on the 22nd staying thru the 25th. We will, as always, head out on Hillmans road. Hopefully this time we will actually make it to the lake during daylight, the past few times has been an after 10pm setup.

I would like to get a spot plowed when we get up there. Would it be a good idea to call after we pass Blackduck or would we just be better off flagging down a plow truck aftre we purchase our road passes?

We will be up with a White 4dr New Style Chevy and a Marroon 8x20 Wheel House with a FM Logo on the back.

[Random guy]

Just try to catch one of the plow trucks although Kelly and Buddy have plowed all kinds of loops/ short roads with low banks to back wheel houses off of in the six mile area.

[usmtsrocks]

Awesome report Jonny. We're heading up early Friday morning and hope to be at Hillmans by 8am buying a road pass and bait! Cant wait! What time does Hillman's open?

[luv2fish]

Thanks for the report Jonny. We are heading up Thursday morning for our annual trip. 2 wheel houses and 6 guys. Last year we took the angle part of the road and found a spot by ourselves. Between the 2 houses we caught almost 100 fish, most walleyes. Hopefully we will see you up there. In the past I have seen you out on the lake, but you are always really busy. Maybe I will stop and say hi this weekend.

[kelly-p]

Hillman's opens at 7:00AM.

[woodman]

This report will get the $2 crew pumped a little!

[wild bill]

We are a Jonny and Kelly's six man house,

4 trophy pike, limit of wallys, several too large to keep

2 more days of relaxation

40 below last night,

I suggest the ZingZang bloody marys for a morning snack

More reports to follow

[kelly-p]

We've got to get that house moved before Woodmans crew gets here. They might hurt themselves with all the sharp things a big fish has.

By the way Bill,,,,as you're busy posting this,,,,your bobber has been down for almost 5 minutes.

[woodman]

I wouldn't put it past them nothing suprises me anymore

[work sucks]

Wild Bill, Are you "accidentally" catching the pike or targeting them? If you have any Zing Zang left leave it in the house for me! I love that stuff!!! I got the olives and hoseradish already packed. Just counting down the hours........

[Random guy]

One of the pike showing up

Wait until Wild Bill gets some of the pike pictures emailed to me once he gets home along with a pic of the sunnie...yes I said sunnie.

[SomethingFishy*]

WOW! Beatiful fish, I think I would probably carp myself if I pulled something like that thru the ice.

[FISHINGURU]

jonny or kelly...whats the book look like for a guy tryin to sneak up there during the week for a couple days? been tryin to call the station but things keep poppin up and getting in the way lol...thanks

[katofishingguy]

I dont usually get too excited about catching pike but that would get me excited. Cant wait three more days.

[Kyhl]

This report will get the $2 crew pumped a little!

Maybe a little. Then he had to add that alligator picture.

Nice Pike.

Before you move the shack for Woodsman's crew, make sure there isn't someone already in it.

[kelly-p]

Call or e-mail. We try to keep the Forum for fishing info.

[KidWalleye]

Hey Kelly. Thanks again for the great time the past 3 days. Tell Wild Bill and the crew Jeremy and Tim had an awesome time at WW tuesday night. Those dudes are hilarious. 39 below wasn't all that bad. lol. Fishing was ok considering the weather. 24 walleyes, 2 CRAPPIES (yea boy), 2 perch and 4 northerns. I wouldn't move that house any time soon. You guys are a great outfit, and we are coming up again soon. I've got to find out when Bill and the Illinois boys are going up again.

Jeremy

[kelly-p]

That's the great thing about the same clients coming year after year like you and Bill's bunch. It's almost like a family reunion every day.

[Random guy]

I still can't wait to see the pictures of that sunnie Bill caught, every year those guys do something that "just aint sposed' to happen".

[Aces In The Hole]

Theres sunnies in that lake??????????

[Kyhl]

Call or e-mail. We try to keep the Forum for fishing info.

Sorry, my comment was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I didn't mean to hijack the thread.

[wild bill]

YES, there are sunnies, my phone picture is to blurry to post, I will have a good picture soon. Thanks again to Kelly, Jonny & Patsy, another great trip in the books, Your right Kelly about just like a family reunion, every year we renew the old friendships and make new ones, like Lyle, Bill, Jeremy and Tim that is what URL is all about, Fish or No Fish it is all about friends

Patsy make sure you get a couple of those steaks from Jonny

Thanks again

[Eric Wettschreck]

Just showed this report to the fire dept crew. We're not going to be there for a couple weeks and Bob's already got his stuff packed and ready to go!!!!

The fish are pretty safe with this crew, but Waskish may never be the same.

[kelly-p]

We survived Bill's bunch. A little weakened but still hanging in there.

[KidWalleye]

We barely survived Bills crew. Those dudes can drink. We're definately coming up when they are up there again.

Jeremy

[Cody Lubeley]

yep

[Scott M]

Thanks Jonny and Kelly for setting our crew up on Saturday. Hopefully the "Instant Crappies" will come in handy for disgruntled renters and guidees. Remember to just add water.

The secret spot was a little slow. I think our crew missed 3 walleyes at the hole but got a couple other fish for the table. Marked a ton of fish in the morning but they were super negative.

Jonny kept telling us to fish nipples. Does he have his mind in the right place when he's on the water?

Thanks again for the personal service, checking on us even though I know Saturday's are like Black Friday in Waskish, and taking the time to prefish and plow spots. We'll be back again both winter and summer.