January Cold

[Drake]

You can definetly tell it's January in northern Minnesota. This morning the actual temps were reading -35, but we are on the way to a big warm up of around -5. Not looking much better the next couple of days, showing lows around the -30 (windchills at the -40) and highs at the -5 to -10, but a break is in sight..a slow warm up is coming, with highs hitting zero on Thursday and warming up to near 20 by the end of the weekend and into next week

With these temps the last few days anglers aren't doing a lot of hole hopping, they've been picking a spot and that's where they've been staying. On Blackduck Lake some plowing has been going on and our anglers who hit the Duck yesterday said that they had no problem getting out to the island and back, and they stayed pretty close to the roads and only encountered one small slush pocket. The better fishing for perch has been happening in the 20'+ depths, anything less than that (even a noticable difference in the 17' depths) is just an occasional perch and a few walleye..although the perch have been in the 11-12" range. The other smaller lakes in the area are producing some decent panfish for those who venture out there, but they are not plowed (except the occasional spot where someone has plowed to their fishhouse, but the majority of the anglers have been respectful of that) and they are running into some slush pockets so taking it easy in the travel. The majority of our folks have been heading to Upper Red, and with the weather being this cold most guys as pretty much sticking to where they have set up. Still seeing some decent amounts of walleyes coming through, but one group will come in and say the walleye bite kicked in from 3:30 to around 7 pretty strong for them, and nothing after that while the group in the room next to them will say that their bite didn't really start until after 7pm. Mixed presentations have been working too, some anglers say dropping the line to the bottom and bringing it up a bit and doing a slow jig worked best while the next person will say a dead stick.

[walleye365]

drake nice post a few of us are comeing up thursday to fish elephant and the duck whith the cold here wondering what depth the wallys are comein out. i see a few out of 17 do they seem to move deep up there with the cold. thanks

[Drake]

Most of the guys I've talked to have been in the deeper water searching for a mix of the perch and eyes, but the ones I sent to the 8-12' who were really just wanting eyes last week said that they did really well, nice eyes but no perch. Haven't had anyone hitting the shallow spots the last couple of days..and unfortunately I would be considered a 'fair weather angler'..the advantage of living up here, can pick and choose the fishing days!

[fishinbum]

Sorry for getting off the subject of fishing, I love to talk fishing but wondering how the deer herd is handling the deep snow and bitter cold? Back in 1996 with all the deep snow, it diminished the deer herd down to almost nothing and wondering if this will be another year as was 96?

Back on to fishing, have they been getting any decent sunfish on the duck yet this year?

Thanks,

[walleye365]

thanks drake i will post how we do. we will hop around see what happens

[Drake]

Good luck walleye365..look forward to hearing how you do..should be warm enough this weekend to hole hop. Haven't seen any of the sunnies coming off yet this winter personally, still a little early from when we usually do see some of those jumbo sunnies. Don't know what effect the snow and extreme cold is having on the deer population, I know that traveling between here and Bemdiji at dusk I normally have to really watch because of the deer, but the last month haven't really seen any along the roadsides or much in some of the empty fields where I normally see them. Need to go to the foresty service to pick up some more local interest brochures to replentish the stack in the office in the next week or two and will ask them if they have noticed anything with the deer.

[fishinbum]

Thanks for the post Drake in regards to the deer. I know it was off subject but just curious. You've always been more than helpfull when it comes to info in regards to the area.

Take care and stay warm, good luck fishing!