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Lake Winnibigoshish Fishing Reports


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I've never been to winni before. Is there a public launch? Or is it better to use a resort road? What are they charging for road fee's? I want to try the mud flats. Thanks.

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Yes, there is a public landing, Use a resort landing. I think they charge $10 but worth way more. I hadn't really noticed since it's around $10.

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really not mud flats on winnie

sand humps similiar to the flats on mille lacs but they are hard sand most of them

Highbanks is you best way to get out out they have roads plowed out quite aways

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lispeej,

We just got back yesterday from the south side if Winnie (Nodaks/Dennys road). Travel off road was tough, got stuck several times. Until today off road travel was possible if you had ground clearance, used the buddy system, and had good tow straps to rescue each other. Fishing was tough as well, but that's a day by thing and tomorrow could be phenomonal. After tonight's snow you will need to stay on the roads or have a snowmobile!

This was Friday:

full-711-29979-1360510286512.jpg

Like Greg said above, pay the money to use a resort road, Ask them where the bite is (they know!), get out there and fish, and have a good time. Look for perch in 15 to 20 feet of water right now, run a tip-up for pike (they are everywhere) and sort the perch.

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I've been on Winnie out of Denny's Resort the last 2 days. 10-16"+ of snow on the ice now, so getting off the beaten path will require something w/ tracks. I know Highbanks has roads open as does Nodak's.

Lots of small perch and a few decent northerns mixed in.

Brian

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fished the West side McArdle's / Beckers road the 21st-24th. Lots of people out, most fishing right beside the road. With 16 inches of snow on the lake it was pretty tough conditions to fish anyplace else without a tracked vehicle. We had a successful trip, the bite was slow but steady.

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A couple buddies fished 16 FOW. They were hook and minnow bobber fishing, although they also iced a few on gold jigs. My partner and I strictly fished jigs in 15 - 20 FOW, hole hopping and switching up lures quite a bit between buckshot rattle spoons, stop signs, and forage minnows, all tipped with whole fatheads. Various color's, green & gold, perch & gold, red glow, color didn't seem to matter. Would get a couple here a couple there as the schools moved through chasing baitfish Headed up again for the day on Saturday.

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Thanks for the info. We're heading up on the 9th and I hope the landing by the river stays intact.

Had real good luck by River Bar the last 2 years.

I'll look for your report on Monday

Good Luck!

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I was out Sunday, and the perch bite was insanely good. 10-12 fow, with buckshot or plain red hook and a minnow. Nonstop action for four hours. Can't wait to get out there again this weekend.

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Heading up to winnie for the first time the weekend of the 9th, any suggestions on where to go out from, and tips for catching jumbos and tullies? Also crappies on cutfoot?

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Went up Sunday, same general report as last weekend. Slow but steady action 15 - 20 FOW. It didn't seem like there were as many fishermen out as last week. Thankfully it was little easier getting farther off the side of the road now that the snow has a crust. But still no cross country travel without a tracked vehicle. Noticed people are spreading out a little more now since NoDak has a road connecting to the Becker / McArdles road, opens up your options a little bit more.

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The Nodak road does not connect with the McArdles road out of Trappers Pass, unless you can navigate the unplowed stretch between the two. They come close, but they don't connect (unless they've been connected since I was out there on Saturday).

I drove to the end of McArdles road thinking that they DID connect, but sadly, no. I ending up talking with the owners' son for a while and punching a few holes but the action wasn't nearly as good as where I've been fishing, so I went back to my old spot. Nearly nonstop action there, and a nice limit of perch in about 90 minutes. Some sorting required, but pretty good average size.

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They are connected now. I was all by myself just off Ravens when I got invited to join a real nice bunch of guys I was near from Streator, IL. They are old friends of the Klines that always stay at NoDak's. I asked if they came out Trappers Road and was told Travis had plowed a connection. Thanks again Rob, Brian, Big Dummy & son, Uncle Doug, and a couple others I can't remember. Really appreciated the hospitality.

Plenty of fish were caught but to keep a limit you would have to keep 8 inchers and up.

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Glad to hear they're connected. That will save me a bit of lugging my sled behind me next weekend!

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After all the snow last week and this weekend conditions have changed dramatically out there. Was out Beckers / McArdels road yesterday, snow is banked 3 + feet high both sides of the road. Several stretches of the road are covered with water a foot deep. Off the road you have alot of snow on top of slush and water. The perch are still there, managed enough for a meal. Be prepared if you planning on heading out.

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  • 1 month later...

My guess is that there will be fishable, open areas on opener, but that the lake will not be totally clear by then.

I'm calling May 14th.

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All things considered I am not optimistic about the ice being out by the opener. Hopeful but not overly confident! That being said I am optimistic about the spring/early summer fishing on Winnie! Last year with the early ice out the fishing was very spotty... I fished Winnie all summer. It seems as though the fish were unpredictable and inconsistent. The Jig/Shiner bite was non-existent in my view. This year I think we'll be fishing shiners shallow well into June! Late ice out is a good thing for fishing in my view. For the resort owners sake I hope for the ice out by opener. We have some great resorts on Winnie ran by great people they need this weekend! Good Luck and good fishing!!!

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Jigs and shiners are the ticket for sure on opener. Question is where are we going to find shiners? Doesn't it take a week or so after open water to get them into the shallows?

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If not shiners big fats will work until the shiners show up. Had that problem two openers ago...good point!!!

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I seem to remember hearing that The River Rat had a private pond for shiners and he supplied most of the local bait shops. I thought he trapped them. This was a few years ago and was the previous owner so this may not still be the case.

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I think most of the spottail shiners around here come from Winnie.

That being the case, I think shiners will be impossible or very hard to come by right off the bat.

Brian

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