Burntside Fishing/Conditions Report...(updated-3/30/09)

[Lee Lane]

Well im without a running automobile at the moment....woman blew up our wheels!!! was planning on meeting up with mstark to do some last minute laker fishing. went to the cities to look at a blazer that quote " Runs great " got there and oil leaking from the oil pan at a fast paced drip ....no anti freeze so I know it got HOT atleast one time...door didnt work.....what a joke:( I dont know if im going to get a chance to get out laker fishing anymore this year. Im going crazy....4 arguments with my wife today because im crabby. Im about to hitch-hike up to B-side, I gotta get out there, if any of you all see me pick me up;)

[Steve Foss]

Then post in the G.R. board asking for a ride east and north. Or tell your brother in Togo to come and get you. Or offer someone up here some jing for gas and travel. Dude, if you want to fish, you're going to fish.

Or just shoot me an e-mail. I know it's a LONG time until musky opener.

[Lee Lane]

Ha Ha ........bmc is the first person ive ever seen on the grand rapids board who was headed to burntside!!!! OLD HABITS DIE HARD WITH THE REST OF THE G.R CROWD!

[Neighbor_guy]

Steve!!!!!!!

How's your head?

You did not miss much Sat, and Sunday. Lots of spots, lots of drilling, lots of moving. Move... Drill.... Move.... Drill...We had a lot of active fish, but very few takers. I had a battle with one on 2lb test and an ultra light rod that lasted close to half hour before the break off he was foul hooked in the cheek with a tiny chubby darter and I couldn't get him turned up the hole. Three times to the hole and back to the bottom he would go...

But the "silver fox" did ok.... That Fish Is HUGE!!!!

I will let him tell his side of the events of the weekend. Lets just say he had a run in with some "scouts" with a gps and a map. From what I saw they were just out following tracks in the slush from saturday and marking spots were holes were drilled.

BTW!!! If you would have said something I could have let you use the blue beast for late season. Here's the proof, she ran!!! (for most of the weekend) and only had to be towed the last half mile on sunday.

Again not the best picture, but not in a "pigsty" It is not like my sled, I have to talk dirty to the sled, I find that you have to sweet talk the wheeler.

good times.... Counting down the days to Jan. 15th to far to think about. I guess there are always open water lakers... hmmm.....

[Wanderer]

But the "silver fox" did ok.... That Fish Is HUGE!!!!

You think that one's huge? This one put up the fiercest battle I've ever been able to handle!

For reference, thats a 10" Nils tipped with the eye of a steer.

The weekend as a whole was a great time. Plenty of new water explored as well as old. Some new things learned and apparently we'll be able to share some water with the "scouts" in the future.

I left that pig in the pic for their future enjoyment.

Nice enough guys to start with asking directions to a bay. But after I pointed to the bay in question they just turned around and paused by (gps'd) our drilled holes as they departed from where they came. On the ride back it became frustratingly obvious what they were up to as their small maroon SUV tracks coincidentally showed up at other fishing locations as we back tracked to the landing.

We were able to land some of the smaller fish (pound and a halfers) that hit and lost everything of substantial size that were duped by the consistent changing of baits. We fished large to small on bait size and varied our depths from 15 to 70 fow. I was usually carrying three rigs from hole to hole while searching out areas for active fish.

Steve,

After spending three seasons out there hunting these fish and reading the posts here to help along the way, I'd have to say the most significant piece of the learning puzzle was the trip we made with you last year. It helped put all the pieces together. Guides are worth it even if you're not a first timer.

Thanks.

That's it for winter lakers '09.

Next?

[Steve Foss]

For reference, thats a 10" Nils tipped with the eye of a steer.

Now that's the best fish story I've heard in awhile!

Sorry you guys didn't bust a big beast, but good to know you'll have a lot of company on all your spots in years to come as a result of the scouts. It can get mighty lonely out there.

And thanks again for the assist on Friday.

I don't think Matt read any of our advice on the board about proper laker gear.

[Northlander]

2# test for lakers? Good luck with that one. Although 2# is a blast on those big Lake Superior Eelpout. Only thing I dont like is you break off and leave too many jigs in their mouths.

Ill stick with 6# gamma. Great strength, clear in the water and knot strength is awesome.

Well enjoy the last few days of laker taking.

[Steve Foss]

He was probably targeting some of those trophy Burntside smelt and a stupid laker came along to ruin his fishing.

[Mike Stark]

how was the ice looking???

steve,

can you update the subject to 3/24....there is not option to edit it on my page anymore. thanks.

[Wanderer]

He was probably targeting some of those trophy Burntside smelt and a stupid laker came along to ruin his fishing.

That was the word I got when I blurted out "2 pound?!" But then again, we were on such pigs!

Mike,

The ice didn't really give up much over the weekend. I'd guess (didn't measure) we had anywhere from 18 to 24 inches. It varied by spot and it was all a combination of frozen slush on top with clear ice below.

But most spots had no more than half that of clear ice and one spot had almost no clear ice only frozen slush.

We saw quite a few open spots around islands so the ice picks were around the neck the entire time.

[chad stromlund]

I was out saturday and sunday. Saturday We marked a few fish, but it took a lot of persuading to get them to bite. My girlfriend ended up icing a 26 incher about 2 hours after a bigger one snapped her off at the bottem of the hole. I lost one myself on saturday. Sunday I went out alone because it was very windy. Only fished about 3 hours. Had one looker right away, but it didn't seem that interested so i move about 300 yards away. About 12:30 marked a fish and had the fish follow my jig all the way up to 10 feet. The fish played cat and mouse with me for about fifteen minutes before it was mad enough to strike. Got it to the hole once all I saw was a huge tail, then it ran to the bottom and spit the hook. About a half an hour later the same thing happened, but this time I managed to keep the fish on. After 3 seperate runs to the bottem and about ten minutes later I iced a 33 incher. Wonder if it was the same one from a half hour earlier?

[Great Outdoors]

About 17 inches of ice in the spots I fished today, and not much of it was clear.

Some water on top, good traveling with an ATV, but you will get wet.

It'll be one soupy mess if we get snow tomorrow.

[Neighbor_guy]

He was probably targeting some of those trophy Burntside smelt and a stupid laker came along to ruin his fishing.

It was my smelt rig, and being out and accessable, I knew I would be able to feel the little chubby darter even when jigging 50+ feet down (tiny little thing). Up to that point, negative acting lakers, and thin black lines on the x67. Figured mabe I could entice some smelt, or mabe one of the small "bedroom" lakers that spot was known to hold. I was not expecting an unseen hot laker to come blasting in and smack that little bait (missed it slightly). It was the first drop, mostly I was just looking for some kind of reaction, I'd say I got one Strange as it is to say, now I almost feel it is a chalange. Mabe a new goal for next season.

First drop interest and activity was the story of the weekend. Sometimes the brain takes a break and a guy does something slightly outside the norm Let's just say I gave up on the smelt and fished some gear more suited to the task at hand after that. I'm just glad I didn't break the ultra light, that probably would have ruined my weekend.

[Steve Foss]

It was a tough bite in tough conditions for me and two others today. Was out with a couple good guys: bmc (Brian) and his buddy Bill (owns Fred's Bait in Deer River.) Fished three locations and saw fish at all three, but most were not hot at all. Only a few showed real interest, and of those only one was hooked (by Bill) for a short bit of time and got off.

We hit spots at the mouth of the North Arm, up off the Dead River and near Lost Girl Island, fishing from 15 to 65 FOW. All excellent, oft-proven spots. But not today.

Any day fishing lakers is a good day, but of course the wind came up and drove the snow and rain at us all day long out there on the open ice, and the wheelers did what wheelers do, throwing up a fair spray of water.

A day to pay the laker gods. Saw Great Outdoors out there, as well as three guys near the Dead River. Two of them were fishing together. And a lone guy hauling his gear out on foot and drilling what looked like 5,993,007 holes before he started fishing. Looked a lot like mstark.

We had 18-22 inches of ice in all locations, with some milky ice the first 6-8 inches and a foot or so of clear ice below that, just as it's been for the last few weeks. There was up to four inches of standing water atop the ice, with exposed crusted slush in some places. Strong SW winds were pushing that water NE across the ice all day.

There were open water spots forming along some mainland and island shores, particularly where rocks stick out and and gather the sun, and we saw two sink holes large enough to drive an SUV into that weren't near shore, so take a bit of care to look where you're going out there. Some auger holes that were drilled within the last few days have stayed open, and water was slowly running into several of them. Some had become enlarged to about a foot across.

There was one SUV out there off Van Vac, and I hope he/she got in OK, because the ice in front of the landing has seriously deteriorated during the course of the day.

If the NWS forecast holds true, ATV and foot travel will be no problem through the end of the season Tuesday, though using the landings will become harder. And a person definitely wants knee-high waterproofs and ice cleats.

[Great Outdoors]

Stevo,

Did you try that spot before the north arm narrows??(intentionally vague:)

If so, any activity there????

One 4 1/2 pounder, only about 22 inches long but looked like a Shad Rap.

About another half dozen lookers, quit about 1 this afternoon.

[Steve Foss]

Nope. Didn't try it.

[Mike Stark]

yeah steve that was me out there...i never fished that area so had to get an idea of what i was fishing. you guys and your three augers drilled quite a few holes as well

well guys the lakers were on my side today. fished from around 11-4. caught two fish over 10lbs. first fish of the day(2pm) was 34-36in long. the fish was floppin all over the place and i could not get a good measure on it and wanted it back down the hole quick. it was not the fattest laker on the block but still a very nice fish. im guessing around 12lbs 20 min. later and 30 feet away at another hole got a fat 30incher. linebacker shapped. tall fat fish. again im thinking around 12lbs.

both of these fish hit my 4in white plastic minow with a 3/8oz glow head hard with no hesitation. the first just came in on the vex with no warning and BAM. second one hit when i glanced away for a second to look at all the water on the ice. both fish took a run and refused to come up the hole but they did and after a quick attempt to measure them they went swimming back down the hole.

figures the day a get my personal best twice i have no camera to take pictures o well i wont foget em. both unclipped fish.

finally after hours and days of nothing on burntside i got into some quality fish.

thanks to all who offered up some advice.

[Mike Stark]

o and steve i think it was around 22 holes that i drilled not 555,000,345

[Steve Foss]

Mike, big congrats on hooking up with a couple big uns in one day. When you break a drought, you REALLY break a drought! Pictures, shmictures! You'll remember today forever.

As you were catching your first fish, we were leaving for a new location. Same old argument. Should we stay or should we go? That's how it goes . . .

I saw that you, like us, were drilling lines of holes from the shallower portion of the reef down the slope and into the main basin. Where within that pattern of depths did you find your fish?

P.S. -- We only had two augers. But we still had more augers than we had fish.

[Mike Stark]

i was wondering if you guys saw me pullin that fish in. it looked like you guys hesitated a bit. i found those fish up on the shallower portion of the reef. does that reef keep on going toward where you guys were at?

[Wanderer]

Congrats Mike!

Good you got some payback for all your perseverance!

[Steve Foss]

Yep, it does. It's that big. Wanderer knows.

[Mike Stark]

the learning never stops.

ill be back out tomorrow.

[bmc]

Steve,

It was great to meet you and thanks for a great day on the ice! No we didn't land any fish, but any day on the ice beats work for sure! I can definitely see myself spending some more time up on B-side next winter, heck maybe a May or June trip is in order.

The ride home went smooth, other than our atv's looking like big blocks of ice!

I hope Lisa reads this cause I found it funny that she posted her hot spot with those "No Trespassing" signs!

Mstark, congrats on a great day! I'm glad to see you were rewarded for all the effort you put into your trip today! I had the exact same lure on a rod and changed it out today, w/o it seeing water. Story of my life!

I'm already looking forward to my next trip to B-side. I'm planning on closing out the laker season here in the D.R./G.R. area on Tuesday.

Brian

[218RIDERZ]

MY MONSTER END OF THE SEASON LAKER FOR 2009. CAUGHT ON 3-25-09. 31-32 INCHER WEIGHED IN AT 11 POUNDS BABY !!! THANKS NORTHLANDER!!!!

THIS SEASON ENDED ON A GOOD NOTE THANKS TO YOU MAN. CAUGHT THIS ONE ON THE TIP-UP. SHE ENDED UP SWOLLOWING MY JIG SO WE HAD TO KEEP HER. ALSO MY BUDDY JESSE NAILED A 7 POUND POUT. WILL BE BACK TO TRY OUR LUCK IN A BOAT LOL.

[Northlander]

Your welcome man but I cant really remember what I did to help. Was it the Dead River Spot?

[bmc]

Nice fish 218!

We were on the ATV's to the south? of you.

Brian

[218RIDERZ]

YES WE WERE RIGHT DEAD MIDDLE OF HER. THANX !!! IT WAS THE HOTSPOT EH (DEAD RIVER) ENDED UP DRIVING UP ECHO TRAIL TO THE LAUNCH. THE LAKE WAS KINDA SKETCHY ON THE SLED SO WE WERE STUCK IN ONE AREA. TRYED YOUR MILLION HOLES AFTER YOU GUYS LEFT BUT NOTHING, JUST A FEW LOOKERS BACK WHERE WE WERE. I TRYED SMELT EVERYTIME BUT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO GET THE BIGGEST LIVE BAIT I COULD FIND IN ELY AND SURE AS SHYT PUT HER ALITTLE BELOW THE ICE AND SLAMMED A MONSTER 45 MIN LATER.

[Steve Foss]

Great job, Riderz! Glad to see everyone wasn't paying those laker gods yesterday.

In laker fishing, the difference between frustration and an excellent day is one single fish like that.

[Mike Stark]

nice fish 218...i thought that might have been you fishing over there.