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


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whats the van vac road network like these days?

i just got back from lake of the woods and have not been out for a while.

going out tomorrow.

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I'm going to be doing some plowing for the bash with Northlander and Surface Tension meeting me at the Van Vac Landing to see what we can do, about 4 tomorrow afternoon.

We'll try to get a parking area, and bash HQ site pushed out if the snow and ice cooperate. laugh

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We'll try to get a parking area

If it's an actual parking lot, let's make sure people don't park their rigs in a concentrated area on the ice. While the ice may be fine for a few vehicles, it would be MUCH better if we plow a couple loops or other structures rather than an actual parking lot. A big ol' lot may not be sitting on enough ice to support a bunch of trucks all parked together.

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Ice thickness and snow density due to snowmobile traffic will dictate what we can due.

A loop may not be practical because we don't want to cross the existing trail and have a machine hit the wind row at night.

We should be able to plow a round HQ area, then make a long landing strip towards Van Vac if the ice/slush will allow it.

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The staked trail is a long way off the landing, and loops would be easy to do shoreward of the trail. But if y'all think a parking lot is best, that's cool. Me, I'll park somewhere else. smilesmile

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if you guys would like anymore help let me kno. I will try and get out there.

on the other note a buddy of mine caught a 6 pounder today off of van vac and it had 23 smelt in its stomach. I would say they were feeding today.

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If i was only with him when he caught it. But did see pictures of both the smelt and fish...hopefully all the fish are feeding like this tomorrow and all weekend! That would be a blast and would get anyone one hooked on lakers.

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The lakers were feeding on smelt big time about 5 tonight.

Many red bars in the school, would come up to take a peak at the lures, but back down for lunch time again, and again, and again,..........

Creeps!! mad

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did real good on LOTW...check out the LOTW forum i have a report there.

hopefully i can make it out this afternoon.

got to go evac a student from the field.

any more roads out there???

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made it out yesterday. caught one fat 21incher. caught a smelt on a jigging rap...went over to the tip up hooked up the smelt sent it down the hole...thought i was on the bottom started to real up and off it went...pulled up a nice laker....had 4 other lookers jigging but no takers...they would come flying up from the bottom and just stop, stare, then leave..back to the bottom.

fish was in 50fow. beautiful day on the ice. warm, sunny, and quite.

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Ahhh, the magic live smelt on the tip-up! gringrin

I just got back from fishing today. Caught three, with a 22 incher as the biggest. Had something a lot heavier on but it got off after 10 seconds. A gorgeous day to be out on the ice. Nearly 40 degrees, light south wind, mix of sun and clouds. Plus, the fish were very active.

Hit a mix of one old and three new spots and had a fish on at each spot.

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Yeah. I feel pretty lucky after today. I just drilled a dozen holes on each of the four spots I hit to cover the structure and idled from hole to hole and fished off my snowmobile. Just the way lake trout fishing is supposed to be and usually isn't until next month.

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Hit Lake Superior out of Bayfield today and iced 5 lakers. Biggest was only 22" but man was it a awesome day!

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SOunds like a lot of fun you guys. Great weather (for some people's tastes wink ) Too busy to head out today, but tommorow my son and i will be fishing trout in the AM and chasing a supposed hot perch bite in the afternoon! CAn't wait!

Wish us luck. Peace

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Just wondering if anybody is planning another shot up. Myself, would like to to do a little more searching up there.

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There's a chance I might be able to make it up this weekend. If I do, I'll more than likely be sticking around the Van Vac area.

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planin on comein up sometime in march only get one day to fish that sucks but it is what it is and im going to make the most of it. wondering if begining of march or the end would be better i see its later season this year. hows drive out there later march 4x4 truck. thanks for any info

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walleye, we won't know March ice/driving conditions until March happens. Too many variables for something a month away. Just stay tuned to the forum and we'll update conditions as the season progresses.

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I am booked for Feb with a trip to URL and my daughter coming home the last weekend of the month but I will be heading up in March for sure if anyone wants to get together.

Here is a shot of my daughter on Burntside from a couple of years ago.

IM003164.jpg

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Fished Burntside Friday and Saturday. Caught one nice 5-6 lb. laker on Friday. Caught on a tip-up/frozen cisco. 50fow.

I saw the flag and by the time I got to the tip-up and lifted it, the spool was down to the final knot. Luckily, it held.

DSCN0057.jpg

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That is why I have 250+ yards on my tip up. Wait til u get a nice one to take all your line and break u off. Have had them spool 100 yards off when I watched the flag pop from 20' away and still couldn't get there fast enough. I blew my opportunities yesterday. 25" and 30" for another guy. Good luck

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I just moved to Ely in January, and have been reading all your posts. Some are helpful some are not. I started fishing the van vac landing without any luck after a few days, so I started exploring new areas. It payed off. Sunday we iced three lakers and missed one. The biggest was a 29 incher. Every fish was hunkered to the bottom in about 40 feet of water. All the fish were pretty agressive. I didn't even see them on the graph until they blasted off the bottem like a torpedo and instantly hit hard. It was a fun day for my girlfriend and I to have caught our first lakers.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
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