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

[walleyehunter80]

yeah i was going to ask ice conditions are people still driving full size trucks out i am going to be up on wednesday and thursday and maybe friday just wondering if i can drive or if i have to walk

[KG243]

Sure was a sweet day to be out! Conditions are excellent. Four-wheel-drive takes you anywhere you want to go.

[fishnhuntnboy]

No you will not need an extension for your auger.

[knoppers]

I need to get there before the season is over, I have not fished any trout yet this winter.

[walleyehunter80]

is anyone interested in hooking up and fishing the same areas to help eachother find some active fish on the 11th 12th and 13th of this month? I dont know the area real well but I lived in Ely for a year and fell inlove with this lake a fished it a few times.

[Steve Foss]

We may be back to snowmobiles by the middle of next week. The NWS has issued a heavy snow forecast for Tuesday, though they didn't estimate snow depth possibilities.

Their forecast record being what it is, well, who knows?

[KG243]

Do you really think the ice will get that un-safe with the temps only going into the 30's twice with-in the next 10 days? Just curious because we are coming up on the 18 and 19???

[chaffmj]

I could be wrong but I think Steve said that because of snow depth from the storm not thin ice. Anyways keep us posted on travel I plan on coming up next weekend.

[KG243]

That would make sense! I hope the snow doesnt reck our plans! I need to catch a laker!!! I am hooked now and I have'nt even seen one yet.

[Steve Foss]

It takes a lot more than a couple days in the 30s to have any impact on ice from 20-24 inches thick with 6-8 inches of snow on it.

Driving conditions on Bside are excellent right now. Whether we'll get a big dump of snow or not on Tuesday that sends us back on our snow machines remains to be seen.

Here's the best fish of the three-day weekend, a 30-inch, 17 1/4 girth 11-pound laker caught by jmalm. Seven angler-days yielded 8 or 9 fish total, with one hooked but lost, and with this being the biggest. Typically, moments after the big one hit the ice it started puking up fresh smelt. All three days we had a fish hit and get caught within one minute of 10:30 a.m. (today's came at 11:30 because of daylight savings time). Strange.

Not a single fish all weekend on a tip-up. Looks like the mid-season doldrums are over. Congrats, Jim. When you kill the jinx, you REALLY kill the jinx.

[Jim Almquist]

I spent the past 3 days chasing lakers and a lot had loads of fun and plenty of excitement to boot. I camped on the lake in my portable fish house with my wife Lisa. We had a Red Fox both friday night and saturday night looking for what ever we had to offer which was dead smelt on the ice. I managed to catch at least 2 lakers everyday but was rewarded with my biggest ever today. We guessed it was around 11 pounds. It was 30" and a girth close to 18". I would have rather CPR it but it was bleeding pretty good so I kept it for the smoker.

[Steve Foss]

Well, fish like that deserve a little extra attention. Looks like I was posting when you were prepping your post.

Jim, I had a very heavy fish on at, you guessed it, 6:00 p.m., but could only hold it for about a minute before the hooks came loose.

P.S. -- You've got mail!

[Mike Stark]

very nice fish. how deep of water are you folks catching those lakers in? sounds like i need to take a little trip to burntside.

[Steve Foss]

Mike, we caught fish from over 30 to 90 FOW this weekend, but I don't feel like being more specific. Sorry. We were, however, on typical, well-known laker structure and within sight of other laker anglers at all times in all locations.

Here's the NWS forecast. Snow looks like it'll be heavy. Only potential good news here is it's a clipper, and winds will be strong. Strong winds generally mean the open portions of the lake get swept fairly clean and the snow piles up around shorelines and sheltered bays.

Here's hoping, anyway!

Monday: Snow likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. South wind around 5 mph becoming west. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Monday Night: Snow likely, possibly mixed with freezing drizzle. Cloudy, with a low around 17. North wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Tuesday: Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 26. East wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Tuesday Night: Snow. Low around -6. Blustery, with a north wind between 20 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

I'll try to get out Wednesday or Thursday so I can give a report on conditions. I don't expect fishing to be much good for a couple days after that system, but it only takes one fish over 10 to make it a VERY good day.

[sptitz]

Very nice fish Jim!

[Steve Foss]

It could be your turn soon, buddy.

[Wanderer]

Congrats Jim!!!

That's an awesome fish. Good to hear you hit em.

Sweet spot you got going Steve.

This is making the next two weeks seem like much longer now. Waiting for the 21st.

[Lisa Almquist]

Jim really broke the "my wife catches more lakers than me jinx" big time this weekend!! Not only that, I got very soundly skunked.

[Steve Foss]

Jim really broke the "my wife catches more lakers than me jinx" big time this weekend!! Not only that, I got very soundly skunked.

There's a well known quote from the Laker Gods, Lisa: "You can pay me now or you can pay me later." Jim's been paying them quite awhile, while you've been living on credit. Sucks when that interest comes due, eh? Just joshin ya, girlfriend!

Wanderer, I've got peeps booked for at least one day that weekend, but we might make some good things happen anyway. I'd definitely be happy to guide you to a 12 in exchange for a certain hat. No 12, no hat.

Um, well, there is more than one type of commodity that comes in twelves.

[Wanderer]

Dude, you put me on a 12 and we'll talk.

[Steve Foss]

We're talking now. I put you on a 12 and your head is cold and mine is warm. No pay, no play! There's only one hat that can rival Ivanna Humpalot, and you own it.

[Lisa Almquist]

Quote:

That's an awesome fish. Good to hear you hit em.

Quote:

while you've been living on credit. Sucks when that interest comes due, eh?

I'm hearing an ominous trend going on here. What's a girl gotta do to break this type of voodoo. How does one get back in good with these Laker Gods? Ivana Humpalot hats? Apple Pie? Throw back that fishhead? AARRRGGGHH!

[Steve Foss]

'm hearing an ominous trend going on here. What's a girl gotta do to break this type of voodoo. How does one get back in good with these Laker Gods? Ivana Humpalot hats? Apple Pie? Throw back that fishhead? AARRRGGGHH!

What in the world are you talking about? You got skunked over a 1.5 day period. That's just par for the course for laker dues, girlie! Meanwhile, you started catching lakers the first time you put a line in the water on Bside, while your Faithful Sidekick Tonto got a few dinks, did the gear packing and hauling and the cooking and had to sit there with a grin on his face while you pulled in pretty much everything in the lake, including a 9-lber a few weeks ago.

Pretty sure this was the first Bside laker trip of more than a day you've ever been skunked on, eh? Laker gods hate whiners. If you are serious about pacifying the gods, you need to throw that sacred chubby darter down a fresh-drilled hole while dancing in a circle and mumbling: I apologize, I apologize, I apologize . . .

You know I'm just ribbin ya, Lisa. It's not often the Burntside Laker Queen pulls a goose egg. Sounds a bit like a saga for Oprah!

Jim, how'm I doin? Us guys gotta stick together!

[Lisa Almquist]

You are no longer my friend Steve Foss. If you're NOT with me, you're against me. Gangin' up on poor innocent lady is just wrong.

[Steve Foss]

You are no longer my friend Steve Foss. If you're with me, you're against me. Gangin' up on poor innocent lady is just wrong.

If I could figure out how to blow a raspberry online, I would. Don't forget the humility dance next time out. Those who the laker gods would reward, they first make humble.

Ganging up? No one but me is here giving you funlovin shnit. I notice Jim is mum. I am a gang of one, hear me roar.

[Wanderer]

Sorry I stepped away to look up shed hunting!

Sheesh, I sense a raw nerve that only goes that twingy (is that a word?) from one who has built up an expectation of success!

Oh, you're in for it now Lisa. The laker gods do not like being taken for granted.

You have been warned.

[Lisa Almquist]

Oh Great! Not you too Tracy! Fine, fine...I'm sorry Laker Gods for making you're messengers mad at me...I'll be nice next time.

[Steve Foss]

I'm sorry Laker Gods for making you're messengers mad at me...I'll be nice next time.

Next time? NEXT time? It's already too late.

[Wanderer]

That's step one.

Step two:

But the real secret is to take every laker guy with facial hair and fur hats to the Boathouse for all you can drink colorado bulldogs.

Step three:

Donate your secret Chubby Darter to the one who fished lakers the least this year so far. (Hint: me)

Step four:

Spend some time catching B-side smelt for each persons tip up before trying for lakers yourself. They're not going to bite your line anyway until you complete your 12 step program for recovery.

Steve, step five?

[Steve Foss]

Steve, step five?

When steps one through four fail, hire a guide.