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Grew up in Stillwater MN til I was 17, then moved to Osceola and finished hig school. Then moved to Bemidji to play football and attend college at BSU, then moved back to Osceola for a little less than a year before moving to Duluth and working for Kraus Anderson Construction. Bought a house in South Range WI, and now live back in Sconnie and work and fish in the Twin Ports. Been a few places. Stillwater 17 Years, Osceola 3 Years, Bemidji 5 Years, and now the Twin Ports 3 Year going on 4. Hope the fishing is good...Take care

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Eric Feske. I thought I recognized your avatar from Adam Firle's facebook page. We were in Bagley last weekend slamming some nice sunnies.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Since nobody has put an update up in awhile...

I can't believe that walleye season is gone, and it's already March. A month ago it seemed like winter was never going to end, and here we are... it's sloppy in Bemidji right now, and we've hit temps near 40 the last couple of days. Lakes are still holding up well, and travel is fantastic. Once we get a lengthy spell of warmer nights things won't take long to melt though...

The crappie bite remains very good in the Northcountry. Crappies and tullies are the two constants in the area, the bite has been stellar for both species all winter.

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With some nice weather and some ambition to scratch a bluegill itch we spent some time on the ice drilling out a few areas. We took the sled to an area that has seen very little pressure this year, and were rewarded with some nice 'gills and sunfish. Big 'gills on the day were 10" and 10.5". True oinkers. Also got some dandy sunfish mixed in...

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Get up here while the getting is good! We have very limited late-ice trips left...

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Nice gillz Matt & Company, its nice to see the pannies getting active. Tends to hppen this time of year when more sun light is getting through the ice and triggering the plankton, which in turn can turn on those big gillz/calico bass/ etc. Over here in the Twin ports things are heating up as well, and we are looking forward to a nice late ice bite!!

Gd luck man...

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What depth are the tullibees coming out of on bemidji? I don't know if I'll have time to fish on sunday, but if I do those will be the target smile

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If you're going to target them, look for 30-50' of water... Edges of humps, in deep holes, etc...

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Your holdin that gill mighty close to the camera there Matt. smile Iv been having good success myself latly. Except for yesterday. Only caught a couple. Im not sure if it was the front that moved in or the fish are moving to a different area of the lake.

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just wondering if anyone has been out lately? gonna be heading up there later this week for the weekend hoping to try a few old honey holes for some slabs and gills. Just wondering if anyone is finding the crappies up shallow yet or is it still a little too early. Thanks in advanced

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just wondering if anyone has been out lately? gonna be heading up there later this week for the weekend hoping to try a few old honey holes for some slabs and gills. Just wondering if anyone is finding the crappies up shallow yet or is it still a little too early. Thanks in advanced

Snow's coming Tuesday/Wednesday - about 4-8 inches.

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sounds like there gonna get hammered up there tonight, but hopefully it will keep the pickups off the lake and i can hide in my spots in the bays. Let me know how much snow they end up getting up there, still think im just gonna bring the wheeler.

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Didn't even get a flake at my house!!! The cold temps are going to make for good ice conditions this weekend though.

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  • 3 weeks later...

To answer my own question a few days later, and to share some info, the ice has pulled away from shore on many of the smaller Bemidji area lakes. A few open spots near flowing water, but mostly 5-20 feet of open water between shore and ice. The ice is not black yet.

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  • 1 month later...

How did everyone do on opener? It's been a weird spring for everything from my own yard to morels to crappies and walleyes.

We made it out late on Sat. and fished the day away. We ended up doing fairly well despite the gale-force winds. Sunday and Monday were flat calm and the fishing was a little tougher, but we managed fish daily. Tuesday came in with a little bit of wind and the fish picked back up. Seems like the windy days are going to help the shallow 'eye bite along... Phelp's Half-Faced jigs with a spot-tail was the ticket for us, 4-12' of water.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Have had clients out this week and been doing some pre-fishing. The walleyes are still just incredibly cooperative. Been a fun spring around here! Still finding fish in 3-10' of water for the most part, with a few fish coming out of the depths. Nothing uber-consistent out deep though... lots of marks, a few willing to eat. Jigs and shiners and Salmo Hornet's have been the words for us.

Even had a client tag a 45" 'ski on a Phelp's Jig and a minnow the other night...

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Nice color on that ski, and always fun to battle one of them on walleye gear. Nicely done!!

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Thats a well-built 45". Add 10" to that one and it will be a tremendous fish some day.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The hot midday bite is teetering off on Lake Bemidji as the water temps sky-rocket and the bugs hatch. Yesterday we were covered with a mix of fishflies and mayflies. Not a good combo at all. We still managed a good amount of box fish and 3 'eyes over 20". Fish were scattered... we found some in the shallow cabbage, some on the breaks in 16-18' of water, and a few out deep, 25-30' of water.

The night bite will take over for a bit here. Trolling cranks in that last hour and into dark will provide some hot action. Smaller Bemidji lakes will also hang on to a strong bite.

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Caught 18 eyes for the three of us today on Lake Bemidji. Nearly all were on spinners and crawlers. Marked and caught everything in 16-18 FOW this afternoon after getting skunked in the shallow cabbage this morning.

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  • 2 weeks later...

How's the walleye bite been up there lately? Coming up to the area for a few days (on business) and was thinking I might bring a pole along. Dany, how I wish I could tow the boat along too!

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Don't know how the eyes are doin, but the craps and gills have been cooperating. 4lb. line, 1/16 or 1/32 with your favorite twister or tube and get it into the zone. FUN FUN FUN.

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Might have missed your trip already, but here's our take on the walleyes...

The bite on Lake Bemidji has turned from a hot and heavy shallow bite to a deeper spinner bite, with awesome fishing at dark and into darkness with cranks. Fishing 16-18' breaks as well as the flats in 26-32' of water are producing with blades, and the shallow sand flats and cabbage beds are putting out good numbers at night with cranks.

Other lakes in the area haven't seen much slow-down with the bug hatch, as they aren't affected as much. I had clients out on a smaller local lake yesterday and the fishing was great. We used half the day searching out walleyes and northerns and half the day fishing for pannies. Both were a success, and we never fished deeper than 13' of water.

Here's a nice midday over that 10 year old Colton nailed on a Salmo Hornet...

img4403l.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

How has the bite been, coming up this weekend to cabin. Caught fish in lowlight(fog) two weeks ago shallow using jigs and minnow then switched to crawler and spinner later in day then cranks at dusk. Any one have any good patterns going right now?

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