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St Cloud Fishing Reports


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Have been out and around the area the last couple days. Saw a few guys out on Clearwater, was told there was 3-6 inches out there depending on where you were. 

 

Have been on parts of the Horseshoe chain, finding 5-6 inches. Seeing quite a few people on all the lakes out there. Some brave and energetic individual walked out across the river and over to Becker already😯

Was on The Lower Spunk on Friday,  found roughly 8 inches out there.

I think the ice fishing season has officially started 😁

 

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So went out from the cabin on Rice and found 4 or so inches of water on top of the ice from shore to 50ft out. 

Has anyone else been seeing this?

On other areas of Rice or on the chain?

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4 hours ago, whateverisbiting said:

Do you tip the mino or fish baitless?

Rick is a fish whisperer, he don't need no bait!!🤭😉

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

No bait but it takes practice to get the right cadence down.

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8 hours ago, whateverisbiting said:

Do you tip the mino or fish baitless?

I have tried using bait on the pinhead... I find that it doesn't have quite the same action. That little flipper attached to the hook is the "bait"   This spoon has really become a game changer for me once my confidence in it grew.   Baitless spoon means you can get back down to the fish just a little quicker....and never worried about the fish I just missed stealing my " bait" is always nice😁 

My favorite has been the jointed 1/32 in gold and black.  

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3 hours ago, monstermoose78 said:

No bait but it takes practice to get the right cadence down.

Yep, but once you get it down it is deadly 😁😁😁

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43 minutes ago, Rick G said:

I have tried using bait on the pinhead... I find that it doesn't have quite the same action. That little flipper attached to the hook is the "bait"   This spoon has really become a game changer for me once my confidence in it grew.   Baitless spoon means you can get back down to the fish just a little quicker....and never worried about the fish I just missed stealing my " bait" is always nice😁 

My favorite has been the jointed 1/32 in gold and black.  

Let me know when you throw then in the garbage like ice hawk used to so I can go shopping again 🤣

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1 hour ago, Rick G said:

Yep, but once you get it down it is deadly 😁😁😁

Agreed 

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14 hours ago, Rick G said:

Yep, but once you get it down it is deadly 😁😁😁

Any chance that one of you no bait whisperers could post of video of the technique  🤩  ?

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14 hours ago, whateverisbiting said:

Any chance that one of you no bait whisperers could post of video of the technique  🤩  ?

If you are willing to head east I can show you, but I am no where near as good as the Great Rick G. It takes practice I know it took me a while to get success with no bait, but now I don’t carry live bait. Maybe I could head over to the Briggs chain or something to show you.

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14 hours ago, whateverisbiting said:

Any chance that one of you no bait whisperers could post of video of the technique  🤩  ?


Here is a recent video with the pin head minnow from @Matt Johnson

https://youtu.be/rBhugKNgZ3U

 

The wonder bread he is talking about is only available at our local bait shop as far as I know. It’s been deadly for eyes, perch for me around here but I have yet to fish it bait less 

Edited by rundrave
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I have not heard if JB's will be plowing this winter,  On Clearwater lake?  I talked a guy tonight at Buffalo lake, his boys were 3/4 mile South of the north access with a frozen ATV. Hope things worked. Not know ice conditions at night really stink.

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9 hours ago, monstermoose78 said:

If you are willing to head east I can show you, but I am no where near as good as the Great Rick G. It takes practice I know it took me a while to get success with no bait, but now I don’t carry live bait. Maybe I could head over to the Briggs chain or something to show you.

 

Great offer maybe later in Feb will work.  I split my time south and west of Princeton so somewhere near Princeton would be fine as well.

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On 12/31/2021 at 2:29 PM, monstermoose78 said:

No bait but it takes practice to get the right cadence down.

it took me years to get confidence in using plastics over live bait........i'll be dead before i have that kind of confidence to not using any kind of bait!!!!!!! 🙄😃

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1 hour ago, smurfy said:

it took me years to get confidence in using plastics over live bait........i'll be dead before i have that kind of confidence to not using any kind of bait!!!!!!! 🙄😃

It’s ok smurfy it takes time.

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2 hours ago, whateverisbiting said:

 

Great offer maybe later in Feb will work.  I split my time south and west of Princeton so somewhere near Princeton would be fine as well.

I have a lake in mind that has aggressive fish most the time.

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1 hour ago, smurfy said:

it took me years to get confidence in using plastics over live bait........i'll be dead before i have that kind of confidence to not using any kind of bait!!!!!!! 🙄😃

Lmao🤣🤣🤣.  Too funny! 

Don't get me wrong, live bait definitely has its place... Hard to fish tip up or a set line with plastics😁 and that rare occasion when the big panfish won't touch anything except a giant gob of waxworm snot.... I pretty much will feed the fish whatever they want... It's just more of a satisfying feeling when I  can trick them with something that isn't natural.

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The -20 temps really improved ice conditions locally. Drilled quite a few holes today, only a few flooded over.  All of the slush pockets we had late last week have now froze solid.  Guessing we will be seeing vehicle traffic on SOME of the area lakes very soon.   

Fishing action continues to be good when Mother Nature lets us have a day above 0🥶

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55 minutes ago, Rick G said:

  Guessing we will be seeing vehicle traffic on SOME of the area lakes very soon.   


Yah it’s coming to a lake near you.  Starting to see some on the Brainerd lakes.

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On 1/2/2022 at 9:54 AM, monstermoose78 said:

I have a lake in mind that has aggressive fish most the time.

Sounds good I have to firm up my Feb calendar I know one weekend is gone, just not sure which one yet.

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 Made it out to small lake north of Eden Valley Saturday. Managed a couple sunnies and 2 14 inch walleye. Fish were very scarce compared to last Monday. Probably due the changing weather this week. Has about 10 or 11 inches of ice and saw 6 vehicles on lake. My truck needs a washing but not that way. There crazy.  Looking forward to EV sportsman fishing contest Saturday. Always a good time seeing old friends.

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Rice has quite the vehicle traffic and large wheeled houses. Finding it odd with the water/slush I have been finding and all of the holes I have been drilling aren't over 12" thick.  Be careful out there driving as I seen several areas where the ice blocks from spear holes are sitting on the ice and don't appear to he marked.

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