Little Ida

[Corey Bohn]

Was out at Little Ida a week ago and it appears all the cabbage and coontail weed beds are totally laid down because of the heavy snow and little light penetration. I couldn't find any standing beds throughout the area I typically fish. Drilled so many holes I could hardly carry my auger towards the end. I went on at Betsy Ross and went straight across. Is it just me, or is everything laid down this year? From 6-10 feet I couldn't find anything other than an occasional coontail standing by itself. Water is crystal clear. Is anyone else finding standing weed beds?

[goose89]

I haven't searched for any lately, but I think you're on to something. With all the snow, I'm guessing the lite penetration is significantly less, making it toucg on the standing cabbage / coontails. The light makes it through, as evidenced on our camera's, but maybe not as much as they need. Not sure, I guess.

Corey, any word on the MLA stickers?? See last post on MLA thread. Had another question as well that you probably could answer. Later...

[fishidafish]

Was in Christopherson Bay this past weekend and found the same thing in the bay where it froze early. Not much standing. Moved out where it froze later between the points in 12-15 and found lots of cabbage standing. I have to agree on theory.

[FCspringer]

Same thing everywhere, finding most of the better fish suspended yet in deeper water with the vexie after dark.

[cvanderweyst]

any advice for daytime crappie bite in betsy ross bay?

[Corey Bohn]

Find the deepest spot in the hole out from the access and jig with a small forage minnow spoon (glow it up) and thread a waxie on each hook (treble). Get there before sun up and you may have a chance to catch some nice slabs until an hour after the sun rises. Watch your electronics closely for fish throughout the water column. There's a number of houses sitting on that hole (look for 23 ft. and drill some holes). We've had some luck fishing the south side of the hole early in the a.m.

It appears there is no cabbage or coontail standing in Little Ida this winter (at least where I typically fish), so check just outside the bay between the two points entering Little Ida from the main lake. If you drill some holes around the corner on the main lake side look for standing weeds in that 14 ft. range. If you can find standing coontail and cabbage I wouldn't doubt you'll find some nice sunnies and nice crappies some where along the weed line during the remainder of the day.

If you can find standing weed beds around the corner on the main lake side and the water is clear, try sight-fishing using a fiskas jig tipped with 3 waxies. T-bone or hook the first two in the middle and the third waxie off the end of the hook. If the water is clear, keep your house dark as possible and watch them down the hole. Good luck. Send me an email at minnkota outdoors at msn dot com to let me know how you did.

[cvanderweyst]

is there any dangerouse ice conditions in that area?

[Corey Bohn]

Last time out for me was three weeks ago and I went straight across from the access to the west shoreline. I don't know about the rest of the lake. The recent thaw may have changed things from the stand point of water on the ice. Call Betsy Ross Resort and ask about the ice conditions. They don't seem to mind the calls and are always quite informative.

[cvanderweyst]

it is very easy to get around out there now but i dont know the lake well and am nervouse about driving all over. I have benn paying the $5 access fee, i figure that is cheaper than fishing my truck off the bottom of the lake.

Although $5 a trip gets pretty expensive if you go out there a couple times a week. Do the people with permanents out there actually pay that every time or can they get a season pass?

[FCspringer]

Allot of people come from the north access right near where the creek comes in on the nth end and drive over there if you find the access take the trail over there that leads to the far point on the right it should take you around OK if they have been doing that. The access is not marked very well its just a small ramp right off the gravel looks like part of the ditch is all you cant miss it just look down est of the creek.I don't know I have not been over there for a while and travel was tough for a good part of winter.

[alex1]

cvander, Paul does have season passes available. I'm not sure what they run as I don't have a perm, and I don't get out enough to make it worth while. Like Corey said, give paul a call at the resort and ask, he's a real nice guy to talk with.