when to go?

[Red21]

hey just thought i would ask the best time to plan a spring trip up to the river. I am going to school in grand rapids and have all weekends and some weekdays off and am probably going to be making at least two trips up there. i have two small boats 12-14 foot and a 16.5 alumacraft dont really care what boat i use just want to get in on some fishing

[minimite]

get ahold of one of the resorts up there for ice updates and get up there as soon as you can push that 14 footer across ice to open water. you'll be close to the ice pack and won't have to wait in line for two or three hours waiting for the big boats to put in.

[Red21]

where is a good place in general to wait till the ice pack gets to?

[minimite]

i don't understand your question. maybe re-word it, if somebody else understands the question maybe they can answer it. i'm kinda dumb

[Red21]

sorry i was under the understanding that the river opened up on the eastern end and you had to wait till it opens up. i was just wondering how far to the west you want open water before you go up there

[heartattack22]

Red...I think you are asking where a good place to put in is...You have Birchdale, which is a good spot for pushing out over the ice. It will take a few days after the river gets to there before Kooch county will come in and break the ice out of the ramps, but with a small boat like you have, It would be easy to push out over the ice to get to the water. Looks like after today you could put in at Manitou but its one heck of a hill after the day is done, unless you have a wheeler to pull the boat up the hill. I am sure there are people fishing out of the access at Pelland now. If you need someone to go with, let me know!!! I am in Hibbing

[Red21]

yeah definately i wont be making it up this weekend ive got my drill weekend in duluth but after that im good. send me an email with your info if you want to try to make some plans. [email protected]

[grousehunter]

Is it possible to use a canoe at manitou?

[minimite]

you're right, it opens from east to west i just wasn't understanding the question. last year we slid our boat across the ice at frontier landing when all the big boats were having to put in way east of frontier. i don't remember what landing it was, but by sliding across the ice we had most of the morning hours to fish with not to many people around us. it was late morning before the thousands of boats showed up where we were fishing.

[Red21]

thats kind of what i was wondering. so the river is normally open much further west but just harder to access because the boat launches are all iced in. thanks for the info. ive been thinking about making the trip for years but when i lived on the northshore it was pretty hard to rip me away from steelhead fishing.

[minimite]

it's pretty much a [PoorWordUsage]-shoot at timing it right, that's why if you can stay in touch with a local up there about the ice conditions your chances of hitting right is alot a better

[heartattack22]

Grousehunter, You could use a canoe but there is some serious current at Manitou. You could fish in the bay area just to the south of the main channel. Otherwise your arms will be sore from the current.

Frontier has no where near the parking area that Birchdale has. There are fish all over in the river, some days are better than others but what it really comes down to is the fact that a day fishing always beats a day working!!!

[heartattack22]

Email sent Red21