Big Marine Fishing Reports

[Fuzzbient]

Mmmm, love those tasty pike year round myself. Just have to de-Y-bone em.

[JBMasterAngler]

I'll eat pike over largemouth bass any day of the week.

[Sandmannd]

I'm with ya guys, love pike. This is usually the place I go for 'em, just haven't gotten up there this year. Problem is there are so many small snakes there.

[JBMasterAngler]

The DNR should use some of the hammer handles in this lake to stock in other lakes...it'd be a win-win situation!

[frazwood]

So many pike. There should be a 20 fish limit on those slimers. 20, shoot, might as well be 100. Probably only 3 guys that keep em anyway these days. Everyone knows bass make a better sandwich anyhow.

If it makes you feel better, I kept three of mine on Thursday night (all were less than 20 inches).

[frazwood]

I'll eat pike over largemouth bass any day of the week.

I know most people will think this is heresy, but I like pike better than walleye. I've done about three side-by-side comparisons over the last few years and pike has won every time.

We're doing a blind taste test next week where we're going to compare bass vs. pike vs. walleye vs. bluegill.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I agree with the pike comment too.

IMO, it's all about the batter that you use.

About a month ago, we caught a 5 lb pike and cooked it up for the family.

I have a 7 year old that his new favorite fish is pike, he used to only eat walleye.

My mom and dad are over 70, and they enjoyed the fish. I ate the rest.

The relatives that we have over from Germany enjoyed it as well.

Needless to say, that fish fed a few people.

[CJH]

I like Pike as well and have caught quite a few on this lake. If you want a sure fire fish fry, small pike seems to be the way to go!!!

[jloomis]

just wondering how the bass bite has been out there now that there has been steady weather? want to get out there sometime this week?

[dudewheresmyboat]

jloomis, there ain't no bass in that lake.

[kaine]

jloomis, there ain't no bass in that lake.

i guess we can let you think that if you want.

[RumRiverRat]

If I guy wanted to kill a few hours catching snakes and hammer handles where is a good place to start on this lake?

Weedy Flats?

[kaine]

thats usually where we find them just start throwin a spinner bait and you will most likely find a few.

[CJH]

Any update on the ice on Big Marine?

[shnelson]

No update on the ice, but I drove past it this morning and the lake was pretty barren and undisturbed from the north launch.

I might venture out there tonight if I get home with some daylight left, otherwise it's my target for saturday.

[CJH]

Well, if you get out please post what the ice conditions are. I won't be able to get out for at least another week (until after Christmas), but I got the itch and can't wait!!!!

Thanks much!!

[shnelson]

I made it out tonight, not very far though.

I can tell you there is about 4-6" of what seems like solid ice, then 2" of slush layer on top. I broke through the slush layer about 100yds out from the launch and that was enough for me to turn around and go back. I popped a couple holes a little closer to shore and that's where I found up to 6".

I'm definitely going to give this lake another week before I venture out again (or at least daylight conditions). There were apparent atv and snomobile tracks, and I think there was someone about a half mile out fishing in a portable but couldn't quite tell.

[crappie 10]

I was on the lake last saturday on the north end and there had to be 6 inches of clear ice even with the snow on top there was still 6 inches. I was out past the point on the left side and ther was another guy past me not much action pretty slow only caught 2 small pike.

[shnelson]

I think that's where the guy was tonight, just past that point on the left.

I did measure 6" in most spots, but that slush made me really uneasy about it!

[CJH]

Thanks for the update guys. Sounds like we are at least getting close. I definitely will give it another week or two. (Hopefully I can at least beat the perm village before it pops up!!!)

Please keep us posted if you make it out!!!

[JimP]

I was on the South end today. 7" of good ice and no slush. Some [PoorWordUsage] drove a full size pickup out from the west shore.

[shnelson]

How were they biting Jim?

I made it out most of yesterday from the North end. There were a lot of solid spots with 8"+, but also a lot of questionable spots with less than 7" and a good blanket of snow/slush on top.

Managed some tiny perch, was able to ice a decent size northern and walleye for the dinner table too!

We saw plenty of northern on the camera, they were very quick to inspect our jigs but not very interested in committing a bite against several presentations.

[shnelson]

Hit the south end of the lake this afternoon, was happy to find a hard packed surface to walk on despite the snowfall. Also found 10-12" of consistent ice in most spots. Lake was making a lot of racket tonight, felt like world war 3 on ice.

I was on the north end yesterday, surface was hardened up quite well but the ice wasn't favorable for vehicles any time soon. Found 6-8" of good ice, topped with 5-6" of frozen slush in most of the walk out.

[budboy]

Any fish?

[budboy]

Anyone been out crappie fishen on Big Marine?

[vrodharley77]

dad and i were out today for about 4 hours on the south side in 13 feet of water, marked fish the whole time and they would not bite, switched colors and baits and nothing but one little pike..... great day to be out though weather wise, measured 14 inches of good ice

[JBMasterAngler]

I picked this lake for the sole purpose of finally using a tip up this winter and catch some pike...so what happens? I forgot the tip ups in my other car Anyway, WOW were there a ton of people out there! It made bald eagle look like fly in canada lake!

I caught about 15 crappies, 3 of which I would've considered keeper size, lost another nice one at the hole. During the day they only wanted forage minnow tipped with minnow head, as the sun began to creep under the horizon they would only take small jigs with euros. A few tiny perch and sunnies in the mix as well. I stopped fishing at about 6, but they were still biting. Had the wife not called for me I would've stayed later.

Also, thanks to the guy in the american flag perm house for offering to borrow me one of his tip ups. I also borrowed my auger to a group of guys, and they gave me some spicy home made beef jerky It was delicious!

[Larson01]

I went out and fished big marine today with a friend but managed to not catch a single crappie! It has always been a good lake for me, and im wondering maybe its still early? We mainly stayed shallow, on average 5-8 feet, sometimes casting in shallower. I thought the water was still a little cold, 49-52 degrees, and still not much vegetation. We tried off the island which has always been a good spot, plus some of the weedbeds right outside the bowl. Should we have been concentrating deeper or along deep weed edges? Was it where we were fishing, or was it just the windy wavy conditions blowing our bobbers around? any help is appreciated

[openwater9]

Larson shoot me a email [email protected]. i'll help you out

[CJH]

Heading out mid day on Friday, anybody have any updates on water temps or any tips if you fished there recently? Obviously looking for Crappies and Gills the day before opener!!! (I don't want to deal with the craziness the next day, I'll let it settle down a bit first)

Thanks!!