North Long Lake Fishing Reports

[NorthLongSlayer]

We've been doing decent for the walleye bite in 25-35 ft on some of the mid lake breaks. Not a lot of guys out here which is really nice to be able to move around and fish new structure with fish that haven't been targeted all winter. Fishing new spots every couple days seems to be the ticket. Those walleyes are smarter than they look. They get used to seein the same old baits in about 2-3 days. We've been spreadin out tip-ups during the day on some sunken humps and doing quite well for day fishing. Nothing fancy for lures though, just the plain hook and a shiner or fathead with as little lead as possible. We spread them way out to cover a lot of area. Good Luck Fellas

[LipRipper!!]

Slayer,

Have you heard anything on the panfish bite on north long?

Any info would be appreciated!

[NorthLongSlayer]

Hey Lip Ripper, the panfish bite has been somewhat slow, but I know the good bite is right around the corner. We were in 21 fow over a good school of crappies last week, but we could only get a few to bite. The week before that we caught 18 in the same spot. This week you can see them down there, but they are just super finicky. Good luck

[LipRipper!!]

Slayer,

Thanks for the report. I will probably wait till the weather turns before I get that way. Keep in touch, I will let you know when I come up and give ya a cold one!!

Ripper!!

[gregg52]

LipRipper

If you have one of those cold ones for me I could put you

on pretty good spot in the bay I did really good in sept

for sunnies and crappies I see no reason it wouldnt be good

now maybe a walleye or 2 on it

sunnies were nice size crappies were 3/4 to pound

We can shoot the breeze about construction

Be interested to know who you work for

[LipRipper!!]

gregg,

Sounds good to me! Not sure when I will have a chance to get in the area, should be soon. I have plans for tomorrow but if they fall through I might head up their tomorrow. I will let ya know what happens. I do appreciate the offer.

Ripper!!

[NorthLongSlayer]

I was out tonight on the main lake and the fishing was awesome. The best it's been all year. I easily could have had my limit, but I'm not used to settting the hook in 30 ft of water with a small spoon. I caught 4, 20 inches being the biggest, and lost 5. I was setting the hook and hitting the roof of the portable because of the stretch in the line. I would reel like a mad man to pick up slack and then lose em. Once I got the hang of it, I was nailin them with a red 1/16th buckshot tipped with head of minnow. Only one on the deadstick which had plain hook with shiner. I was only fishing from 4:45-5:45. I had to cut it short to watch the super bowl. Those darn Saints! Well, hopefully this snow storm doesn't shut off the bite. I would be out there in the morning, but I'll be plowing that white stuff. Good Luck Guys. Late ice pan fishing is right around the corner. I can't wait!

[centralmnguy]

Any new reports for Northlong-Merrifield Bay? I was out sunday until about 6:00 then went in to watch the super bowl. Only had a 2 walleyes iced. Both on set lines, large shiners, yellow hook with glow bead - 18fow. set lines about 8" -24" off bottom, the higher ones were getting the action.

Let's hear some new reports!!!

[NorthLongSlayer]

I haven't been out since last Monday. My dad came out after I gave him Sunday's good report. Unfortunately he forgot his vexilar, so I let him use mine, which is his hand me down. He caught 4 on the 1/16 oz red forage minnow and I caught 0. It really helps havin a flasher of some kind. I'll be out this weekend and should have a report by Sunday. Good Luck ya'll

[LipRipper!!]

Slayer possibly be out there tomorrow. If you see a white one ton ext.cba chevy with construcion name on the side from a little town by Brainerd come and say Hi!!!

Ripper!!

[NorthLongSlayer]

Will do, we have a green ice castle on the western half of the main lake of North Long. It's sittin all by itself. I drive a Black F-250. I'll be out there tomorrow night as well. Hope to see ya.

[centralmnguy]

Brought my little nephew (12 yrs. old) out fishing tonight- he managed to outfish me & iced 2 walleyes 12" & 14"- & I caught one little 10". All were caught around 7:30 pm & jigging orange/white glow jigs tipped with minnow heads. 18 fow.

[centralmnguy]

Last 2 days have been ok for walleyes. I have been fishing in 18 fow using just a plain hook & small sinker tipped with a minnow head (fatheads) & bouncing it off the bottom. Caught 4 last night & 3 tonight- all were caught between 5:00 pm & 7:00 pm biggest was 17" & smallest was 12".

[centralmnguy]

Merrifield Bay- Caught 3 walleyes tonight ranging from 12" - 17". Two were caught on a puppet minnow & one on a set line yellow walleye snell hook with green glow beed with silver shiner about a foot off bottom. All were caught between 5:00 - 7:00 pm. 18 fow.

Also caught 4 walleyes last night but all were small & thrown back down the hole!

Good Luck- only 11 days left for walleyes.

[walleye365]

i was out this morning with my 3 year old her first time on the ice. figured the perch would keep us busy and they did, but around 11am my bobber poped and to my suprise 17in walleye and 10min or so later another 16.5in this was on the big lake 17fow i could see them swimin around there had to be 10 wallys down there but 2 was all that bit. goin to give this spot a try friday evening.

[NorthLongSlayer]

I was out on a mid-lake hump tonight in around 30 ft and the walleyes are still aggressive. Me and a buddy caught 5 and missed 3. Not bad. They were still all over the bottom when we left, but they just weren't as hungry. The wives started callin and we had to go. You know how that goes. 15 more minutes doesn't work on my wife any more. Gettin to be the time of year to yank off the house, but panfishin starts gettin hot. Can't wait.

[centralmnguy]

I have had my house in the same location the last few weeks, went out to my shanty today to find new neighbors have moved in on me. What is considered to close for comfort??? The guy set up 20 yards away from me.

[NorthLongSlayer]

I think I know where you are. Out in front of Hidden Paradise and Sullivans. There was a house with a green roof and now the the big red house and another moved in on ya. I thought maybe you guys were slayin em or something. Yeah, that is pretty close if I'm thinking the right area.

[WalleyeJeff]

I think I read in the regs book that 10' is the min. 20 yards is not to close as I see it? 20 feet may be a bit close for me.

[centralmnguy]

Had another guy go in between us & fish the other day. It wouldn't be so bad if they didn't have to drive 5 feet from me to get over to their house. The fish just scatter when they drive by. I am well aware of what it says in reg. book with the 10 feet but still!!! Oh well, only a few days left anyways & I can't complain to much, had an ok year out there.

[shadow5y7]

Whats funny, Is that people can place there house on some of the smallest structure and they think they own that spot. I know a guy who puts his house on a submerged tree in 30 feet of water, and he thinks hes the only one who can fish it, But 10 feet rule sometimes can be a problem when there are houses that are 30 feet long on a tree thats 15 long.

that being said some times to close is a bad thing, and other times I want to get as close as I can, because you and I both know that there is fish on that small structure and you don't own the water, I pay taxes on it too! Some time sharing a area is hard, but disrespectful people make it worst. So I feel your pain and I also think you might want to look at it from the other way.

Hope this makes sense!

p.s I am not the other house, Just a guy who has been on both ends of this argument.

[centralmnguy]

Like I said shadow- I can't complain to much, I had a ok year fishing. I was just making a comment about being to close for comfort & I never said anything about owning the spot or the lake for that matter. But it does tick a guy off when they drive within 5 feet of you with an SUV & you can watch all the fish scatter on the cam.

Anyways- hows the fishing been?

[NorthLongSlayer]

Sunken Trees? That must be a lot of work to get that thing out there and a lot of risk I might add. I guess the guy that sunk the tree shouldn't have told anyone he put it there or he should have sunk more than one tree out there...or maybe he did. How did you know about the sunken tree? Did you snag into it in the summer time while trolling the break? Truthfully, I don't think a sunken tree makes a huge difference when fishing walleyes, unless there are crappies in the area. We have a similar spot on the lake that we fish where there are multiple trees on the bottom and over the past years we figure we might catch another fish or two over the trees compared to 200 ft down the break. I think its just slows down the school of fish that are moving through. They hang out a little longer.

[kingfish689]

there is guy on a lake that i fish and he plows out a spot around his house that goes out about 50' all the way around and if you set up in his plowed out spot he comes out and starts to B#*#@% at you. I tell him I only have to stay 10' away he thinks I have to stay 10' out side his plowed area some people just think they own the whole lake. I try to keep 50'away but a good spot on a spot that you know is there. is hard to stay away from.But I dont think i would ever move inside of thirty feet away from someone I did not know. there are alot of rude people out there fishing and some even showing there kids how to be rude fisher people. go take a look at the red lake thread titled pretty sad. It is pretty sad how some people teach there kids how to fish. I try to teach my kids to release the big ones,keep it cleaan on the lake, and be quick on the landing. and above all dont be rude to other fisherman they are out here to have fun also.

[tight_lines]

I guess I can understand being upset if someone drove right next to my house while I was in it. I always try to avoid crowds & try to respect other fisherman & stay at least 50 yards away. A couple years ago I had a guy do the same thing & I could literally see his bait on my cam, that's how close he was. Why would you want to set up next someone that close anyways? Use a little common sense!

[walleye365]

theres not much we can do about this theres always goin to be people like this. i had a guy ask me if id move my truck so he could set up on the ice under it and that was after he fished 3 of my pre drilled holes. i dont have a nerve in my body that could get me to do this to someone no respect thats the problem. dad showed me along time ago what happens when you dont have any respect and that was about the time i pick my self off the ground.

[centralmnguy]

Sorry I didn't mean to offend anyone by my comment the other day about someone to close for comfort, nor do I want to start anything or come off as a [PoorWordUsage] or hole hog. I was just simply stating that I got new neighbors & someone had driven right next to my house while I was in it. Fish weren't biting that day anyways so I guess it doesn't matter & like you said ain't much you can do about it anyways.

Moving On!

How is the bite been for everyone else??

[shadow5y7]

don't apologize' for your comment, your speech and your thoughts are open to free speech. Some people are to Minnesota nice and other will snuff your dog when your not looking.

your entitled to your opinion. I just have been on both end of the fight, so I see a neutral opinion on this subject

and I have not been fishing yet this week so, its been slow.

[NorthLongSlayer]

I was out yesterday (Tuesday) night on a mid-lake hump and did okay if you are just counting bites and misses. Had my wife and 6 month old daughter out and we had our share of chances, but just couldn't get the hook set. Maybe missed 6 and caught one walleye. They were really liking the set lines, although the one we caught came off of a buckshot. I think they were just barely grabbing the bait. I took the house off of North Long today and put it out on Round on the south end. Haven't tried it yet. Hoping for crappies. We'll see what happens.

[walleye365]

didnt offend me i was just shareing with ya. good to get it out on here in a cival way and not on the ice.good luck fishin every one