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Ely - Babbitt Fishing Reports - Lake Conditions Too.

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titelines
titelines

Wanted to provide a follow-up report for all interested. In a word...tough. Got to the campground on Friday with a huge wind coming off the lake from the SW. Got set-up just before the rains came.

Jacobson Outdoors
Jacobson Outdoors

We had an incredible trip last year in the BWCA. Smallmouth action was the best I've seen it. The best that time of year were poppers, jerk baits, and wacky worms. Here's a video I put together of the

Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

Posted
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Hey all:

It was a wonderful opener on Bside today. Warm weather, three trout caught by 1 p.m.

Fished a neckdown between two islands in 53 FOW with the neckdown opening into deeper bays on both sides, so it was a saddle as well as a neckdown. Caught the fish, which ranged from 2 to just over 5 pounds, on Lindy Darters and Lindy Rattlin Flyers (all lures untipped).

I posted a much more in-depth report on the HSO Club forum, so if you are a member you can go there for more location/tactic details and more pics.

And tomorrow, MORE TROUT! gringrin

Here was sunrise.

sunrise-pano.jpg

And the 5lber

5lg.jpg

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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I fish about seven or eight areas on Bside just like this, Mike. So maybe you recognize it and maybe you don't. gringrin

Tomorrow I'm exploring new water. Not gonna hit my tried and tested spots when the lake is as full of anglers as it'll be then. Love it! smilesmile

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Huey Proficient

Huey

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Very nice!

Nice fish and nice scenery. I wish I had been up there today.

What's with the tail? It looks like it has been chewed on.

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Great Outdoors Mentor

Great Outdoors

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Stevo,

I bet I know where that spot was mad

I should have mined it just before freeze up gringrin

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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Stevo,

I bet I know where that spot was mad

I should have mined it just before freeze up gringrin

Yeah, you know that spot. And you keep deluding yourself that you led me there by plowing a road straight to it. Put on your "mad" face all you want. I'd found that spot open water trolling earlier, and had fished it both open water and on ice before you saw me there.

But hey, it's one of a bunch just like it I fish on Burntside. Probably you led me to all those, too. gringringrin

Now, I've been shown a number of nice locations on Bside, and I'm never too proud to take advice about a good spot. smilesmilesmile

Meanwhile, tomorrow I'm fishing water I've never ice fished before. Sure hope I don't see a Maki road plowed right to it. gringrin

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Mike Stark Veteran

Mike Stark

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i was just playin with you foss...i dont know where it is...i have been looking at areas like that on the big map though.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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i was just playin with you foss...i dont know where it is...i have been looking at areas like that on the big map though.

Those spots be many. It's worth a day of your time to not even fish. Just to bring an auger, GPS, flasher and map and check out as many as possible. For sure the best kind of day well spent. Ground truthing a map, even the Monster Map, will show things you'll want to know, things the map doesn't have on it.

And if you leave the rods at home, it's amazing what you can find and figure out regarding structure/depths without the pressure to get a line in the water.

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Great Outdoors Mentor

Great Outdoors

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Stevo,

You'll only see a Maki road plowed to it if I see you fishing, and as I zero in, the truck won't be slowing down (if you catch my meaning) gringringrin

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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Hooli, it's an HT Polar Lites series heavy action (PL-34H). It's 34 inches, and is an excellent affordable spinning rod for lakers. Sells for about $15. While it's a heavy action, it's not a broom handle. Mate it with a Shimano 2000 series spinning reel with 10-12 lb mono (or equivalent reel from another manufacturer), and you've got a very good laker rig that won't ruin your budget. My clients and I have landed many a Bside laker with this rod.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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Today, three of us put 8 lakers on the ice on Burntside, ranging from 1lb to a 35.5 incher. The big one, alas, was VERY skinny, and only weighed in at about 8 lbs based on the girth/length measurement formula. Normally that would have ranged from 15 to 20 lb. But it was still a very cool fish, and it was a great day in great company! gringringrin

Here's the big un, caught by Steve (leech on HSO)

web-leech.jpg

And a nice eater from Matt (Neighbor Guy)

web-neighbor-guy.jpg

And a 3-4 lb eater I got

web-steve.jpg

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Spearing Machine Rising Star

Spearing Machine

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Nice work Steve! Looks like you have them all dialed in already out there on B-side!!

BTW I got the package the other day in the mail. Thanks!

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fishnhuntnboy Proficient

fishnhuntnboy

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Nice looking fish there! I cant wait to get back up there on sunday to fish! Got some new lures today to try out and cant wait!

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Capt. Russ Explorer

Capt. Russ

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Good to see that you put it all together. We were out traveling the lakes talking to many folks that were doing well. The largest I saw was a beautiful eleven pounder.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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Thanks, everybody. The five of us fished several different areas today, and it was a tougher bite. I THINK everybody got at least one fish. Not sure about Neighbor Guy and Leech. It clouded over and the wind switched last night, and that seemed to have turned the fish off a bit from what they were Friday and Saturday.

But another nice opener -- with plenty of fish and in good company -- is now in the books. smilesmile

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delcecchi Grand Master

delcecchi

Posted
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There is a puzzle. How can the fish tell which way the wind is blowing when the lake is covered with two feet of ice?

I can believe they can tell sunny from cloudy, but wind? Any theories?

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
Posted

Today, three of us put 8 lakers on the ice on Burntside, ranging from 1lb to a 35.5 incher. The big one, alas, was VERY skinny, and only weighed in at about 8 lbs based on the girth/length measurement formula. Normally that would have ranged from 15 to 20 lb. But it was still a very cool fish, and it was a great day in great company! gringringrin

Here's the big un, caught by Steve (leech on HSO)

And a nice eater from Matt (Neighbor Guy)

And a 3-4 lb eater I got

Steve, Thanks for posting the pic's. Laker slime down the front of my coat looks great! I may never wash it! grin It was nice meeting you and your wife at the Boathouse after a Great day out on B/Side with all the guys. Tracy, Matt, & Jared.

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Cliff Wagenbach Grand Master

Cliff Wagenbach

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A switch in wind direction usually indicates a barometer change also. That will have an effect on fish behavior.

Cliff

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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I had 16-20 inches of ice everywhere I fished from Fri-Sun. Trucks were driving all over the place. The ice is hard and clear. Very little snow on the ice so 4x4 isn't even needed.

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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How can the fish tell which way the wind is blowing when the lake is covered with two feet of ice?

Good humor, Del. smilesmile

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Neighbor_guy Veteran

Neighbor_guy

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I ran into a few areas that only had 8 or so on sunday. But a good solid 10-12 in most places. If you know your travel route and feel confident.....

I still prefer the sled.

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ben h Apprentice

ben h

Posted
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fished the north arm fri thru sun had several good fish biggest was a nice fat 5 lb. caught most of our fish on the drop off of a reef in just 20ft of water give or take. Did not catch one fish on live bait all of them hit tipped airplanes. Guess ill be buying more of those little charms

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Wanderer Grand Master

Wanderer

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Hey Ben,

Nice talking to you out there on the ice. At least the clues I have point out that it was you stopping by to chat on Saturday. smile Didya get any walleyes for your bud?

It was a fun three days even though I was a whipped puppy by Friday night. Not 'nuff sleep.

It was good to see our whole crew hook up multiple times and everybody got pictures - cept me. I did catch 5 over the weekend (largest maybe a 3) had some chasers and lost my picture fish on Sunday afternoon. It was a HOT fish that blasted up 20 feet to nab my spoon as it was free spooling down. Just didn't get it pinned good I guess.

Leech stole the show with his 35 & 1/2 incher. grin HNTNBUX got his PB also. The 28 incher on the left. Always happy to see guys get their best. smile

DSC018462.jpg

Another weekend, more good memories and laker lessons learned.

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ben h Apprentice

ben h

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no eyes for us. think i convinced the group next time we skip the eyes. why leave bside when others drive from all over to fish it this time of year and go fish some lake none of us know anything about. we'll hunt up the eyes when they bite and fish lakers when they bite.

nice lookin fish also, and thanks for the tips sat

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