Ely - Babbitt Fishing Reports - Lake Conditions Too.

[LindyRigga]

I checked out the passi access for myself today and it has been plowed, I assume with a 4-wheeler, because the plowed path is pretty narrow and the ice is still sketchy in a couple of spots (I drilled many holes just off to the side of the road). Slush, and a double layer in some spots with anywhere from 13 inches to 9 inches total with slush on top. I certainly wouldn't risk driving out there.

[Great Outdoors]

LindyRigga,

I agree with you!

Keep all vehicles off Burntside for another week, better yet, two weeks.

If someone is foolish enough to drive a 4x4 truck on the lake, they won't get far as the double layer of ice, deep snow, or slush will stop them dead in their tracks if they try to travel to distant areas (Crab Creek, Dollar Island, Burnt Island, Valentine Island, etc)!!

Use a snowmobile only until then. Unless you stay on a trail previously packed by a snowmobile, you will also have trouble driving an ATV.

[Steve Foss]

Keep all vehicles off Burntside for another week, better yet, two weeks.

Rigga, was that double ice back in the bay off Passi, or was it out on the open lake after you turned the corner to round the point?

We had about an inch of new snow at the house yesterday, with 2-5 more predicted for this afternoon and overnight, so that'll add to the travel challenges.

Bottom line: Leave the pickups at the landing and bring shovels.

[LindyRigga]

I had 9 inches of ice at the thinnest back in the passi bay. There is more snow back there because the wind cant get at it. There is some double layer ice near the point you're talking about. Something like 3 inches of frozen slush on top of 3 inches of wet slush on top of 8 inches of good ice. Use sound judgement and good luck to all this weekend.

[Great Outdoors]

I swung down to the Van Vac Landing upper parking lot on the way home at 7 tonight, and it didn't appear that the road had been plowed to the lower lot, other than the single pass that someone made a few days ago.

[Steve Foss]

I swung down to the Van Vac Landing upper parking lot on the way home at 7 tonight, and it didn't appear that the road had been plowed to the lower lot, other than the single pass that someone made a few days ago.

Guess the county guys had a few bigger fish to fry with this continuing snow. So you cleared it with your plow truck as a public service, right?

[Great Outdoors]

I would have if it hadn't been snowing so hard, my wipers weren't full of snow, and were working properly.

So to answer your question, nope!!

[Mike Stark]

headed off van vac on burntside with my 1982 yamaha exciter today. got stuck three times. the second i got off the packed trail it turned into a major slush fest. the old yammi was not happy. its a mess out there. lots of snow on top of lots of slush. so much snow that even this cold snap with not freeze up the slush. i didnt even drill a hole today. came home with my tail in between my legs.

[levy382]

Any updates on the slush conditions

[Great Outdoors]

They're getting worse with the new snow

[leech~~]

headed off van vac on burntside with my 1982 yamaha exciter today. got stuck three times. the second i got off the packed trail it turned into a major slush fest. the old yammi was not happy. its a mess out there. lots of snow on top of lots of slush. so much snow that even this cold snap with not freeze up the slush. i didnt even drill a hole today. came home with my tail in between my legs.

Hey, my 550 long track was pulling for all she was worth last weekend and I almost gave up a few times! I wouldn't go out a lone right now!

[Mike Stark]

yea. i wont be heading off van vac alone for a while.

[levy382]

Thanks for the update my dad and I and a couple fishing buddies are heading up on friday for the weekend has anyone ventured out on tofte? All of the trout lakes aroud GR are pretty bad from what I've heard, any slush/ice condition updates as we get closer to the weekend is greatly appreciated thanks

[Mike Stark]

Thanks for the update my dad and I and a couple fishing buddies are heading up on friday for the weekend has anyone ventured out on tofte? All of the trout lakes aroud GR are pretty bad from what I've heard, any slush/ice condition updates as we get closer to the weekend is greatly appreciated thanks

i have not been on tofte but when i drove past on opener morning there were 20 or so trucks parked on the hwy. should be a few tracks out there.

[Steve Foss]

Definitely a good idea for sleds hauling portables to stay on the trail or on an older frozen snowmobile track unless they are powerful sleds. There are tried and true techniques for getting a sled unstuck from slush, but they are all PITAs.

There are actually lots of established and frozen tracks from opening weekend that go off the trail to good Burntside laker locations, but they are not that easy to see since we got that new 4 inches of snow yesterday.

Even with these temps, gonna be awhile for the cold to penetrate the snow enough to tighten things up. I think some spots will remain slushy most of the winter. I did see a full-sized pickup track heading out from Van Vac this afternoon. Stopped after about 100 yards. There is no road plowed there yet.

[EndOfTheLine]

I'm new to this so you'll have to bear with me here as I tend to ramble, however I'm hoping to give some useful info and try to find out some stuff as well.

I live just north of Ely in the wonderful little village of Winton, and have been wondering about a couple of the lakes around here as I haven't been out a whole lot so far this year. Have been reading slush reports and figured I would add my own in. Shagawa in some spots has a little bit of it goin on, tho most of it isnt too bad. Mostly around the big island off stinky ditch. Took a treck back into the remote wilderness on Monday for an afternoon adventure to Cedar and Low lakes. Neither access is plowed very well, tho some has taken place from sleds. Low has almost no slush on it, tho it is definitely snow packed, and no one has driven on it so we ventured out on foot to attempt to mark fish. While we marked some we gave up and went back to Shagawa.

I was wondering if anyone knows about the Twin Lakes and what kind of conditions are out on the dead river. East Twin is a place we were going to adventure to on ATV but haven't heard anything from folks in town. We would rather not be rolling up the dead river in a truck if no one else has safely done it obviously.

Are they gonna plow Birch Campground anytime soon? Ive heard some giants come outta there. Want to get in on it. Same with Fall.

Any info is greatly appreciated on the above lakes. I'll post back with whatever I find on tomorrows Shagawa and sundays Vermilion trips.

[Steve Foss]

Welcome, EOTL. Good to have you here. Winton really IS the end of the road, not Ely.

You can access Birch from the south (Babbitt side) off Country Club Road. CC Road is plowed out to the public landing.

I haven't been up the Dead yet this winter, but the staked snowmobile trail runs it between Burntside and Twin, so my guess is it's probably OK for an ATV, though I'd never run a pickup through there. I'd be very careful, and would not venture off the packed sled trail when traveling the river, since there's deep snow and some current.

[iceranger792]

The ice road off Birch's S landing is pretty limited this year.. We tried a couple diff spots but all we caught were tullipees. Too much snow! I have no idea if the campground landing is plowed?

[levy382]

Burntside: On the ice around noon yesterday it was chilly ended up with 2 on the ice right now have had some chasers but no takers I have alot of bait fish on the locator right now. Ventured up the north arm to see what it was like deep slush in some spots (there are spots like that all over) but it's doable lots of double layered ice and it looks like a good portion of the slush has froze. Just go fast and stay close to an old track incase you hit slush and most of the lake in my opinion is fishable. We have unhooked from the porty's before fishing most spots and just cruised in with the sleds to check and we have been stuck a couple times. Travel light and watch for slush good luck.

[levy382]

Ended up with 2 today very like bite for us but always a good day when you end up with laker slime on your hands. Hopefully the bite on b-side is a little better tomorrow brought a first time with want him to get hooked on troutin.

[EndOfTheLine]

Finally back. Cold weekend. Shagawa was mediocre, 2 good eyes and 4 little guys. Vermilion today was not good. A few lookers but for 12 hours only 1 taker that we believed to be a good size pike or muskie. Otherwise it was tough. Limited access to much of the lake made it difficult to get to spots we aimed at. No routes to the major bays from Hoodoo point, and the access after Hoodoo only allowed us to go to a major colony.

Hooked into a rock off Ely point this morning... Thats literally the only excitement I had all day. Weather didnt help at all. No slush tho so if you find fish you should hammer em.

[chaffmj]

I haven't seen anything posted lately and seeing as I don't have a snowmobile I was wondering if anyone is driving out there yet.

[Steve Foss]

There are two short plowed roads, one off Passi Road access that goes out around the point and ends, and another at Van Vac access, which goes out about 100 yards and ends.

Frigid weather has come and gone and as of today there's still a lot of slush and some double ice in many places on Burntside off the trails. I'd say snow ranges from 4 to 16 inches depending on drifting, with the worst slush, of course, under the deepest snows.

Still a lot of care required to not get bogged if you're on a sled towing a portable off the trails. Traveling light with nothing towed is a lot more worry free.

[chaffmj]

Thanks for the update Steve. Is it any good for walking off of Van Vac or anywhere. I will be up this weekend and might have some time to get out but not enough if it is a big hassle.

[Steve Foss]

Walking's pretty easy off Van Vac. Lots of packed down areas, and you only need to walk a hundo yards to a quarter mile (depending on how far up and down the shore you want to go) to get into nice shoreline breaks.

[chaffmj]

Great thanks.

[xpmn]

can anyone tell me if you can drive an atv on the lake, if so how far can you get out off of van vac. thanx

[Steve Foss]

Please note the previous posts about plowed roads and Burntside conditions. These posts are only four hours old or less.

If you have a very strong ATV with chains, you may be OK for some distance off the roads already mentioned. But as reported, there are many pockets of deep snow, slush and double ice, and if you hit those with your ATV, it's gonna be a tough go.

[Iambjm]

So it may not be looking so good for the Bash?

[Jim Almquist]

Barb we still have plenty of time and more then likely a change or two in the weather department. Mobility would be the biggest problem but lets see what the weather has in store. We need more cold and that sounds like what might happen in the long range forecast or maybe more heat to melt the snow would be another fine option. No matter what there will be a Bash.