Fish Lake

[Northlander]

Tom I will check on the tip up flags in the am. steve Ihave a xtra seat in the pm. See you all there in the am.

Gary maybe I will run up quick and just jump in with you if thats ok. Call me about 2pm and remind me.

[fishinfey8]

Fished Christmas Eve for the whole day. Found the gills with a couple crappies thrown in. It paid BIG dividends to get outside the crowd. Also, minnows have their days. I have had a couple days out on Fish during ice season where they wanted minnows only. I usually always buy a half doz crappie minnows (which is like a buck) just for these times. Even though they are few and far between, the big crappies like the minnows for sure. If you are sitting on top of a school of bigger crappies you will want to have some. Waxies on a nuclear ant, or demon glow jig (tiny), or just a plain ratso is what I like to use. Usually I never have to use more than the ratso. Good luck, I will be out on the ice all day tomorrow, so if you want steve give me a call and maybe we can compare notes.

[Sherpa]

That's interesting to hear your guys thoughts on using minnows for crappies. I would say I've had about the same amount of success if not a little more with minnows this year. I like to make sure I have both with me so I can give them what they want. I can see the point about minnows slowing you down when a school is moving through. I did catch a 14.5" crappie in the Spooner WI area on a minnow this year though.

+1 on the ratsos. I've had good luck with them. I have also had to remove the plastic and use a plain waxy on mine a few times as well. I suppose this could be done with most any small jig though.

[fishinfey8]

+1 on hearing everyone's method to their madness. I thought I would post a pic of the meal I took home. All other fish were released.

[BD110]

Good info guys... I still plan on heading out on my 4-wheeler not sure what the rest of you are doing. I think I'll try to hold off for a couple more days as long as we are still making some ice and I'm still able to get around without to much trouble.

I have enough minnows for anyone that may need some so I can't see a need to pick up anymore. Still sitting good on waxies as well. See you guys on the ice and we can form a game plan.

[Northlander]

+1 on hearing everyone's method to their madness. I thought I would post a pic of the meal I took home. All other fish were released.

Hey E I think you can cut them stupid zip ties off your rod now. Matter of fact cut them black plastic slide ones off and go to tape. More comfy and reliable.

[JimW]

I am heading out thur to try out my new eskimo quick fish 4. Will it be safe to drive? Perosn i know that lives on fish by dam says trucks have been on the lake all weekend?

Jim

[BD110]

JimW,

I'll never say anything is safe at anytime but your friend is correct there has been a fare amount of vehicle traffic on Fish lake. Hibanks resort has a road plowed out to Dock(Birch)Island out of the narrows past Crappie Village and Airplane island and going the other direction into Pontoon bay. May guess would be you should be able to get out somewhere with some sort of ease.

[JimW]

Thanks for the info Tom. I am very careful in ice and never assume it is safe. do you know if high banks charges to use their road and how much? I look forward to my first ice of the season.

Thanks.

Jim

[BD110]

Jim,

They do have an access fee of $3.00 per vehicle. Hope you have a great time on your first trip of 2010-2011 ice season!!

[Hendo1589]

Plan on going out tomorrow afternoon around 3:30 off the dam, anyone gonna be out?

[Northlander]

Thanks for the info Tom. I am very careful in ice and never assume it is safe. do you know if high banks charges to use their road and how much? I look forward to my first ice of the season.

Thanks.

Jim

$3 and worth every cent! Tim works very hard to keep the road open. Not to mention the beating his plow truck takes. It looked new a few years ago but looks 10 years old now.

[dfeste]

How deep should the water be that I am fishing in? Today I took the ice road out of Highbanks out about two miles. I fished in 17 feet and only caught one northern and some perch. Last week I fished out from the dam and was in 18 to 21 feet and did pretty well on the crappie. I understand that there probably is not a perfect answer to my question.

I am a total newbie to ice fishing as today was the fifth time I have been out on my own. I have been watching this thread closely and any help would be appreciated. I am planning on heading out tommorow morning in the same general area but this time I am planning on moving closer to shore where the majority of the houses were. If anyone wants to point me in the right direction that would be great. I already stopped at GM and picked up some diamond jigs, ratsos, and rat finkes.

Thanks Dave

[Jim Almquist]

I have fished from 14' to 22' and I really don't think there is a magic depth that you have to be at. Yesterday it seemed like 18' was a good depth but you needed to have your lure at 14' if you wanted any action. Last week I was in 21' and had action down by the bottom. Let your locator tell you what the fish want and if you are not marking fish you should move. The past couple of times the bite was better early and late and a little slow mid-day.

[dfeste]

Jim, when I asked about depth it was because a guy told me when I was getting ready to leave that 12 or 13 feet was where I wanted to be. It seemed shallow to me but as I said I don't have alot of experience. I was fishing by 9:30 and marking fish until I left at 2. I am pretty sure these fish were perch but for most of my time out there I could not get them to bite. I was at the end of the road from Highbanks and by the time I left most of the houses were on the other side of the road from me. I know now that I should have moved but I was marking fish and thought I was on to something. I guess that would explain why I could not get any action at all from the plastics.

Dave

[Hendo1589]

went out from the dam from 4 to 8 tonight, caught 4 crappies and one sunny, not the best bite, had atleast 8 other fish come check me out but wouldnt bite. all the crappies were 11 or 12 inches and the sunny was 9 inches, so not too bad for size.

[JimW]

$3 to use the plowed road sounds like a bargain. Thanks for the info Tom. LOW charges 7 or 8 bucks a day.

Dave Feste are you the Dave Feste I used to bowl with at the Incline Station?

I have heard people say the deeper water is good 18-21 feet but crappies and pther fish are at the 14-16 foot level?

I will let you know thur. Heck maybe I will bring the laptop and see if I can post what is happening or not happening for us.

Jim

[dfeste]

Not sure if it's good or bad but yes I am the same Dave Feste.

[Northlander]

I have caughtcrappies and gills from 12' to 22' so far. I will say the shallow bite is a early late thing where the deeper ones seem to come and go in spurts with the early late still being best. Get away from others is key. The more trucks, augers, drunks etc. around you the less fish you usually catch.

[opsirc]

is there alot of travel across the lake as far as snow machines or wheelers? what is the ice like, am thinking of making a trip next week.thanks

[fishinfey8]

There has been plenty of wheelers, snowmobiles and vehicles (including trucks) going all over the lake. The ice is different thickness' depending on where you are, but I have found there to be anywhere from 8-12 in. of good, clear ice with about 2 in of cloudy on top.

[JimW]

Dave, I bowled with you at the Incline. I was on Kurt's team.

Great info guys. I will try to apply some of this knowledge on thur.

Jim Walters

[Northlander]

is there alot of travel across the lake as far as snow machines or wheelers? what is the ice like, am thinking of making a trip next week.thanks

Tons of sleds and a few wheelers and some crazy people driving trucks with drop downs across the lake. A single truck is still iffy if ya ask me but with a house behind it no way for me!

[Jim Almquist]

I have seen a lot of full size trucks on the lake but what really gets me is the ones that want to go 40 MPH on and off the roads. If they knew how much water they were pushing in front of them I bet they would slow down. A couple of times yesterday the water was 2 blocks in front of the truck as they were flying down HiBanks road. When the ice is only 12" you can't fly but need to drive slow !

Enough with the rant- the fishing was slow where we were at all day. I did catch a nice SpotTail shiner

[JimW]

I am heading out to Fish lake shorty. Any going to be out there?

jim

[Northlander]

It was ok fishing this morning but this warm weather and rain is making the snow slushy and heavy and water is in the roads.

Heres my rant for the day.

DO NOT DRILL HOLES IN THE ROADS THAT TIM AT HI BANKS HAS WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE FOR PEOPLE TO SAFELY GET AROUND!!!

Common sense folks. I hope it wasnt anyone on here and seriously doubt it so Im probably singing to the choir.

[Jim Almquist]

I was planning on it but the rain is just a little too hard for my liking.

[Northlander]

Just loaded up on 200# of sidewalk safe salt. One slip on this stuff and missing work would make the small investment in salt worth it.

The way things are looking I probably wont be out until Monday at the earliest.

[SKIPPERS KID]

Jim,

My house leaks too the rain today was bad but the fishing was great:-).

[dfeste]

We did ok out from the dam today and yesterday. I am currently using my Big Buddy heater to dry my quickflip out. I really didn't figure I'd have to empty the entire thing out until spring but rain in December does strange things to people in Northern Minnesota.

Dave