Never ice fished Winnie....getting started?

[mixxedbagg]

So, a friend (his second time ice fishing in like 2 years...he won't have any better ideas than I do) and I have decided we'd like to ice fish Winnie (coming from Rapids) for the first time, probably for 'eyes.

We have a portable, a Vex, and a 4x4 at our disposal. Thinking about going out Friday.

- Is the daytime bite decent? (Should be overcast on Friday)

- Is there a plowed access or should we go from a resort. If so, what is the fee at that resort?

- I don't have lakefinder or experience with the lake...is there a depth or location we could key in on?

- Any tips on bait or presentation the walleyes are favoring out there these days?

- Should we just say screw it and hit somewhere close cuz we probably won't find 'em anyway?

My email is below if you prefer that. Thanks!

[gregg52]

i think winnie might be the most consistent biting walleye lake in the state with in the borders

if you go the first time and get skunked chalk it up to experience

your not that far away go a few times figure it out you will be glad you did

you are going to get lots of advice here

you should get someting with a lake chip in it

it will really help put you on fish

find a hump and fish the steepest break you'll catch some fish

[mixxedbagg]

Yeah, I live near Rapids and I've been ice fishing here for 10 winters...you'd think I would have made the trip to Winnie once during winter--but no. Thanks.

[Jim Almquist]

You really owe to yourself to start fishing Winne because it can provide some very good walleye fishing at times. If you fish a hump with a decent drop there can be a good day bite if it is cloudy enough but the other great thing is the bite window is much longer then most lakes. They can start biting as early as 3:00 and continue after dark. Perch pattern jigging spoons work great tipped with a fathead head. On my dead stick I always like something in a green/glow jig with a minnow hooked in the back.

[glenn57]

i'd head for highbanks. good road system and they are good tellin ya where the action is/was!

[Iambjm]

You should go out of a resort as the snow is really deep. I went out of Highbanks last Saturday but didn't have any luck, it is pretty tough to do any running and gunning when you are on foot. I don't think I could have gone off road much even if I did have my 4 wheeler with chains on it. Toughest winter I have seen for snow since I moved up here 4 years ago.

[mixxedbagg]

Thanks guys...what does high banks charge?

[pike2eye]

$10 access fee

[bmc]

A GPS w/ a lake chip of some sorts is worth it's weight in gold!!!

Find some structure that looks good, punch a bunch of holes from the top of the structure 20-25' to the bottom of the structure 30' plus.

Typically walleyes are up on the structure in the early mornings and early evenings. Perch can be anywhere from top to bottom and will make movements shallow to deep or vice versa throughout the day.

I like to throw a tip up out with a shiner on it, opposite of the depth I'm fishing. That way you get a better idea of the depth the fish are using.

Any of the resorts will give you some info as to what structure their roads go by.

Good Luck!

Brian

[mixxedbagg]

Thanks for the tips. Some kind of a jig and fathead alright? I almost never fish walleyes through the ice.

[gregg52]

experriment

fat head...half one ..jigin hangin a minow on a plain hook etc etc

[mixxedbagg]

Well, tomorrow is out. Got a call from my fishing partner and he's on-call at work. So, he wants to stay closer to town. Guess I have to put Winnie on the back burner....at least for tomorrow and find a plan B closer to home.

[Jack Stasney]

No worries mixxedbagg, I'm a Winnie newbie too and next weekend will be headed up for the first time. This post has been most helpful . Looks like I'll be able to use my Mille Lacs experience from the comments made. Two things I do have going for me though is a GPS and a buddy that use to fish the lake a bunch. Thanks to all who posted here.

[gregg52]

ya i use to use to fish mille lacs alot to

and they are similiar

i think the thing you will find is the humps dont have that sharp breaks that the flats do..and you will catch northerns on the humps on winnie

i dont think i ever saw a northern come off the flats

but try to find a hump that hasnt been fished shouldnt be to hard

the highbanks plows are saying they will plow you road to it

as off road travel is tuff

or get ahold of ryan on the south end take a look on one of these

other threads the guys in his house had a bunch of nice fish

[thatoneguy]

Never saw a northern come off the flats on Winnie? I assume you mean in the winter (and I would even disagree with that) since you can KILL big pike on the flats on Winnie in the fall.

[gregg52]

no no

i dont refer to the humps on winnie as flats

i was talking bout the MUD FLATS on mille lacs

re read that !!!!!!!

i know theres lots of gators on the HUMPS in winnie!

[thatoneguy]

"and you will catch northerns on the humps on winnie

i dont think i ever saw a northern come off the flats "

I'm not sure how I would NOT read that as referring to Winnie

Anyway. My point was that there are plenty of pike on Winnie's flats, not just on the humps.

[gregg52]

^^^^^^^^

[thatoneguy]

oh well...hey gregg - my in-laws have a place in nisswa that they come up to a lot in the summer. we should get together and chase some smallies on hubert some time this summer.

[gregg52]

i see you live in walker i presume you fish leech alot???

ya hubert has some pretty nice smallies in it caught a few fishing for walleyes

[thatoneguy]

yeah i do most of my open water fishing on leech since it's right in my backyard. in the winter i mostly fish winnie and pike bay, and a little on leech.