Lake trout reports

[Wanderer]

Dave,

I brought up some treated shad and emerald shiners that were supposedly packed in anise oil. I know these aren't the same thing you're selling but these were not appetizing at all. I used the head of one shiner with no luck. I took one sniff of the shad and sealed the pack back up to be thrown away later. No anise smell and no fish smell.

Keep a stock of shiners around.

I know Steve had good success with the treated ciscoes for pike after he rinsed them well but I don't have any plans for using anything but fresh for trout from now on.

[Mike Stark]

I'll ask you folks since I've not used them what is the verdict on the treated ciscos? I figure since I'm selling them it might be worthwhile to know from the experts.

i have only used them up on knife lake. i had two flags with the ciscos but both were dropped. landed one using a big live shinner. we had more fish jigging that day tho.

[Gunflint Guy]

fished knife today from about noon-3. iced 3. 2 jigging and one off a tip up. all around 5lbs. three others were lost after the hook set. with two other runs on tip ups but were dropped. both of the baits that were dropped were hydrated ciscos.

How were the traveling conditions to Knife? Did Knife have slush?

[Mike Stark]

we hit a few spots with slush. if you stay on the "highway" you should be fine. there were some area that once you stepped off the trail you were in slush. luckly the area we were fishing was not slushy.

[Steve Foss]

Dave, I've had excellent luck for pike with the treated ciscos when they are rehydrated and soaked for several hours beforehand. But then I found a good supply of saltwater herring, which are dynamite pike tip-up bait and don't need to be treated/processed, so I've been using them for pike.

I'm using live bait for lakers, so I doubt I'll be using the treated ciscos any more for any species.

Today was a tough day on Burntside. We had some action in the morning when the tail end of yesterday's snow front kept it cloudy. We had some lookers, including a couple really hot ones, but no takers. My friend did not have electronics, so it's hard to say how many lookers he might have had. No flags, either. One house over they did get a couple on the ice.

Then it cleared off and the wind switched and the pressure started to rise in that typical slow first day after a cold front, and we had no action at all this afternoon. Probably tomorrow the bite will start to improve, since it'll be day two of the same weather pattern, and the full moon is on they way.

That's pretty much how it was opening weekend. Most folks fishing hard bottom on Burntside struggled Saturday after Friday's front went through, while I found some active fish over soft bottom. Sunday the fish were a lot more active over all bottom types. Today we were over soft bottom because the weather pattern was the same as opener, but it didn't pan out for us this time. That's fishing!

[leech~~]

Post up the biggen pic's!

[DaveSorensen]

Thanks for the information on the ciscoe's good to know. The herring ocean ones, another thing that provides a conflict as far as getting information from one source at the DNR and then another. I've had two fisheries supervisors tell me that they are included in the ban since they are in the same family, I've had CO's tell me that they are not listed frozen smelt and ciscos are illegal. I've had bait people tell me that the person they are talking to say they are legal. I guess my opinion on all of this is that no matter what rules are they are open to interpretation.

[DaveSorensen]

Oh one other question, shiners are expensive (not telling you antyhing you don't know) but when I have shiners that die, would it make sense for me to freeze them and sell them at a discounted price (since I'm throwing them out anyway).

[Xplorer]

Dave,

I would consider taking the dead ones and "salting" them (recipe is 1/2 part canning salt and 1/2 part borax) or else putting them in sawdust. I have taken shiners up for lakers to Ontario this way for years since you cannot take live bait across the border.

Also, folks use salties all the time on the winnipeg and red rivers in Manitoba for walleye.

Freezing them will result in them being a mushy mess when thawed, but the salting or sawdust treatment draws the water out of them and keeps them firmer so they stay on a hook.

[Steve Foss]

Slightly better day today on Burntside, but still nothing special. Fishing shoreline break structure in 45-55 FOW. Again it was mostly morning action. Had half a dozen or so lookers this morning, only a couple of them hot. Just after noon, a 4.5 smacked my jig/gulp smelt and smacked the top of the ice a few minutes later.

After 12:30 I only saw one fish and it was not hot at all. As with yesterday, buddy did not have electronics so not sure how many might have eyed his lures. There were no flags at all, which was a bit of a surprise. Fish working up and down the water column, tip-ups with live golden shiners 15-20 feet away, but no action on them.

We had 15.5 inches of solid ice under us and no slush where we were. Guy about 40 feet away had two little ones on that got off before they were landed.

Below average action the last two days.

[leech~~]

Come on Steve, what kind of a report is that? A guide looking for biz, needs to say they are "biting like mad" better book your trip Now! Well I guess true in advertising is the best policy! Thanks for the update!

[Wanderer]

Oh one other question, shiners are expensive (not telling you antyhing you don't know) but when I have shiners that die, would it make sense for me to freeze them and sell them at a discounted price (since I'm throwing them out anyway).

I've often wondered why bait shops don't do this with their shiners and suckers. Xplorer has some good tips there but I get a little turned off anytime borax is used in a bait recipe. It's just me though.

Dave,

Really, what would it cost to try it out and see how they sell? I would have bought some in the past had they been available.

[Wanderer]

Post up the biggen pic's!

I took two pics of my 29 incher. One next to my ice scoop and one next to my JM Mackinaw rod. Neither look exciting.

I don't have HNTNBUX's pics since he was on a different spot. Maybe he'll post it? Maybe not?

[Steve Foss]

Come on Steve, what kind of a report is that? A guide looking for biz, needs to say they are "biting like mad" better book your trip Now! Well I guess true in advertising is the best policy! Thanks for the update!

Truth is the best policy every time. Besides, if a guide only posts positive reports, folks think you're just lying in order to get business. Laker fishing can be a lot like musky hunting, after all.

I've often frozen my leftover suckers and shiners without treating them in any way, and they are plenty firm when thawed. They work just fine on tip-ups for lakers or pike.

[leech~~]

I took two pics of my 29 incher. One next to my ice scoop and one next to my JM Mackinaw rod. Neither look exciting.

I don't have HNTNBUX's pics since he was on a different spot. Maybe he'll post it? Maybe not?

Oooh Jeeez here we go! Great fishing report but no pic's! Another fishing story!

[Wanderer]

Well if it means THAT much to you, I suppose I should get on it!

[Jim Almquist]

Well if it means THAT much to you, I suppose I should get on it!

I didn't want to say anything but....

We like pictures

I just wish it was me or someone else taking a picture of me holding a big Lake Trout

You need a remote for your camera

or at least a timer and a tripod

[leech~~]

There here's the two little eaters I kept! The 25" I let go is in the bad foggy pic posted on the Photo thread.

[reinhard1]

those will eat good! good luck.

[DaveSorensen]

Thanks for the info XPLORER, I'll give it a try and if it works for me...I'll have some in the future.

[Xplorer]

Dave,

You can play with the salt/borax mix to see what works best. I have used it on lake shiners (from superior), emeralds from the Rainy, and goldens. You want to get all the liquid out of the salted ones. And zippies work fine for it.

I can say for jigging I didnt see any difference for lakers. They were also used for "bottom fishing" on a set line with an open bail.

I'll try and stop by on my way up next wednesday, but may be too early for shop hours. Good luck, hope it works out!

[Wanderer]

I didn't want to say anything but....

We like pictures

I just wish it was me or someone else taking a picture of me holding a big Lake Trout

You need a remote for your camera

or at least a timer and a tripod

Well, since we didn't go coyote hunting last night as planned, I figured I could be awake today and catch up on few things. So, here are the pics:

I tried to hurry this pic as fast as I could to get the fish back down the hole. It started flopping when I set it on the snow.

HNTNBUX's mid 20 inch keepers.

His 33 that went back to it's fishy home.

Yeah Jim, the remote and tripod would be helpful but we're usually fishing in pairs at least and snap each other's pics. When I hooked up on my fish I was actually talking on my cell with my wife. I gave her the play by play as I was jigging 40' down and marked the fish at 10'. I reeled up to it, made it chase up and down about 5' before it hit. I told her it was a nice one as it was stripping line while charging for the bottom. She kept talking and just said "send me a pic when you get it". I told her there wouldn't be a pic if I didn't get off the phone! Bye!

[Tominator692]

The Sunday issue of the Duluth News Tribune has a big article complete with pics of Steve Foss laker fishing. A very interesting and informative read. Way to go Steve!!!

[Jim Almquist]

I love the talking on the phone while getting a laker to hit !

Nice looking shots Wanderer. Now I need to get up there and jig up a few SOON !

[Mike Stark]

walked out and fished this morning in the dead river area. didnt even mark a fish. i have only heard of a few fish being caught in that area this season. trucks were driving out but were not venturing far from the road. i found some areas with double ice. over a foot of ice but the top layer is not so good in some areas.

[leech~~]

Wanderer & J, nice pic's. The bigger fish really show some nice color!

[Steve Foss]

Fished lakers on Burntside today with Xplorer and had a great time. The bite was excellent this morning but dropped off completely after the sun/cloud/flurries mix changed to solid clouds shortly after noon. After that, some sluggish lookers but no takers.

Until then, we had 6 fish on and put 4 on the ice. Two got off right at the hole (both were about 5 lbs).

Here's the biggest one on the day, a 27-incher.

[Jim Almquist]

Nice looking fish!

Good to hear that you guys got into a nice bite.

Soooo jealous

[chaffmj]

Nice fish thanks for the pic Steve.

Jimalm are you going to make the bash or is the first time you'll get on B-side is in March?

[Jim Almquist]

Nice fish thanks for the pic Steve.

Jimalm are you going to make the bash or is the first time you'll get on B-side is in March?

It will more then likely be my first Laker trip but I will be there for the Bash. I would have liked to stay for the weekend on the ice but the conditions on the lake might just slow down that plan. I do have reservation at the Paddle just in case.