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Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports by Cookie


cookie129

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Man did that last blow/snowstorm suck. Burn out must be sneaking in. Of course the timing of it could not of been worse with 3 of our four houses with guests they were going to be snowed in that was a given.

Monday morning mothernaure was in full force as all the wheel house were trying to get off the lake. I headed out with gas and propane just in time as once I arrived at old minnesota it was white out conditions. As fishermen left the lake the tracks they made filled in as fast as they passed causing more snow to collect in all the roads giving it no chance of blowing clean. My seperate roads were fairly wide but with berms on both sides all the snow was going to collect into them in no time. I had no desire to try and come back home monday so I decieded the best thing to do was stay put with shell, mis,hoag and deb. The fishing could of been better but we made the best of it with french dips for dinner a few games of cribbage and a few fish caught with Hoagi catching two 19 1/2 that could of been brothers. Dan and his two daughters managed to catch a batch of perch a couple small walleyes to eat but only took home 5 walleyes. Dan did tangle with a big pike that ended up breaking his rod. He had the monster on the rattle wheel and his fising rod went down the hole in the battle. The rod came up the other hole but it was broken. Dan in montana had horrible fishing,after digging out all day yesterday I did move them and when I went out last night they were doing much better.

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Your welcome Bryce

Well today starts the final push .With 3 days left I have gotten 3 of the 4 shacks dug out and moved on fresh spots. Today will again be busy. Yesterday digging california out was a bear, I told my self no more putting the shacks on rough ice. I tweaked my arm when I was shovling and had to finish the day with a sore arm. I also am letting two of the crews coming check in tomorrow morning. I told myself I was not going to do that as check in is after 2 but its to hard to say no. With over 3 feet of ice I have 84 feet of ice to auger today.

I have one group coming march 1rst and my nephew jr will also be up next week.

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With alll 4 houses on new spots I was hoping for a big ending to the season. As of last night it was pretty slow and I will be moving florida and california with the guys in both shacks helping me out. Minnesota had some action so I hope they are satisfied where there at.Rick and his crew arrive today and we may move them tomorrow if need be.

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Much better fishing yesterday. Keith buddie's were up to 43 fish landed since I plowed them a spot. They were playing cards when I stopped in to see how they were doing. One of the guys had some jarred pickles which were way good.

Rick,bob,bob and Jason rollled in around 3 yesterday. They only had 3 keepers last nite so I may move them today. Bret,andy, trish and Jen had much better fishing after I moved them out a little deeper. Greg and Gary have done real well in minnesota. They have even landed 3 10 inch crappies. There's been quite a few caught this year so it makes a guy wonder how many there are. I'll be in no hurry to get the houses off the lake. I have three guys coming up next weekend to chase the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. Yesterday was just beautiful out on the lake, I sure will miss working out there as the season whines down.

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Always sad to see it end. The big lull until I can open the cabin again. Will chase some pannies down here though. Another beautiful day in store for the grand finale

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Cookie Thanks for plowing the spot for us and stopping by to visit. Hope the rest of the season treats you good. See you next winter. We will make sure to bring you some more of those good pickles.

Pete

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Well I guess the first thing to say is a big THANK YOU to all my customers and fishermen that have enjoyed my post this winter. It was another outstanding season fishing wise. I experemented with the houses staying in the same spot a few times with pretty good success. I still will never have a problem moving a shack while my customers are here as long as the weather,darkness,or mechanical break down prevents me from moving. I truely do love working on the lake and strive to make my customers comfortable. I learned a few things I can do better from Andy and Andy. I can handle constuctive critisism, if its going to make things easier or my customers stay a little bit nicer.

Mother nature whacked us a couple times but thats a given so you just do the best you can and hope you learn from the experiance. I made a few mistakes but I do that every year. Again I hope i've learned from any mistakes. I focused on walleye fishing and did not get caught up into chasing crappies.I did head to crappie country for the last weekend. The area I have the houses at this time have produced 11 that I know of. There has been reports of many 10 inch crappies so it makes a guy wonder if there a big school raoming around out there.I moved brent Andy Jen and Trish on saturday as there was no bite in closer to shore. The fishing got better right away with two bonus upper red lakes elusive but still catchable crappies a 13 and a 14 1/2. Greg and Gary in minnesota landed 3 but they were all 10 inchers. Bob, Bob, Jason and Rick closed out the season with me. Jason landed a 13 inch crappie sunday eve, They packed up yesterday with 14 walleyes and one crappie. Kellie the better half,Ole and Teresa and I fished sunday eve and had dinner in old minnesota. Ole and Teresa went home with 8 keepers. kellei and I fished last night from 4 to 7 and lande d a couple walleyes 4 perch for dinner and no crappies. I hope to keep getting Kellie out there as she sure would like to catch a crappie again out of old minnesota.

My nephew is going to arrive today for a little vacation time and I have Josh and his buddy arriving thursday to run and gun for the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. I would like to find some dirty ice and have one area in mind for sure. I'm never ready for the town of waskish to become a ghost town. I have a long list of things to do, so thats a good thing as it goes from busy to twiddling your fingers in one day. I'll spend the week moving minnesota,florida,montana and california one more time. The long range forcast looke very promising with no big storms to deal with at this time.

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My first day of my working vacation.

Got up around 530 as i wanted to be to old minnesota at first lite. The red Barons rear breaks were frozen tight as a drum sO I spent over a hour getting them brokedn loose. When I pulled up to florida i was plesently surprised to see jr and sarah had landed a 10 and 13.1/2 inch crappie over night

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I then spent a couple hours fishing for kellie's Glasses on the bottom of the lake and watching the new 007 movie. I did not retrieve her glasses but did end up retrieving my fishing rod after a fish took it from its holder.I then fired up blue thunder and went and moved montana to a fresh spot for justin and his buddie. After a short nap and lunch I went to look for a big patch of rough ice hoping I could find the mother load, i did find what i was looking for but the red baron got hung up in the process.That sulidified my scoutting and I now no wheer I want to search

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After digging out of that fiasco I called it a day and headed to shore. Carriering to much speed in the red baron in 2 wheel drive the last corner at beacon harbors access I ended up loosing controll and buring the vplow and red baron into a 4 foot high snow bank. I did not take a pic though I should of

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I can only laugh as I read this........ to funny. At least you have enough sense of humor to take pics and post. And I see you are still on the crappies!!!! Ill be up in a few weeks, ice pending. Ice on the lake and on the river.

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Jr and Sarah headed home wednesday after early dinner. They managed to catch one more of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. Kellie and I spent last night fishing in old minnesota. I lost track of how many wallye's we caught. It did not matter if your bait was a foot off the bottom they still came after are crappie offerings. The rattle wheels kept me up all night. A goofy 5 lb pike grabbed kellie's jig around 12;30 am. After a 3 minute battle I spent the next 10 minutes resetting all the lines.

Josh and josh arrived yesterday afteernoon. They hit it hard outside untell well after dark with nothing but pesky walleye . When they came back to montana Josh #1 dropped down a jig and had the first of the elusive upper red lake crappie for the day. There plan is to hit it hard the next two days looking for the crappie mother load.

My plan is to move old minnesota today and again try for a elusive upper red lake crappie tonight

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Another interesting day. I told my self to just keep moving the shacks down the middle of the road I made as it has produced a few of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. It is also so most cost effective on the trucks. But no not me I have to drop the v plow and cut another new trail. I hit a area of ice that was a little different. I then firied up blue thunder and proceeded to prep the new area for minnesota. Once i got the shack moved into its new spot i proceeded to bank it with the plow. Then to finish with the number two shovel I discover the reason the ice was different as this is where I plowed a spot for the delano firemen. The good news is they did get 6 of the elusive crappies there so it will be interesting to see if we pick up one or two.

Josh and Josh seem to be enjoying there stay and landed there second crappie out of montana.

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just saw on facebook Josh landed a trophy 15 3/4 inch elusive yet still catchable upper red lake slab. That is just sweetfull-1934-30678-69235_296723420454926_16

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This big ol slab was also Released along withh the other 3 crappies we caught. Having tons of fun catching lots of nice eyes and the crappies along with some nice perch. Hoping to find a bunch more slabs today and tonight!!

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Atta boy! That's how we will keep the legendary Red Lake crappie reproducing... We caught a total of seven and only one was kept... My sons friend is having a 15" er mounted for hs birthday. The rest were CPRd. It's just fantastic when you see that big ol' mouth come up the hole! I wish more of them would find their way back into the lake vs finding their way into hot oil!

Good luck!

Ken

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Couldnt agree more labs! And great for you guys hope you get a few more today. Without question the crappies have made a bit of a comeback. Seeing lots of small 10" crappies this year. In the past few springs Cookie and I have had a few days where we caught good numbers of crappies. Two years ago we caught about 30 crappies in two evenings of fishing and kept maybe 5. There was a time when nearly every crappie caught was kept, but I think that has changed a little over the past couple years and the population can only benefit from that. Ill be up in a few weeks to try my luck at those trophy fish. I know Cookie has been getting quite a few out of the area he has been fishing and it will only get better.

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I would completely support the five fish limit! And actually I personally would like to see it taken a step further, a 5 fish daily limit with a 12" minimum size limit. Would def keep that younger class of fish that we are seeing in the lake, and give that year class a chance at the recruitement process.

Unfortunately I feel the MNDNR has no interest in protecting the crappie population in URL

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Josh and Josh hit the road today. They had a great trip and managed to land 6 crappies out of montana. Kellie and I plan on fishing old minnesota this week, Then I may have to think about pulling the houses home. With no more customers as of yet it only makes sense.

I can offer half off if anyone would like a chance at still catching a elusive upper red lake crappie. I'm thinking by next weekend if there none rented its time to come home.

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Thanks for the great weekend cookie. We were very comfortable in your shack and really appreciate all you do out on the lake to keep your clients on fish and having a good time. It was some of the best fishing we had up there in the last 5 or so years. Catching the big slab and catching the 5 other smaller crappies makes us really want to come back and catch a bunch more. Hopefully the population continues to increase and the "boom" can take off again with continued great walleye fishing. We enjoyed a great perch diner and couldn't have asked for a better stay. Cookie you really helped make our 7 hr drive worth it. You guys have a great fishery and we can't hardly wait to get back next year and try to catch that 15 3/4 we released after it has another year to grow and reproduce. Thanks again and see ya next year!!

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8 of my working vacation. Mother nature hit us with quite a bit of snow I measured 5 inches in one spot but it could be closer to 10.

Saturday I perticapated in a snowmoble ride in honor of one of the first members that helped establish the trails. The trip was over 120 miles. My machine broke down around 100 mile mark. It was alot of funn untell then. Marty was nice enough to tow me home. I think I blew up the motor. ouch the rocket may have nade her last ride

Kellie and I were planning on fishing last night but mother nature changed our plans. I will be spending the day cleaning up the main road and a couple side roads I'll spend the rest of the week digging out the houses and moving them offf there spots rather then move all the drifts. Its just amazing how much snow drifts around objects and the wind was not even that strong

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Wow, I guess I've been a little busy. Opening up beacon Harbors road was a big job. It basicaly took two days as I had to help with chores at the farm, I hit a bump the second day and the red baron just stopped running and would not start. I figured I pulled a wire loose as I knew the ice was building up on the underside of red baron. Luck was with me and I found the unplug wire once I hammered off all the ice chunks . I learned another lesson to watch that ice build up better then I had. I was kicking myself at first but chalked it up to a good lesson.

The new spot I put old minnesota at has not produced a elusive upper red lake crappie. Kellie and I had dinner out there two nights in a row thursday and last night. We both lost quite a few fish and I tell Kellie that was a crappie. The walleyes are so pesky it frustrating even with a tiny crappie minnow 1 foot off the bottom.. We were also catching alot of little one 8 to 10 inches and in the past it seemed when you got those little ones you would also find crappies. I landed a couple pike over 30 inches and that again was a good sign there may be crappies around. I imagine I may move minnesota one more time before I throw in the towel.. There so much snow out there now that to chase crappies you need a sled . Deffintly a lot of good snowmobiling up here rigth now...

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Yesterday I started buy moving old minnesota. I had not moved a house with the red baron all year. Wow did I need blue thunder. I spent well over a hour digging away the frozen banking one shovel at a time. Difffintly worked up a sweat. I then said screw this I'm going home for blue thunder. On my way out for the evning fishing I first stopped at california and dug her out and pulled it to the edgo of the main road. next time I head towards shore california will be in tow.

Now the fishing report.Kelllie had to be at the town hall for the election so I had dinner out there by my self until she arrived around 9

pm. I did land a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie.

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Its was a small scufffit 11 inches still nice to see. The walleye action was guite slow and we only managed a couple small perch. I will fish part of the day today while I dig out florida and montana. It sure whould be nice to get a couple late season fishermen up . I had two calls that never call backed other wise it has been quite. We both lost quite a few fish again and you always wonder was that a crappie, About the third walleye kellie caught she called it rotten walleyes

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The wife and I are still fishing for the elusive upper red lake crappie. Last night we had another great dinner date while fishing in old minnesota.

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The after mathfull-1934-31124-544590_4849352424718_164

Clancy,John and Jim are up to two elusive upper red lake crappies and I nice bucket of perch in there wheel house.

Tony and Mike rolled in this morning and are fishing old minnesota, I'll be headed out later and prep montana so they can have another house to fish in on a new spot. There two buddies will be up later today. I would like to move minnesota one more time for kellie and I . I sure would love to put her on a nice crappie this year as its been such a long time that she has caught one through the ice.

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Coming off the lake with Kellie friday evenimg I got a call from tony. They were fishing another lake and battling the slush and wanted to know if I had a house. They arrived yesterday mornin g around 6am. Tony was surprised the charactor old minnesota has. heres a pic of Tony with a elusive upper red lake crappie

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Tony ,mike, Mike and Kolt are have a grand time on a grand lake I also moved montana and set them up in there so they did not have to share a double bed They were nice enough to auger the holes. I'll be heading out soon to check in on them.I think there fishing tell noon unless somthing changed. Florida and California are now in front of beacon harbor with montana and minnesota to follow as I throw in the towel before this next snow storm.

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