upper red lake Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports by Cookie

[cookie129]

Sorry do not know how to turn it. That's me with a two elusive upper red lake crappies in front of old Minnesota

[cookie129]

Some green ice earlier in the year

[cookie129]

Another upper red lake sunrise

[Walleyehooker]

Nice to see some different year classes there so there is a little hope. Would be a good time for the DNR to step up and reduce the limit on them.

[cookie129]

Part of Dukes family when they found the mother load

[Boar]

Cookies pictures

30crappies on cookies kitchen table

[cookie129]

For some reason it was just a beautiful blue that day

[cookie129]

Driving into a snow squll

[cookie129]

Yes those fish were caught Friday evening between sunset and 830 pm. The pic is in our cabin and the hammer was not to happy when she saw all those fish on her vintage table

[Boar]

That was derick an dylin with their trophys

here comes cookiewith walleyes caught and relesed in ol minnesota

If cookie can catch em anyone can

Another eye released in old minnesota

An even more elusive but still catchable red lake rock bass. The rockbas

[cookie129]

I made the decision not to take old Minnesota out. I did escort Steve and his two buddies out to where we fished last week. Steve called last night to tell me they got a big fat zero as the elusive upper red lake crappies proved again how elusive they can be. I talked to Buddy Hillmen for a bit as he was fishing in one of his skid houses. There were a couple fishermen on the lake but not many. I also talked to Paul and Todd they live around Shotly area and were brothers of Mike that use too own dr. tackle. They caught a few the night before. I said I just need to know how many is a few? They whoed and they hawwed and said 12. The next truck, also with them said they got a few also. I again asked how many and they reluctantly said 13. So nothing has changed. A couple is more then two and a few is more then 3 and some is more then one and pretty good is limited out. I also picked up enough logs and wood to have a nice fire in our fire pit today as I clean up the yard. I wish I could find every piece of wood out there as I would hate to hit any thing with the boat this spring. I checked the area I worked hard earlier this winter and found one 2x4. Some ones bag of crap that must of been fishing by me. I'll be taking a cruise out there again today looking for more liter to pick up plus maybe I will get lucky and find my spud bar I lost early in the season.

She is a bit nippy out there this morning at 18 degrees,11 degrees warmer then yesterday morning. I expect Gary the farmer I work for will ask me if I want to work this week when were at church. I know there's a small window to get rid of manure before every thing gets to soft. The ditches were really flowing last week but have now turned into a trickle compared to last week. Kellie and I played a few games of cribbage last night as it was the first Saturday since sometime in Dec. that I was not on the lake Saturday evening making the rounds. I wanted to play scrabble but she got her way again. I have not decided yet but I may go hunt for the mother load towards evening tonight as I expect I may have all 48 thousand acres all to my self? I ran into Borch and they had also not done very well. The first hole he augered Friday produced a elusive upper red lake crappie and then that was that. I never met him before but he had plenty of holes drilled and was outside fishing in the cold in a lumber jack flannel and no gloves. Wow it was cold out there, a true diehard of a fishermen. It was nice putting a face and body to his name. I also looked for the holes that Lon, Dylan and Derek did so well in Friday night. I had given them directions and then had them go a bit more west Friday as they only got 5 Thursday night. I never found there holes. Its like looking for a needle in a hay stack. yesterday morning they were talking some snow tonight so I will have to check the weather. Maybe the bite will be on with some kind of storm approaching?

[Borch]

Well the lake kicked us hard and we only caught a couple crappies, countless walleyes, a few perch and a couple short battles with pike on light gear. We never caught a crappie during prime time. Got a couple midday. I estimate that I cut somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 holes in about 2 days of fishing from 4-7 1/2 miles out. Wanda suggested I get in drilling business as I appear to enjoy it too much. Wish we could have fished more today as it was gorgeous but with a storm forecast for home we pulled the plug early. We had most of our action on plastics whether it was a crappie, walleye, perch or pike. We had out best luck out away from the crowds but like I said it was slow for us in general. Nice talking with you Cookie. It was a cold day but I can't sit in the house unless there are crappies under it. So I just keep looking and keep moving so I usually don't get too cold. It actually got nicer towards evening.

I did get this guy today in the short time we were out.

Ice farther out is definitely in rougher shape than the stuff closer in in the areas we fished anyways. So consider that in your travels.

We stayed a Beacon harbor and their road out was in good shape although it was getting a little messy near shore. Thanks John and Ann. Will stop in again soon.

[eyeguy 54]

nice one. almost went up there.

[cookie129]

Some heavey equipment digging out the river channel

[cookie129]

Floridas runner that broke off when I turned to sharp towards home. My welding only lasted 10 years or so.

[cookie129]

Just another shot of the damage done. marty and I got her all repaired and she ready to come the short distance to shore

[cookie129]

[cookie129]

Sounds like the cities got pounded with snow. Here on the shores of upper red lake it could not of been a more picture perfect. The sun was shining with just the slightest of a breeze out of the se. Its was nice meeting you Borch. Got a kick of your statement about the crowds? Not sure what you meant. The guys in the white vechicel struck out in the hot spot last week. I spent a couple hours on the lake policing the lake for liter as its much easier to get it now then when its floating in the water. I reminisced as I drove to each area I had worked over and ruined. I was pretty satisfied with what I found, just a 2x4 or two and a plastic water bottle and a wheel house's trash that must of been fishing in the area. I checked the last place that Rodger fished and was not to happy to find a pair of jeans, 3 tee shirts, a pair of sweat pants and two sweat shirts. Did he leave his laundry? I will ask him next time I talk to or see him. There was also a few other pieces of liter. I also was a little nosey and checked where a couple locals fished this year. Wow what a difference. One you would of never known he was there? The other both spots were well marked lets say. I picked the areas up and will bite my tongue for now. Its was a enjoyable ride on the lake as I tooled around. The area I took Steave too Saturday was well punched with 20 holes at least. They either left the area or the guys did not stay late enough. Jakes magic moment ,mine and Kellies all happen at 5 am to 6 30 am. Ole's happened in a wind storm/white out at 8 pm. I again did not find where Lon and his two boys landed on the mother load but that was from sunset to 8 30 pm. Fins and feathers spot produced the whole time they were here and that area was peppered with Steave's holes. Leaving that area I found numeruse places to wet a line if there headed in the line I picked . I also found a couple real fishy looking areas and plan on augering a couple holes there today as I again tool around the lake. This is the time of year you should be able to catch them all day long. Coming off the lake it looked like the dump trucks driving on the lake to haul the sand from the channel may of caused a couple cracks to come from the mouth of the river right across Buddy Hillmens road? We will have to keep a eye on them as the ice starts to melt and shift with the winds and temps. I have had no calls since I took Steave out there Saturday so it looks like she is winding down. Buddy Hillmen got the rentals he had on the lake this weekend back to shore. Frank and Jana at North Country food and fuel added a new set of tanks for bait as he is gearing up for opener. I would assume with 4 tanks he will have a bigger variety this summer of live bait. Got a email from the Herbeck's and they canceled there reservation for the cabins for the second weekend after opener as Steave said it was not worth coming up for two fish. Frank and his crew are all still coming up as they just want to be able to have a fish fry and hardly ever take fish home with them. Its sounds like my brother Warren from Chicago will be up for opener and maybe my cusin Stanly plus I mentioned it to Bob.

[ozzie]

you certainly live on a picturesque (sp) lake!! every time I am there I sit in awe of the beauty the lake brings!! Thanks for all your diary updates as they have become part of my morning routine. Take care Cookie and keep up the good fight!!

[side_laker]

Are there any road markers out still so a guy could find his way back in to shore in the dark

[cookie129]

To me its easy peasy go east out, go west in. Don't go south and follow the north shore. Plus you can see the road tell the end as its the thickest ice on the ;lake and is the last to go. There are still a couple markers by the pressure ridge you drive around. I will have to check crack that came from big trucks hauling sand later as today I was policing out in front of my place and looking for the spud bar I lost at the beginning of the season. I did come across someone that had a wheel house with a baby. They were nice enough to wrap the diapers up but left them scattered on the lake. Better picking them up now then when they wash on to my swimming area this spring.

[Hoey]

east out, go west in.

Cookie - what end of the lake is this?

[ozzie]

he is on the east side of the lake by Westwind...he made a directional mistake there!! he goes out on the lake driving west and comes home going east.

[eyeguy 54]

it's the diapers..... the fumes got him.

[JacobG]

Wish he wouldve changed a few of lakkens last weekend, i wouldve been able to fish more jenny too

[cookie129]

oops sorry guys west out east home. I have a excuse I am tired and a little burned out it was not only a fun, fun, fun season but it was also a long season

[Xplorer]

Hi Cookie!

Dylan is my student worker here at UMD, you should have seen his face when I asked him about his spring break. He told me about his trip to URL, and I can tell you that you made a life long memory for those young men and their dad

The smile on his face said it all.

[cookie129]

That's way sweet. Its such a small world, gotta love it.

[jerkbait]

oops sorry guys west out east home. I have a excuse I am tired and a little burned out it was not only a fun, fun, fun season but it was also a long season

I think you had it right the first time. The lake is your home all winter long.

[cookie129]

hey Randy give me a call when you get a chance