upper red lake Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports by Cookie

[bturck]

Cookie, thanks for the running commentary this winter. Always interesting to read with morning coffee. Looking forward to next years hard water already. Perhaps we'll have nice spring, summer and fall in between.

[cookie129]

After spending the morning policing the lake monday afternoon I was off to the farm to haul manure. I see a pattern here. yesterday again I headed out on the lake with blue thunder to check the crack that had crossed Buddy Hillmens road. All was good and it looks like it locked up and has had no movement. I then headed west and again had to stop for a couple pieces of trash. Please if your going to fish red lake in the winter take your time to check the area before you leave, its a little ridicules . I total under stand that some things get lost or accidently frozen in the lake. A christmas tree? With 3 6 foot 2x4s? Ohh well sorry about the rant.

I only had a little time on the lake and never made it more then 3 miles out before I had to come home and go to the dreaded tax man. Well at least that's done. Today I plan on checking the ice by augering a few holes to see how soft or hard the ice is. I be leave it also decays from the bottom up. I all ready know where I want to start and plan on not forgetting the vex this time. Buddy Hillmen's access has re frozen up nice with the colder weather. There was a pick up parked on the ice yesterday and must of went out with a wheeler. Who ever he was he had 48,000 acres all to him self. I wonder if he is fishing where I was going to go? Not sure if I want to get any minnows or just use waxie's. Jake says just use waxie's, I'm going to pick up a scoop of minnows as the fish are hungry. Waiting to here from Marty as we have to repair my dock before the ice goes off the river, not sure how were going to get the 24 feet of dock back down the bank but with a little ingenuty it can be done. Been staring at the boat and looking forward to prepping it for the up and coming fishing season. I have a little research to do on the prop set up. Its cloudy today with a slight breeze and snow fluuries should be a awesome day to wet a line. The biggest problem I'm having is the liter I can not just drive by it. Oh well maybe I will fish at each spot I stop to pick something up. that sound like a good plan. Sorry if it sound like I'm being a dink about the trash but thats the way the cookie crumbles. Have a grand day. I know I will on a grand lake looking for the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie

[BringAnExtension]

Sorry if it sound like I'm being a dink about the trash but thats the way the cookie crumbles.

The description fits the people leaving the trash behind, not you.

[gahlD]

Hey coolkie just wondering if hilmans is letting trucks out? I brought a wheeler out but would like to take the pickup.

[cookie129]

Ii have not talked to buddy at all this week. I will try and call him later today.

[cookie129]

As it quiets down around here my reports are sure to get shorter and shorter. My big plans for fishing yesterday changed a bit. I dilly dallied all morning enjoying watching the snow come straight down in giant flakes . Did a little spring cleaning and listened too a radio interview of David Shankle out of Chicago. My brother warren is the lead singer and they just cut a new cd. DSG is the name of the group . Its heavy metal?

Around 10 pm I noticed the snow had quit, rats it would of been very relaxing wetting a line out there . I stepped out of the house around noon to feel the rush of a 30 degree day with the winds howling 30 miles a hour out of the north a should of been out there 6 hours earlier. Foiled by mother nature. Oh well with the snow cover I was still determined to wet a line . I thought great I will not see any liter and can focus on fishing. Buddy Hillmens landing was still in great shape and its very cold here this morning with snow flurries. As I drove out on the lake with blue thunder darn if I did not find some more crap oh well no big deal better picked up now then later. I zigged and zagged all the way out to the two spots I had marked. With the north wind and a little blowing snow I thought it sure would be nice to have some out here with me for safety reason. Oh well on I went .Number one auger fired right up and that happens when you do not have bad gas in it. I punched two holes with ease and could tell the ice is a changing. I took a pic of the auger over half way down but I can take off the extension if a want. I dropped a bobber set up down one hole and a small rattling flyer on the other with 3 waxies. It was brutal out there to say the least .After jigging around 15 minutes with out a mark it was time to move. The next spot was the same. Nothing not even a mark. The second spot I got rid of the waxies and went with a minnow. Very bad timing on my part and I headed home skunked. Oh well it was not a good day weather wise to be out there. I'm hoping Marty and I will wet a line tonight as this will most likely be the last trip on the ice with blue thunder for the season. working on the dock this morning ,Hauling manure this afternoon and fishing with my good friend Marty. I'm sure he will also enjoy getting out on the ice one more time

[cookie129]

OOPS this is what it looked like yesterday

[cookie129]

This was 7 miles out.Still plenty of ice but it is changing for sure .Much softer and easier to auger.

[cookie129]

At 5 degrees this morning are we making ice. Sure gotta think so. I know its froze up Buddy Hillmen's landing real solid. I Talked to Buddy and the access is open this weekend day to day. I do not see any problems getting out there one last weekend. Marty and I hit the lake around 6:45 pm. Of course I found some more garbage so we had to make a few stops on our way. There was one place I knew I needed to tend to so I made sure we stopped there and cleaned up there mess. When we got closer to our fishing area there was a lone truck out there. I thought! Rats now I would have to share 48,000 acres. I stopped to see how they were doing ,but no elusive upper red lake crappies. They were right in a spot that produced well over 30 elusive upper red lake crappies the last weekend of walleye season. I had a hunch and wanted to try a completely new spot. It was real close to where I had north Carolina when Jakes crew were up. We punched 4 holes and got our lines down just as the sun hit the horizon. I then punched 3 more holes walking south west. After the third hole I had enough as auger # 1 seems a little dull all ready. With the extension on, standing on flat ice, its a little trickier to handle for me. When I came back to my rattling flyer tipped with a minnow it was fish on, but wrong kind. I re baited got my line down and my bobber just kept going down. I set the hook on some thing real small. It was a scuffit of a walleye 6 to 8 inches, Perfect spot I thought! That pumped me up. Just after dark I stepped around the truck and Marty says fish on. My bobber! I said take him and he landed our first and only elusive upper red lake crappie of the evening. He got off at the hole and I swooped down to scoop him up and soaked my cotton glove. Of course it was comical as I lost him and had to swoop at him again. I scooped him out of the hole and he darn near went down the next hole over. It was not long after and my hand was cold as the temp was in the twentys and my sleeve of my jacket was wet. Oh well it was a blast as we stared at the stars enjoying our time on such a magnifcant lake. Heading in we stopped to talk to Ethen ,Mack and Rich. The spot they were set up had not produced one elusive upper red lake crappie. I told them to try and stick it out as late as possible and headed for home sweet home. I think that may of been my last trip out with blue thunder. If your out there this weekend please spend a minute or two picking up any trash you may notice . Even the little round blocks of wood some one used to block up houses.

[cookie129]

Jake just stopped by on his way to the rainy river going after sturgeon his favorite

fishing trip of the year? I thought his trips up here were his favorite. Oh well! Marty and I repaired our dock on the tamarac river Thursday and part of Friday. Lon arrived around 2 to try and find the mother load one last time. I was in a hurry and was not able to remember the boys name Sorry guys. I talked to Lon later just after dark and they were looking forward to catching a elusive upper red lake crappie or two. When I talked to Lon Saturday they had managed to land 18 for there one night trip. Well done. I have no clue where they were fishing as I never found there holes from last week. I know they were in the area but not the spot on the spot. I was out of town and have no idea what the ice is like at this time. I have some nice projects to work on here at the house and cabins so I will keep busy with that for now. I expect there will also be some farming in the next few days.

[Boar]

Hey cookie sorry i didnt get it sooner. Wats the story here?

[cookie129]

The story. That's Shell chick with here biggest elusive upper red lake to date. She caught 5 for the weekend feb. 16 17th I be leave. It must of been a older fish as the colors on it were all washed out. She kept that one and a 14 1/2 to get mounted. We saw here this weekend and she said they might go to mexico next year instead of coming up for the same weekend they have been coming for 8 years? Its the hammer sissy so we see her a lot and they might come up this weekend. Not sure if we will get out fishing. I did drive on the lake yesterday just to loop around to my houses and pull them up on the edge of the shore. I never busted through any where and I think I could still drive out to crappie country if I wanted to . Still up in the air if I will, but a wheeler would be safe you would think. I would like to drive out to a area I completely over looked for liter So I will have to think about it .Its kinda eirey out there 7 miles when there's no one to help if you do have trouble. I'll make sure buddy hillmen knows I'm out there if I decide to drive out there. Then wetting a line will also be a must

[Randy Kato]

Hello Cookie me and the boys and Tammy cant wait to get back up there to see you guys again and do some camping and soft water fishing .I hope you guys have a happy Easter

Your Friends Randy ,Tammy,Travis and Tayor

[cookie129]

hey randy for some reason I do not have your phone number .Give me a call tomorrow if you get a chance.

[Boar]

carefull cookie, take some ice picks and a cellphone. nows not the time to undercareful.

[JacobG]

Was up last weekend building the newest edition to the fleet, North Dakota! The house will have 4 total bunks with 3 being twin beds and 1 being the master bed that will be full size. The house is 10x20 and will comfortably fish 4 guys. As with all the houses it has an indoor bathroom and is wired with enough outlets for guys to charge their vexilars or for the wife to run her curling iron. Drove by the lake yesterday and the lake is still ice covered. Looking forward to an awesome spring season!

[Chill62]

Gorgeous fish house! What's inside look like? I'd like to build something nice like that for not URL and am curious designs.

[JacobG]

The ceiling is all T&G pine. With the walls in wood paneling, oven and counter top with cabinets. I haven't finished the Interior as of yet so my plans may change a little. Either cookie or I will post pics when the Interior is completed. But it will be nice I guarantee that as well as comfortable and of course all the rentals come with first class service and great memories!

[Will]

Hey Jake, Will & Steve here. We are the ones with the big Crestliner who were up the same time last year. We will be coming up next Thursday around noon. Will you be there? Maybe we can try to find those elusive, yet still catchable crappies again. Lol

[JacobG]

Will, sorty for the delayed response. Just got home from work yesterday. Unfortunately the family and i will not make it this year. We had prior commitments for mothers day. Should be a really good opener fishing wise and hopefully weather wise as well. Looks like it may get a little chilly

[Will]

Bummer, but I understand. Have a good one, we'll catch ya down the road.

[JacobG]

Spent a few days with the family up with cookie  this past week. Had an oppurtunity to work on north dakota and its coming along very nice. As for the fishing, it was very good !  Caught tons of eyes and a few crappies. We mostly fished bobbers along the break but also trolled cranks which was more effective than bobbers. Gabriel and i had a chance to fish a few hours friday morning and figured we caught 20-25 eyes in less than 2 hours trolling cranks. Was an absolute blast. Ill be back up in the end of july to finish up the house and spend some more time on beatiful upper red. Good luck to everyone heading up. Shouldnt be too difficult catching fish from what i saw. 

[Dirtdigger]

What types of crank baits do you use?

[bturck]

I believe he said he was bottom draggin jigs

[bturck]

My bad, i was thinking of a different post....... Tough to get old.

[gunner55]

It's been pretty quiet here, as I've been looking for a new report.Good to see you back bturck

[CranktheTank]

Dirtdigger, was up out of Rogers last Saturday, trolled cranks in 4-6 fow and found it a bit slow.  Usually when we go up to Upper Red we hammer them and sift through 40, 50, or even 60+ fish in that same amount of time!  We caught roughly 15 walleye in about 4-5 hours with the biggest being 19 in.  Bright colored size 5s are usually all I need out there and basically run quickly through colors until you find the best one.  Usually bright colors, in combinations of white, blue, or green have worked very well for me.  Good luck!

[Dirtdigger]

Thanks... Much appreciated!

[CranktheTank]

Hit Upper Red last Wednesday after the lake experienced a week of rollers and rain.   Launched out of Rodgers and pulled cranks covering a lot of water.  My four year old cousin caught the first fish of the day which was a dandy 25 inch eye.  The best part of that experience was we put a #5 crank on a little Disney rod and put it in the rod holder and it stood up to the challenge!  Overall, we did not do very well on numbers.  We through back a few that were too big, a few too small, some smaller northerns were released along with one drum.  We did manage to keep three fish for the table which was nice.   The weather was great, hardly any waves and the sun was shining so cannot complain one bit about the day.  Hopefully the weather has stabilized and the fishing has picked up for those heading up to the big lake!

[cookie129]

well I guess its the first post of the up and coming ice season. I would say there were over a hundred portables on the lake Saturday. I was surprised that a few were just small blips in the horizon man were they out there a ways. Luke and his crew were in the cabin and did ok during the day with the better fishing picking up toward evening where they really turned on. They had a nice fish fry and headed out early sunday morning before sunrise. The guys coming for the cabin next weekend canceled do to the extended forcast. The wind Friday night with the warm temps melted all the snow cover on the ice. Not sure when the houses will be going on the lake this year as every year is different.