upper red lake Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports by Cookie

[cookie129]

Sue and Gene came down from lake of the woods and fished old minnesota from 8:30 tell 4 and got there 6 plus a couple over 17. Neal and his two buddies also came down from lake of the woods. They arrrrived around noon and fished florida. ,After I checked them in I was headed in to take carb off of auger as she was spitting ang sputtering when i was augering the holes in florida. I jumped in blue thunder2 and hit the key and all I got was a click. Must have a dead spot on starter,having Neal hit the key while I hit the starter with a pipe she fired up . The sweethart will have to pick up a starter in blackduck today. Pang and his group have florida and montana tonight and Julie and her family have old minnesota for the weekend. All 3 houses will stay where they are as none have been fished after dark.

[cookie129]

You just wanted afish sandwich, as they most likely knew they didn't have to quit fishing because they had their 6 eyes. Gfeat way to get lunch....

I was thinking they could only have 5 on ice.But I guess your still fishing for pike perch and the ellusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie

[401TE]

Catch and release once a limit is reached is legal, Cookie. I can catch my limit and as long as I immediately release any future walleye caught, I can continue targeting them.

[analyzer]

FYI, I'm renting one of Cookies 4-man sleepers Saturday night (12/13). My buddy backed out, so it's just me. If you are hurting for a place to stay, we could probably work something out. Just get in touch with Cookie. I wouldn't mind having some company. I'm hooking up with him about 2pm Sat and staying through mid-day sunday.

You might have to put up with my snoring if the rattle wheels don't keep us busy : )~

[cookie129]

JUlie and Gene have had consistant fishing in old minnesota, Peng,Molly,Yoo and Nadide fished florida friday night. They arrived around 8 30 pm and fished untell noon today. I little slow for them. They did miss a few and only landed a couple. They set up there portable for the rest of the day just a few yards from florida and had a little fluurrie around 3. Molly served me a asian dish and I had her send me the receipe chicken lettuce wraps very good.

Garret was in montana last night and had only caught one fish when I checked in on him. He plans on staying around today and fishing montana after I move it. Kevin, Phil, Max, Trent and I headed out yesterday morning to do a little scoutting. The first place we fished At the crack of dawn Max,Kevin and I each landed a 14 inch walleye. I yhink it was the same one all three times. I then headed over to fill the generators while they headed out deeper to spend the day scoutting. They found the mother load later yesterday with Kevin landing a elusive yet still catchable 16 inch crappie. He planns on getting it mouted and it was a beautiful fish. I will be traveling to that spot this morning on a wheeler to see if its possible to get the shacks into that area. I lettle nervouse with all the standing water on the lake and most of the snow meltted away. I'll measure some spots as we go and look at others before I take the houses that far. It will be interesting to see where they take me as I explained it had to be a area I cann get to. I was way happy with the first place we fished and will have that spot as a second choice.

Gary and his crew of 5 had 5 keepers where they were fishinng. Standing out on the lake enjoying the day they were happy with there catch as Gary said when ws the last time you could stand out on the ice this time of year and catch a few fish with good friends and family.

Roger and his crew of three had 6 in the pail and had caught quite a few over the slot. I escorted Matt out friday evning and I think he said they got 7 over night..

[analyzer]

Made it up to red lake right on time Saturday at 2pm. Cookie was right there to bring me to Montana (I've always told my wife I'd like to live in Montana, I guess Cookie finally made that possible).

First a little feedback on the fishhouse. I don't spend a ton of time in fishhouses, having rented perhaps 4 or so over time, so take this with a grain of salt, but from a laymans standpoint, I thought the house was wonderful. It might be a little tight for 4 guys I suppose, but for 2 or 3, pretty dam nice. It has a bunk bed with 2 full size mattresses. I didn't sleep on the top bunk, so can't speak for that, but the bottom bunk was comfortable enough. There's a small 4 burner gas stove/oven, sink, and counter, with a couple of well placed shelves. A small table for cards, backgammon, lunch etc. A small tv and dvd player with a decent selection of movies. There are also two large windows for viewing the lake. The heater worked very well, and there is a ceiling fan, and box fan to push the air around. And it has a separate stall for the toilet. It was a warm pleasant cozy little fishhouse, that I would rent again in a heartbeat.

Saturday the fishing was a little slower than I hoped. I caught 3 right away from 4:15 to 5:15 (jigging with a pink glow in the dark "thingy" I just bought from hillmans. Then I got snapped off, by something that felt heavy (although I only had it on for maybe 1 full second, so hard to tell). I'm not sure what you call the jig, it was about 3/4" long, and 1/4" wide, and thin, and worked. After I lost that, I didn't catch a fish until 8. Probably just a coincidence.

The 8 oclock one was the last one I caught jigging. After that, I was more interested in watching collateral, and minority report. I had the rattle wheels set to go, but they only popped at midnight and again at 5 am, with nothing in between. Each time I got up and jigged a little just to see if there were more around but there wasn't. I went back to bed, and she jingled again at 7 am. This time jigging produced 2 other misses, but no other fish.

Cookie stopped by sometime between 8 and 9, to let me know he was going to move me out a couple miles later that morning. Apparently his scout crew had a 90-100 fish day on Saturday out near the pressure ridge. (See Cookie's report).

I went in for a nice "garbage" omelet and toast at the westwind. K provided nice service, even though the place was packed. The food came out a little slow, but she was nice enough to warn me, and I was in no hurry.

After breakfast I went back to montana. It was a little longer drive this time, but cookie sent me in the right direction. After getting slightly lost, one more phone call to the cook, and I found her.

Make sure ya have some nice water proof boots if you are going to be out any time soon. URL has no shortage of water on it.

The move proved to be a good one, as I hit 4 nice fat walleyes in the afternoon, along with a couple bonus perch, and then 420 rolled around (no not that kind). What a blast. For the next 45 minutes I couldn't keep em off my line. 9 walleyes in one 20 minute stretch. All between 15-18 inches. Lots of 16's in that batch which was nice, because I hadn't tryed keeping any prior to that afternoon.

She slowed down again around 5:15 (I guess that pink jig wasn't the difference). So I packed up and prepared to leave. I left one rattle wheel rigged while I was packing, and nearly forgot about it. As I put the last of the 3 walleyes in a pale outside, and went to shut the door for the last time, there was that familiar "clink clink clink"coming from inside the house. I laughed, and went back in and hauled up one more 17 incher. Fun fun.

During the afternoon, they wanted nothing to do with the dead stick. All my action came on a buckshot green/orange glow "thingy". It's about an inch long and quarter inch wide, with a single treble. Fairly heavy and multi colored. Has a little clicking device built in. I should learn the names of these stupid lures I suppose. Sorry. Anyway, the fish seemed to like it tipped with just the head of a minnow.

When the rush came on between 420 and 5:15, they were hitting both jig and dead stick about even. Didn't seem to matter.

Over the two days, they seemed to like a plain red hook on the dead stick better than a plain green hook, but that could just be coincidence.

Spent a fair amount of time with a sucker minnow down. No takers.

Thank you cookie for a nice 2 day weekend. I enjoyed your fishhouse, and hospitality.

Cookie checked in 4 or 5 times in 24 hours time. He was very attentive to my needs, and he moved the house to a better spot, without being asked. It was good service.

A special thanks to Kevin and his crew (cookies "scouts") for finding a nice spot and sharing it with me. Kevin was nice enough to stop by and chat. He seemed like a very nice fella, and his report was spot on.

Thanks again guys, for another wonderful URL experience.

[analyzer]

Boy I'll tell you though, talk about puckered. Leaving Sunday night was one of those spooky experiences that many of you ice fisherman are all too familiar with.

Dense fog, and standing water on the lake....and no gps. I could barely see past the hood of my car, and had almost no idea how to bet back to the landing. I ended up finding the pressure ridge, and following along that. But even that was difficult, because if my headlights weren't on it, I couldn't hardly see it, so I had to keep zigzagging back n forth to figure out where it was. I didn't dare go more than 5 mph for fear of running into someone's fish house. That, and I'm about the only one in a car out there. I had my 2000 honda civic. It was spooky.

I had to stop twice and ask folks for reference. They were kind enough to point me in the right direction.

[cookie129]

Headed out to new area at the crack of dawn with Kevin and his crew. With all the fog I'm not quite sure where were at other then north west of hillmens road. It will be interesting to see the shoreline once the fog breaks. I moved florida and montana into the area. I did find 15 to 17 inches of ice and I think with these temps we may of lost a inch of ice if not a little more.

Garret went to westwind for breakfast while I moved montana and seemed way happy about the move his plan was to fish untell dark last night before heading home. He had some great fishing and said he could not keep two lines down at one point.

Cody and his crew arrived for florida around three. I had to load up blue thunder with snow to bank the house as there is no snow left on the lake . When I talked to them at 8 they were catching fish so all was good, the fog was so bad I decided not to check in on them if they were ok.

Today I will dig minnesota out and haul her out in that area, I then will move montana a few yards to put it on fresh ice. With those two houses open I will block them up and worry about banking them later this week. I also need to load up blue thunder with some more snow to bank florida before this weather turns cold. Sorry about coming off the lake Garret in hindsite I should of came and escorted you to hillmens road. I ran into the same problem when I headed out last night to check on the guys in florida,I told them if there was a emergency I would come out but if every thing was good I was going to head back home as I would of had to zig zag along the pressure ridge to get there. I found out my head lites need some adjustment for fog

[jigginjim]

Are there any places open to truck traffic?

[cookie129]

Yup all the resorts are open tp traffic as far as I know.

[fins_n'_feathers]

How does the ice look after the warm weather? Still good to pull out a 16 foot ice castle with a 3/4 ton? Headed up this evening, the resort said its fine, just looking for a second opinion.

[cookie129]

Cody and his group are doing well and happy with florida. I got minnesota moved over into the area and now have all three houses on fresh ice. With montana and minnesota open all week I turned off the heat . I'm liking the area I'm at and will work it hard untell the fishing gets bad. Its way easy to get to in all conditions. The temps have dropped and what water is on the lake is glazing over. Floridas banking will turn to solid ice but thats just the way it is. I will head out later to check on the guys. They had odd/different names and I can not remember them at this time.Yesterday I told them to fish all the holes that Kevin and his crew augered they took my advise with the balmy weather and one of the guys landed 4 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. I wanted a pic but they ate them.

[cookie129]

Around 4 yesterday I popped the hood on blue thunder to see if I could take hoses off of heater core and flush as the heat is not working as well as it should. I did notice I have been losing a little antifreeze and thought the over flow tank may have a crack. The hoses looked like they are corroded on pretty good and the clamps were in bad shape. With no clamps I decided I would have to wait tell I had parts on hand as a simple job looked like it could be trouble. I then headed down to the lake shore to load up some snow for banking . Heading out on the lake and the cold and wind have firmed upp the last of the standing water .Good ol mother nature working for us. When I arrived to the pressure ridge I noticed the heat was blowing cold air but the temp gauge was around 180. The plan was to keep a eye on the gauge ,check in with the guys and get back home asap. When I arrived at florida I made the mistake of leaving the truck running, when I came back out she was pegged and spewing. I shut her down and with the flash lite in hand found a hole in the radiator, I also got a taste of antifreeze in the mouth laying undeneith. With the wind howling I had Cody bring me to shore, the fishing has been slower in the house then when they were hole hopping but that's to expected. They figured they landed 25 all day witch in my book is good fishing. They got spoiled hole hopping. The banking on florida is hard as a rock or ice. Good ol mother nature. It was nice too see a few flurries on the ground this morning and with mother natures help we may get some drifting snow around the houses by the weekend. I will spend the morning looking for a radiator then go top off blue thunder and limp her home for repairs . Old blue thunder has what I need but is 200 miles away in pine city.

Hillmen's road will be in great shape with all the melting and now refreezing. Buddy Has it marked 6 miles out with the pressure ridge stopping us from heading west at this time.

Last night I counted 3 trucks out there fishing so real quiet on the lake out of hillmens

[SwivelDigger]

Cookie let me know if you need something brought up from the pine city area..... I'll be headed up early Friday. I've never met you but would be glad to help you out.

[bturck]

Cookie sounds like Santas request list might include a new truck. It never quits does it, repairs keep life interesting and frustrating.....

[cookie129]

Its a new used truck two years newer then the old blue thunder.I expect to have bugs to work out as they take a beating out there. The swap has not gone well and I twisted one of the tranny lines so I now need to also fix that.

[cookie129]

Cookie let me know if you need something brought up from the pine city area..... I'll be headed up early Friday. I've never met you but would be glad to help you out.

Thanks digger . I'll be stripping parts off of bluethunder next time imm in the cities. Untill then I will have to buy new or used parts as needed

[cookie129]

WOW what a beautiful morning it was on the lake. I headed out to florida to say goodby to Cody,Thane,Gabe Kaleb. The fishing was slow for them last night all though Cody and Gabe had a portable about 50 yards away and hammered them. Since they stayed 3 nighs it would of been nice to move them on to fresh ice yesterday but my repairs on blue thunder did not go as well sa I expected. I twistted the transmission line and now have to also repair that. I have a radiator coming from mpls and need to make a run to Bemidji when it comes in.

Lee and Carl are on there way up and Lee will be helping me bank minnesota,montana and florida for a couple free nights of fishing, we will also move florida. I also have a two man house on shore that needs some beefing up and I then can get it out there North Carolina will be its name. David is on his way over to help me get my bridge out of the woods and then were going to go get hillmens bridge out of the woods as it looks like we will need two to get over the pressure ridge.

[cookie129]

Lee and Carl arrived around 3 yesterday and I sent them out to bank minnesota by hand. I moved a little snow around with the v-plow on red baron earlier when I was cleaning florida(I still gt a kick out of vacumming the fish houses) so they have some to work with. They also augered the holes and will fish and relaxe untill today when I put them to work. They had three keepers when I talked to them at 6 and were going to have fresh walleye for dinner. I drove the 1 ton out there yesterday, the red baron ,I went nice and slow and had no issues. I only drove where I have been driving to the houses. Theer were a few fishermen out of hillmens but very quiet out there. Buddy Has scoped out the pressure ridge and has a plan once we need to go further west. For now the fishing is still good a mile out. All though one of the spots we scoutted last week we were the closest fishermen to shore and we landed 3 at the crack of dawn before we moved.

[cookie129]

Lee and Larry stayed in montana last night and I went out and had duinner with them .I caught a jumbo jumbo perch and 1 keeper walleye while visitting. They had fish for lunch yesterday. It was nice of Lee to clean fish outside instead of the fish house. I headed over to Gary's and welded up some ends for north carolina and Lee and I beefed up the ends. I hope to haul her out once I have blue thunder running again and will have a two manWe had a very productive day yesterday. Lee and Larry not Carl, banked montana and florida with snow shovels as blue thunder is still down. We moved florida next to minnesota for Frank and his crew that will be here this morning around 8am, I will be heading out shortly to auger the holes in minnesota and florida. sleeper. I then headed to bemidji to get radiator and transmission cooler which I will install today.

The road and Ice is in great condition. Stay away from the pressure ridges as there unstable

[401TE]

Morning Cookie,

I've stayed in your houses a few times. Twice with Duane and Gerry from Monticello and once with my wife and another couple when you had Tony working for you. My wife and I just had our first kid and one of our visitors was a gal named Tammy who works with my wife. We started talking fishing and quickly made the connection that she is friends with you! Small world!

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and tell you that. We might contact you for an overnight trip with the kid in Feb.

Chris

[cookie129]

small world I can think of only two tammy,s I know one lives in the deluth area I beleave and goes with bob the glass guy. The other is a relative of the wife she plays alot of pool

[401TE]

Yep, we're from Duluth. That'd be the one.

[cookie129]

At one point yesterday both the red baron and blue thunder were down ugg. The red baron was a esy fis as the starter connection went bad and I had no ignition. A two hour fix and she was up and running. Blue thunder on the other hand has turned into more of a project.I had a charlie brown moment and installed the trans cooler on the wroung side of the radiator, I had to improvise reeasttaching it as I ruin the four clips that came withthe kit. Then the bottom trans line broke in the new radiator ugg again. I will have time to work on it again today and hope to have it up and running for my nightly rounds.

Jim amd Mark checked into montana and have had slow fishing with only 2 keepers and two jumbo perch ,they plan on using there portable today and fish a rock pile that Jim found a few years back if they can get there. Frank and his crew are having a blast ,there playing cards, drinking beer and catching enough fish for a late nite fish fry. There a hoot and are constently shelling each other. They stay down at the lake every opener.

We got about a half inch of snow last night which will help with the banking.

Frank at North Country food and fuel said from his house on the shores of upper red lake he could drive all the way to center bar with no pressure ridges.He has his house four miles out and said its just crazy out on center bar. Buddy Hillmen was scoping out a path to cross the pressure ridge so we can push west and finish his road. I need blue thunder up and running today

[cookie129]

From every thing I heard the fishing was a bit slow yesterday. Mark and Jim are here one more nite so I will move them today..I also have to move florida as Jim and his crew check in at 2. Kellie and I had freash fish with the guys in minnesota and florida last nite. Frank the rimg leader, Swaggs, little buddy/Dan, Mike and Bradly. We then played some texas holdem and had a good time. We got another lite coating of snow last night. Blue thunder is still down . I need a special tool to put a bubble on the trans line so the hose does not come off I will check with Tom later today to see if he has one. I will have to move the houses with the red baron which is no big deal. I never got to talk to the guys in the cabin and will have to wonder how they did.

[Fishlete]

Hey Cookie, we are the ones that stayed in the cabin we had some slower fishing. We got a little over 3 limits between the 4 of us and we had around 8 slot fish and the usual missed fish. Thanks for having us!

[cookie129]

For sone reason it has been slow for quite a few fishermen the last couple days. Not sure why. I'm heading out this morning to wet a line . 34 degrees out good day to auger some holes and fish outside. Yesterday I moved florida and montana. Jim and Mark helped move montana as they are here one more day. Mike and his wife arrive later today for florida.

Tomm the local mechanic would not borrow me the tool I need for blue thunder as its a expensive tool and easy to break. I think I have a plan b and will try and buttom her up today with out driving all the way to bemidji. I have a couple days before I need to move old minnesota and stilll have to get North Carolina my new two man house out of the woods. I can move houses with the red baron but would rather use blue thunder as I can then un bank and bank the houses.

[SwivelDigger]

Hey Cookie, just try using a normal flare tool to put a little knob on the end of the line. I've done that before to get by in a pinch and it's worked well and a flare tool should be pretty cheap at a hardware store if you don't have one. Good luck!

[cookie129]

I was just concerned if it has a sharp edge it may cut through the line. The trucks take a beating out there and the last thing I want to do is loose all my transmission fluid on the ice and burn up a tranny. Thanks and that is my plan B

[cookie129]

Spent my morning detailing old minnesota and doing a little fishing. I got my 3 for lunch and missed a couple more. Fatheads on a rattling flyer and vexlar. Missed a couple on the rattle wheel also. Jim and Mark are heading home and did well with the move. They went exploring yesterday and said they caught more in the house then fishing outside on the lake. Thanks guys