Burntside Lake Ice/Snow Conditions and Fishing Reports

[leech~~]

Try 49 and sunny this weekend. The only reason to bring to house with is for shade!

Tracy, was that NG standing by you in that bright blue suit in the Bash pic's? That new floater you were wearing looked pretty nice!

[Mike Stark]

Fished 8:30-2:30. Iced 5 fish. Three smaller fish and a 24.5in and a 28in. All but one fish came on a Northalnd Buckshot spoon. 50-55fow. Lots of folks fishing. It's pretty much all hard pack snow out there but that will change tomorrow.

[Jim Almquist]

We were up today but could only do truck travel and the road is VERY slushy. Decided not to run through the last and biggest slush hole so setup on a spot that I had never tried before. Marked 5 fish but no takers and my friend marked 2 with no takers. Wished I would have brought the sled but hind-site is 20/20

[chaffmj]

I was out this last Saturday with my truck and you had to be careful but driving wasn't too bad off the plowed roads. On the roads there were ruts and plenty of water. I didn't go out Sunday but with the high temps my truck driving out there is probably over.

I marked 4 fish on Saturday and got one to go. It was about 2 lbs. It hit a rattling flyer with a yellow, orange nymph on it.

[JBMasterAngler]

Had to cancel my lake of the woods trip this weekend because of the warm weather. Gonna come to burntside instead. Hopefully the water will be drained off the ice by then. Just 1 question, do the lakers prefer shiners or suckers?

[BRULEDRIFTER]

I had plans to fish this weekend, and with all the standing water from today's rain plus sunny skies with temps in the 60's all week up here, I'm not sure it'll even be safe.

Am I wrong to feel this way?

[Mike Stark]

I have been fishing with my folks the last couple days. We took out snowmobiles on Sunday and drove the truck out yesterday. Driving was pretty easy. Lots of water and slush on the lake. Ice is still solid tho. Just stay out in the middle. There are areas between islands and around shorelines that have been opening up. Some protected areas still have snow but the main lake areas are loosing it fast. We didn't get much rain on the lake yesterday. Just a few sprinkles here and there. You have to play it day by day on the safeness of the ice. 4wheelers are the best bet for next weekend.

Fishing was good on Sunday. Iced 4 and lost a nice one half way up. My mom got here first laker. She iced her second one 30min later. Yesterday at the same spot we only marked a couple fish. They weren't very active for us. I will post up some pics once they leave.

[Great Outdoors]

Pretty gutsy taking your truck out anymore, Mike.

I know the ice still has some thickness, but I wouldn't recommend anyone take anything other than an ATV. (or a snowmobile if you really want to get wet)

[Murdock26]

Some friends and I were fishing over the beautiful weekend. Saturday and Sunday were tough with only three fish landed. However Monday proved to be productive. Between my friend and I we were able to ice 6 lakers and lost just as many. This was the largest at 29" and the one with blue is 28 3/4" both released. White tubes like always.

I have a question that will demand a poll type of response. What are the largest lakers you heard/seen being pulled out of there? I'm practicing a lot of catch and release to try to help the potential of larger fish. Any response will be appreciated.

[leech~~]

Not a heavy weight but shes long at 36"

[HNTNBUX]

My biggest there is 33.

[Mike Stark]

Had a great trip with my folks. Tuesday we should of had three fish on the ice. One got off after a few seconds and we had two good hits but just didn't connect with them. Yesterday we ended up with three on the ice. 27in, 26.75in, 24in. The Buckshot spoon was the best lure for us. 50-55fow.

The water drained from the lake yesterday. There were only a few patches of snow left. The ice is going to take a beating this weekend with lows in the 50's. Be careful out there. Some areas around shorelines and narrows were already opening up.

[Great Outdoors]

Mike,

I recognize the shoreline in those pictures.

I did not see anyone there from about 10 when I drove by this morning and about 12:30 when I headed back. When were they taken??

[Mike Stark]

Mike,

I recognize the shoreline in those pictures.

I did not see anyone there from about 10 when I drove by this morning and about 12:30 when I headed back. When were they taken??

Those pics were from the last couple days. We didn't fish today.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Nice trout and pictures Mike!

Cliff

[chaffmj]

Thanks for posting the pics Mike. The weather was a little different then when you and your Dad were on Lake Winnipeg eh?

[leech~~]

Mike it looks like the folks had a great time of fishing with you!

But, you my friend need to find another winter hobby before you clean out Burntside!

Maybe figure skating or something?

[Mike Stark]

Mike it looks like the folks had a great time of fishing with you!

But, you my friend need to find another winter hobby before you clean out Burntside!

Maybe figure skating or something?

[Mike Stark]

Fished this morning. Got nothing.

I did drill a couple holes just to see what the ice was like. All of the ice came up in chunks not shavings. Lots of water coming into a half drilled hole as well. This was around 10am this morning. Its 73 and sunny right now and the forecast for tomorrow is the same. The Van Vac landing was broke up this morning and had a lot of water on it when i came back this afternoon. There are also some big drain holes on the old roads. Some shorelines are staring to break up as well. If we don't get any snow to insulated the ice from these temps its going to be a record setting year for early ice outs. The ice is deteriorating fast.

Van Vac landing.

[Great Outdoors]

I was out this morning from 9-11:30, also got nothing, saw nothing (well, one slow moving whatever)in 38 FOW.

Had 19 inches of ice, came up in shavings, but was soft all the way through.

It sure is nice traveling with an ATV, but we'll see what tomorrow morning holds!

[Mike Stark]

One of the holes I drilled was out over the main basin west of Waters Island over 110fow. Found 17in of ice but it came up in big chunks.

[Mike Stark]

I fished today on Burntside. I missed one fish and marked another.

I walked out at Van Vac over to Oliver Island. I fished three different spots around Oliver. Two on the east side and one on the south side. At the first spot I found only 13in of ice that was coming up in BIG chunks. The second spot where I drilled I did find 15in in a couple holes but mainly I found only 13in of chunky ice. The third spot on the south side of the island I drilled one hole and found only 11.5 of chunky ice. I checked the ice at an old hole near by and found 10in. I used my big Frabill ice scoop with measurements to measure the ice. Van Vac landing opened up more and has a lot of water around it. The forecast for the next week is calling for warm temps with lows above freezing and the chance of rain a couple days. The ice is going extremely fast.

[Great Outdoors]

I believe that ice conditions on Burntside and Snowbank have made trout fishing unsafe, and foolish for anyone to try.

However, with the rapid rate of ice deterioration, I wouldn't be surprised to have open water Trout action on both lakes before the season ends!

This may be possible by next Saturday or Sunday.

[Mike Stark]

I believe that ice conditions on Burntside and Snowbank have made trout fishing unsafe, and foolish for anyone to try.

However, with the rapid rate of ice deterioration, I wouldn't be surprised to have open water Trout action on both lakes before the season ends!

This may be possible by next Saturday or Sunday.

Crazy. Have you ever seen it go this fast? The earliest was April 3 2010. I am going to fish right off Van Vac for a few hours today but then I think that will be it. I am anxious to see what happened overnight. The low was 57 last night and that was not for very long. It stayed above 60 most of the night and is already 59 and climbing this morning. High of 75.

[Great Outdoors]

Mike,

I don't think I'd try that unless you see some others out there ahead of you, human mine sweepers if you will!

Way too warm last night for my liking, get your boat ready for the weekend!

[Mike Stark]

I am bringing a life jacket and will be checking the ice before I head out. The boat is coming out this afternoon.

[Mike Stark]

Fished from around 10am-1pm. Iced 2 fish. One fat 26.5in and a scrappy 21in.

The open holes around Van Vac had around 13in of ice. I drilled a couple fresh ones to check ice and found 14in of chunky ice. I'm not positive but I think there was at least 20in before the warm up. It was mostly cloudy this morning but the sun is out now. 60% chance of showers tonight. The rain would eat the ice away fast. There may be a couple days of walking out left....maybe. It's pretty much over. Time to get out the boat and head up to the Rainy!

Van Vac landing.

[chaffmj]

Thanks Mike, Go and others for the reports all year long. I am thinking of coming up on the 31st so I should get a boat for that. Who would have ever thought that.

[Mike Stark]

Thanks Mike, Go and others for the reports all year long. I am thinking of coming up on the 31st so I should get a boat for that. Who would have ever thought that.

No problem Mike. There is a possibility that you will be able to fish out of a boat at the end of the season. Crazy.

[JBMasterAngler]

Burntside lake is AWESOME!!! Fished Saturday west of van vac, marked a lot of trout down deep, 50 ft down to bottom in 90 ft. Caught a 27.5 incher 56 ft down on a gold lindy flyer and sucker minnow. Sunday we fished infront of burntside lodge. Trout were even deeper. Within 10 ft of bottom in 85 ft. Caught a very fat 29 incher. He did a "shuttle run" from my bait to the bottom and back about 5 times before he finally hit my bucktail jig. Marked several more fish down there, but they just wanted to look. Those 2 hogs sure put up a great fight! Gonna have to make some time to come back up next winter.