Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Report for upper mn river


Recommended Posts

Was bored last night and figured id try for cats. I know people have been saying that the bite is down but last night i must of caught 40 channels Im not talking the little guys. But the 2-7 pounders. It was alot of fun. My advice is to seek out cooler water.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the report hamrej23 and glad to hear of your success it nice when a plan comes together and the fish bite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually the channel bite has been nothing short of amazing the past few nights and literally turned on like a light switch. Some really nice ones mixed in too.

Too bad I've been spoiled by Canada though and the 10-15 pounders just don't do it quite like they used to. Still fun though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know what Dtro, I bet if you cracked out some smaller poles, those channels would be a great battle. I mean, 2-5 pounders are fun in the winter on the tiny ice gear in no current. I bet the 10 pounders in current could do a great number on a walleye rod. I think I'm going to leave my flathead poles at home and just go out with some walleye rods for channels next time I'm out smile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You won't be disappointed Brian. Medium action spinning gear Makes for some fun channel cattin! I've even caught channels on my ultralight on the crow - talk about a hoot! smile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep they are a blast I also cuaght a nice plump 26 incher on my ultra light this year it was defiantly drag screaming fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The channel cattin was fast and furious again last night! Got a couple over 10lbs and one that I would really like another shot at….it was a HUGE fish that popped off. Actually because of that, I’m not a real big fan of using walleye gear (for channel cats) in waters that big flatheads will regularly eat cut bait. There are too many times I’ve been waiting for a channel to hit and next thing you know, there is a 40 or 50lb fish on the other end. I do like to lighten it up a bit as I have some smaller stuff suited more towards channels, but in a pinch can still handle a big fish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, you do make a good point Darren with respect to going TOO light on the gear in flathead territory. I've actually got a couple of rods that are just slightly less beefy than my bigger ones but still can handle a flathead, and I think I'll bring one along next time I'm out. They've just been sitting in the garage all year waiting to be used anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kinda like using a bass rod for a 75# sturgeon. Not quite the right gear, but it could be fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always wanted to catch a big flathead on a cane pole now that would be fun. No drag the fight is all in the pole.

I watched my grandpa catch alot of big pike on cane poles but the difference was he was on a lake and when they wouldn't tire out he would just throw the cane pole in and follow it around until the fish was tired.

That wouldn't work on the river flathead would go itto a snag ansd all yo might be left with is the pole.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

cane poling pike is great. usta do that quite a bit back in the mid 70s. Hard ta find a good canepole nowdays tho. My nephew uses a shortend cane pole for pike on the river. his favorite creek always has big pike lingering right next ta the steep bank. so he brings the 12 foot boat in close then plops a frog or small sucker over the side. good stuff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

never new the channel bite was so good down there. sounds like folks are havin fun.... Or were having fun, not sure, im a little late ta the thread. hopfully yall still popin em

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just got off the minnesota river myself a few hours ago after being on a boat for about 24 hours. and yes the channel bite is just incredible all 2-13 pounders prolly no more than a half hour between bites at the most. just ridiculous.only caught one 12in flathead. anybody know where all the flatheads are or why they arent biting?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
      Nope not me.  May want to go nextdoor and ask around?  
    • smurfy
      Looks to me like Leech brought his chair home!!😅😆
    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.