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Posted

Drove out on Lake Melissa today. Ice was a little over a foot thick. I would have walked, but saw a few other big trucks out and plenty of permanents.

Fished out from launch in about 14 FoW. The ledge dropped down to 34 pretty quickly. Saw plenty on the Vex. Only fished from 10-2. Caught a few small perch (5 in) and a couple pike. Got slammed another time and lost it. I put a leader on and stopped getting action. I had meant to put out some tip-ups but it was too cold: -24 "real feel."

I just moved from Western North Dakota. Anyone have advice on other lakes to hit in the area?

G/L and merry Christmas!

Posted

Welcome to the site and the area. Thanks for posting a report. I was a newbee to the area many years ago and just loved to explore new, to me, lakes. There are a lot of great fishing lakes in this area. Closer to Pelican Rapids, Lida, Lizzie, Franklin are some of the larger lakes, but there are a ton of smaller, lesser known lakes that are worth your time. Closer to DL, you have the Cormorant Lakes, Melissa, Sallie, Big Detroit/ LIttle Detroit, ect. Same thing here, lots of smaller lakes. North of DL you can find White Earth, Many Point, Juggler, Bad Medicine. Spend some time on the Minnesota DNR website, particlularly use the Lake Finder feature. Lots of info on most of the lakes in the area.

Where in western Noprth Dakota were you from? I went to University of Mary (when it was just plain old Mary College) and got ot know a lot of people from other parts of the state.

Posted

You picked a good lake to start with. A lot of people get a little touchy about talking about where to fish. I feel talk about it if fishermen can't be stewards of this resource and the DNR can't control them then maybe tougher fishing is the way it has to be. Sorry about getting on my soapbox. My nephew has been out on cormorant doing well. Meadow has been fun in the past really clear. Leaf has always been good for me as well as labelle, pearl, Franklin. Make sure you fallow the slots and other regs (two lines and closed season) a couple of the big changes from ND. Welcome to the site and good luck.

Posted

I'm a Minnesota native. Originally from the cities. Went to UND and then taught in Minot for last four years.

Actually, I had wanted to try Pelican but they didn't have a place for my buddy to buy a license on Christmas Eve so we ended up driving all the way to D.L. to get some bait so we hit the closest lake. My wife's family has a cabin there so I know the area a little, but this is my first winter fishing it.

@Lawnbuilder: I've been licensed in both states for all the years I've lived in them. The two pike we took were within slot (even for the specific regs on pike @ Melissa). I'll try to post a report for the outings when I go. Fishing community is just like any imo (It's pretty darn friendly, but it also has a few criminals). Think the DNR checks these things out?

Posted

I did not mean you were doing anything wrong just that there are differences in the rules and wanted to make sure you were aware. I know most people are good just a few bad apples.

Posted

I gotcha.

Posted

Fishing slowed for me and the daughters today. But first time down for my youngest and she got a walleye before I was even ready to start.

  • 5 weeks later...
Posted

Out yesterday caught perch during the day some slightly bigger. About 4:30 started getting a few walleyes until about 5:45 in 30 feet. Fathead and perch buckshot and red hook and fathead under a boober about a foot off the bottom.

Posted

"fathead under a boober"

Ha. No other comment

Posted

Ya bobber fingers are fat too

  • 4 months later...
Posted

Fished the emergent vegetation along the shore next to the landing last weekend [img:center] . Picked up quite a few nice bass on the opener. Tried lots of different set-ups: shallow running cranks and spinners were working nicely. Hope to get out again this weekend if the rain will let up. full-42799-33670-fish.jpg

Posted

Nice fish and picture!

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • monstermoose78
      Ok the ice was 15-16 inches and less than 2 inches of snow. It’s was -15 this morning and the weekend looks to be cold again. The fish were there but not biting with change in weather. 
    • Dash 1
      I guess the vikings are a lot like fishing.  Very entertaining but frustrating at times. I've probably been cheering the vikings for 50 plus years  that i can remember and once again it's all about (there's always next year).  
    • Dash 1
      I remember Jeno's boxed pizza years ago.  Mom made it every Saturday night while dad and I watched All Star Wrestling.  
    • smurfy
      Chef boyardee box pizza. Good stuff 
    • smurfy
    • leech~~
      Smurf, still trying to get his lure jigging down when using the camera!  🤭   https://www.facebook.com/reel/517510734635573
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake of the Woods, with resorts and outfitters reporting thickening ice conditions with two feet of ice in some areas.  Many ice roads are now open to 1 ton vehicles pulling a wheelhouse.  Every road has different weight limits, check with each resort for details before traveling up and out on the ice.      Some good fishing this past week.  As a rule, fishing activity is happening in 28 - 32 feet of water.  Resorts do just about everything they can to get customers on fish and this past week, some resorts made some long runs, resetting fish houses in new areas miles off shore.  Most are reporting good fishing as a rule.     It is common to sort through some small walleyes and saugers to get your keepers on LOW.  Naturally, some big fish are showing up, especially in deeper water.  In addition, this has been a very good year for jumbo perch with good numbers being caught.  Other fish in the mix are eelpout (burbot), pike, tullibees and an occasional sturgeon.      Anglers are using the one-two punch of jigging in one hole and deadsticking the second hole. In the jigging hole, a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail in gold / pink, gold / glow red, glow white / pink, or Wonder Bread have worked well.     Especially in the deeper water, some anglers are finding success on rippin raps or using jigging spoons with a rattle as well.     On the deadstick, a small jig with a live minnow hooked behind the dorsal fin set 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom is working well.  One day the jigging line catches most of the fish, the other day a deadstick is hot.     Electronics are very helpful to see suspended fish, know when fish are coming through and adjust your presentation to the mood of each fish.  Most resorts, outfitters and bait shops in the area rent electronics by the day.   On the Rainy River... The Rainy River is still producing some nice walleyes and saugers, primarily in the mornings and evenings.  A jig and minnow working well.   Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be good for those targeting them.  An oversized hole, or three holes drilled together, with nightcrawlers or frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig fished on the bottom are what anglers are using.     Ice conditions on the river can vary significantly due to the current. To stay safe and maximize success, always work with a local resort or outfitter familiar with river conditions.    Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing continues to be very good up at the Northwest Angle. Resorts have fish houses set up on various pieces of structure as well as adjacent to structure in deep mud.  A consistent mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike and tullibees in the mix.     Shallow structure is best right away in the morning and as the sun starts going down in the late afternoon.  Mud is more of a slower bite but all day.   The ice road from Jerry's on the mainland (Angle Inlet, MN) to island resorts (as of this past week) was open to 1 ton vehicles.  Guests drive right to their island resort after picking up a road pass at Jerry's or Point North Services.  Venmo is also available at all resorts.  Work through your resort for specifics.   Ice fishing is in full swing across Lake of the Woods and there are openings for lodging, fish house rentals, sleeper fish house rentals and meal plans across the area.  Ice fishing is extended on LOW with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye / sauger season open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes.  
    • Brianf.
      From your fingertips to God's ears...  Finally got some snow!   Several inches of new snow fell before and during the weekend.  Sunday eve when we left, the high winds had already begun to create some drifting on the lake.  It was fun riding for sure.  Lots of folks on the lake this past weekend too.  We fueled up the sleds at Shamrock and saw as many people fishing in that area as I've ever seen in the Winter on Lake Vermilion.     Our weekend results were decent.  Jeff and I and a buddy caught probably 50 walleyes between the three of us, mostly fishing a jig/plastics with our three biggest being 24", 25", and 25.5".  We also got one large pike of unknown length.  During the midday on Sunday, we targeted whitefish and Jeff managed one big one.  We released all of our fish, except for three small walleyes that our buddy wanted to bring home for a meal.  Definitely a fun weekend on Lake V!   
    • leech~~
      The Vikings are the Vikings so it's nothing new.  It is kind of sad that Darnold's off season stock is now going to drop like a rock after these last two games. It kind of shows he's not a big game guy.  🤔
    • smurfy
      I'm blaming leech... his food selection has been lacking game days recently  🤣
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