Where are the Big Sandy tullibees?

[fisherman-andy]

Has anyone been able to catch any tullibees through the ice so far this Winter? Or did the fish kill over the Summer eliminated all or most of these fish?

[lakeshoremunster]

The main feeding frenzy dosent really start until the end of feb/close to ice out.

Ive only been out there once this ice season and didnt get any tullies. but this time of the year I am usually able to hook up with a few to bring home for the smoker. But the last die off may have put a big dent in the tullies, another two or three years and they will hopefully bounce back.

[cprguy]

Die off, no limit and major increase in fishing pressure for them last 2-3 years will probably put a big dent in tulibee population.

[JBMasterAngler]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing the DNR put a limit on them, like they've done on mille lacs.

[Feathers Rainin]

The flood killed far more than fisherpeople could take out of there in many seasons of angling.

Before you start asking for limits on angling maybe you guys should ask the DNR to stop allowing them to net them in the fall. One pull of a net will yield much more fish than a full day of angling.

Let's not forget these fish are basically big minnows. I don't think fishing pressure (netting or angling) has much to do with the numbers present in the lake especially because BSL does not get much pressure considering its size. The two times we hit it last year for Tullies we didn't have anyone within a mile of us and there were plenty of fish down there for everyone. If you think BSL gets pressure take a trip to Mille Lacs on a weekend.

I think their population has much more to do with the habitat in the lake and nesting success. I am sure they will come back but it may be slow for a few years as others have said.

I really could care less about limits on them because they probably would be liberal anyhow and I don't need that much smoked fish. I just wanted to point out that angling pressure is not the culprit of the seemingly lower population this year.

[slipperybob]

Tried BSL on Saturday and was a bust. Well caught a fat little 13" walleye. But all day all over the lake, was a big dead sea of no fish. Not even sure why I couldn't find the perch or crappies.

[lakeshoremunster]

The flood killed far more than fisherpeople could take out of there in many seasons of angling.

Before you start asking for limits on angling maybe you guys should ask the DNR to stop allowing them to net them in the fall. One pull of a net will yield much more fish than a full day of angling.

Let's not forget these fish are basically big minnows. I don't think fishing pressure (netting or angling) has much to do with the numbers present in the lake especially because BSL does not get much pressure considering its size. The two times we hit it last year for Tullies we didn't have anyone within a mile of us and there were plenty of fish down there for everyone. If you think BSL gets pressure take a trip to Mille Lacs on a weekend.

I think their population has much more to do with the habitat in the lake and nesting success. I am sure they will come back but it may be slow for a few years as others have said.

I really could care less about limits on them because they probably would be liberal anyhow and I don't need that much smoked fish. I just wanted to point out that angling pressure is not the culprit of the seemingly lower population this year.

Well said

[fisherman-andy]

Tried BSL on Saturday and was a bust. Well caught a fat little 13" walleye. But all day all over the lake, was a big dead sea of no fish. Not even sure why I couldn't find the perch or crappies.

I am always able to find the Crappies and occasional Perch. However with the Crappies this year I have seen a significant decrease in size. I am thinking again it was related to the fish kill and floods over the Summer.

[Chris Barlage]

I know a lot of fish were saved from the flood and replaced back into the lake. The flood has also caused these fish to be in different locations also. Time to find some new spots until they find there was back around the lake again.

[hockeybc69]

Fish were saved from the lake and replaced in what way????

[BartmanMN]

I'd like to hear a response on the saving as well. My neighbor has a cabin on the lake and showed me pictures of Piles of dead tulllibees during the flood. Remember the stink.

[fisherman-andy]

800+ views and no one has chimed in and said they even caught one Tullibee? Guess its up to me again. Tullibees did show up on the flasher but were few and far in between. Was not able to get them to bite so at this point none have been caught this year on BSL through the ice on our end.

[lispeej]

800+ views and no one has chimed in and said they even caught one Tullibee? Guess its up to me again. Tullibees did show up on the flasher but were few and far in between. Was not able to get them to bite so at this point none have been caught this year on BSL through the ice on our end.

Thanks for your report fisherman-andy. I have not been up there as of yet, although I want to. We'll see what this weekend brings.

[hockeybc69]

I still want to hear what this Barlage guy has to say about saving the fish!!!

[lispeej]

I still want to hear what this Barlage guy has to say about saving the fish!!!

x2

[PierBridge]

Die off, no limit and major increase in fishing pressure for them last 2-3 years will probably put a big dent in tulibee population.

This~

[lispeej]

Anyone been out to bsl lately?

[Tullies]

A friend of mine went out Saturday and didn't catch any tullibees. Not even a crappie. Might be better towards the end of February if there are some left from the die off.

[fish_4_fun]

so I was reading the DNR report on this lake, it says all the tullibees are confined to big horne bay because its deep. what happens to all those tullibees during the summer who wanders out of big horne during the winter? do they go back to big horne or do they just die off?

[fisherman-andy]

so I was reading the DNR report on this lake, it says all the tullibees are confined to big horne bay because its deep. what happens to all those tullibees during the summer who wanders out of big horne during the winter? do they go back to big horne or do they just die off?

Fish roam and move back to deep cool waters. But when you get fast warm ups and record breaking hot months along with floods will have devastating effects. Hence the die offs this Summer on BSL.

[lispeej]

This thread is getting very cold. Very much like the windchill factor! Let's warm it up with some nice warm reports.

Thanks.

[crix]

when my g pa brought the the snails to the dump after the big flood he said he saw people dumping hundreds of tulibees that were floating up on their shore

[Tullies]

I was there this past weekend Saturday early morning till about 10 AM and got skunk. Drove all over the lake. I think ice was about 18" - 20" thick. Probably going to wait out till end of this month or early march.

[fisherman-andy]

I think its time to give this a rest. The tully population took a beating during the flood kills this past Summer. If your looking for tullibees this year head over to Leech or Winnibigosh instead where it has been steady and should be on fire the coming next couple weeks.

[fishuhalik]

That bums me out. Feathers & I had a ball out there last year. Hopefully they make a comeback soon!

[Chris Barlage]

Fish were saved from the lake and replaced in what way????

Sorry I did not reply forgot about this thred. Andy and slipperybob had spoke about the crappies being small and might be related to the flood and having a hard time finding them. Fish were taken out of flood areas and replaced back into the main lake to save them from dying when the water went back down. To my knowledge those were crappies and gills that were found and replaced, sorry if I lead to anything to do with tullies, my post was twards those 2 more than anything else.

[hockeybc69]

As in??,,,, the DNR netted fish that were in "danger" and moved them to the main lake basin??

Where on earth did you come up with that? LOLLLL

[fishuhalik]

I did the same thing when the lake I grew up on flooded. When it subsided there were shallow pools filled with fish all over the edge of the lake, so I netted as many as I could & returned em to the lake. I bet I released a couple thousand gills, crappies, pike, bass & shiners. I remember one of the crappies was 16 1/4", biggest I'd ever seen out of the lake! Also, I bet I picked about 2000 crawlers. They all came out of the ground in the flooded lawns & were submerged under 1-2' of water. I transplanted a bunch into our lawn & kept a bunch in a cooler in the basement. we had crawlers for the rest of the year!

[Feathers Rainin]

As in??,,,, the DNR netted fish that were in "danger" and moved them to the main lake basin??

Where on earth did you come up with that? LOLLLL

No. The lake came up several feet and fish were able to swim into little pockets, oxbows, and ponds that typically are not connected to the lake. Once the water comes down those fish are now trapped and will likely die unless put back into the main lake. This happens a lot when rivers flood and fill backwater spots. It can make for some great fishing in these pieces of water that got flooded until the fish die off from a summer or winter kill.

You should really check your facts before mocking someone who posts relevant info.

[hockeybc69]

I am confused I guess. He said fish were found and replaced..... Replaced by who and how?

I fully realize how lakes can rise and fish get stuck in flooded areas.