Burntside Lake Fishing Reports---Lake Conditions

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Drove out today, the snow is definitely melted down. So far Steve landed a nice laker, none for myself. but I still have time!

[Steve Foss]

Last night's rain, coupled with the warm overnight temps, knocked the snow down significantly, and we were able to drive anywhere we wanted to go out in the main basin, so headed over toward Brownell/Lost Girl/Ripple area. One guy drove by us out there hauling a snowmobile and trailer, headed up the Dead River to Twin Lakes.

The snow ranged from 4 to 12 inches deep, and the truck tires easily penetrated all the way down to the ice, throwing slushy snow out to the sides. Never even came close to getting hung up, and didn't have to keep the truck moving fast. Came in within 25 feet of a few island shorelines as well and had no trouble.

With a low of 23 tonight and a high of 27 tomorrow, probably it won't lock up very hard overnight, especially since it's still 53 freaking degrees!!!!!

Fishing has been slow the last couple of days. Jim and I only saw one fish yesterday and couldn't get it to go. Saw one fish today and it was a nice fat 8 lber. Got checked by the C.O. early in the afternoon. He'd already checked a dozen guys, and no one had even seen a fish yet. Happens that way sometimes, especially when we got yet another [PoorWordUsage] little front that moved through last night, clearing off today and with a rising barometer. Gorgeous day to be on the ice regardless.

I've found March to be a streaky month over the years for Bside lakers. We've had some of our best action in March (8-fish days), but it's also not hard to score a big ole goose egg.

Looks like 60 percent chance of snow tonight/tomorrow, so we may be finishing the season in the falling snow. And, of course, NW winds gusting to 30 mph. At least the snow out there on the lake is so heavy and wet, and will freeze up some, so there won't be any drifting tomorrow except for what falls from the sky. NWS is saying less than an inch of snow.

Had a blast fishing with Jim Uran, and also hanging out last night. VERY long overdue. Very cool guy. Also had fun shooting the carp with Lunker City on the ice today.

P.S. -- Sunburn sucks.

[leech~~]

P.S. -- Sunburn sucks.

Oh well. Until next year Frosty!

[Steve Foss]

Well, that's the season's end for me.

Hit the lake a bit after 8 a.m. and the durn wind was so strong I gave up after a couple hours and headed home. Time to take the tackle apart, transition to crappies, and think over the season that is past.

We ended up with 53 trout and 9 pout. Six of the lakers were 30 inches or over, with the largest a 32.5 incher. We did not land any trout under 1.5 pounds this year. Most were 3-8.

Great fun all season long with friends and clients. Thanks!

Here's a pic of the last trout of the season, caught yesterday. See you back in here when the summer season is upon us.

[Wanderer]

Good to see SOMEBODY was able to enjoy the last hurrah.

Jim, too bad you weren't able get your first. But I bet you still had a good time. I wish things could've worked out better with my ToDo's so I could've gotten up there one last time for lakers.

NOW I'm hoping the ice stays good enough to get a crappie trip in for mid-April or a quick ice out so the boat can float. Could something work out perfectly???

Congrats on your season Steve. It seemed like there was always something to battle but you turned out decent one anyway.

[Steve Foss]

Yes, it was definitely an interesting season. There were more learning moments than usual.

[laker1]

Steve-you ever get any of those big Lake Whitefish while trout fishing. I know on some lakes while jigging for lakers we hook onto lake whitefish. Good smoked or fillet.

[Steve Foss]

The smelt introduced into Burntside in the '70s have eradicated the cisco population, and the whitefish are almost gone. There are only a few mature whitefish left in the lake. Of course, the smelt are a shame for many reasons, but one in particular is that whitefish are downright scrumptious as table fare. I've caught three whitefish over the 11 years I've been fishing the lake.

The smelt, once they caught fire, work toward the base of the food web. They eat the eggs of other fish, they eat the fry of other fish, and (with the huge smelt numbers), they outcompete what walleye, laker, cisco and whitefish eggs do hatch into fry for the micro-organisms in the water. Smelt are small enough that they can eat those tiny things their whole lives. The other fish depend on them to go from fry to yearling stage.

So smelt, once they became established, made fundamental changes to the Burntside Lake fishery. And those changes haven't stopped. With the increase in laker fishing pressure Burntside has received over the last 10 years, coupled with the DNR's decision to quit stocking lakers in 2010, no one knows how things will go.

[Mike Stark]

fished the last couple days. caught one at the end of the day yesterday. had one hit within the first 20 mins of being out today but missed it. had close to 10 other marks come in but they wouldnt hit. the lake was totally different this morning compared to yesterday at 6:30pm. most of the snow is gone and firmed up nice. it should be like a parking lot tomorrow if it gets into the single digits. makes for fast snowmobiling.

today was the end of my ice fishing season. im heading down to IL next week to see family and friends, see half a dozen Widespread Panic concerts, and do some crappie fishing.

Good luck out there.

[simey1]

I just want to thank Steve, Mike, G.O. and everyone else who reported this year. I always enjoyed the updates. My K.O.D. this year kept my reports to a minimum. I hope we can all apreciate the resource we have and remember to practice catch and release. Without stocking measures in place I believe it is vital to our enjoyment. Nuff said, thanks again everyone....Later

[JerkinLips]

I had an interesting couple last days of laker fishing. On Friday, I didn't mark any fish until 6:15 pm when I hooked the 27", 6#-3oz fish pictured below. I marked several other fish after that, but couldn't get any more to bite before I quit at 7:30 pm. I did catch a 32", 6 pound eelpout on a cisco 1 foot off the bottom just when I was packing up.

I woke up Saturday at 5 am to steady rain, so I went back to bed and didn't go out fishing until 1:30 pm. I went to the same spot since it had a good evening bite the previous day. The CO checked me late that afternoon and said that he only heard of a couple of fish caught that day. I didn't mark any fish until 7 pm. I hooked one laker (about 20") that I lost at the hole. I had several chasers after that, but couldn't get any more to bite before I finally quit at 9 pm. I stayed out late because I continued to mark fish, and I wanted the slush for crust over since my snowmobile was flooding out (stuck float?). It was still a tough trip back as I finally had to continue to open and close the fuel shut off with my left hand as I drove with my right. Luckily I didn't get stuck in slush. Looking forward to chasing lakers again next year.

[JBMasterAngler]

Only 41 days until the opener

[Barack]

enjoy while u can! If anyone understands the 1996 year class you probably catch my drift.,

[Barack]

Attention GOW, Mike Stark, anyone that wants ta chime in. Looking for hiking conditions up the moose chain. Might as well take advantage of the extended season and play pike.

[Mike Stark]

Attention GOW, Mike Stark, anyone that wants ta chime in. Looking for hiking conditions up the moose chain. Might as well take advantage of the extended season and play pike.

I'm in IL now so I'm not sure what conditions are like. Burntside usually has pretty similar conditions to the big lakes up there. I bet there is some good fishing to be had up there now.

[Wanderer]

We were on Lake of the Woods last weekend and found that the fish haven't broken into a solid spring pattern yet. Still more like February is what we were hearing from the locals and the reports/action supported it.

[JBMasterAngler]

When do the smelt typically run in burntside? I'm guessing it will be later than normal this year. Do they just spawn in the shallows randomly all over the lake, or are there some areas that are real go to spots?

[Steve Foss]

The smelt run up creeks/rivers to spawn on Bside, just like they do on Lake Superior. There are six rivers/creeks that flow into Burntsdie that I know of. Just going off memory, they are Tamarack, Crab, Dead, Slim. There are three more small creeks whose names I don't know. One is near Tamarack and the other two toward the end of the North Arm.

Smelt also spawn along beaches, but there are only a few sand beaches on Burntside. Not sure if they spawn on larger substrates. Considering how many smelt are in the lake, it wouldn't surprise me if they do spawn on rock.

Water temp is the key. No doubt it'll be later this year.

I've found smelt in some of the creeks with water temps as low as 39 degrees, but only in low numbers.

For more info, here's a snippet from Minnesota Sea Grant: "Spawning is typically initiated shortly after ice-out when water temperatures rise above 4.4 C (40 F) (Becker 1983). Most spawning activity occurs at water temperatures around 10 C (50 F). Spawning can take place in streams or along shorelines. Rainbow smelt are found in streams and rivers only during their spawning migration."

[monstermoose78]

Slim Creek is where we used to get lots of them. You might have some college kids up there to deal with. Make sure to look at your net because some times them walleyes or lake trout will fallow them into the creek as well.

[JBMasterAngler]

Yeah, I actually don't smelt, was just trying to zero in on some spots, since I would imagine all the other fish follow them to eat them. I'll be up there for the opener, and that's alot of water to cover in just 1.5 days of fishing Just trying to get in alot of homework in the meantime. Thanks for the tips

[Great Outdoors]

I don't think you'll have much,if any open water to "cover" unless the weather changes on opening weekend.

Back to a previous post about rivers/creeks flowing into Burntside.

You have Tamarack Creek, Coo Creek, Crab Creek, Slim Creek, and Dead River coming in, and Burntside River flowing out.

There are a few swamp drainage areas that trickle in to the lake, but can't really call them a creek or river.

[Improvedarock]

Question about the walleye spawn. I caught a 26 inch walleye while targeting crappies. After I released the bloated pig I noticed a few eggs swirling in the hole? Is there a time frame for the female walleye to hold her eggs in, or is it possible to wait a extra month for proper water temps?

[JBMasterAngler]

Hmmm, yeah I guess I really should start scoping out some back up plans.

[Improvedarock]

Burntside ice out 2013 will be may 24th at 1:30pm

[Improvedarock]

Outta curiosity how many non clipped LT's between 10-20 inches did burntsiders catch this year?

[Wanderer]

In that size range, one clipped and one not. 50/50 is about what I've seen in the past.

[Improvedarock]

Was wondering about 10-20 inch non clipped fish. Of all the lakers I caught this year only 1 was clipped and the smallest one was 21 inches. However there's a great year class of 27-29 inch fish, but no small stuff following. If the smelt are that outta control is there anything being done?

[Mike Stark]

Outta curiosity how many non clipped LT's between 10-20 inches did burntsiders catch this year?

I think I only caught a couple unclipped fish in that range. Seems like most of the small fish I have caught in Burntside have been clipped. Some days I would mark what seemed to be small fish but they would not hit.

[Improvedarock]

Why doesn't the dnr have a bounty on the smelt then?

[Improvedarock]

All ya need is dump trucks,a stacker conveyer, and a few nets to put a dent in them.