Burntside Lake Fishing Reports---Lake Conditions

[Steve Foss]

Oh, I've been there...

Me too.

[Great Outdoors]

.Oh, but you forgot. "Get the best bait in Ely at the "GREAT OUTDOORS" Bait shop"!

What you say is very true, leech!!

However, I'm trying to keep people from getting stuck on the lake, by suggesting they use the safest method, which is snowmobile or ATV with tracks.

Maybe even take the weekend off from fishing until conditions get better.

Fishing anywhere near the snowmobile trail will be good, just don't stray too far off!

If this warm spell keeps up, the last several days of trout fishing should be a lot easier going just about anywhere by snowmobile.

[simey1]

looks like it is time to go crappie fishing. Thanks for all the reports guys

[Steve Foss]

looks like it is time to go crappie fishing. Thanks for all the reports guys

Well, crappies don't suck either.

Was just down talking to Russ (dedicated crappie angler) at Babe's Bait. Also, I was out fishing for sunnies/crappies a few days ago. It's our consensus that the crappies have been slow (but steady) the last couple weeks, and have just started to pick up a bit. Get some more melt and water running into the lakes, and they'll be really going strong in a week or two.

Me, I'll be fishing crappies in April. Meanwhile, I can get around a bit via pickup on Burntside, and have several spots within a fairly short walk of various landings, with snowshoes and tow sled. Hope to have my snowmobile back up and going by early next week, as well.

I can't abandon laker season just yet when there's going to be safe ice all the way through season's end. Especially considering how abruptly the season ended last March. If I get stuck a bit and have to shovel, so what? Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last. Far worse things have happened in my life, and I need the exercise.

Crappies will keep a bit, and will just get better as April comes.

BTW, Babe's has a good bunch of lively medium/large golden shiners for folks who still plan to hit the lakers for the next week or so.

[Mike Stark]

just got back from the lake. fishing was slow. marked some and had one bump. that was it. there were a lot of snowmobiles out and about. i saw snowmobile tracks with otter sleds in tow as well. most of the areas that i snowmobiled through were easy going. i did hit a couple areas with deep snow tho. i was giving it pretty good and only doing 30mph. this was in protected areas.

i did see a truck breaking another trail on an old road. it didnt look like it was easy but he made it to the plowed area where a fish house had been. so it seems like driving on the old roads is doable. you can only take the road to where areas have been plowed for fish houses tho which is not many. if someone is fishing the spot you either have to fish right there with them or turn around and find another spot. there is no pulling to the side on the old roads. if you meet someone on the road you will have to back up till they can turn around. the plowed road on the west side of waters is narrow and would be the same deal.

if you have a snowmobile, bring it!

[lispeej]

Is burntside still making ice? Just wondering if an extension is needed.

[Mike Stark]

Is burntside still making ice? Just wondering if an extension is needed.

No extension needed. I was close to bottoming out on one spot I fished today but it was an area that had been plowed all season long. Most places that I have fished have around 20-24in of ice.

[Barack]

Same ol fish on bottom feeding on larve. Healthy year classes non of that gillis strain dump. Time to gear up for some b-dubbing slabs. Have a feeling its gonna be a april. Pray for big warm up followed by a hard freeze. Put on hockey skates and head b-dubbin. Might as well well bring the stick and some pucks and take some slappers at the beaver houses haha.

[Steve Foss]

New School and old school today. New school because of the wonderful light Striker Duck Blind suit, Vexilar FL-20 and Tuned Up Custom Rods laker sticks. Old school because, with the heavy snow and blowing snow we've had the last week, we traveled light, used human HP instead of motors, and went out on 20-year-old ash/gut snowshoes.

We were nearly alone up the North Arm today. Only a couple of anglers in sight (on sleds, one with a 2-man portable, about half a mile away.) Contrary to the NWS forecast, it turned out to be spitting snow, darkly cloudy, and gusting easterly winds as a [PoorWordUsage] little front moved through and the barometer started to rise after the front.

Fishing was slow. We only saw four fish on the electronics. We hooked two and landed one. We were fishing a main lake point adjacent 100 FOW, and were jigging and using bait rigs in 30 to 55 FOW. Saw fish on the electronics in 35-55, caught one on a bait rig in 30 FOW.

The snow has been knocked down somewhat already by melt/freeze. We found about 2-3 inches of slush beneath about a foot of somewhat hard snow. The sled guys we saw fishing had no trouble getting in and out, and we saw probably a dozen more sleds cruise by throughout the day with no issues. There is no staked or packed down snowmobile trail up the Arm. Whenever we heard a sled, we paid particular attention to see if any of them bogged. Nope. We could see sleds moving through the arm for a full 1.5 miles.

After a week-long break, it was great to get out on the ice!

[Barack]

Has anyone been fishing the spot you where at today since truck travel was getting ridiculous? If its warm tomorrow and Tuesday Trucks should a go again Wednesday.

[LunkerCity]

You are talking about the same lake everyone else is barack????

[Barack]

Yea 10/4. It's doable with alot of beating your truck. Not saying driving access to access but getting around here and there.

[Steve Foss]

You are talking about the same lake everyone else is barack????

[Barack]

The 354 is hitting on all eight, serpentine belt needs a shot of blaster here n there, Tires are junk, gotta change front axle seals. Lol if you see my big dog with long legs looks just like a wolf he's been hanging on the northside all winter and took a great liking to beer. Kinda funny he waits for the icecream bucket all day. Someone else must throw it scraps pretty tame for a wolf traveling solo. Well im hitting the lake only 6 days left until targeting the long hike into the bdub. BTW when does walleye/pike end on the border lakes this year, and is all of basswood still not open to snot rocket fishing?

[laker1]

Season for northern pike was shortened on Basswood in the winter a couple of years ago for some bays like wind etc.

[Barack]

I Take it the whole UNITED side is closed? What dirty politics caused this? So the diehards who hoof it in on a nice april day, or weekend just to enjoy the lake and the oppertunity to enjoy good fishing gets hosed by wannabe elitist's. That makes zero sense for keeping the walleye season open on the same lake. Oh well there's Trophey Pike water elsewhere. Can you even take a leak in the woods anymore? Ia there a limit how many times you can do that? Is there time slot how long you can take leak? What if you [PoorWordUsage] yourself, is there a fine on that? How about breathing air?Should I bring tanks? What outtfitter do I have to shell out to ta rent this? Or should I take the If I knew now what I did back then approach, Saddle up War pony get About 20 Missouri red mules slap the sawbuck and decker saddles on and head up the lake. Takes to mules to pack out a moose or elk. Thats alot of walleye fillets per mule. Ill give a wyatt erp reason to close the whole lake down for inventory. grumble grumble !!!

[delcecchi]

It was probably like the big walleye on Sag or Seagull...

All it takes is for the word to get out and the hogs will spoil it.

[Mike Stark]

the lake is starting to slush up. most shorelines are slushed out and there is also some slush in between the islands. most of the areas out in the open are good but that could change this week with the warm temps in the forecast. snowmobiles are getting around with sleds in tow but it is much easier to get around without one. caught a couple fish yesterday but skunked today. the fish were there today but they didnt want what i was giving them.

[Great Outdoors]

Season for northern pike was shortened on Basswood in the winter a couple of years ago for some bays like wind etc.

A few years back, the DNR needed two Trophy Pike Lakes in each district, and they named Basswood as one of them.

The northern season now closes at the end of regular fishing season, but walleye remains open until April 15th in areas where the Canadian border is visible. These areas are considered to be border waters.

Areas on Basswood considered to be inland waters include Pipestone Bay, Jackfish Bay, Back Bay, Hoist Bay, and Wind Bay(?).

[lispeej]

Are the access ramps still ok to drive trucks off of?

[Mike Stark]

Are the access ramps still ok to drive trucks off of?

As of yesterday the van vac landing looked good. The road was getting a little slushy at the end of the day and they are forecasting highs in the low 40's with lots of sun so things could change fast.

[Great Outdoors]

Van Vac Landing was still slushy today at 3 pm, main road that goes west looks OK as far as I could see from the lower parking lot.

Will take a ride tomorrow to see what lake conditions are, and report back to the forum.

[JerkinLips]

Thanks for the lake condition reports. I'll be up Friday and Saturday with the snowmobile, and will see how far I dare to venture pulling a portable.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Ill be up tomorrow! If you see a yellow HSO hat stop by and say hi!!

[Great Outdoors]

Took a ride on Burntside Lake with the tracked Ranger this afternoon. I traveled from just north of Listening Point, went around Long Island and through the narrows between the two islands 1/4 mile west of Dollar Island. Deep snow everywhere with the exception of the snowmobile trail. From there I traveled across the large area toward North Arm Narrows, circled State Island then headed to Honeymoon Island(some bad slush on the north side)over to Brownell Island, then to the Van Vac Landing.(deep snow most everywhere, some areas a bit less)

I then traveled on the partially plowed road that headed west in the direction of Dollar Island: good going, but one 100 foot(?) stretch of water and broken ice on the road past the Water's Island/mainland narrows.

Limited truck travel only on the plowed road and areas where someone has broken trail where the road existed. Heavy traffic on these areas could make it interesting if two vehicles met.

Snowmobiles should be just fine in most areas, (even if towing a sled) but be very careful in areas where no one has traveled or close to shorelines.

I DID NOT GO THROUGH THE NORTH ARM NARROWS so I do not know what conditions are past that area.

[lispeej]

Thanks for the update GO. Is there a decent spot to park and walk out to the north arm?

[Steve Foss]

Is there a decent spot to park and walk out to the north arm?

The only public access to the North Arm is off North Arm Road, which you get to by heading out the Echo Trail. It's about a half hour drive from Ely to the access. The access itself is not plowed, but the road is extra wide there, with room to park a few vehicles and still let traffic pass safely. People have been using it, so the plow berm on the road is knocked down.

You can walk down the access and out onto the lake, but you'll want snowshoes if you are going any distance. There's deepish snow and significant slush in many places up the Arm. Decent trout water (shoreline break) is only a few hundred yards off the landing, to the right as you face the lake.

As of yesterday and today, the plowed ice road off Van Vac has started to deteriorate, with water/slush about 10 inches deep in some places, and a few deeper ruts. Since there is very thick ice under the plowed road, I don't anticipate much trouble the last couple days of the season, but you WILL be driving through expanses of water because it's held on the road by the frozen plow banks. Whether the landing itself will be OK remains to be seen. It can go to heck in a hurry once it starts to go. It's supposed to be cloudy the next few days, and that may slow down the melt a bit.

Along the plowed road from Van Vac through the narrows, there are several places to pull off the road (I counted six today), and in many places it's wide enough for vehicles to pull over tight to the plow bank and park, and still allow other trucks to pass.

Snowmobiles are still the best/most common motorized option for the last couple of days. Foot travel with snowshoes and a light tow sled is also easy for anyone half way in shape.

That's how I see things, anyway

The last two days have been simply gorgeous, and rank among the best of times I've had on Bside. Good luck out there, and be safe!

[Mike Stark]

i was out the last couple days on my snowmobile. i did hit some pockets of slush but the majority of the lake was slush free. bays and sheltered areas are pretty much guaranteed to have slush. it only got down to 36 last night with light rain. things are going to be sloppy out there today. fishing has been so so. thursday was good with a couple fish iced and a few other misses but yesterday was a big zero.

[Steve Foss]

So, last night NWS predicted a low of 27 and a slight chance of rain. I wake up and it's 36 degrees and raining. I guess there's a slight chance the NWS will be right.

[laker1]

Last year we were out in our boat or canoes trout fishing at this time.