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2013 River Conditions for Spring Fishing!


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We have done this many years with a old '70 something 14 ft crestliner. Lighter the better, but with 2-3 guys it is pretty easy. It isn't the easiest on the boat but have not had any problems minus a few scratches to the paint.

Loading over the ice is the tricky part, usually I will run the boat up onto the shore ice(tough on the boat), this will usually break any remaining weak ice off the edge. If it holds the boat than it has always held us walking to shore.

We then back the truck and trailer down to the ice( NOT onto the ice), we then hook up a long tow strap to the boat and connect to the winch rope on the trailer and drag the boat to shore and then winch it onto the trailer(my trailer tilts so that makes it easy). Less than five minutes and on the road. Its not that bad at all.

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Any and all updates on open water conditions would be greatly appreciated guys! We are heading up on April 5th and hoping to launch the boats at Birchdale.

Thanks in advance!

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Looking from Barwick down river was open as far as I could see yesterday, I will try to get a couple pictures on the way home tonight of river.

Cheers

Rob

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March 27th, 2013:

We went out about 10:45 AM to check on the River Conditions today. The temperature is about 28 degrees. We first stopped at Birchdale Landing and talked to some people that were up to open water fish and weren't able to get out yet so they were going to try ice fishing today and hopefully tomorrow be able to push the boat in the water. Franz Jevne has about 50 yards of shore ice yet but there is open water and the rapids to the west of there are open. Grant figures by this weekend you will be able to push a boat out at Franz Jevne and Birchdale Landing.

Here is a picture from the top of the Birchdale Landing where water is in sight now:

full-40547-31455-march27(3).jpg

Here is a picture of the shore ice at Franz Jevne looking to the east:

full-40547-31456-march27(5).jpg

This picture is of the rapids to the west of Franze Jevne:

full-40547-31457-march27(7).jpg

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We have one room that opened up for the first weekend in April now just wanted to let you know

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Here's some pictures from today in Barwick,full-39664-31469-104_0655.jpg

full-39664-31470-104_0656.jpg

full-39664-31471-104_0657.jpg

full-39664-31472-104_0658.jpg

This is looking to the west down river.

Have a good one

Rob

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must be terrible having to live right there next to the river..... Rainy lake...... Lake of the Woods.... grin Awww! feel terrible for you guys.

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The below is from Steve's Lucky Bait this morning... I got it off there Facebook Page...

!!!OPEN WATER AT BIRCHDALE!!! And the ice is moving fast, there is about 75 feet of shore ice. Good luck and be careful.

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March 28th, 2013:

I (Alyse) headed East to check on the River Conditions and took pictures just before 10 AM and the temperature was around 27 degrees according to the car. The River has opened up in front of Birchdale and to the west a little there is one frozen spot and then open water again. There are weak spots west of Birchdale that you can see along Highway 11 on your way to Froniter. I did talk to a local from Birchdale that had been out fishing and he said he did good last night which is a good thing to hear!

Here are two boats putting in right at the Birchdale Landing (picture keeps getting blurry when uploading sorry guys):

full-40547-31509-march28(1).jpg

Here is the frozen spot which will be gone later today I am sure just west of Birchdale Landing:

full-40547-31510-march28(3).jpg

Here's to the west of Birchdale Landing:

full-40547-31511-march28(6).jpg

Here is Franz Jevne:

full-40547-31512-march28(4).jpg

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March 29th, 2013:

I (Alyse) went and checked the River Conditions about 9:45AM and the car kept reading the temperature as 35 degrees which could be right as the one in our house is reading 38 degrees. The river keeps opening up a few miles everyday. It is open 4.3 miles West of Birchdale Landing and 3.6 miles East of Frontier Landing. While I was driving yesterday I saw 2 bald eagles with a huge nest and never got a good picture so this morning I watched for them again and I was able to get one but there was only one eagle there. Also when I stopped to take a picture of where the river ended for being open there were 7 deer on the ice and not even a mile west of the open water. The deer were off the ice when I came back home they were being brave as the ice was yellowish color and looking like it would be gone in a few hours. I talked to the same guy as I did yesterday in Birchdale and he said that they did really good fishing yesterday and it doesn't sound like they were out all day either.

Here is 4.3 miles west of Birchdale Landing:

full-40547-31549-march29(4).jpg

There is less shore ice at Birchdale Landing this morning:

full-40547-31550-march29(8).jpg

Franz Jevne also has less shore ice:

full-40547-31551-march29(6).jpg

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March 30th, 2013:

We went and took pictures of the River this morning around 10:30 AM and the temperature was around 35 degrees. The River is open about 1 mile east of Frontier hoping to be able to push boats off at this landing tomorrow. The shore ice at Birchdale is less than yesterday but still pretty thick by shore so it will probably be a few days until it gets open up for big boats. When we were at Birchdale Landing we counted 31 boat trailers and there were still boats headed that way when we were leaving.

Here is Birchdale Landing:

full-40547-31587-march30th(1).jpg

1 Mile East of Frontier Landing looking to the west:

full-40547-31588-march30th(6).jpg

1 Mile East of Frontier Landing looking to the east:

full-40547-31589-march30th(7).jpg

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So will the fork rivers have an impact this year as of now? Are they close to breaking up or not even?

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Took care of some of the shakes . Went up yesterday just for the day got home this morning at 2 a.m. Got to landing at 6:15 and fishing by 7:00. Fishing is good caught them jigging and casting. The bigger fish came from casting. We caught 61 total 3 biggest 30 1/4 , 29 and 28 1/4 . Lots of cookie cutter 17.5 inch fish Water clarity is at 5 feet awesome. Current is slow but still good for drifting can easily get 1/4 ounce jig down and maintain vertical drift. All boats around us catching fish. Only going to get better with each day. Can't wait till next weekend longer stay shakes will be back.

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April 1st, 2013:

We didn't go check the river yesterday because we spent time with family. Today the river is open about 3.5 miles West of Frontier Landing. They are pushing boats in at Froniter and Birchdale still. We did talk to a county worker and he said there was someone coming from International Falls to clean out the Birchdale Landing but it would probably be a while on the Frontier Landing as there is still quite a bit of shore ice. We will know tomorrow if the landing was cleaned out for big boats. Fishing this past weekend averaged about 50-60 fish a boat with some guys doing good and some doing not so good. We heard of some slot fish, suckers, and sturgeon being caught.

Here was Birchdale Landing this morning:

full-40547-31657-april1(1).jpg

Here is Frontier Landing:

full-40547-31658-april1(2).jpg

Looking to the West at Frontier Landing:

full-40547-31659-april1(4).jpg

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Just got off the phone with a gentleman from Kootch county. He said they opened up birchdale access this am!

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Just got off the phone with a gentleman from Kootch county. He said they opened up birchdale access this am!

The parking lot or both lot and the actual access down to the river for bigger boats??

MR

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