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So how's it looking?


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No chance then lakes north of little falls are open for this weekend. Did a drive by on several lakes and its going to be 10 days unless some aberration happens.

Major bummed out.

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Keep the Lake Alex/Fish Trap updates coming! If I cross my fingers any harder for a Lake Alex ice out, they'll snap off!!

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I ice fished this Saturday and couldn't believe it! I never thought I would ice fish on May 4th is the Brainerd area.

There is virtually no chance any of the big lakes will be open, maybe some of the smaller ones will open but I doubt it. There was over 13" of ok ice, the fish just weren't biting!

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I ice fished this Saturday and couldn't believe it! I never thought I would ice fish on May 4th is the Brainerd area.

There is virtually no chance any of the big lakes will be open, maybe some of the smaller ones will open but I doubt it. There was over 13" of ok ice, the fish just weren't biting!

I think even the fish had enough of winter

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How's Gull looking? Any chance it is open by 4:30 am on Saturday?

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BTW how does their new place look?

The new Hilltop is pretty nice. smaller for now, but Mike says it's only a temporary set-up as there will be more buildings and adding-on to come.

Curious to see how the food is next door...

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Budha,

It wasn't that the fish weren't biting, it was a lack of fishing skills.

I'll show you what you were doing wrong next time we go out fishing.

Thanks for the update. Tough for us, we are going to miss open water opener for 2 years in a row!

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If the lakes do open up, how is the bite that close to ice out typically? I've never fished that close to ice out before, and I'm trying to figure out if it's an advantage or a disadvantage. Thoughts?

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Sounds like it is going to be warm this week but not a lot of wind. Wind would help!

There will be walleye spawning if the lakes open up. Don't know if they'll bite, but they should be shallow. Nite could be amazing!

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If the lakes do open up, how is the bite that close to ice out typically? I've never fished that close to ice out before, and I'm trying to figure out if it's an advantage or a disadvantage. Thoughts?

Phunnyfarm, I don't think any of us have experience with this late of ice off, around here!!

If the walleye truly spawned here(there is some natural repo)it may be an advantage, but most of the walleyes up here(Lincoln) are stocked and have no real good spawning areas to focus on. That being said I would think if you can find one hungry 'eye you will find more nearby.

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Gull will not be open this saturday.....id bet a lot of money on that. Drove by it today and there was about 50 yards from hole in the day culvert to the ice edge. Hole in the day n the east side of 371 is still iced over.

Shiners....good luck with that one too...I'd say call your favorite bait shops and see if they got em. Heard today that Winnie is off limits to shiners being harvested off of it from the bait guys - cause of AIS. I feel for the bait shops up there that get literally gallons and gallons of shiners from off of that lake. Its going to hurt them financially.

Late ice...if you play it correct and do the right things you will crush the fish. Go shallow on classic spots. I had an absolutly super opener one year on Pelican. Late ice out (not as late as this year- but late) and pounded the fish. Males were blowing milk in the net and livewell.

best of luck to everyone....be safe and be nice to the other boaters out on the ice...I mean water!

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For you guys up in the area, I'd appreicate it if you could let me know if the channel is open from the landing by Zorbaz down to the channel going into Margeret. Our place is one of the Channelview townhouses, and I usually troll nights in the channel between the 371 landing and the bridge going into Margeret.

Hard to figure out if I should head North for opener this Friday or not...

Thanks in advance!

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TBW,

I didn't make it out to Gull yesterday after all. But we are planning on Thurs so I can hopefully help you out a little then. As for trolling the channel, good luck and I hope they don't close it off to fishing because of the late ice off.

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TBW,

I didn't make it out to Gull yesterday after all. But we are planning on Thurs so I can hopefully help you out a little then. As for trolling the channel, good luck and I hope they don't close it off to fishing because of the late ice off.

Thanks! I figured one of two things will happen if it's open- either everyone will go to some of the smaller lakes that might open up, or the boats will be stacked up in the channel like cordwood!

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the boats will be stacked up in the channel like cordwood!

This is what is most likely is going to happen.

My old man went by Bar Harbor the other day and said there was a large sheet of ice in that little bay off to the side of bar harbor, but the channel was open. I am sure the channels will be open, but it is going to be a ZOOO!!!

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"The Gull Channel"...the place to go when you have late ice.

Dont be surprised if the DNR closes that area off to walleye fishing...they have done it in the past and it would be great idea to do it this year given that the spawning wallys will be in there thick.

Just Sayin....

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"The Gull Channel"...the place to go when you have late ice.

Dont be surprised if the DNR closes that area off to walleye fishing...they have done it in the past and it would be great idea to do it this year given that the spawning wallys will be in there thick.

Just Sayin....

I wonder if a guy can find that out ahead of time?

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If I see anything marked Thurs when I drive through I will let you know.

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I wonder if a guy can find that out ahead of time?

The DNR is posting updated seasonal closures on their website.

Check here:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/recreation/fishing/seasonalclosures.pdf

You may want to navigate there from the DNR website to ensure its refreshed, but I believe their cutoff is Wednesday at midnight since it says 48 hrs in advance of closure. So it is isnt listed there Thursday AM you should be good.

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Thursday afternoon I will post pics from Crosslake, silver, pelican(Jones bay), Edward, north long, and rice. If anyone wants another around that area let me know

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yeah.......I think they are going to need to find a different lake then N. Long this year for opener wink

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maddowg1192000,

If you get down towards Gull that would be nice! Maybe the landing and channel?

Thank you!

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Landing and channel by Zorba's is ice free up to upper gull. Booming out bay still has ice.

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Doing my rain dance in hopes it will take care of some lakes that still have ice.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • partyonpine
      Opener and the week after were good.  Not the numbers we normally get but better quality in the East End.  Not surprised on the weights for the Auto City a.  Usually for us we only catch a few slot fish but we averaged 3 a day for 10 days.  2 overs, biggest 27 inches.     Our best luck was 12-16 feet for quality.  When we went deeper we caught more but smaller.  Bass were really starting to heat up.  For me little earlier than normal.  Found some nice Bluegills the day we went after some panfish.  Dock fishing was as many as we wanted per usual.
    • Shulsebus
      We will be up on June 8th for the week. It will be our 13th year in a row staying on the lake.  I hope the walleye are hitting the bobbers by the time that we get there. 
    • SkunkedAgain
      Those are some fine specimens. Great job
    • gimruis
      I'm quite shocked to hear that a walleye tournament is still doing a live weigh in.  Virtually every event these days around here is doing a catch, photo, and release format.   Regardless, nice work.  Congrats.
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
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    • SkunkedAgain
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    • redlabguy
      Let’s start this by congratulating Brianf and son for winning their second City Autoglass Walleye Classic last weekend. These guys know how to fish.  We just got to the lake for the season. Chores are almost done and I’m ready to fish.  red(new dog is more yellow)labguy
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