LOW Repor Wheeler's Point Dec. 21-23

[Animal]

Two of us fished LOW Dec-21, 22, 23. We stayed at Sportsman’s, but used our own gear. We used snowmobiles, but there were trucks all over the place. We drilled 15 inches of good clear ice out from Pine Island in 20 to 30 feet of water, but drilled some 10 inch ice in shallower 16 foot water about 2 miles west of the big lone pine tree. The resorts are moving their houses out to 30 feet of water. <P>We used mainly emerald shiners which seemed to out pace the chubs. 75% of the fish were caught either on orange or yellow #5 pimples and 25% on a bobber with a plain hook fished 6 inches of the bottom. I tried my new angel eyes (every color), but finally abandon them after a day in favor of the pimple after getting tired of being a spectator. <P>Fishing was good on the Sunday afternoon the (12-21). We found fish in 28 feet of water after trying the shallow 16 feet in the AM with minimal success. We kept 6 - 16-18 inch W's and threw back about 30 smaller walleyes and saugers. We also had one huge pout. <P>Monday (12-22) was a different story. Started early in the same 28 foot area as Sunday. We caught several small saugers in two hours. We decided to move out next to the resort houses. Picked up one 20 incher 2 minutes after we put a line down and that was it for the next 2 hours. Moved in to 20 feet at 1 PM and caught 20 to 30 small fish. Caught and kept only one 16 incher. At 4:00 pm we moved to 16 feet to try the night bite. Over the next 3 hours we iced 3 nice 16 inchers and threw back about 10 small saugers. The last hour was fishless. <P>On Tuesday (12-23) we were on the ice at 7:00am. We only had a 1/2 day so we decided to head out to 30 feet and try our luck deep. We set up directly in line with the gap. Fishing was slow to start, but picked up about 10:00 am we iced some nice 14 inch saugers and returned a couple of 16 inch W's. This action continued until we called it a day at 2:00 pm when my partner put our final W on the ice which was a nice 16 incher. <P>Overall we had some very good action and some very slow times. I would say that it was a typical trip to LOW. <BR>

[Mudcutter]

Animal-<BR>thanks for the report. Did the bait stores in Baudette have plenty of emerlads??

[Reefer]

Animal<BR>Thanks for the report, going up fri myself for somw jiggin'. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one in MN who can't catch fish with an Angel Eye!!

[ChapstickCharlie]

Thanks, nice report. Sounds like you had fun.

[wazuplittlefishes]

I am heading up in 5 days on Sunday but we might have to leave on Friday because of the WINTER STORM that is coming in on Saturday. I am from Sioux Falls South Dakota and do you think I should bring up my own shiners that i get from northern SD which are River Shiners or should I just get my own in Warroad or Badutte? Or is it even worth bringing up shiners out on the Lake? I would like a reply before I leave<P>------------------<BR>watch out here i come ole mighty eye!!

[Reefer]

If you can show me a live shiner that's made a trip from S. Dak I would s#^t right in my pants!! But yes, I would def. buy some when you get here, either in Roseau, Warroad, or Baudette. I will also be braving the snowstorm this weekend, so I hope it peters out.Good fishin!!

[Animal]

We stopped at the 2nd bait shop on right on HWY 11 after we turned off of northbound 72. They had a good supply.

[wazuplittlefishes]

Reefer:<P>I have one of those Frabil Aeroators and i think that the shiners should be able to make it there. But my guide Tim Lyons says that they are using some shiners but the are mostly catching small fish on small jigs and not a lot of BIG eye's or saugurs. Do you think that i should even bring any out on the lake?<BR><P>------------------<BR>watch out here i come ole mighty eye!!