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Lac Qui Parle Lake


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Going out to Lac Qui Parle next weekend and want to know if ice conditions are good for the most part of the lake?? Also any word on crappies?

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I have no idea on how it is up there and i am wondering the same. heading up there on tuesday and wondering if i should bring the sled with or not.

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thanks for the report. Trying to decide on big stone or lac qui parle or both. Thanks again for the report

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  • 3 weeks later...

Who's bought tickets to fish the ice castle tourney? Looks like it should be a good time.

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Haven't bought tickets yet but plan on going up Friday hitting the contest saturday and coming home sunday. Never fished the lake before.

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Bought a ticket. Never fished it before so we'll see how it goes. Is the parking near the landing where the tournament is held?

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I believe they want participants to park at Watson Hunt Camp and they are running shuttles to the lake.

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Is anyone else concerned about the shuttle running you to the contest?

My friends and I are staying on the lake somewhere, will have to leave the lake, drive to the hunting camp and get out with our gear and get on a shuttle/bus.

I don't take much to this type of contest but even so, 2 rods, bait, tackle box, flasher and a chair is quite a bit of gear to be bringing on a bus is it not?

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I agree with ya. Don't know how I'm going to be able to carry everything in one trip on/off the shuttle. Gotta bring your rod case, vex/marcum, chair, bait and they say bring a chisel. They need to have a place where you can enter it from the lake if you want. Seems like if they get a big crowd it could be a mess.

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When we fished the tourney in Alex, we would drop a guy off towards the landing with all the gear and then drove the truck to park and shuttle back. Seemed to work pretty well.

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That's a good idea. I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully they don't bark at us doing that. I was hoping we could drive the truck directly to the landing but I'm assuming they don't want that. New to the lake so I don't really know the layout of the landings and where we're going to fish all weekend compared to where the contest is.

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I agree with ya. Don't know how I'm going to be able to carry everything in one trip on/off the shuttle. Gotta bring your rod case, vex/marcum, chair, bait and they say bring a chisel. They need to have a place where you can enter it from the lake if you want. Seems like if they get a big crowd it could be a mess.

I'm also concerned about the logistics and the lines for the buses, tickets, etc. With all the gear people will have its going to cut down on the bus capacity. Then the mess getting back when 3000? people all want to board buses. As an old Navy guy waiting in long lines is not appealing.

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That's a good idea. I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully they don't bark at us doing that. I was hoping we could drive the truck directly to the landing but I'm assuming they don't want that. New to the lake so I don't really know the layout of the landings and where we're going to fish all weekend compared to where the contest is.

I am new to the lake too so I have no idea how close you can get to the landing without "getting in the way". Even if you could drop a guy off a couple hundred yards away it would be better than lugging everything through the buses. I guess we'll find out!

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What do you guys think the turnout will be? I read on one of the forums that as of yesterday 900 tickets were sold already. Think it will be a massive turnout? Or are we looking at 1500 or less? Lots of good prizes - it'd be better odds if less people show smile

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As of early this afternoon it was at 1050. I would guess somewhere around 2000 people since tickets can be bought at the lake the morning of!! Basically fishing a mud flat.

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I saw that on the map it is pretty flat. hopefully we can get a decent spot on the outer edge or something and happen to catch whatever swims through!

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I would guess that there will be a big last minute sale of tickets and 2500-3000 people there. The early ticket sale ended Dec 31 and most people that were thinking about going wanted to see if the weather was decent. 11 above with a 6 mph wind is no picnic but better that -10!!!! Plus they've been doing a lot of advertising, heard about the contest on two different radio stations.

I can't believe that they'll be drilling holes on Friday night and then telling people to 'bring ice chisels'. Its supposed to get down to -3 Friday night, how much ice will refreeze on those holes by 11 AM??!

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Thats only if you have a good chisel!!! I was thinking of carrying something smaller and lighter like a crowbar...

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I have a homemade small chisel with a lot of weight and a strap that does some damage but hopefully they're not that frozen. Maybe they'll rethink their plan and drill the day of. I have a feeling if they don't they'll be redrilling some holes.

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They aren,t drilling on Friday night. I have a buddy who is helping with this event and he told me they are going to start drilling around 3 am sat morning

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Thats good to know!!!

I was wondering, how far apart will the holes be? How do they line them up? And are they doing them all with hand held augers or augers on a machine like a skidsteer?

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Freezing of the holes won't be an issue. At the big brainerd extravaganza the holes are drilled the Friday morning before, we've never had issues chipping out the holes... I would recommend bringing a coffee can and charcoal to keep the hole open

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\ I would recommend bringing a coffee can and charcoal to keep the hole open

So how does that work?? Light and put on windward side of hole? Full can or half can? Pre-soaked with lighter fluid?

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Basically all you do is chip out a hole right next to your fishing hole a couple of inches deep, set the can in and light it up...it will keep your hole ice free for hours....I bet you could find a pic somewhere on the forums

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Looks like it'll be 7 degrees at 11:00 with wind chill around -7. We'll see what it's like in the morning, but might have to sit this one out.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
    • monstermoose78
      Guys slim creek on burntside is the place to load up on smelt
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