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Clear or Sugar Lake

ice_medic

By ice_medic
in Mille Lacs Lake Fishing Reports

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ice_medic Contributor

ice_medic

Posted
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A group of us will be heading up to the big pond this weekend. During the day we like to travel around a bit and I was wondering if anyone could shed a little light on either Clear or Sugar lake. Not looking for spots but ice conditions and thoughts on the lakes. We are hoping to get some nice pike and they looked like a decent place to start. If you have any other general areas for nice pike that would be a help too. Thanks for your help.

Redlineracer12 Enthusiast

Redlineracer12

Posted
Posted

Plenty of ice on Sugar but there were no vehicles (other than sleds) venturing down there from the public access. As a matter of fact we pulled into the landing and decided to slowly back out of there and park on the road (4x4 pickup). The snow is that deep even in the parking lot. When drilling holes the water comes up over the ice a little bit, but not too bad. We didn't come across any slush out there and the water was fairly clear.

Saw another guy get his pickup/trailer stuck in the parking lot while we were fishing and eventually got turned around. He had a wheeler and with a lot of stops to push he was eventually able to drive across the lake. I'm not sure what was more work, dragging the portable by hand like we did or stopping every minute to push the wheeler out of the deep snow.

Curious to hear if anyone else has had luck on either of those lakes as it is close to where I fish/sleep on Mille Lacs at night.

We caught some dink perch and one small pike on a tipup. Seemed like the few other people out there were having about the same luck. We were hoping to get into a few crappies but never did.

ice_medic Contributor

ice_medic

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Thanks for the heads up. I will post on how we do and where we decide to go and what the conditions are like out there too

Redlineracer12 Enthusiast

Redlineracer12

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the heads up. I will post on how we do and where we decide to go and what the conditions are like out there too

Yep report back with how you do. I am thinking next time I might just try Isle bay for pike on tipups during the day instead, unless I hear of a decent panfish bite up there somewhere.

RumRiverRat Veteran

RumRiverRat

Posted
Posted

Run tip ups on the huge bar complex on Clear Lake off the southern tip of the island.

Fish will be scattered on the deep breaks, they usually are positioned towards the top of the break near any remaining weeds.

My dad lives on Clear and has done OK this year for pike.

ice_medic Contributor

ice_medic

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Hey thanks again for the reports. We got up there about noon on friday and everyone was content on staying in the house and fishing all day and all weekend there on agate bay. We didn't get out to much and explore the other lakes. All i can say is Dean and Renae did a great job and i will be definitely heading back there. The fishing was a slow to say the least but we had a great time none the less. Thanks again for the help

Redlineracer12 Enthusiast

Redlineracer12

Posted
Posted

Hey thanks again for the reports. We got up there about noon on friday and everyone was content on staying in the house and fishing all day and all weekend there on agate bay. We didn't get out to much and explore the other lakes. All i can say is Dean and Renae did a great job and i will be definitely heading back there. The fishing was a slow to say the least but we had a great time none the less. Thanks again for the help

Glad you had a good time! They do have a sweet setup there at Agate Bay and the most organized ice roads I have ever used. I always get the breakfast it is so delicious after a night of mediocre sleep in the shack. The heated bathrooms on shore are a nice treat compared to roughing it with the bucket/biffy out on the ice too.

I am still itching to give one of those area lakes another shot. Maybe next time with a wheeler...

ice_medic Contributor

ice_medic

Posted
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I agree it was a great trip and i am still looking forward to to trying some of the different lakes around there too. Just to add a little spice to the mix

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