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Posted

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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...

Posted

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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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • SkunkedAgain
      If you fished with me more often, you'd never have to make this statement...   38" of ice - love it. I'm really going to have to dig around for my auger extension. I don't think that I've needed it in over a decade.   Too bad nobody has a locomotive chugging across the ice to do some logging, like the good old days.
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  Ice fishing remains strong across the south shore of Lake of the Woods out on Big Traverse Bay.  Resorts and outfitters on some parts of the lake have ice roads extending over 16 miles staying on nice schools of walleyes and saugers.  Many fish houses are over deep mud.  Some are on structure.  It is always fishing of course, but overall, February has been very productive for most anglers.   Extensions are being used on ice augers as the ice continues to thicken.  The thick ice this year will be good for the extended ice fishing season Lake of the Woods enjoys with fish houses out through March 31st, walleyes and saugers open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes. Most fishing activity is taking place in 26-32 feet of water.  Anglers are finding a healthy mix of walleyes and saugers, with a good number of jumbo perch in the mix this year.  Some big eelpout are also showing up.  Anglers are reporting plenty of fish for fresh fish frys and usually extra fish to bring home.   The one-two punch of a jigging line and deadstick is the way to go.  On the jigging line, jigging spoons with rattles tipped with a minnow head have been consistent.  Lipless crankbaits and jigging rap style lures also doing well.     Lures with a light have been working well in the stained water.  Please remember, in MN, lures with a light or water activated light can be used as long as the battery is mercury free and the hook is attached directly to the lure and not as a dropper line.     On the deadstick, a plain hook or a small jig with a live minnow 6 inches to a foot off of the bottom.    Some days, mornings are better, other days, it's the afternoons.  There is no distinct pattern, they could come through at any time. On the Rainy River...  The start of the day and end of the day have been best for those targeting walleyes on the river. A jig and minnow or a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head is also producing some fish. Some big sturgeon being iced by ice anglers targeting them.  It is a catch-and-release sturgeon season currently.   Although ice conditions on the river are good, they can vary significantly due to the current, so anglers should always consult local resorts or outfitters for the most up-to-date safety information and fishing advice. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing has been strong in the islands area of Lake of the Woods. Resorts continue to move their fish houses around, staying on the best schools of walleyes.     Anglers are catching a nice mix of walleyes, saugers, and jumbo perch with an occasional pike or tullibee as well.     Big crappies are still being caught just over the border.  Fish houses are available, check with a NW Angle resort for info on crappie fishing.   Lake of the Woods enjoys an extended ice fishing season with fish houses on the ice through March 31st and walleye and sauger seasons open through April 14th. Perch, crappie, and pike seasons remain open year-round.    
    • leech~~
      Maybe you should put rattle wheels down, if your going to sleep for 6hrs! 🤭 😆
    • JerkinLips
      Monday was my worst day of winter fishing on Vermilion in the last 4 years.  Caught only one 14" walleye in nearly 8 hours of fishing.  Missed two other bites and was marking very few fish.  Maybe the fish were taking Monday off after a big weekend.   No more water came up on the ice under my house.  Think it was because I haven't banked snow around it for a couple of weeks so the bare ice around the house is getting very thick.  I measured 38" of ice under my house and the Ion barely made it through even with the extension installed.  Needless to say I banked around the house this time.  Another lesson I learned today is don't drill holes if ice is frozen on your blades.  I did that on one hole and it didn't center properly and drilled at an angle on the edge of the opening.  Hope I can correct the location and angle on my next trip up.   Not much change in the surface lake surface conditions.  The drifts may be a little higher and are definitely harder.  There are still a few bare ice spots on the lake.  Very little activity on the lake today.  There are about 3 dozen houses from McKinley Park out to Birch Island.  Another person pulled there house off today, and I am sure many more will pull theirs off this coming weekend.  Only 13 days left of walleye season.    
    • leech~~
      A good start for never picking up a bow!   IMG_1910.mp4
    • leech~~
      Um, #metoo   leech~~ Author 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders Posted January 26 My whole goal for the rest of this season.  Is to watch KC lose and Taylor cry!  🥳
    • smurfy
    • Wanderer
      Smurfy is happy.
    • Dash 1
      Great looking food. So far not much of a game and I thought the halftime show was worse I've seen. 
    • leech~~
      Oh is there a Superbowl game? 😋😋
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