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Posted

Was up on Leech for a few days over the weekend chasing perch and walleyes with clients.

Spent the day on Saturday chasing perch and walleyes. We found the perch fairly cooperative with quite a bit of sorting. Never did find a larger school of jumbos, but still managed to catch quite a few from 10-12". We found them anywhere from 6-10' fishing with jigging spoons such as the Clam Bomb Spoon and Blade Spoons with a whole minnow. The whole minnow was the key to catching the bigger perch. Green weeds was a key to finding the larger schools of fish.

That evening and Sunday focused on walleyes. Much of Walker Bay is full of fish houses so finding some new ice isn't easy, and getting off the roads is becoming more difficult as well. Finally was able to find a couple spots that didn't look like they had been fished recently. Punched a few holes and found active fish right away in 25-30' of water. Jigging spoons and having a flasher is the key right now. Not many walleyes of late have come on set lines for both myself and our fish house rentals. Being able to read the mood of the fish has been the key. Walleyes are also being caught early in the mornings and right at dusk on shoreline breaks as well. The window for this is short, so it is important to have your holes drilled in your money spots and are ready when they come. You may only get a few bites. Try setting up some tip ups as well when doing this, a great way to hole hope and fish a 2nd line.

Lake conditions are getting better and better by the week. Sounds as if more roads are getting plowed on the main lake, which bodes well for the fisherman who want to get out and chase perch and walleyes out there.

Tight Lines!

Jason Freed

Leisure Outdoor Adventures

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
Posted

thx for the report. been thinking about popping up there for an afternoon sometime.

Posted

there are some drifting spots for sure and that was the day before the winds yesterday, Jan 22. We fished two spots near Sand Pt in 11 feet. One we had a spear "hole" and sight fished. Perch and walleyes started about 430 and we left about 6 with 4 keepers, some nice jumbos, and threw 6 back. Jig and minnow hooked through tail. Only one fish hammered it the rest grapped part of the minnow and you had to wait for gulp #2 when the hook was in the mouth to set the hook.

Posted

awesome report Jason. Is their a nite bite if a guy spent the nite after the dusk window?

Posted

Is anyone else getting home and finding those black spots in the perch fillets? We have been in various spots throughout the lake and we can't get away from it. 14-26 ft of water. We have been looking hard on the outside of them for any "spots" on fins and tail,before we keep them, but still happen to bring a few home. Just wondering

Posted

None with black spots-have had a few with worms.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • carlsonmn
      That was a better study compared to last winter when they setup the vertical tube nets and tried to release exhausted fish from being studied and expected them to be able to swim straight down a 3' hoop net.     That lake's crappie population from this latest video was pretty deep at 40-50', and no doubt from those depths that is barotrauma for most.  That is deeper than most crappie holes but certainly how some are. However from helping give fish a good release from the 35' and less range and tracking them with live sonar most of them swim at a shallow angle back to the depths and I watch them rejoin the school and be active.  Uncut Angling's video helped counter some of the initial narrow findings.  
    • 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. 
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