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Posted

ice conditions on maple lake 7 inches of good ice out there. as for fishing report. NE bay is produciing small northerns caught 3 and missed two on monday dec. 1 it was a constant bite a northern every hour caught. biting every 30 min. all around 15-19 inch mark. Nothing big.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Any updates since the warm weekend and refreeze? How is the ice looking now?

Posted

Crunchy on top with a little snow. Are you heading out this weekend?

Posted

Was thinking about Saturday trying spearing

Posted

The ice should be fine. It was about 8" on a local lake last weekend and everything has re-frozen well. Good luck!

Posted

I'll be back in the area for the next few weeks. Has anyone been brave enough to drive out yet? Anyone finding over 12" of ice on any lakes?

Posted

I have seen some guys drive out to park on the ice near shore on Buffalo access.

Posted

Here is my thing about driving...be the fool to do it and go in I won't feel sorry for you, LOL. and stay away from me haha. but no the ice is good. was out last sunday....had 5-6 inches of ice. now with refreeze solid to walk on and there is actual traction to grip your boots to! instead of an ice rink (shakes head as I try to hand drill a hole last sunday...without spikes) lol. happy fishing! and good luck

Posted

Has it been really warm down there besides the rain/thaw couple of days? I was there a couple of weeks ago, and I thought there was 5-8" then. Not across the whole lake of course, but I figured there has to be 12"-15" by now.

Posted

50 and rain doesn't help the ice at all

Posted

yeah its that little around the area...was only 5-6 last sunday...there should be roughly 7-8 now but just advice been crazy weather and the ice is getting stressed....so if you must drive a wheeler be careful out there....and flags up! smile

Posted

Rain last weekend refroze but the refreeze is not as strong as first ice, true 1st ice-should be good to walk and excercise is good for you! Be glad you don't have to walk thew a foot of snow like last year.

Posted

I went out to buffalo saturday and found close to 12" in the spot we were in. I walked out from the parking lot to the group near the middle of the lake. A few bites, a few graphed fish, but nothing big. I hope to get out on clearwater this weekend. I don't plan on driving out for quite a while yet. With the numerous freeze/thaw's, I just don't trust the ice as much.

Posted

Fished Maple Lake yesterday and got into the crappies again. there was a three hour window where they were just stacked in the area I was fishing. Had a fun time and I can't wait to do a new years eve crappie and bluegill fry for my kids and my mother. think I might make this a new family yearly tradition from now on. Almost forgot where I was fishing the ice was 10 1/2" inches thick. there was a thin ice sign at the access but everywhere I drilled it was like 9 to 10 1/2 inches thick. lots of four wheelers and sled out there.

Posted

On maple do you wait around till the big ones move in or move until you find the right school? First time out a couple wks ago all I found was small fish out of the 37 landing

Posted

there is one area out there they tend to move into at around the same time each day. as for size most of what I caught was 9 to 10 inchers but that was what I was looking for size I wanted some to eat. earlier in the day I dropped the camera down to see the lay of the bottom and seen nothing but a lot of small perch hanging on the bottom. I did have a nice northern swim past the camera too.

Posted

Cool I will sit out there for a while someday seeing as I dont work until the snow starts to melt.

Posted

Found the crappies in the north east side deep holes today. Looked like 12 inches of ice and will probably make an inch tonight at this temp. I had the camera down and only saw crappies. Is there any good sunfish? Could you point me in the right direction?

Posted

Crappies still hitting on maple?

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Getting seems to have slowed a lil' since everyone's driving out now

Posted

Tried for crappies early this morning around the town on maple. Only baitfish and small crappies showed up I left around 730

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • monstermoose78
      Ok the ice was 15-16 inches and less than 2 inches of snow. It’s was -15 this morning and the weekend looks to be cold again. The fish were there but not biting with change in weather. 
    • Dash 1
      I guess the vikings are a lot like fishing.  Very entertaining but frustrating at times. I've probably been cheering the vikings for 50 plus years  that i can remember and once again it's all about (there's always next year).  
    • Dash 1
      I remember Jeno's boxed pizza years ago.  Mom made it every Saturday night while dad and I watched All Star Wrestling.  
    • smurfy
      Chef boyardee box pizza. Good stuff 
    • smurfy
    • leech~~
      Smurf, still trying to get his lure jigging down when using the camera!  🤭   https://www.facebook.com/reel/517510734635573
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore... Ice fishing is going great on the south shore of Lake of the Woods, with resorts and outfitters reporting thickening ice conditions with two feet of ice in some areas.  Many ice roads are now open to 1 ton vehicles pulling a wheelhouse.  Every road has different weight limits, check with each resort for details before traveling up and out on the ice.      Some good fishing this past week.  As a rule, fishing activity is happening in 28 - 32 feet of water.  Resorts do just about everything they can to get customers on fish and this past week, some resorts made some long runs, resetting fish houses in new areas miles off shore.  Most are reporting good fishing as a rule.     It is common to sort through some small walleyes and saugers to get your keepers on LOW.  Naturally, some big fish are showing up, especially in deeper water.  In addition, this has been a very good year for jumbo perch with good numbers being caught.  Other fish in the mix are eelpout (burbot), pike, tullibees and an occasional sturgeon.      Anglers are using the one-two punch of jigging in one hole and deadsticking the second hole. In the jigging hole, a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head or tail in gold / pink, gold / glow red, glow white / pink, or Wonder Bread have worked well.     Especially in the deeper water, some anglers are finding success on rippin raps or using jigging spoons with a rattle as well.     On the deadstick, a small jig with a live minnow hooked behind the dorsal fin set 6 inches - a foot off of the bottom is working well.  One day the jigging line catches most of the fish, the other day a deadstick is hot.     Electronics are very helpful to see suspended fish, know when fish are coming through and adjust your presentation to the mood of each fish.  Most resorts, outfitters and bait shops in the area rent electronics by the day.   On the Rainy River... The Rainy River is still producing some nice walleyes and saugers, primarily in the mornings and evenings.  A jig and minnow working well.   Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing continues to be good for those targeting them.  An oversized hole, or three holes drilled together, with nightcrawlers or frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig fished on the bottom are what anglers are using.     Ice conditions on the river can vary significantly due to the current. To stay safe and maximize success, always work with a local resort or outfitter familiar with river conditions.    Up at the NW Angle... Ice fishing continues to be very good up at the Northwest Angle. Resorts have fish houses set up on various pieces of structure as well as adjacent to structure in deep mud.  A consistent mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike and tullibees in the mix.     Shallow structure is best right away in the morning and as the sun starts going down in the late afternoon.  Mud is more of a slower bite but all day.   The ice road from Jerry's on the mainland (Angle Inlet, MN) to island resorts (as of this past week) was open to 1 ton vehicles.  Guests drive right to their island resort after picking up a road pass at Jerry's or Point North Services.  Venmo is also available at all resorts.  Work through your resort for specifics.   Ice fishing is in full swing across Lake of the Woods and there are openings for lodging, fish house rentals, sleeper fish house rentals and meal plans across the area.  Ice fishing is extended on LOW with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye / sauger season open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes.  
    • Brianf.
      From your fingertips to God's ears...  Finally got some snow!   Several inches of new snow fell before and during the weekend.  Sunday eve when we left, the high winds had already begun to create some drifting on the lake.  It was fun riding for sure.  Lots of folks on the lake this past weekend too.  We fueled up the sleds at Shamrock and saw as many people fishing in that area as I've ever seen in the Winter on Lake Vermilion.     Our weekend results were decent.  Jeff and I and a buddy caught probably 50 walleyes between the three of us, mostly fishing a jig/plastics with our three biggest being 24", 25", and 25.5".  We also got one large pike of unknown length.  During the midday on Sunday, we targeted whitefish and Jeff managed one big one.  We released all of our fish, except for three small walleyes that our buddy wanted to bring home for a meal.  Definitely a fun weekend on Lake V!   
    • leech~~
      The Vikings are the Vikings so it's nothing new.  It is kind of sad that Darnold's off season stock is now going to drop like a rock after these last two games. It kind of shows he's not a big game guy.  🤔
    • smurfy
      I'm blaming leech... his food selection has been lacking game days recently  🤣
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