Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Current Burntside Lake conditions are terrible!


Recommended Posts

I hope anyone planning to fish Burntside Lake tomorrow reads this before leaving, the lake conditions are terrible.

The packed snowmobile trails are turning into slush, and the plowed roads are loaded with up to a foot of water in some places.

My tracked Ranger got around rather easily, but slowed down when hitting some long stretches of slush which are very common.

This should change after the weekend when it warms a bit more.

As of now, snowmobiles and ATV's will have a lot of trouble moving, if they can at all.

As far as pickups, travel at your own risk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How much longer will the snow stick around? Is the shore ice holding up? I picked a bad year to push my march vacation back 1 week frown Was thinking of replacing my LOTW trip with a trip to burntside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would think the ice conditions on Burntside will be much better by late Sunday, or early next week, but stay off the plowed road areas.

There is a lot of water on them, and a hole has appeared in the one from Burntside Lodge to Blueberry island.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the updates! And thanks for last weekend, we stopped in your shop Saturday for a bit of advise and you didn't disappoint. It was great to chat out on the lake Saturday and Sunday and we got a 22 and a 25. I wish you would have tried one of our "everts" polish sausages on Saturday. They are a minneapolis hidden jem. Again thanks for the tips and we will see ya in your shop this summer.

Ryan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad you got a few trout, and thanks for stopping in!!

See you in the summer. smile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How much longer will the snow stick around? Is the shore ice holding up? I picked a bad year to push my march vacation back 1 week frown Was thinking of replacing my LOTW trip with a trip to burntside.

Lake conditions were much better this afternoon, and travel by ATV and truck should be very good by Monday.

Areas where the snowmobile trail ran, were harder to got through than parts of the lake that had little traffic.

I saw another hole in one of the plowed roads, so it is best to try to avoid them.

The water has drained in certain areas that had quite a bit yesterday.

The rest of the Trout season will be easy travel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How are conditions? Did all/most of the snow melt? Hoping to drive, but willing to walk smile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good conditions for ATV's, but do not try the landing at Burntside Lodge, someone broke through with their ATV this morning just a bit off shore.

Use the Van Vac Landing, just watch the ice on plowed roads, they had several air holes a few days ago.

They have been using pickups to drive around lately.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With the cold weather yesterday (8°F in the morning with a high of 25°F), all the wet stuff froze up firm on Burntside. No open water along any shorelines that I could see. I found enough hardpack snow patches to keep the slides on the snowmobile slick. Fishing was pretty good; caught the 26½" on Friday jigging a Ratl'n spoon tipped with a 1" Power Nymph 20' down in 47fow, and caught the 20" six feet off the bottom in 47fow on a 4½" sucker minnow. It was fun watching fish approach the minnow on the Vexilar, but could only get the one to bite.

full-28432-52931-forum26%C2%BDin.jpg

full-28432-52932-forum20in.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Still be possible to go out of the van vac landing on sat after the predicted snow this week be nice to get out after Lakers one more time. Be on an atv no truck for me this time of year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shouldn't be a problem if we don't get any surprises from Mother Nature. Lake travel is very good at this time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a poor 3 days up there frown Didn't catch a single fish! Didn't even mark very many! Fished anywhere from 28 to 92 ft...drop offs, points, main lake, channels, etc. We tried every jig/spoon in every color! Kids had a blast though, spending every day climbing rocks, sledding, and looking for bigfoot on waters island smile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Laker fishing is tough. Game wardens report 10% success this year and creel survey guys say 25-30 hours fishing per laker caught.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lake landing on Burntside at Burntside Lodge and Van Vac are getting iffy, so it's best to use an ATV.

Just talked to Denny at Smitty's on Snowbank, and he said the shoreline on their road is still solid and vehicles can still drive onto the lake.

Only four days left in the trout season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Checked the landing today as I was up in ely two people fishing that I could see from van vac landing truck out by Brownell island and one person who walked out from landing to the right going to give it a shot myself tomorrow an see if I can find some fish willing to cooperate with me beats work any day that's all that matters

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was up there last week I thought it was kind've odd that several people were fishing right in front of the van vac landing everyday. The creel guy told me that's a fairly popular community spot. What makes that such a special spot? I would think all the traffic coming and going from the access would spook the fish.

Speaking of the creel guy, we talked to him both saturday and sunday, and he told us he hadn't talked to anyone that had caught a fish eek Told us it had been pretty slow all winter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That became a "hot spot" several years ago when the ice was terrible and everyone set up the Van Vac Village, that had about 28 houses in that small area.

I wouldn't fish that area if my life depended on it, people setting up within 50 feet of others which is way too close for Trout fishing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • 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.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.