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Posted

I and my two boys were up at LOW last week staying with Lyons Sleepers and had some pretty good success. We caught more than 200 fish over the four day period with the largest walleye/sauger being 21 inches. The largest fish happened to be an eel pout. My oldest son set the hook on him at 8 PM on Wednesday night and fought it for over 15 minutes. When we got him up, we couldn't believe our eyes - it was the largest eel pout I ever saw, but I didn't realize how big. I put him on a digital scale and it read 21.3 pounds! I took him off and put him back in the lake. As he began to swim away, my son looks at me and says, "dad, that could have been a state record." I couldn't believe it as I didn't even think about it. Thankfully, we took photos and a video of the fish and the battle. I have since had my scale checked out and it weighs about 5 ounces too heavy. I have also signed myself up for counseling as every time I look at my son, I think of the pout. smile.gif No matter what, he had a great time fighting it and we enjoyed the entire trip even though dad let the "big" one get away!!

Posted

Great Story!<BR>Does anyone know what the state record is for an eelpout? They used to have the state record on display at Wigwam Resort, but then I heard someone broke the record.<P>jig-em

Posted

Stat record is 19 lbs. 3 oz. Caught on LOW.

Posted

I went and did a search on the MN DNR site and it says that the state record Burbot is 19-3, 36 1/4" Long, caught Feb 2001 on LOW. Looks like you may have had something there, I won't tell your son if you don't. either way that must have been one heck of a fight.<P>Scott

Posted

WxMan,<BR>better prepay some more of those counseling sessions, grin.gif<BR>looking at the 2003 fishing regulations,<BR>Burbot,19-3, LOW,<BR>this should be the new record listed, but not sure, it was broke a couple of years back and the photo was on the home page here at FM, Rick should still have it, maybe he will bring it out and post it for you.<BR>Any way you look at it nice fish, and as long as you have photo's the least you can do is get a replica made to make up for the release and missed meal. grin.gifgrin.gifgrin.gif <BR>tnt<BR>Yo Rick, would it be possible to post the burbot photo that you had on the home page earlier?<BR>I see the photo is still on the header of the ice fishing main forum page, just a small photo with several others.<p>[This message has been edited by TNT4ME (edited 01-06-2004).]

Posted

I hooked a real oinker up there on Sat. Managed to tangle all the lines in our ice house and the house next to us. Never did land the thing(the guy next to us was yanking on his line yelling I got a big one) but I did get a good look at it, the head was bigger than a softball. What a blast grin.gif<p>[This message has been edited by upnorth (edited 01-06-2004).]

Posted

Wxman Im sorry you didnt get to regerster it but you did a good thing by letting it go. some day down the road, some young son or daughter might get the same thrill you and your son had that cold dark night on LOW!!

Posted

WxMan -<P>Don't feel too bad. I let a 35 incher go up in the Angle about 5 years ago. It scrubbed the sides of an 8 inch hole coming up. <P>I had no scale with me, only a 30 inch sticker ruler that was on a shelf in the fish house we were renting.<P>I am guessing it was probably in the 16 - 18 pound range. Doh!<P>It was too big to clean, and I refuse to leave them on the ice. <P>When I told the guide what I had done, I thought he was gonna hit me, LOL. He wanted it for his wall.

Posted

I caught a 36 incher two years ago, I didn't even think to weigh the stupid thing. I just cleaned it up and ate it.

Posted

There's no doubt that the pout was ugly. Honestly all could think of was to weigh him and get him back down the hole. I couldn't believe how big and round his belly was! After my son reads all of your posts, I think he'll be holding this over my head for quite a while! smile.gif

Posted

You did catch a state record, of memories, maybe the best kind.

Posted

That state record was caught out of a shack run by Ken-Mar-Ke resort some where off Morris Point. What a fish, had to have been an ugly SOB!!

Posted

I am the son of WxMan and yes it was a big eelpout. i had a blast catching that ugly thing. And you guys don't have to worry i won't forget that fish and i'll keep reminding my dad that he let a state record fish go back down the hole. IT WAS A BLAST!!!!<P>------------------<BR>watch out here i come ole mighty eye!!

Posted

We would love to see a picture of this fish if you can post it.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Wanderer
      Naw, I just pushed up my glasses.         
    • leech~~
    • smurfy
      🤣 did your nose just grow a bit!😏🤭
    • Wanderer
      I hope to be fishing….  It’s so rare that I get to go, I hate passing up the opportunity. 😉   
    • leech~~
      Since the Vikings are never in it. We use it for an excuse to make some fun stuff!  Last year was a bit light. Hot cheese bean dip, hot wings and pepperoni cheese bread! 😋
    • Hookmaster
      That snow and the 15-25 mph winds on Thursday with higher gusts will be nasty drifting. I didn't go to LOW (can I say that in the this thread?🤫) this week because of it.
    • smurfy
      Who's watching the big game Sunday? More importantly what's ya'all cooking!   I like good football si I'm tuning in. Food... yea no clue yet 
    • Wanderer
      Hard to see em well enough to tell.
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  Ice fishing is strong across the south shore of Lake of the Woods out on Big Traverse Bay.  Most anglers are targeting deep mud with others fishing structure if available where they are going out of.  There are fish in both areas.     Some ice roads are now extending more than 16 miles out, with over two feet of ice reported in most areas. Resorts and outfitters continue increasing weight limits. As a rule, fishing continues to be very good with consistent action for anglers.  Most fishing activity is taking place in 26-32 feet of water.  Anglers are finding a healthy mix of walleyes and saugers, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy fresh fish frys and bring fish home.   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.   On the deadstick, a plain hook or a small jig with a live minnow 6 inches to a foot off of the bottom.    You never know when the fish will move through.  Anglers fishing the entire day normally have success.  Electronics are a big help as well. On the Rainy River...  The morning and evening hours are the best for fishing walleyes. A jig and minnow combination has been a good presentation.  A jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head is also producing some fish. Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is still producing some big fish through the ice.  There are two sturgeon seasons on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, a catch and release season and a harvest season in which you can keep one fish per calendar year.    The harvest season runs from April 24th – May 7th and July 1 – Sept. 30. The catch and release season runs May 8th – May 15th and Oct. 1 – April 23rd.    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 remains good at the Northwest Angle.  Resorts continue to move their fish houses staying on fish.  Some fish houses are set up on structure while others are targeting deeper mud flats.    Anglers are catching a nice mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike, and tullibees.  Good numbers of big crappies are still being caught in select areas and hard sided fish houses are available to target them.  Check with a NW Angle resort for info.   Jigging one line, deadsticking the second is effective.  Some days the jigging line is hot, other days the deadstick.  Some good colors have been gold, glow red, glow white, wonder bread, pink, chartreuse and orange. 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.  
    • JerkinLips
      Same story, different day (Monday).  Caught several small walleyes (biggest were 14 and 15 inches) with the best bite from 2-5pm.  Caught my record walleye this winter at 6½ (inches, not pounds).  Was wondering why the bobber kept going down a couple inches for several minutes until I finally reeled it up.  Fortunately it was just hooked in the lips.  Having a lively minnow definitely improved the action.  I put down a pike sucker for the first time this winter and got an immediate hard bite.  When I went to set the hook, the line broke just above the hook.  Don't know if it was a northern bite-off or just weak line by the hook.  May try some pike suckers next trip.   Ice conditions were very good except for heavy drifting (even with very little fresh snow).  Didn't see any vehicles traveling off road except for snowmobiles and a tracked SxS, although there weren't many people out on the lake.  Water came up around my house about 1½ inches but froze very quickly with the cold weather and no snow on top.  Will probably have to block it up again next time up.   Good luck fishing and be careful of severe drifting of snow, especially with the 3-5 inches they are predicting for Wednesday night.  
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