Baxter & Long Lake & Francis

[Cret Jigs]

  Update on Baxter  went out yesterday and found a lot of people walking out....  This lake usually makes ice a little faster than most due to being shallow.  I figured I would find 4-5" by now!!

NOPE!  3-3.25"  -  was not happy when I drilled the holes as I pulled out my 2 seated clam.   Since I was not hearing any cracking and was out there, I dropped a line for a bit and pulled up 1 nice Pike and 4 sunnies and a couple of perch.  I was in 8.5 FOW  and caught all jigging a tungsten jig and Maki.   after 1 hour I had just a touch of water at my feet as I had heater going also?  I felt disturbed looking how thin ice was ... and said " I'm out of here!"   YIKES!   Hopefully we added ice last night!

LONG LAKE- any updates yet?  How thick is ice?

Francis Lake - any updates yet?  How thick is ice?  - saw people out there and drove to landing as a group  was coming off:  they said a few sunnies and 5-6" of solid ice.  (I did not confirm so be careful on that report)

Bob

[Cret Jigs]

Went out to 5 Lakes yesterday ice ect.... here you go ...

LONG LAKE-   4.5" - 5" of good ice   A lot of people fishing in the Hole.(long walk!)   

Francis Lake - 5-6" of solid ice.   talked to a few people and no fish biting.  (I am done with that lake till spring   )

Baxter - 3" - 3.25" of ice   Some Pike and Sunfish being caught. (not great numbers or size)

Spectacle -  maybe 3"  A group out fishing Pike ... was slow.  Stay off that lake!! 

GREEN - 4.5" of very solid ice.   No fishing report as I did not walk all the way to the point but went almost halfway there and every where I drilled was 4.5" of solid ice  

I realized I am out of shape after all the walking yesterday and slept 11 hours after I fell a sleep at 7:30 last night (Embarrassing)

 

Bob

[monstermoose78]

Great post @Cret Jigs and you beat me to it. I figure Baxter has more snow on it because the wind can not hit the lake which is causing the slower ice formation.  As you stated Spectacle is is dangerous lake even on a good ice year. Springs and deep water make it one of the last to freeze  

[Rube]

Went to Long Lake after some crappies- did well. For those walking out, it is a long walk from the west side or the north-end ramp. People are parking just west of the main fishing hole and cutting through by a cabin. Not knowing the land owner I did the long walk from the north. I like to have preapproval.

Kept 8 nice crappies, small white glow moonjig and minnow. Fish were actually biting before sunset. Don't know what this cold snap will do, I was there Friday. Last long walk for this old guy.

Good Luck Fishing

[Weathertite]

1 hour ago, Rube said:

People are parking just west of the main fishing hole and cutting through by a cabin. Not knowing the land owner I did the long walk from the north. I like to have preapproval.

I believe that Everyone should have permission. The problem is that 1 guy probably had permission and someone saw him do it and thought that everyone could do it and so on and so forth. You actually need written permission or it is still considered Trespassing.

[Cret Jigs]

Good thing we can take 4 wheelers now ....

 

[Weathertite]

35 minutes ago, Cret Jigs said:

Good thing we can take 4 wheelers now ....

 

Hopefully that is , What is the ice thickness there anyways ?

[Cret Jigs]

10 days ago was 5-6 "   so I believe there has to be a minimum of 7-8" by now   but I thought I read that there was wheelers out on Long ... I will confirm with friend that lives on Lake

shortly.

[Rube]

Should be fine by now, there was a good 6 inches on Friday night . Only a couple of 4 wheelers when I was there. They pack into the main fishing hole pretty tight. I was on the edge of the pack in about 10 ft of water.

[monstermoose78]

Great report @Rube!! If you can get photo or 2 would be sweet as well.  I know not all people post photos in fear of backlash but it is not allowed on this site and If I see it will gone in no time. It means a lot to me that you guys are posting often Thank you ever one!!! 

[Weathertite]

Were you able to make It out at all this weekend Moose ? if so how were the ice conditions shaping up and did you locate any fish ?

Mike

[monstermoose78]

49 minutes ago, Weathertite said:

Were you able to make It out at all this weekend Moose ? if so how were the ice conditions shaping up and did you locate any fish ?

Mike

No I was not able to make it out. I am thinking of trying one night this week maybe.

[Weathertite]

I hope that you are not able to keep them off your hook !!!!  If you make it out please let us know how you did.

Stay Safe and Fish Well Buddy!!

Mike

[crappie king 42]

I made it out sat morning in the big lake area. Had 8 inches of ice on the lake I was on managed to actually catch alot of fish to. Took my girlfriend and her 6 year old son out for about 3 hours caught around 50 gills. Kept about 15-20 for a 6 person meal they tasted great.

[monstermoose78]

Way to go @crappie king 42 great photos and ice up date.

[Rube]

Went to Long last night- lots of people on a beautiful evening. Took the 4-wheeler, but there were many full size trucks out there. I measured the ice and could only come up with 11 inches. The way they were stacked in the main fishiing area I am surprised there wasn't a major mishap. I set up a good distance away.

Fishing report: Ended up with 5 crappies- good for a meal. May go back in the mid week, might be less activity.

Good Luck

Remember -Safety First.

Tried to add some pictures , but they won't download. will have check out how to do it.

[monstermoose78]

Are you using a phone or a computer? 

Thanks for the report @Rube !! I agree I am finding the same amount of ice in most of the areas I have fished. I am shocked something has not happened yet. Nice work and congrats on the fish for a meal.

[Rube]

Using a computer, tried to download from my desktop.

Any suggestions on posting pics would be appreciated.

[monstermoose78]

When saving photo's I save mine as jpeg, then name the photo, and I save them to desktop.  To add the photo to a post click on choose files link it is in blue below where you type up the report. Click on desktop then I type in the name of photo and then click on open and it should add the photo.I just added a photo of Finn

[Rube]

Will give it a try. Looks like Finn is ready to go fishing.

Followed your method- everthing looked good- then a pop-up appeared and said there was a problem. I used to post pics in the past, I will have to try some more.

Thanks Moose

 

Well that didn't work !!!1

[monstermoose78]

@Rick help

[Rick]

Drag photo into post box or Click "choose files" link and select the photo you want to upload. Once uploaded click on it to add to you post. or if it's located online...Click insert other media>>>hen choose.

[monstermoose78]

Thank you Rick

[Weathertite]

That sure is a Fine looking Pup Moose !!!!  Have you been able to wet a line at all lately ?

Thanks Mike

[monstermoose78]

Not for a couple weeks busy trying to keep Finn out of trouble

 

[Rube]

Thanks for your help Rick and Moose. Tried Rick's suggestions. Still no success with a picture. Will see my son on weekend , maybe he can help me.

With this snow and blowing snow it may be a day or two before I venture out fishing.

Thanks Again- Rube

[Rube]

Ventured out yesterday to Long Lake ( Isanti ) after some crappies. Apparently so were several others, including a group with large wheel houses - at last count there were 9 of them in a bunch.with flags flying and lights flashing. The ice thickness were I was measured a good 13 ". I was surprised, because last weekend I measured about 10" in the same area. They were still on the top side of the ice when I left.

Anyway ended up with 2 crappies, gave them to the guys fishing next to me. Had plenty looking at the bait, but not too hungry. I caught the two using minow head and green glow demon.

I may get the wheel house out yet this year. This next week should not hurt the ice thickness !!

Good Luck and be Safe

 

 

 

[Rube]

Tried Blue Lake for sunnies midday Thursday- couldn't find any that wanted to play. Ended up going over to Long for crappies later in afternoon. Lake was not too busy, ended up with 4 crappies and a northern -for pickling.

Going to try the picture thing again- note this pic was from a week ago on Long

So far so good-seems like it is awful big, will see what it looks like after posting- will post current ones once I catch a fish or two.

Good Luck Fishing
 

[monstermoose78]

Nice picture

[Rube]

Pulled the wheel house to Long last night- had to try out the Navionics app and get in a little fishing. First off the charts were pretty close to what I had found with my Vex. from what I could check. Too cold for me to do much scouting. Fished till 9:00 and ended up with 5 crappies. Again once the perch quit biting  I had a lot of lookers but had a hard time convincing them ( crappies ) that I had a nice meal for them. Tried several jigs, minnows, larvae, plastics and gulp baits. Thought I had the right combination with a black ratso tipped with a waxie. Got 3 with that.and missed a couple. Then nothing. Thats fishing - right?