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Posted

I remember lipping them all the time on Mille lacs when I was younger. Can't remember if I did it with a glove on or not though. I don't think it's much different than a bass just that sandpapery feeling

Posted

Cheesehead, I don't touch the narrows until Jan.  Then, I inspect it without equipment and stay on the tracks and on the trail across the point by Timbuktu.  I believe it was the last weekend of Feb last year when someone went through there.  There was no snow on the lake yet still thin ice there.  That guy is lucky to be be alive.  I know the dude that saved him. He told me the whole story and my heart rate was up to 150bpm listening to what he did.  

Posted

How much snow is on the lake...Can I get around with atv......

Thanks

Posted
9 hours ago, sheephead2 said:

How much snow is on the lake...Can I get around with atv......

Thanks

You'll have no issues getting around with an ATV unless we really get dumped on tomorrow night. Based on my snowmobile ride tonight on the lake I'd guess close to a third is bare spots showing and scattered pin drifts all over maybe to a foot high at best but easily avoidable. 

 

Also FYI: the local snowmobile club on the East end has put up the "road map" signs on the lake and it sounds like by weeks end the lake trails should be getting staked. Just be extra cautious with new pressure ridges in varying areas toss year and with the extreme temp swing coming up we will probably see more heaving occurring. 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Posted

Thanks Ohio! I will remember that, I might try next week and cross north of Timbuktu but south of the islands

Posted

Local snowmobile club had now pushed back staking the lake until next week after they have found too much ice variability yet and they prefer to give the lake another week to better solidify.

Posted

Coming up with some buddies to fish next week.  Will be out with the Ranger and new skid house on the west end.  What kind of depth and bottom characteristics should we be looking for.  Thanks for any help you can provide.  If you see a white Ranger with tracks and a dark blue skid house stop by and say hi.

Posted

Raven77,

We have been getting walleyes anywhere from 14' to 32' depths on the East end.

Look for drop off areas close to rocks or else out in the mud in deeper water.

Cliff

 

Posted

Anybody fishing near Daisy Island?  We have a cabin on the island and want to try ice fishing this year.  Do we need to worry about thin ice going out from Grubens?

 

Posted

Ice should be good in that area.

I have seen fishermen out by Daisy and Banana Islands the past couple of weeks. Must be getting fish there!

Cliff

Posted

 Really enjoy reading your posts. Thanks.

  • Thanks 1
Posted

Wow, nice fish Jerkin!!!

  • Thanks 1
Posted

Great fish! Good fishing report too!

Cliff

  • Thanks 1
Posted

@JerkinLips

Thats pretty cool to have a break from work like that and fishable ice.  You have made the most of it.  What’s after the work stint?  Walleyes or lakers?

  • Thumbs Up 1
Posted
On 12/24/2017 at 9:12 AM, Wanderer said:

@JerkinLips

Thats pretty cool to have a break from work like that and fishable ice.  You have made the most of it.  What’s after the work stint?  Walleyes or lakers?

Wanderer - after next week's trip I plan on watching the Viking's playoff run (hopefully to the Super Bowl).  Will also take in the trout pond opener in the cities.  I don't fish lakers until March when walleye season is over.  I'm sure I will get in a few more weekends of walleye fishing.  It has been a great season with the good early ice, and a lot of vacation to use before the end of the year.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Posted

I drove my F-250 out to my fish house today. No problems encountered!

Still a good walleye bite despite the cold front.

Managed to ice 8 walleyes and 3 jumbo perch, kept 4 nice eyes and the perch. Missed at least 8 other bites that I had hooked and lost.

Almost all bites were on the rattle reel using rainbows or pike suckers.

Cliff

  • Thumbs Up 3
Posted

Hoping to head out of Stuntz bay and fish near the sisters on Sunday.   Driving an F150 loaded with beef jerky and twizzlers.   Ha!

  • Yayyyy 1
Posted

Still a good bite out there again this afternoon!

Got these fish plus released a 21" and a half dozen other smaller walleyes in about 3 hours.

All were caught on rattle reels with pike suckers and rainbow minnows.

 

20171227_145410_Burst01.jpg

20171227_154935_Burst01.jpg

  • Thumbs Up 3
Posted

Cliff did all this cold weather make a bunch of ice got abuddy that wants to put his 16 ft icecastle out from McKinley park but been little gun shy till now wasn't sure of the ice condition pulls it with f 250 thanks for any info you may have

Posted

Trumy,

I saw a full size truck with a plow pull a 16' ice castle out from McKinley to Birch Island today! He even drove over a pressure ridge! Crazy!! But he made it!

Cliff

Posted

Cliff, where is said pressure ridge? Heading out that way on Friday on snowmobile. Thanks!

Posted

BD,

The ridge runs from the West end of Ely Island West towards Cherry Island. Not bad for a snowmobile or 4 wheeler in most areas of it. Just need to watch out for a few areas that are 2 or 3 foot high.

Lots of Ridges on the lake already so keep an eye out for them.

Cliff

  • Thumbs Up 2
  • Thanks 1
Posted

Thanks cliff kinda thinking may have to check it out on wheelers and sleds first as we don' have a death wish don' t like playing around with pressure ridges bad thingshappen  to fast

  • Thumbs Up 2
Posted

How Thick Is the ice where there is truck traffic ? 

Posted

Do I need to worry about pressure ridges in Daisy Bay?  We’re new to ice fishing on Vermilion.  Planning to take a 4 wheeler from Grubens to Daisy Island Friday.

Posted

JV, rode all around Daisy two weeks ago and didn’t encounter any obstacles.  The ice was heaved up along the north shoreline a little, there was 11” of good ice at that point.  We have had our cabin since 2013 and don’t recall ever having any in Daisy bay, mostly out in Big bay.  We’ll be up for NYE this weekend as well, going to be some cold snowmobiling.

Posted

Looking at going out of moc pt heading towards the portage, heard of a few pressure ridges around St. Paul an St. Mary's island. Anyone come across these yet? 

Posted

FD,

14 inches of ice where I have been driving a couple of days ago.

Cliff

Posted

Hi Jerkin Lips,

Enjoyed meeting you today! Despite what you told us, I guess we don't have the magic touch yet.  One of our sons managed to catch a 16" walleye and an eelpout (exciting as we had never seen one before). The rest of us were shut out, but there's always tomorrow! 

Good luck the rest of the season.

Cindy

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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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