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Posted (edited)

It's setting up for a spectacular fishing opener for those who can get to the honey spots, assuming that the ice is still peeling off of the lake!

Edited by SkunkedAgain
Posted
2 hours ago, SkunkedAgain said:

It's setting up for a spectacular fishing opener for those who can get to the honey spots, assuming that the ice is still peeling off of the lake!

Yup. I hate ice fishing and think the odds of ice out before opener is very slim. I'm already taking days around the following weekend and Memorial Weekend off expecting that will be my opener. Depressing 

Posted

jparrucci,

The second weekend is usually better fishing and better weather and less people then the opener anyway but still a bummer to miss the OPENER!

Cliff

Posted

At least the odds are looking better for shallow water lake trout in Quetico first week in June.  :D

  • Yayyyy 1
Posted

Any water coming over the dam, by the hatchery? Thanks 

Posted

No water that is visible! Must be some running under the ice on the dam though because there is a little area of open water in front of the bridge and by the Hatchery.

Cliff

Posted

We're going canoeing in Quetico first week in June.  Will the Ice be out?   World record for Vermilion is 5/23....   For that matter how about the opener?    Global warming my patoot. 

  • Yayyyy 1
Posted

DEl,

I think it is a new Ice Age! Should be seeing glaciers any day now!

Cliff

Posted

-2 degrees here this morning! Certainly not loosing any ice yet! I would bet that we will have ice on much of the lake for the walleye opener at this rate!

Cliff

Posted

Cliff/others-

I’m thinking about dodging the storm down here in the cities and heading to the cabin. Wondering about current travel conditions on the lake.  Any report you can provide would be appreciated! 

 

Posted

Brian,

Lots of ice yet!

6" to 8" of hard snow on top of that. I was out on the lake yesterday with my truck and came close to getting stuck in the hard pack a couple of times! Snowmobile or 4 wheelers would have no problems.

Cliff

Posted

Thx Cliff. Good intel for us downstate folks. 

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

The ice on the Pike River between the dam and the lake is opening up fast! Should be wide open in a couple of days at the present rate of melt!

The DNR will be trapping walleyes soon!!! :D The walleyes are already starting to move in!

Pike Bay ice is  also starting to deteriorate quickly!

Finally starting to look like we may get some open water for the fishing opener!

Cliff 

Edited by Cliff Wagenbach
  • Thumbs Up 2
Posted
18 minutes ago, Cliff Wagenbach said:

The ice on the Pike River between the dam and the lake is opening up fast! Should be wide open in a couple of days at the present rate of melt!

The DNR will be trapping walleyes soon!!! :D The walleyes are already starting to move in!

Pike Bay ice is  also starting to deteriorate quickly!

Finally starting to look like we may get some open water for the fishing opener!

Cliff 

I always wondered,  are the walleyes coming over the dam?   or are they swimming in from Pike?

Posted

They are all coming in from the main lake.

Cliff

  • Thumbs Up 1
Posted (edited)

Here are a few photos taken off of my dock which is straight across the Pike River from the Hatchery.

Only a day or two more before it opens up here on the river!

The second picture is looking toward the dam.

4/24/2018.....There is now a 50' plus channel open from the dam to out past the Hatchery!

20180424_075953_Burst01.jpg

20180424_080026.jpg

20180424_080004_Burst01.jpg

20180424_080040_Burst01.jpg

20180424_080051_Burst01.jpg

Edited by Cliff Wagenbach
  • Thumbs Up 2
Posted

Thanks Cliff!!!

 

Posted

Thanks Cliff for your Pike River deteriorating ice reports and pics . I. Really want to show my wife the hatchery when the action is really happening this year , I would assume you will be right on that when this happens , is there any way that you can give a shout out on here as to just when this scenario is happening up there . With the warmer temps being quite steady now , I would think the run will be rather strong this year when things get going ..  

Posted

I will certainly keep you informed about the progress of the hatchery.

I expect to see the nets and traps go in within the next two to three days.

The run should be very strong as the fish are already moving into Pike Bay strongly.

Cliff

  • Thumbs Up 2
Posted

Have a couple spots that are 10' open, I live on north side of Pike Bay, large rocks along shoreline helps heat water. Hard to see the ice condition on the Bay as there is a lot of slush on top, once that melts and the warm sun hits the ice it will go quick. Our new Chesapeake pup discovered she lives on a lake yesterday.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Posted

We drive by the stripping station on Cutfoot weekly & try to keep people up on that too. I think it may be a bit later here, will check it out tomorrow

  • Thanks 1
Posted

The Pike River is almost wide open today!

It will not be long now before they start the walleye netting!

Cliff

Posted

I saw Timbuktu posted open water in the narrows, someone put in a flat bottom to boast first boat in the narrows this yr!  Stay safe! pray for ice out!

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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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