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Zup's In Cook
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PSU, in Vermilion-Pelican Lake-Chisholm-Cook-Ely-Eveleth-Hibbing-Orr-Virginia Fishing Reports - Hunting
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By Wanderer · Posted
It can be a surprisingly touchy situation. Plow or no plow. I’ve been on both sides and have heard many stories like @HunterFisher11 stated. Like Jerkinlips, I used to only travel by snowmobile and drag a portable around; back when fishing trips were always with “the guys”. The plow berms were hazards; you can’t see a lot of them until you’re on em. And I never understood why guys up north plowed 1/4 acre lots around their houses when they set them down. I did always appreciate the guys who marked their berms with pine boughs so they could be seen but it also looked like they were staking claim to a pretty large space on the ice. Fast forward to buying a wheel house so my wife would go ice fishing and we could maybe have some family with the grandkids out. Plowing almost becomes necessary. And it isn’t easy or cheap. Plus I figured out the extra plowing around the house is to fight slush from forming. There becomes a game you have to play to keep everyone who drives off that access from coming to your fish house door. And they will. And even if you plow past your house, you just put in a new road and suddenly have traffic and create problems if it just dead ends. It’s best to make a loop so people can turn around to get out. Suddenly you feel responsible like a resort operator for all the people who just wanna fish “somewhere”. I try plow the minimum needed and don’t drop my blade until I get a ways off the access hoping the two rut road will deter most from following. When I do put the blade down I don’t scrape the ice either and keep a single-wide width. That helps lessen the berm. Usually that’s enough to stay semi private. Don’t forget the loop though. Don’t plow right to your final spot. Drill out the area enough to fine tune the location of the house, Then plow your house spot out. Put it down. Then consider if you need to block the spur you’re fishing on. Either with the truck or a snow pile. It’s more work than dragging a portable out by snowmobile, that I’m sure of. Is there a wrong or right way to plow? I think it’s only there are safe and unsafe ways to plow. And there’s just differences in how people use the lakes these days. Help a brother out on the ice. Sooner or later you’ll need it if you spend enough time ice fishing. -
By Dan85 · Posted
Were you somewhere relatively local? Been thinking about going out, but didn't know what to think of area ice yet. -
By HunterFisher11 · Posted
So as of Friday afternoon, talked to my brother-in-law and he said that there was 7-8 inches of really good ice with hardly any snow, would think it has gotten a bit thicker now with how cold it has been.. -
By phishslayer · Posted
I live down in Mankato and was planning to go check out some lakes in the next few days. I'll let everyone know what I find out -
By GeluNumber1 · Posted
Was out Friday. Didn't find any thin spots but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be cautious yourself if you decide to go out. Got about 5-6 inches where I was. -
By gunner55 · Posted
That house has sat in that same exact spot for 85-95% of the season for at least the last 2-3, maybe even 4 years. Not worth it 😒 so far this season, I'm guessing. -
By Bucketcastle · Posted
Just couldn't get anything to bite with multiple baits; shiners, rainbows, minnow heads, plastics. Luckily I was comfy in the insulated pop up. Any advice on a coldfront bite? Was in a shallow bay then moved into 20'. Just one tiny bluegill on my panfish rod. Did not get skunked, I make it my mission to at least get one of anything. -
By JerkinLips · Posted
It may be unkind but I don't know how putting the snow back that you removed would be unlawful. Don't shoot the messenger; I am just passing along what I have heard. I travel by snowmobile so I couldn't care less about plowed roads. To me they are just a hazard for sledding. That being said, the people that used the plowed road today were very considerate. They pulled well off of the road and kept a fair distance from others. I took a sled ride from McKinley Park to Fortune Bay and encountered at least 6 patches of slush. I saw a couple of spots were 4 wheelers drove through slush; looks like they had a hard time. I saw several 4 wheelers getting stuck in the deep snow today. They would back up and take another run to keep going. Traveling is very difficult for most wheelers. I did see one Jeep on the lake just outside of McKinley Park bay. Good luck fishing and traveling on Lake Vermilion. -
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By knoppers · Posted
was planning on heading up to the cabin this weekend to do some snowmobiling, but since I had to ride across my lake I decided to wait. they had some good ice early, but then the warm weather, then 18 inches of snow, I would guess the lake is a mess. last report I had from a week ago, was no snowmobile or wheelers have been out on the ice.
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