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The Skinny On Bulls.... My Theory


BIGFISH.JZ

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The article "The skinny on bulls" is spot on! I am going to briefly add a couple points that may help understand this bite. First, the north end/side is better than the rest of the lake, If all other conditions are equal. Second, muddy bottom is king, and I think I can explain why and exactly what to look for. Once the edges of the lake melt away the connecting ice and the snow has melted away the ice will typically rise/float up. The pencil reeds are mentioned as being prime structure but they actually provide very little cover under the ice. What they do provide is bugs that get dislodged when the reeds are pulled up with the floating sheet of ice and the rootball pulls out of the mud. Those bugs/invertabrates then rise to the bottom of the ice, providing an easy meal for panfish. When I am fishing this pattern I drill holes all over the emergent reed patch with my 10" blade. This will provide a nice "window" and will they rarely freeze up this time of year, in fact some will probably get larger as warm surface water goes through them. Then you won't need anything but a rod to fish the next day. I will generally hop from hole to hole dropping my presentation just a foot or maybe two under the ice, give it a few shakes while watching for incoming fish and after a minute or usually less, I move to the next hole and repeat. Man, have I caught some nice fish with this pattern!! I generally leave the vexilar, portable and auger at home once holes are drilled. Things that I do bring are a rod or two with 6-8 pound test, Waxworms or gulp, a bucket and a 14'-16' 2x12 plank to get out to the walkable ice. If you haven't read the article on the home page yet, you should, since this is just an added supplement to that well timed article. Stay safe and good luck. Keeping the 8"-9" gills and 10"-12" crappie to eat and the larger ones to spread the superior genetics will result in larger fish each year. See you out there!??1008733198_jpeg-imag_1544609109619_15449404432302.jpg.8a75758a48798334f7573b36e515ba6e.jpg

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
    • Wanderer
      Kinda depends on if you want magnification or quick target acquisition.   More magnification options and better accuracy with a scope.  You get what you pay for too so get comfortable with a budget for one.  Tasco and Bushnell work but I find they lose their zero easier, have low contrast and don’t gather light well in low light conditions.  That said, I’m still using one I haven’t replaced yet.  Vortex has been the hot brand for the past several years for bang for the buck.  Good products.  Nothing beats Swarovski though.  Huge dough for those.  Burris is another decent option.   There are some specific models for shotgun/slug hunting in the economy brands and bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticles.  Based on experience I’d recommend not falling for that marketing ploy.   Red dots are usually lower magnification and easier to get on target.  Reasonably accurate but don’t do well with definition, like searching the brush for your target.  I put a HAWKE red dot on a .22 for squirrels and it’s been good.  For turkey, that’s probably the route I’d go.     If your slug shots are normally not too far and too brushy, I’d think a red dot could work there too if you’re only buying 1 scope.  You’ll be better off dimming the reticle to the lowest setting you can easily use to not over shine the target and get a finer aim point.   If you don’t have a slug barrel, you might appreciate one of those.  I had a browning with a smoothbore slug barrel that shot Brenneke 2-3/4 inch well.  The 11-87 would well fitted with a cantelever rifled barrel. 
    • 11-87
      Looking for recommendations on scope or red dot    I basically hunt turkey and whitetail, live in southern MN. So it’s all deer/ shotgun    looking to add a scope/ red dot as my eyes don’t work like they used to to with the open sights.    my gun options are 11/87 12. Browning BPS 12    not looking for the most expensive or the cheapest    pros and cons of one over the other
    • SkunkedAgain
      That's good news. I haven't seen any ice in Black Bay yet, but it looks like the small bays should start to freeze up this weekend. Hopefully we make some ice next week.   Below is the forecast for Cook. We should have temps mostly below zero . The bottom section below shows that it should not be windy, and no snow is predicted. All good signs for making ice.  
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