9 days and countin

[usa1vet]

Hi everyone, I have learned alot about LOW from all I have read here. I am making my first trip up there on the 19th for the weekend. A large group of Veterans from my American Legion are going up together out of Ballards. I do alot of Fishing around the north Metro and also the brainerd area but never to LOW. I take it from the posts I have read that the key is to always be changing what you put infront of them...I also read alot about BIG Pike this time of year up there. I commonly take two to three trips to Brainerd on a special lake this time of year for Slab Crappies in 8-12 FOW and in between the Crappies we have to shoo off the big pike that come into either bite off our swedish pimples and euros or steal our crappies from us as we pull em up the hole. We callem "slashers" quite often you get a crappie with teeth marks all down half of it..... Since the season is closed we end up doing our best NOT to catch em and keep em away from me. However I have always wanted to go to a place that I could activly persue these Big sleds this time of year. I put together a stout jigging rod and reel combo and tested using a big dead sucker on a 1 oz short shank jig and made a short stinger.... 7 strand leader that runs off the hook shank with a trebbel...kind of like an enlarged walley jig with a mono stinger. It worked great on Millacs early ice for pike. Is what I experience in the Brainerd area simular to what happens up there this time of year? I know we will be transported out to houses and what would be the chances I will get an oppertunity to chase some of these big boys???....I hope they let me in the Transport...I am draggin everything but the ATV, Auger and my Portable up ther with me...I have a VEX, My Rod bag with 4 walleye rods, and a Ice fishing Box that my wife swears has one of every ice jig,Rig,spoon,fly,bober, ever made as well as 2 Way radios, a camera of course, flash light...extra leader making stuff for pike jigs... Thanks for info on Pike fishing up there you can share. <P>------------------<BR>Freedom comes with a price,<BR>Remeber our Veterans

[bapperpimp]

Speaking from my experience at other resorts, if the resort is taking you out and putting you in their fish houses, you will not be bringing your portable with you because there won't be room in the track van or bomber. They may however let you follow them out to the house using your atv to drag your gear. I would definitely call them and ask them what your options are. You may not end up bringing your own house, but you may want to ask.

[usa1vet]

Thanks papperpimp...Actualy I am leaving the portable, and ATV at home since I only own a hand auger...Being on the move without a power auger I believe, is not a working plan for up there.<P>So unless the resort tells me to bring the ATV and Portable for some in Closer Shallow water pike chasing one of our two days and someone up there is willing to go out Pike chasing with me that has a power auger....those big items are staying home...<P>Thanks<P>------------------<BR>Freedom comes with a price,<BR>Remeber our Veterans

[Guest]

Hey Vet,<P> I'd bring the hand auger if you can break it down so it's more compact. With a Vex and a hand auger and some decent weather, you can move around a little bit around the area the resort drops you off at.The ice isn't as thick as it usually is this time of year because of all the snow. You'd be amazed at the difference of moving 50 or 100 feet away will do some times.<P> The perch are humungus and hungery this year! We have caught several in the 12 and 13 inch range. Just remember if your using minnow heads on a jig to sqeeze the airsack out of the body and throw it down the hole. I think the perch pick them off the bottom and will stick aroung a little longer. It's funny to se a sumo 13 inch perch come up your hole with his mouth packed full of minnow pieces and mud on his belly. <P> Don't forget to keep changing your jigs up too. Don't get stuck on the gold thing. Everybody thinks gold when they go to Lake of the Woods , but Iv'e had just as good luck with other colors too.<P> Good luck to ya