balards report 3/11, 3/12

[PLfisherman]

Fished out of ballards thursday and friday and the fishing was pretty slow. Three of us kept 12 on thurs, and 7 on fri. We threw back about ten smaller fish that other groups were keeping. i caught two 18 inch saugers and those were the biggest fish kept in fouur days the bombadier drivers said. We were in 28 feet of water. We picked the two worst days of the year to go. thursday it was cold and very windy. friday was ok but the fish didn't bite. I caught most of the fish because i had the locator. the fish were about six inches or less off of the bottom. you could jig some up, they were the 11 inchers. the biger 15-16 inch fish were holding really tight. it was still fun though.

[MG - Fishin']

We were also at Ballard's arriving Thursday evening and fishing Friday and Saturday. Friday was slow for us. Me and the old man kept 11 Friday and one jumbo. Saturday was much better during the morning snow. We kept 10 between 8:30 and noon. Then it slowed during the afternoon/early evening. We ended up with 13 "keepers in our book" that day along with another jumbo even bigger yet. You're right about people keeping the dinks though. A lot of people stretch that tail out and if it goes across the bucket it goes in the bucket. Our largest fish was a 16.5" sauger for both days. Well we managed to keep 4 short of our limit for 2 days. Dad did pull in a little snake and a big pout that he was hoping was that 30"er he was looking for. It was a good trip fishing wise and a great weekend for all of the accomodations.

[Roosterslayer05]

Trust me you dident pick the worst 2 days of the year too go, we did. Me and 3 other guys went out of Ballards saturday and sunday. Saturday was slow, we caught a lot of little fish so if they went across the bucket we kept them, ended up keeping 12 walleye/saugers 2 perch and a tulibee. The fish were small, the 2 biggest that day was a 20 inch walleye and a 15 inch sauger, all the rest were between 12-14 inches. The 2 perch were nice though. I thought we did bad but the bombadeer guy said we did the best, numbers and size wise than anybody else that day. We were the late trip so we missed that good morning bite on saturday. I thought the fishing couldent get worse than it did, sunday we kept 8 walleye/saugers and 3 perch. The biggest fish was a 17 inch sauger than all the rest were between 12-14 inches. I caught 6 fish all day and we had more fish than most people that day. The fishing was real bad. Tried everything and nothing would work, ended up doing the best both days with a size 3 hammered silver swedish pimple with a minnow head and a bobber rig with a orange hook. Everyone says gold works great up there but both times I have went it hasent worked, I have got about 5 fish total on gold spoons/jigs up there.

[PLfisherman]

Yea my dad and uncle tried everthing and nothing seemedd to make much difference. I caught the bigger fish and i had on a pink head with a glow white boddie that i was using at red lake on the way up (which didn't catch any crappies, but the walleyes and the twelve pound northern i caught seemed to like)I also tried a purple hook and caught three fish right away and then nothing after that. I don't like how you get picked up at 4 or 5 oclock at Ballards. the best fishing is right before dark. they should pick you up at six thirty in nthe spring since it is still light

[Roosterslayer05]

I know you get out there after the morning bite and picked up before the evning bite, it doesent make sense. On saturday we caught like 3 fish the last 5 minutes then we had too leave. They should leave you out there later in like march cause it doesent get dark till 6.