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Posted

I'd say a 4 wheeler would be ok. There isn't a whole lot of snow left out there.<P>A 4x4 truck would be a big risk in my opinion. There is current in the river this year, and I wouldn't chance it with a truck anymore.

Posted

Thanks widetrack, I make sure to bring the wheelers then.

Posted

I was just wondering if you can get on at Warroad with an atv or possibly a four wheel drive vehicle. Thanks for the response. <P>FishHawker82<P>

Posted

I just got off the phone with a guy at Riverside Bait & Tackle.. he said that two pickups went through the ice by the warroad public access... but that they were right next to the docks which was already too weak for a pickup. He said that if you'll be running a 4 wheeler or a sled you'd be fine for the weekend...<P>We're still headed up... will anyone else be joining us?<P>marine_man

Posted
47b4da23b3127ccebb9eedbb84550000001610 <BR>
Posted

Nice picture WT. What time did you take it?

Posted

It was taken this morning, but I didn't take it. Just relaying the message.<BR>

Posted

Widetrack,<P>Do you have any more information on the conditions at LOTW?<P>Thanks,<P>marine_man

Posted

I was out on my sled Wednesday evening. The ice conditions were perfect. There was just the right amount of slop for lubrication, and cooling, but no standing water or major slush holes. I was traveling 55+ pulling the otter.<P>Sleds or Atvs should be fine this weekend. There was still 3 feet of solid ice. Watch out for cracks that open up though. They can change in a hurry this time of year.

Posted

Thanks for the info... now if I could only get out of work earlier to start heading up... oh well... I'll be there soon enough I guess...<P>marine_man

Posted

I'm leaving as soon as I get off this computer!! Good luck fishing everyone and see ya out there!!

Posted

Wow, glad thats not my pickup sitting there. Is it really that hard to leave your vehicle on shore and load up the ATV or sled and be 'safe'? We're actually going 1 step further and just walking out this weekend. Of course the areas we're fishing are close to shore but it just doesn't make sense to put my equipment at risk like that.<P>Well, whatever the rest of you decide to do, use some common sense and err on the side of caution. Should be a beautiful weekend!

Posted

I hope everyone was ok! Good thing is was shallow. I will be up this weekend chasing big pike, hope to see you all out there! Good luck!

Posted

Hey all remaining ice fisherman out there,<P>Just got back from LOW last night, the Durango is not in the water any more at the access. <P>When we went out in the morning the ice was in pretty good shape. My dad and I set out on foot and didn't even make it 100 yards past the access when a group of fisherman on an ATV offered a ride to us. Now how do you like that, I love Lake of the Woods and the people you meet up there. Anyway, they were heading out to Swift Ditch and said we could go all the way if we wanted to. The ice was in real good shape all the way out except for a 1' crack about a mile east of Warroad. The way back in was a different story, we hit a number of real slushy areas, the crack stayed about the same, and the ice seamed to deteriorate a little more around the access. Doesn't seem like it'll be long now before you can't get on the ice anymore.<P>Swift Ditch access is also not an option to get onto the lake. Looked like plenty of water around there for the ducks & geese to play in. Every vehicle that came down and took a look ended up turning around.<P>So thats the end of it for me. Even though I hate to do it, icefishing is over for this year.

Posted

hanson: Guess it was bound to happen that eventually the hard water turns soft. I enjoyed your reports and insights this past year. Always interesting to read about other areas of the lake. <P>I agree with you on the great people up there. Our last trip 3 of the guys took the bomber to another house about 1/2 mile away. The fish did not cooperate so my son in laws brother decided to walk back to the house I had stayed in. It was great day and not bad walking, but snowmobiler picked him up and dropped him at my house. Thats what makes this such a great place to be. Hope your spring and summer are good. Later, bill

Posted

Yes LOW is great. Just got back myself and decide that I would check things out here. Marine_Man and my last trip was interesting to say the least. On the way up from ND turned and headed over to Drayton only to find that the bridge over the Red River was closed due to flooding. So we flagged down the local law enforcement officer I must say that was a first for me. We ask where we could get across and he said since we were heading to Warroad head up to Hallock so we did but it add a bit of time onto the trip no loss we made it. Well the Sat morning came and we decide to give the pike a shot. Headed out about 5 miles from Warroad the access was exactly what Hanson mention not bad but it got worse as the day when on. Anyhow we got all set up and were fishing when Marine_Man said to me oh S@#t I forgot to get a new license. So, I said reel your lines up and get to town to get a new on. So away he went on my wheeler. He was gone about ten minutes when he call and said has you wheeler ever cut out on you and died I said no never done that he said well I am a mile from Warroad and it just did that. So now I am thinking great I am 4 miles from him and he is a mile from the access. Well thanks to who ever it was but someone was nice enough to pull him into the landing and he proceeded to become legal for a new year and picked up a bottle of heet put it in the wheeler and after some tinkering got it running so thankfully he got back out to me. So thank you very much to the nice soles that pulled him in it was appreciated very much by both of us. Well unfortunalty the pike weren't so nice to us. We had a couple flags but they dropped the bait before we got them set. So we moved and that lead to the next problem of the day. I was driving around a group of guys trying to stay away from them when all of a sudden I saw something orange on the ice so I stradled it with the wheeler but the otter smacked it I just ran over a tip up. So, I turned around and prepared to get my butt chew and this group just holler at me it's ok keep going. So I am sorry to that group I sure didn't mean to hit it. So the long and short of it yesterday ended up being a great day on the ice but no pike to show for it. So we ended up going into Izzy's last night for a couple and got to talking to a couple guys who said they had been getting so into so eyes over by long point. So that set the plan for today. One more chance at some eyes. Well today at least we caught some fish we probably caught about 30-40 fish same story though several 12 inchers we did manage 7 nice fish for the pail. But my season ended on a good note. My second to the last fish for the year was a 25" 5.5 lbs walleye. Marine_Man finished the season with an eel pout serves him right he usually gets the big ones and I get the pout. So once again it has been another great season of fishing at the pond. I sure wish I lived closer than 4 hours but I don't so I just try to get there as often as possible. Good luck everyone on the soft water. Hopefully my construction schedule this summer will allow me to get up there and on the soft water. In 10 years of fishing the pond I have never fished it without ice. I think that I will have to do something about that this year. Again thanks to all the great resorts and guide services for another great year and to all the friendly people we meet while there. Good luck<P>P.S. I talk to Richard at Babbler's and he said today was the last day he was letting people out. I don't think Long Point will be far behind. Today we went up and looked at the access in Warroad and they looked really tough today. I pretty sure this was the last weekend to get on up there. The ice is good in the morning when it is cold but after it warms up for the day it turns into a mess. Good luck but be safe and use common sense when heading out.<P>------------------<BR>Grip it and Rip it<P>IFFWalleyes<BR>I Fish For Walleyes<BR>[email protected]<p>[This message has been edited by iffwalleyes (edited 04-05-2004).]

Posted

Iffwalleyes,<BR>You guys get to the Swift Ditch area to fish Pike? 5 miles out from Warroad puts you about there. If you did, you had to have been fishing near us. We were east of the guys with the big blue tarp and the snowmobile trailer on its side for a windbreak. It was real slow for us too, 1 bite early and that was it. The guys next to us had a 33" and about 4 other flags that they lost or missed. The guy handling the 33" managed to get one of the treble hooks through his thumb while trying to unhook it. Ouch! <P>The group with the tarp pulled in a pretty nice fish. I assume it was over 40" because the guy was walking back to the group with the fish dragging on the ice hanging from a gaff. frown.gif I was a little upset when I saw that scene. It appeared to me that the fish wasn't measured until they flopped it down on the trailer. If it wasn't a legal fish, I can't imagine it would have a good chance to survive after that episode. <P>Lets eat the little ones and let the big girls go. And if its going to the taxidermist, I'd hope better care was taken of the fish to get it to the taxidermist in the best condition possible.

Posted

I was up to, the fishing was not just slow but totally turned off. Not a flag all day. We were in the Willow Creek area. From all other accounts from other fisherman, it was slow all over!

Posted

Hanson I bet you were right next to us. We were the farthest to the east in that area. I have a yellow wheeler and a green otter house. <P>------------------<BR>Grip it and Rip it<P>IFFWalleyes<BR>I Fish For Walleyes<BR>[email protected]

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
    • smurfy
      🤣 did your nose just grow a bit!😏🤭
    • Wanderer
      I hope to be fishing….  It’s so rare that I get to go, I hate passing up the opportunity. 😉   
    • leech~~
      Since the Vikings are never in it. We use it for an excuse to make some fun stuff!  Last year was a bit light. Hot cheese bean dip, hot wings and pepperoni cheese bread! 😋
    • Hookmaster
      That snow and the 15-25 mph winds on Thursday with higher gusts will be nasty drifting. I didn't go to LOW (can I say that in the this thread?🤫) this week because of it.
    • smurfy
      Who's watching the big game Sunday? More importantly what's ya'all cooking!   I like good football si I'm tuning in. Food... yea no clue yet 
    • Wanderer
      Hard to see em well enough to tell.
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  Ice fishing is strong across the south shore of Lake of the Woods out on Big Traverse Bay.  Most anglers are targeting deep mud with others fishing structure if available where they are going out of.  There are fish in both areas.     Some ice roads are now extending more than 16 miles out, with over two feet of ice reported in most areas. Resorts and outfitters continue increasing weight limits. As a rule, fishing continues to be very good with consistent action for anglers.  Most fishing activity is taking place in 26-32 feet of water.  Anglers are finding a healthy mix of walleyes and saugers, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy fresh fish frys and bring fish home.   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.   On the deadstick, a plain hook or a small jig with a live minnow 6 inches to a foot off of the bottom.    You never know when the fish will move through.  Anglers fishing the entire day normally have success.  Electronics are a big help as well. On the Rainy River...  The morning and evening hours are the best for fishing walleyes. A jig and minnow combination has been a good presentation.  A jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head is also producing some fish. Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is still producing some big fish through the ice.  There are two sturgeon seasons on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, a catch and release season and a harvest season in which you can keep one fish per calendar year.    The harvest season runs from April 24th – May 7th and July 1 – Sept. 30. The catch and release season runs May 8th – May 15th and Oct. 1 – April 23rd.    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 remains good at the Northwest Angle.  Resorts continue to move their fish houses staying on fish.  Some fish houses are set up on structure while others are targeting deeper mud flats.    Anglers are catching a nice mix of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike, and tullibees.  Good numbers of big crappies are still being caught in select areas and hard sided fish houses are available to target them.  Check with a NW Angle resort for info.   Jigging one line, deadsticking the second is effective.  Some days the jigging line is hot, other days the deadstick.  Some good colors have been gold, glow red, glow white, wonder bread, pink, chartreuse and orange. 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.  
    • JerkinLips
      Same story, different day (Monday).  Caught several small walleyes (biggest were 14 and 15 inches) with the best bite from 2-5pm.  Caught my record walleye this winter at 6½ (inches, not pounds).  Was wondering why the bobber kept going down a couple inches for several minutes until I finally reeled it up.  Fortunately it was just hooked in the lips.  Having a lively minnow definitely improved the action.  I put down a pike sucker for the first time this winter and got an immediate hard bite.  When I went to set the hook, the line broke just above the hook.  Don't know if it was a northern bite-off or just weak line by the hook.  May try some pike suckers next trip.   Ice conditions were very good except for heavy drifting (even with very little fresh snow).  Didn't see any vehicles traveling off road except for snowmobiles and a tracked SxS, although there weren't many people out on the lake.  Water came up around my house about 1½ inches but froze very quickly with the cold weather and no snow on top.  Will probably have to block it up again next time up.   Good luck fishing and be careful of severe drifting of snow, especially with the 3-5 inches they are predicting for Wednesday night.  
    • leech~~
      Why, do they all only wear Sitka camo over there? 😏
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