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Posted

I stopped and checked out the results of the walleye tournement held out of Warroad today. A guy I work with was in it so I thought I'd see how he did. I think he said he placed like 20th. He did however go on to tell me that a bank sank out there not too far from him. I think he said they were downrigging and a one of the weights grabbed bottom and pulled the one side of the boat down somewhat and then the wind did the rest and blew the boat over. He said it was a 20 ft boat and it only took like a minute and a half to sink out of sight. He ended up pulling out one guy but I dont think no one was hurt. He said they had their lifejackets on. I often heard that lifejackets dont work unless you wear them. My friend said he was a little tense for awhile after it happened because I guess it could've been a lot worse. One weighed over 11 lbs and it looked like they had a good turnout. They had a pretty good "walleye chop" out there. Be safe on the water and good luck fishing! Brian

Posted

Thanks for the post about the boat! It's kind of serving as a reminder for me to be more careful, and to take being prepared more seriously. I've seen Kaz mention a couple of times that he's always ready with a pair of sidecutters. I'm now going to make sure I get one in the boat, but also make sure it's always out on the floor in back when we're running the downrigger's. <P>I've got full insurance but I'd rather not end up using it. Especially, with a boat sinking. This could have been horrible especially if they hadn't been fishing with a crowd.<P>Ryan

Posted

The story on the boat was way off. Sorry about that but I did talk to the guy I work with and he pulled one of the guys in his boat. He went and seen them later that day and they just took in too much water was all from the back and then it drowned out the one outboard and down she went. They were gonna try and put some tractor inner tubes and float it up. But havent heard if they got it out yet. Good luck fishing! Brian<BR>

Posted

Instead of carrying side cutters, why wouldn't you just put your downriggers in to free-spool like you do when you are letting a ball down if you snaggged the bottom? Most of them also have a drag that can be set so that a ball snagging on the bottom would not cause damage.

Posted

Eastwind definitely has a point!<P>I guess I've just always heard that you should have a pair ready just in case and never really thought about the option of just letting out some wire. I suppose if you just released the wire to take tension off, and then reeled back you should be able to at least try to work it free from the other side. <P>I would imagine that things tend to happen really fast though. I've got a couple of pliers for taking hooks out of fish, and they both have cutter's. If I couldn't get it loose or it was going to go into the engine I would need to be ready to cut it though.<P>Ryan

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Don't know if this is already "common knowledge" among downrigger fishermen, but I always use edger/trimmer line to attach my downrigger balls to the cables. Same theory as using lighter line on your leader than what you've got on the spool. The trimmer line will break if you get a ball super-jammed, but you'll get most of your terminal gear back.<P>Cashcrews

Posted

The boat is now sitting at lake of the woods marina.

Posted

What kind of boat was it?

Posted

From what my grandfather has told me, it was a 21 ft bayliner twin engine boat. his neighbor up there told him. The neighbors kid owns the marina. That all I know about it. If i'm wrong, well all I've heard is what I just said. sure hope to get up there ove labor day weekend and catch the eye's.

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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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