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I am going to be in the sandstone area and was wonder if there are any good lakes up that way or do i need to drive back south to pokegama to find some crappie action ???
Could use a few ideas on where to go
Kettle river?????

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dwag,

I like North/South Big Pine and Lake Eleven near Finlayson. Both have good panfish populations with some acceptable size. You could also head north to Sturgeon. I know it has some nice crappies, but don't have any currents on the bite.

Really, this time of year the yesterday's conditions doesn't mean squat on many lakes. The fish are here one day and there the next day if people are fishing them hard. Put the trolling motor down and keep moving until you hook up.

------------------
Ray Esboldt

Catch-N Tackle
MarCum
Stone Legacy

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Dwag -

Big Pine is a good bet. My family owns a cabin there and the late spring crappie action is typically very strong. Look to the northern lake and stick either to the east side of the northern bay or the east side of the lake about halfway down just past the reed beds. There is a point that comes out where there are a few sand bars and steep depth changes that hold a lot of crappies in around 8-10 feet of water.

In the past, chartreus (sp?) jigs have done great as well as white flu-flu jigs. Size varies, but we have nailed some good 11-12 inch crappies here at times.

Happy hunting!

Jaypo

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I hate to sound that uninformed but where is big pine lake??? The inlaws are moving just east of downtown sandstone and i am sure i will HAVE to spend most of my weekends up there and have no idea about the where the lakes in that area are. I was hoping there would be something close.

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DWAG -
From Sandstone you take HWY 23 North to Hwy 18. West on 18 about 6-7 miles past Finlayson. (12-15 miles from Sandstone)You'll pass Big Pine Lake on your left and see the public access. You can access lower Pine on the other end of the lake through the narrows but be careful during low water. We've seen nice Crappies from that lake in the late spring and Monster Pike at times. It was in the paper a number of years ago for Walleye and is a phenomenal LM Bass lake (4-5 lb bass are not uncommon). Good luck.

[This message has been edited by Doc Madison (edited 04-30-2004).]

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Doc thanks for the info. i will keep you all imformed on how i do !!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dwag,

I know for a fact that if you want to walk the Kettle and wade fish it, you will not be disappointed. In fact, if you start at the bridge in sandstone and walk about 1 mile upstream into banning state Park, the fishing is pretty good for smallies and an occasional walleye or pike too. Don't listen to the locals, they claim there is no fish in that river, but there is. If you just pull into the park and fish from the park, there is easy access to the river there as well......just look out for the Kayakers and skeeters

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey , thanks alot Everyone tells me it is a waste to fish the Kettle river !! I also got the same story from most of the people i talked to (no fish in river ) but one guy told me to fish by the power plant by the dam ... Have you ever heard that and do you know where it is suposedly south of the sandstone bridge somewhere??????

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There use to be a dam. But that got removed a few years ago. I haved fished the Kettle there, and I have only caught some small northerns.

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yea, no fish in the kettle- just keep telling everyone that. my cabin is a mile away in Rutledge and it is a poor weekend when i don't find a limit of eyes, and a mixed bag of other species. very few fishermen on that river.

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