Anyone Braving the Cold this Saturday/Sunday?

[BigMike]

I'm just wondering if anyone is braving the cold weather this weekend?

I'm contemplating getting out on Saturday AM. Nothing like upper 20's to wake you up in the morning... Cha'right!! Even though it will be cold I may be wading the warmer waters of Monti.

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Mike
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[Daze Off]

I WILL be on the water on the Rum at some point this weekend but too early to tell when - if you send a contact number to the other e-mail address and I have an open seat I'll give you a ring as soon as I know when....I also have MEA weekend off and will be doing nothing but fishing then too....after that I become a non-boater as mine will be put away and I will let other's take me fishing - LOL.

I am also dying to try the 'Sippi between Coon Rapids dam and Champlin bridge but am a bit anxious about rocks.....hate to ding up the boat or worse this late in the season. Already chewed up the prop a bit on Clearwater last weekend....arrrgggghhhh - I HATE/LOVE that lake....

Daze Off

[HawgTide]

Daze, You don't really have to worry rocks on that stretch (Coon Rapids to the 169 Bridge) Most of that stretch is over 6ft deep and rock free. Just don't go north of the bridge.

Watch out for BM. He gets his line tangled up a lot

[EBass]

Maybe just maybe... depends on how much wind. I don't think I'm going on Sat. (Hanging out with the GF earning brownie points.) So Sunday afternoon if there is a chance.

[BigMike]

Hey now HT - If I remember correctly, you had more line problems that day than I did... .

Daze - I just shot you an email with contact info if you find yourself with an empty seat.

It's going to be cold, but who cares. Come spring we'll be wearing shorts in weather like this and itchin' to get back on the water...

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Mike
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[Daze Off]

Thanks Hawgtide - can you suggest a landing for that stretch of river? I have no idea where they are - would be launching a Lund Explorer 1675....I have heard there is actually one in Anoka and another on Champlin side but have not had time to scout them out. I live in Ramsey so they would be closer....

On the subject of BM, I have not had any problems with him EXCEPT he tends to miss netting MY big fish....LOL

Daze Off

[Mark Christianson]

Either launch is good. One is on the Rum(Anoka side) and the other is on the south shore in Champlin.

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once they open the Coon Rapids dam to draw down the pool, neither launch is accessible. I don't know the date they are drawing down, but its gonna be very soon.

[wheelierida]

I went out this afternoon far about a hour. caught a dozen fish or so. 1 northern the rest smallies. some dinks and a couple nice ones. I'm pretty sure I had my first 20" on but my drag was set a little to tight and he got off. it wasn't too cold unless i was crusing into the wind. However I won't be out this weekend, headed to SD for the pheseant opener. good luck boys hope you catch more than a cold!!!

[smallie_hawgin]

I got to get out for a few hours at least. I plan on the St. Cloud-Clearwater area though. I have a hunch on a few hibernacula I've read about somewhere>>>>>> Might have to bring out the ice fishing clothing to be comfy though . I am missing those dayse of late summer and early fall already.

[HawgTide]

Daze, I'm not sure when they lower the water rendering the ramps useless. The ramp in Champlin is my favorite, you'll see the signs for the park just South of the 169 bridge. Easy to find. Like I said it's no problem with any size rig on that stretch. I've seen Rangers and huge pleasure boats cruising through there.

40 degrees is too cold for me. Can't feel the fingers, can't feel the fish! Next month I'll probably be wishing for a 40 degree day.

[BigMike]

Wow - good to hear that I'm not the only one crazy enough to brave the weather. What are a few snow showers going to do to ya... they never hurt no body . I'm hoping for a couple true hawgs tomorrow!

Good luck to everyone getting out! Be sure to snap some pics to share with everyone *say cheese*

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Mike
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[Royce Aardahl]

smallie, you can't shoot a deer with sencos!!! you gotta get in a tree

[EBass]

You da man BM.

[BigMike]

No EB - you da man!

Well I figured that I would write one last post for fun as I'm headed out the door. I'm hooking up with RiverRat to hit the Elk River/Otsego stretch. It is currently 36 degrees and I am warm and uncomfortable just sitting here in my 30 layers of long underwear! LOL We'll see how I feel after I get back. Somehow I hope that a nice 20'' will help all the numb fingers all of a sudden warm up!

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Mike
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[river rat316]

figured I'd check in before BM got here I got 33 degrees about 30 mile an hour winds on the river the good news is my boat stayed on shore all night! lol (thought she would blow away in this wind) if you dont hear from us it means we are still getting blown around the river

[BigMike]

Well... it was COLD!!! I got out with RiverRat this morning in the Elk River section and didn't catch much. I thought the day was going to be nice when RR nailed a nice 16+ football at our first hole, but then it was nada, then some more nada, then we moved & anchored to work one spot and I had three 15-16'' footballs nail a crank. Then nada, and more nada... Oh well, at least we weren't skunked... cold fingers never hurt no body!

Here is a pic of one of the chunks. Check out the size of his dorsal fins! This fish put up a good fight for a 16''

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Mike
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[fishface5]

What do you mean? "for a 16"er". A 16" is a decent fish any time! if you got 4 or five in a day, especialy this time of year, You did pretty dang good! Sounds fun. You took on the elements, and won! Keep it up!

[Lost]

Tomorrow, the 17th, I'll be facing the cold weather. Dare I hope that somebody has an open seat in their boat? Hmmmm. I just gotta get out and catch me something!

[smallie_hawgin]

Well, got out for exactly two hours. I managed to catch 22 smallies with the smallest @ 12 and the largest at 17. No pigs but no complaints here. Glad I had the ice fishing stuff on. Water temp was 43°!!! Most fish on tubes and senkos. Great action! Best part was I watched other anglers fishing in the area....obviously fishing with minnows. At least 5 other anglers not catching much within site. I hate to admit it but it kind of felt good to know I was actually doing something right!

[BigMike]

Hawgin' - wow, 22 fish! Good outing! The plastics and cranks seem to be a hot ticket right now. Over the last week and a half, I have caught 95% of all my fish on those two presentations (tubes).

Hopefully the weather will hold out for a couple more weeks for me (I can't fish this weekend but don't want to end the season with just a 3 fish outing).

[Lost]

So you're tellin' me that I was using the wrong stuff? I tried tubes where I was, no luck. Then again, I only tried one size, one color. Didn't try any cranks. Maybe I should have.

Ahh, nothin' like standin' on shore getting pelted by sleet for 3 hrs. Only one other person was in the same area I was in.

Anybody gonna get out next Sunday? Let me know. [email protected]

[wheelierida]

big mike, looks like you did good in my spot!! your lucky I was in SD or that fish would been mine.

[EBass]

I'll be out all weekend! I can't wait. Looks like rain for most of tomorrow. Sunday looks to be nice. I hope the fish are active. I have the bass shakes! BM it's contagious.

[MuleSkinner]

Trying to post some pictures for the first time. Caught them last week. First time I've taken my camera along. Hopefully they show up:

[Lost]

Muleskinner, beautiful fish you have there. Too bad we're in the catch & release only season for them smallies.

I'll be out shore fishing tomorrow. Gonna hit Coon Rapids Dam and Cenaiko Lake.

[smallie_hawgin]

Nice fish Muleskinner.

I managed to get out from 430-630 this afternoon, water temps were up a bit 45°. It was great action 31 smallies and 2 keeper walleye . I did manage to get this one nice 19.5" smallie..... I realize that I need to work on the self portrait technique..... Life is full of learning experiences isn't it? Definitely no complaints here. It is so hard to go anywhere else if I have such great fishing practically at my door step. I still wish I had more time to find the "big one". Good fishin'

Speaking of learning experiences..... What am I doing wrong???

[MuleSkinner]

Lost: To be honest, I don't know that I have ever tried eating a Smallie. I almost always just fish walleyes (and crappies). I would guess the DNR closes the possessing season because these smallies seem to come alive in the Fall in deeper water, and they are big.

I guess I would be curious though, of those that do keep some for eating (during the legal season), isn't there a size that would be best tasting, like walleye? Wouldn't there be a max size cutoff for most people of 14 or 15 inches? Just curious. I have tried largemouth. Was OK, but with crappies, and some eater sized walleyes so readily available, haven't eaten any bass for many years. Maybe some people prefer bass. Others don't eat fish at all. To each their own, as long as they abide by the regs.

[HawgTide]

I've been told that smallies taste like something of a mix between carp and dogfish.

[Lost]

When you're my friend Darrell, if it has fins and scales, he'll eat it.