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Walleyes, Crappies, Sunnies & Northerns


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Hope everyone had a good weekend on the lakes..we did and so did the folks here smile.gif

Blackduck was producing limits of walleyes as well as northerns on Friday and Saturday. The morning and afternoon kicked in finally later this week producing around a limit of walleyes for each group of two, and the evening bite producing the best individual limits of walleyes. Northerns have been hitting quite consistantly throughout the day and the evening. The areas producing walleyes the best have been around the different bars around the lake, especially the ones near the island. Drifting and jigging, using fatheads although now the bite is starting to happen using leeches.

Upper Red produced well for us yesterday with 24 slabs in a short time frame early yesterday evening. We tried the very north side of the lake in 4 and 5 feet of water which didn't produce well for us, so then we went just south of Hudec's a bit and the bite was on great grin.gif We were in on the edge of six feet of water, bobber fishing approximately three feet down, with a jig (my trusty dark red and also yellow was used) and small minnows, with times the bite being one right after the other. (Mmmmmm, what a tasty supper!) The crappies had not dropped their eggs yet so we still haven't quite hit "prime time" for spawning yet. Talked to one of the locals who has lived/fished up there all his life and he said that the way it's going we still have about another week~~that's GREAT!

Today we hit Rabideau Lake for panfish and it was great to see that the other lakes have kicked in also now that the water temps have warmed up. We were out with a couple of other folks and the catch was good. A few nice crappies (although not the size of the slabs at Upper Red) and the sunnies...nice! The biggest sunny I reeled in was around 3/4 pound, but those were fun to catch. Fishing near the weedbeds, bobber fishing approximately two feet down, using a bright jig and waxy worms. At times the bite would happen as soon as you would throw it in near the weedbeds. A lot of smaller northerns (approximately 18" to 24") were caught and released also and those were picked up in all areas of the lake.

Some of the other folks here have also had a good time catching sunnies over the weekend with a bluegill or two thrown in the mix, also on Rabideau, as well as North Twin and a couple of the other area lakes...some catching their full limits!

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Drake Motel
drakemotel.com
(888)253-8501
[email protected]


[This message has been edited by Drake (edited 06-02-2002).]

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Drake- Did you hear anything from Island?? Sounds like you had an eventful weekend with the fish. We caught a few, but not as much as we would have liked.

Woodman

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Hey there Woodman~I don't think any of our folks hit Island this weekend. The folks we were fishing with specifically wanted Blackduck, Red and then chose Rabideau for the panfish. We have yet to make it out to Island...hoping soon, although now the other half of the "Drake team" is talking Moose and Gilstad to see if the panfish have turned on there also.

Did you get some decent eaters from Island..which day were you out there? How'd you do at Bemidji? Now that your not as busy you think you and your dad will be able to hit Island and some of the other local lakes more?

Hey Ol'Walter, didn't you say you were going to hit Island? How'd you do?
Fivebucks were you able to get some fishing time in or were you working on the cabin?

------------------
Drake Motel
drakemotel.com
(888)253-8501
[email protected]

[This message has been edit

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We may have lost a couple of posts on this thread last night so I'll just add an update of the fishing.

Blackduck produced ten really nice walleyes Sunday evening (between 6:30 and 10), with the largest pushing three pounds. Additional walleyes were also caught and released. The bait of choice again Sunday evening was leeches. Also one of the largest sheephead came in that I have seen and one of the folks here who has been fishing Blackduck for over twenty years said that when the big sheephead start coming in the walleye bite is going to really get going great. Never heard that one before, but he said that's what they've noticed for the last twenty years.

While we were on Rabideau catching sunnies Sunday a family of four hit Upper Red. They were out there for two hours and they reeled in 58 crappies....the bite is getting so hot!

Due to the cooler temps yesterday not much time was spent on Rabideau, but the sunny bite was still really good with some nice size ones coming in. The warmer temps have finally got the panfish bite started and it's producing really well.

------------------
Drake Motel
drakemotel.com
(888)253-8501
[email protected]

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Drake,
I thought a post or two got lost last night. I was looking at it and wrote up a reply and hit submit and nothing happened so I hit it again. I then got a message saying you have to wait 30 seconds before re-posting and then the posts where gone. I thought I was losing it. Anyhow, I seem to remember you asking about my fishing time etc. on Island. Our builder, Heim Log Homes out of Kelliher, is close to finishing up the windows, door, and some minor stuff and then we get to do the floors, trim, screen, wood stove etc. That won't leave me much time to fish but luck would have it that my wife likes to sleep in so I get the first few hours out on the lake. We'll be up the 15th - 19th so the fish should be snappin.

I appreciate your and others fishing updates on here, keep up the good work.

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Hey Fivebucks~That's what happened to me, I sat here thinking I DID do a post, then I didn't see it! But all is back to normal again!

Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you. It's VERY important you balance that work with fishing! Start off in the morning on the lake and hopefully you can get into the night bite too. We haven't made it over to Island yet, but when we know we're going to head over that way we'll let you know...then you'll have to take a break to go fishing!

------------------
Drake Motel
drakemotel.com
(888)253-8501
[email protected]

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