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Where to fish????


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Four of us are going up to our cabin in Blackduck this coming weekend. We usually get up there for about ten trips each summer, but never to ice fish. Any suggestions on which lakes to try for 'eyes or a little panfish action? We usually hit Blackduck, Gilstad, Pimushe, North and South Twin, Rabidau, and Moose in the summer. Are any of those worth trying now???

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Hey Bushwacker~We had some guys who hit Blackduck Lake this past weekend and the walleye bite was very good for them in the 10' to 12' depths..they didn't get into any perch, but were pleased with the walleye action. We haven't had anyone try out North and South Twin, and Moose Lake has been a little slow, but the rest of the local lakes have produced. Upper Red is definitely worth a try...and once we get the ice house fixed we're going to be back at it again!...we did have four guys who fished Upper Red this weekend and they brought back four limits of crappies. Hard to pass those crappies up! smile.gif

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

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Bushwacker- How well do you do on those lakes? We've fished a few of them and had spotty success. I'm not looking for your secret spots, just a little hope.

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Funkley,
I know them very well and usually have pretty good success on them. Our cabin is close to Rabidau and Gilstad so we usually hit them the most. My Grandpa was a true lover of trolling for northerns so those to lakes were his favorite in the world. We usually have pretty good crappie success on Gilstad in the spring. Pimushe has been good for walleye in the spring and fall. The Twin lakes are our bass lakes where some days we catch 20 real nice ones, other days 2 real small ones. The lake that we have the least success on is Blackduck. Which seems strange because whenever we are up there that is were everyone else seems to slaughter the 'eyes. Do you have any suggestions for lakes that would be worth hitting in the summer? No secrets needed but we are always looking to expand our horizons.
Bushwacker

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Yeah, I confess- related to graffitigreg. At least he makes ME look good.
I've fished Pimushe a few times but been blown off every time. That lake gets interesting in a NW wind. We're generally partial to Island- tons of structure and it has been pretty OK. Ask graffitigreg about Kabetogama and Namakan.
Funkley

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Drake- Have you tried our hot spot from this summer yet? Tiffany and I are thinking about heading up to it this summer and would like to hook up with you and Diane.

Woodman

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Bushwacker~So how did you end up doing when you were up this way last weekend? The winds made the temps a bit cold and the drastic change in the weather seemed to do a change on the fishing bite for most. Were you able to hit very many of the lakes and how was the bite?

Gilstad this summer was a great lake to hit when you had a kid along because there was plenty of action on the panfish, unfortunately the size wasn't always there so they went back in the lake to grow some more, but it sure held the interest of the little guy and he was able to practice his fishing techniques (and he was beamin when he latched onto a bass that was over 2 pounds!) North Twin seemed to produce really nice sunnies this summer pretty consistantly. Moose was one that we worked on some this summer but we weren't able to have a lot of luck...we would have days when we would scan a lot but nothing would bite.
Blackduck was pretty productive during open water this year for most of the folks, and although we didn't fish Dora Lake ourselves we got some good reports from folks walleye fishing there. Upper Red was very good for crappie fishing for us the end of May and the beginning of June (when the wind wasn't blowing to strong!) Cut Foot was also doing well in the late spring/early summer.

Funkley~Welcome to the forum! Had some folks who hit Island for early ice and didn't have much luck there, so are you doing well on the eyes? Island seemed to be a little slower this past summer and fall than what folks were used to.

Woodman! How's things been going for you? Getting on the ice much? Haven't tried the hot spot on Blackduck yet during the ice. Haven't had the time to fish as much as wanted to lately frown.gif and the last couple of days have been spent fishing/working in the ice house on Upper Red (which has only produced a couple of crappies, need to move the house now!) Last week the bite was a later afternoon bite, but then over the weekend it switched to an early afternoon bite so going to head out earlier tomorrow and give it a shot.

The northeast portion of Winnie has been producing some jumbo perch lately. The bite has been more of a morning bite and the best bite still seems to be in the 30' to 32' range.

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

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Drake- Tiff and I are heading up to the Duck Pond on Sunday to try the SPOT!! We will stop in and give you a report.

Woodman

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Hey Drake do you ever go to the legion there in Black duck? I will be there tonight and probably tomorrow night, been reading here for along time, would like to meet you.

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Woodman~Since haven't hit it ourselves we're going by what the others have said from last weekend and that was around 18". Look forward to seeing you Sunday and hearing (I mean SEEING) how "the spot" did...will have the camera ready smile.gif

Bloomc00~Ah the Legion! We don't usually get to far from here on weekends at night when the place is full (we like to be here to swap the fishin stories with folks when everyone gets in from the lake and do the picture thing) but hey! would love to meet ya, so stop on by if you get a chance...if we're not in the office come on in the fish cleaning room to hear the tales!

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

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Drake,
Sorry for the delay in reply. My fingers are still frozen from that weekend. We hit Rabidau on Saturday and caught some tiny perch and a couple of small sunnies. It was so cold that we decided to stay on that lake for the whole weekend. We caught about 40 northerns on tip-ups, with a couple of real nice ones. Nothing huge though. Everyone we talked to at the Hillcrest and the Pond were in the same boat that we were. Too cold to be mobile. Oh well, it was a fun trip and that's what counts. We are heading out on Thursday for God's country again. We are planning on Red Lake for the first time. Any essential pointers. We are wide open for advise. Thanks.

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