crappie bit

[walkerhound]

i keep reading people catching 5-10 fish is that keepers or is that all there catching im thinking of coming up there but if thats it i dont know. if those numbers are keepers what size are they.

[Chad711]

I have NEVER caught a URL Crappie UNDER 12", out of many Dozen.

[RonZ]

If you are worried about catching fish then the thought of driving that far is a little tough to handle. This fishing/ice fishing thing is more of an experince then productivity. For me $90 house rental,$100.00 gas,$75.00 food, $25.00 off sale liqour, $~~.~~ on sale liquor at West Wind, $$ vehicle damage do to triangle, drag son out of school, miss work for a couple days, cold hands, cold feet, lots of walleyes you can't keep, socializing with people with weird names from fishing minnesota website, bait and many glow red and glow blue jigs $$. Last year I went and Kelly P put me on some fish and I caught my limit that day. Next day I caught 0. Figure after filleting the fish I had 4lbs of fillets. That would mean the fish cost me roughly $75.00 a lb.

I now have a reservation with K.P. for Jan. 7. My stomach has butterflies just thinking about it. My son and I are fired up! It is expensive for these long trips but the fun and memories we'll have are priceless. My favorite from last year is the front and rear tires going through the ice and my explorer sitting on the ice on its frame. I couldnt wait to get off the ice and now I can't wait to get back on. I hope our marker is still there where we went through so we don't do it again.

What I'm getting at is don't get all caught up in catching fish. The fishing and the fun are more important. Good luck! It's something we all need.

These views are personal and do not nessesarily represent the views of the Fishing Minnesota Website, its webmasters, its members or its sponsors or me.

[anyfishwilldo]

Well said. If catching fish was a guarantee, it would be called catching, not fishing. As far as the walleyes you can't keep, its still fun.

[psegriz]

Well said and the triangle will take something from your arsenel of equipment. It don't seem like ya got much choice as to what it is either.

[walkerhound]

Before you start preaching to me about an experiance let me inform you im comeing from indiana this is the forth year in a row that im going to the lake of the woods. I was just thinking of makeing a side trip to the url. Now i know all about the experiance i travel all over the country hunting and fishing. Now a wasted 6 hour drive for you may be ok but im use to catching 100-200 crappies a night. I was just trying to get the truth on that lake, i didnt need a speach.

[jigglestick]

if you are used to catching 100-200 crappies a night, then i suggest you go to that hot spot. we wouldn't want to let you down. besides gas is SOOO expensive, and life is way to short to waste your precious time here with us.

indiana...hell i have an uncle who comes up from florida every other weekend all winter long just to fish red...indiana

the truth is exactly what you have been told.

to peer into the future with an acurate prediction of the number of fish that will be in your bucket would be impossible, outside of a guess.

there have been times when we have caught 200 plus fish all over a pound in one evening, but that was between many fishers. the fishing is supposed to be slowing, and i am seeing signs of this, but we are still getting our fish.

when you go out you take a chance. that's it. i'd say the chances are pretty good. they are even better when you use a guide, but it doesn't sound like you need one.

by the way what do you do with all those fish? tell me you keep a few and just harrass the rest.

some people

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm jealous. I wish I had the opportunity to travel all over hunting and fishing. Now that we're on the topic, I wish I could fish URL more. I'll be going up again in mid to late Feb with my 2 sons if I can manage to find a sleeper.

I've only fished URL a few times. I've been on both ends of the spectrum. I've limited out with BIG HUGE PIG crappies real quick, and I've gotten the ole skunk-er-ooo. I'm one of the guys ( I know, I'm part of the few) that arn't used to catching 100-200 fish a day. So, to me, 5 real nice fat slabs is a pretty cool thing.

The only real way to find out is to go and find out.

On a side note, Jigglestick, I love reading your posts. You call a spade a spade...........with a twist.

[hanson]

walkerhound-

I don't know if I speak for everybody who fishes URL but my average is about 4-5 crappies caught per night. Throw in another 10-15 walleyes you can't keep and that is an average night for me during a 2- 2 1/2 hr period at sundown.

When I say 4-5 crappies caught, that means caught & kept, they are all 14".

There are better days, there are worse days. But that is what I can consistently count on.

[hawkeye43]

If a person goes golfing, does he expect to get a hole in one on every hole or even par for that part, why would fishing on url be any different. At the end of every day you should have a smile on your face, if not then you need to go try harder or just be happy you had the chance to do it.

[Ice-9]

Hey newbie, stay in Indiana. It's all pr, there's no crappies in Red, go to Kentucky it's closer and the ice is thinner there. You want advice, play nice.

Wow my nastiest post ever. Will I get edited?

ice

[Surface Tension]

walkerhound. If you get into the crappies on Red they'll most likely be 14"ers with big shoulders. 5 or 6 slabs like that makes me giggly. You might get more, then again you might get less. Anything that gets me excited before, during or after the trip is never a waste of time no matter how the fishing goes. I don't think anyone was preaching, they're just fond of total Red lake package. No time on Red is wasted time. Give it a shot, you may even come back regardless of how you did fishing.

[Bobb-o]

and if you do make the trip dont forget to stop at the Temple of the West Wind and get your IBOT membership

[TomBow]

Don't forget the cheerios or you'll never find the fish. And if you don't shake, the gods won't smile on you and the triangle will turn it's dark side toward you and the slabs will just hang on the locator and stare blankly at your jig. Hmm, somebody's a little defensive, perhaps a West Wind attitude adjustment beverage is in order.....Best of Luck slab-heads!

[Bobberboy]

Tough Croud

"Your bobbers down!"

[RonZ]

I didn't mean to sound like I was preaching . Since you've been around the country a little you should know that fishing is just part of the whole ordeal,shabang,trip,experience,disaster, just plain good time with the fella fishamen. I just hope my truck makes it there and back

[woodman]

Boilerguy- We have some openings in February! Check us out at www.northcountryguides.com.

[bigV]

The guides on the lake probably run into a walkerhound type to take out once in a while, right. How this type of smoke blower is tolerated by you guys and can still maintain your sanity is beyond me! Good job

[Eric Wettschreck]

Woodman, you have mail!!!!

[woodman]

Boilerguy- Please contact me @ woodman at paulbunyan dot net.

Thanks,

[Eric Wettschreck]

Woodman, You have mail, again.

Sorry, I'm no computer genious. The first one must not have made it through.

[woodman]

Got it, check your again.