chequamagan weasels

[Quickstrike]

I had a great time fishing chequamagan today, we managed to entice about 10 coho and 1 mink. funny story behind this, i caught the first coho of the day and threw it outside of the shack, about ten minutes later cheffrey caught another coho and after throwing outside, we realized the first fish was gone. we eventually realized that a mink had stolen the salmon and crawled up into cheffrey's truck with it.

[Quickstrike]

i'll let cheffrey tell the rest of the story.

GO VIKES!!!!!!

[Jim Hudson]

Hey guys, thanks again for coming down to fish. And I hope your little furry friend didnt get any more of your catch. LOL

Did the fish turn on any after I had to go home to get some shut eye? I hope so, but am glad we did manage a few fish anyways, nothing spectacular but tis is why they call it fishing. I will keep you all posted as to when the bite turns around a little bit again.

Hope you guys made it back alright with the snow and all...

[Tom Linderholm]

Thanks Jim for setting us up out there alll in all we landed 9 3/4 Coho's. Lots of lookers out there.

To embelish on the mink story- after walking out of the house and realizing that the coho was missing I walked over to IlltakewhatIcanget's shack to ask them if they took it, while doing so I looked over to my truck and noticed that there was some furry little creature under the truck and that there were little footprints with drag marks leading to my truck.

So the mink had its lunch up in my engine block, I popped the hood and there he was sitting on top of my block with urine all over the place, needless to say not a good smell. He hid behind the engine and we managed to poke the coho out with a gaff and recovered it for Porter & Barry's fish fry

We then started prodding it out of the truck with the end of the handle of the gaff which now has teeth marks on it. There it went hauling A$$ out from underneath the truck.

Then into some unexpecting permanant, Door flies open and 2 guys come hauling out. Seems he popped up into their house and scared the bejeezes out of them. Well it took residency under the house and continued to spread scent underneath. Well worth the trip out there just for the excitment. Fishing was great and I really need to work on my hook up % cause I missed alot of fricken fish.

[Quickstrike]

thanks for sharing some of your knowlege with us jim, it was nice meeting you.

[Northlander]

Guys it was fun. I dont know if Ill get up at 3AM to do it again though. Cheffrey your buddy the weasel called and was pretty upset with you! He says he is coming up to the Grand Superior Lodge where its warmer and the food is great and cooked to perfection. He says he is going to haunt you threw his 5 day weasel holidays.

Oh by the way he said he is coming with back up this time so you better get a bigger gaff!

[Tom Linderholm]

IT WAS A MINK! I just wanted the pelt man. Ahh, I agree with you Steve it was a great time. Until officer Johnson wrote me a note on the way home.

[Papa Woodie]

Oh no! Did you tell Officer Johnson you were running for you life from a mink!

In Chef school, did you sleep through the course on cooking mink on an engine block? shredded mink...(get it in the fan first, then watch pieces fly on the block and fry....kinda like fondu'ing.....)

Man, thats a terrible image in the head.

Sucks for the guys...never get away with tickets.

I got lukcy though, i was a ND resident legally till the new year, and when i changed Drivers License's my record from ND fell off, and my Ins dropped in half.

Man, i was really glad about that.....so i bought myself a 4x4 pickup.....now i just have to keep the foot off the pedal!

[Viking]

Least it only looked like he ate the head. I had a muskrat

come up through my hole one morning, just as it was starting to get light. Scarred the hell out of me, and my buudy wasn't happy when I bolted out the door and closed it behind me. He took one look at my buddy and jumped right back in the hole.

[Jim Hudson]

Nice PICS!!! I still can't believe he robbed you, but them mink are something else, I remember an episode at the Bayfield Hatchery where one got into one of their older steel buildings and started taking fish out of the runways and storing them in the walls. Well after all was said an done, the one wall was about half way filled with fish the little bugger was storing. So they finally figured where their fish were going.

Anyways, glad you guys got a few more fish to take back with ya!! And Steve, sorry for that early of a trip, but ya never know when it comes to this big lake.... With the cold temps predicted, pretty soon we will be out chasing lakers!!

Oh by the way Steve, I think I caught your lil bug. It wasnt a pretty site at the home front last night.

[Casaloma]

Can one of you Gentlemen please direct me to ( or how to ) post a photo area on this site. Not the Avaitar (sp?)

Thanks for the help.

-Not too embarrased to ask

[Jim Hudson]

Casaloma,

Did you and BlackJack do any good on your trip over to the bay? Hope it went well!!

[Tom Linderholm]

Open a account on www.afreeimagehost.com, upload your images of your comp to the site then copy the URL. Bring it back to the post page, left click on URL then paste address into dialog box.

[Casaloma]

JKH, we are planning on THIS Sun /Mon (16/17th) Brrrrr. Will start Sun Morn at either the Souix or Onion. We'll get our bait at Craig's outdoor allure. Craig is an old friend / college buddy. He may have other information that we would certainly go on. How frozen ( if at all ) is the Ice to La Point, is the ferry still running? If this freeze is enough we may get open ice road? Early season Bobbin' on Monday would be worth the conditions. We'd also gladly accept any pointers, or reports, from FMer's as the week draws to a close. All geared up for some Safe coldweather bay fishin'!

Where the heck did you get the Mink encounter anyway looks like he's got a little racket going way out there- only the choice eyes, gills & brain for that fatty. Email is: finsnfriends @ hotmail . com

Cheffery, thanks man, I'm trying to figure photos out....

[Casaloma]

JKH- sorry, hope you don't think I ment to yell back at'cha. The words 'THIS Sun/Mon' was ment as a statement belonging to the cold forcast, not your post. I thank you & will report next week.

I'm trying Book Craig on the 23rd for the day too. Depends on if hes got bizness yet. I'll post if its gonna' happen.

Thanks

[Quickstrike]

Me and Berry hit ashland again today, but it was pretty slow. We got a handfull of coho's and and handfull of big ol smelt. Casaloma, i saw a shack today that said CASALOMA in huge letters, at the point i had not realized that this was a former bar, i went to say hi and it turns out it wasn't you. kinda embaressing but a funny story none the less.

good luck guys

[Casaloma]

Always liked the name. I hope to heaven I see a Quickstrike shack someday & have a camera.

They must of salvaged the lettering as the bar is now known as Bobs Packer Inn.

[Jim Hudson]

Casaloma,

Awww okay, I thought you were up here this past Sun and Mon, my bad.

I know Craig quite well, am always over his way chatting and have fished with him on a few occasions. He should have the skinny on most of what you want to do as he is always updated, especially over here on the main lake.

But for your question on ice from here to the island, it's making some ice, but it varies alot from near shore just out to the first major drop off. I have heard reports of up to 7" near shore on the Bayfield/Red Cliff side and then getting very thin the farther out you go. Not too many people venturing out here near Bayfield, a few shacks off Blackhawk and one north of the ferry landing. Most activity is around Roy's point and Red Cliff with people venturing about half way to Basswood Island.

The ferry was still running today but I believe it will shut down tomorrow or the next as I seen the crew setting out the trees for an ice road for the windsled to follow. But an ice road for vehicles, doubtful for a week or two if the cold sets it up good. With a few HARD cold nights and no wind the ice should be good to go, but it is pretty windy tonight, who knows it may blow out. Just have to wait and see.

Good luck when your up here and be safe.

[Jim Hudson]

No, I figured thats what you ment, either way have fun out there and stay warm.

Quickstrike, did ya fish in the same general area or out a little bit farther?

[Quickstrike]

we fished the same general area, but it seemed that most people have moved back towards the orr dock. i think i'll try out of washburn next time and try somewhere new.

[Blackjackdavey1]

How much snow did you guys get in the ashland area after this last snow? we got about 12inches just south of Duluth. Loma and myself won't be brieng my Machine just wondering how the sled dragging is going to be on the bay any info or reports from the Houghton point or Onion river area would be awsome thanks again.

[Quickstrike]

when we left ashland last night around 5, there was nowhere near the amount of snow that we got here in duluth. i don't know what they got after that though.

[Jim Hudson]

At the most we got about 6 inches of snow around these parts but that even varied from here in Bayfield to over in Ashland. You should be fine to pull a smaller portable out on the ice, there is some drifting but ya still should be fine. Today was pretty gusty so a lot of the snow is moving around. Fishing off Houghton has been good for splake, some laker action, whitefish, etc etc and off the Onion, I havent talked to anyone who has fished it yet. But I am sure there is fish there if the ice is good to get out. The ice up north here has been slow in developing, very interesting year but after this cold snap it hopefully should be good to go.

Red Cliff or Roys Point is another place to think about if you are just walking out. Good catches of fish from these areas as well.