Medicine Lake

[Mykal]

Thanks Mr Pike 1. I hear you on the long commute to my neck of the woods

[hanson]

Sweet guys!

Sounds like there may be a little interest in a weekly rendevzous. I'll figure out a date after awhile. I'm not in too much of a hurry to get out on Med. I'll probably wait for the ice to firm up a bit.

I just got back from 3 days fishing on Lake of the Woods and it was the slowest I've ever seen. It also may be the first time in my life I've seen a 1 ton diesel on 14" of ice. It was an F350 quad cab w/ a Powerstroke! Crazy people!

[Lee the bonehead]

Yeah, it is a bit spooky out there right now. The slush is a bummer too. I really think the ice should be drivable before any get togethers. I just about kacked pulling my stuff through slush tonight! All that work for a couple sunfish & perch. I think I'm done 'til after Xmas.

[FishingwithJake]

Any reports out there on ice conditions or fish bites? Planning on heading out there in a few hours.

[RatherBfishN]

How thick was the ice out there?

thanks

[Doonbuggy]

Is there a day bite for crappies on Med or is it a typical sunset/night bite? I might be out that way this weekend. Thanks.

DB

[Mr. Pike1]

The crappies are thick on Medicine. There is a day bite in the deep holes

[Mr. Pike1]

The crappies are thick on Medicine. There is a day bite in the deep holes

[MedicineMan]

I was out playing with my spiffy new camera on saturday and I recorded this little video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=pBNz1wvjBPE&search=perch

[moby1]

I was out briefly on Monday afternoon. One dinky eye and one crappie that was literally 1.5". I think it is the smallest fish I have ever hooked. The vex was all lit up so I figure they arent that active or they are all like the tiny one I caught.

[irvingdog]

Medman,

You post them, I'll watch them! That was kinda cool. Certainly got the juices going. See you out there again this year.

[AQUAJOE]

Medman what are you doing Saturday morning?

Do you want to go out to medicine and get some line wet??

I did pick-up a IH2O C w/Lakemaster Chip.

[MedicineMan]

Saturday morning? Hmmmm, I'll be sleeping!!!! I rarely go out in the mornings on the weekends. I'll sometimes go out sunday mornings, but I usually stick to the afternoons.

[AQUAJOE]

What are you doing this afternoon? I could leave work and meet you over there if you wanted.

[MedicineMan]

I'm going to be out on the town this afternoon.

[sticky_nuglets]

headed out this afternoon on the west side, will give a report

when i get back, anyone else headed out today or is everyone to hungover later

[Dragon Fish ll]

I was on Med yesterday, second time Ive ever tryed to ice fish there.Was on west side in the middle of little crowd out there.seen a few northerns caught around me but nothing else. Ive been on this form for a few years an have always noticed the mention of lots of crappie, is there still a strong crappie population there, Or have they been hit pretty hard over the last few years.?

[DaveyG]

I was in that area too. I caught 10 small perch and 1 sunny over the course of about 3 hours.

[Tripleplay]

There were plenty of crappies last year still when the ice went out and I'm assuming they will be there again this winter. It's a bit early, but you will definitely start to see the permanent towns form on the deep holes in this lake and the crappies really suspend in these holes from my experience last winter. A couple of times I didn't even fish the hole, but instead stopped and took a look with the graph and saw suspended fish--I'm not an expert (last year was my first real strong year of ice fishing) but I caught alot of crappies and had some great times with my son on this lake!

Alot of the crappies are 8-10" blacks and it is my understanding that they are not growing real fast. There are some bigger whites out there and one gets caught in with the smaller blacks every now and then but most people throw them back trying to keep those whites reproducing. If I'm correct on where you were fishing, there is some good gill fishing, a number of northerns caught up towards the weeds and some crappies. We usually try to catch the crappies first in one of the deep holes (40") and then move to this area to add some gills to the bucket.

Stop in at Harty's and he will point you towards any number of deep holes as well as fix you up with some bait and maybe the next best jig or color.

[G_man]

If the ice ever thickens up, the crappie towns will be out in full force. I heard we are due another two weeks of warm weather ...

[DaveyG]

My plan since the end of last winter has been to set up my shack on one of the crappie holes. So frustrating that the ice just isn't thick enough.

[Mr. Pike1]

DaveyG, I am waiting for a deep freeze. I am a big fan of the claw are for crappies in the deep water. I also like chasing the pike, walleye, sunfish, and perch twords shore. However, I prefer to drive to that spot. If this weather keeps up we may not get any drivable ice in the metro.

[MrBig]

Are you able to walk anywhere on the lake now?

[tafadzwa]

I walked all over the lake yesterday and for the most part felt pretty safe. However, there is a lot of soft ice that my auger bit through pretty quickly. On the west side of the lake we were on about 6 inches of pretty sketchy stuff near an area we were checking out and 15 yards away there was only 3" under the packed down snow.

The trash out there is disgusting. We found the usual cans, cigarette butts, bags full of egg shells and sausage wrappers for breakfast. The highlight was the human poo-bucket. Some people really are amazing.

[DaveyG]

Yeah, Mr. Pike, I'm with you. I'd like to drive to the spot. And it's really not looking good for driveable ice this year. Has that ever happened in your memory? Where the ice never gets driveable?

[ddp]

Has anybody had any luck with the crappies this yr??? I have been out there 3 times in the last 2 weeks and haven't caught one! I have been marking them suspended. Even the honey holes from last yr are not producing. Bummer! Too early??

[Mr. Pike1]

DaveyG, Usually mid-January the ice is drivable. This has been a very very strange winter season with no cold snap in the forecast.

I was out on a North West body of water last night that has three inlets that come into the lake and for the most part in a bowl. The area we were fishing there was 8-9 inches of ice. I saw two full size F-150 on the water in a differnt area. I was amazed they did not go through. Maybe the ice was much thicker in that area.

I need a good 18 before I drive out. And even then I am never really comfortable looking at my truck on ice..

[metrojoe]

Any of you planning on heading out there? I'd be interested. After all the walking we did on Phalen, walking over to the crappie hole should be a piece of cake.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Blanked on the Crappies tonight (not saying much, though, I'm no skilled ice-angler). I picked up two about 2 weeks ago. That's all I've been to Medicine.

[MedicineMan]

I went out today after class. Ended up catching many Perch, a few small Pike, and a Bass. I'm planning on going out tomorrow after class again. I'll be looking for more toothy critters.