4th Annual Burntside Bash final details

[Steve Foss]

Well, the time is finally almost here.

The Bash HQ, as many probably already have guessed, will be off the Van Vac access. There really will be no set time to get started next Saturday, because there’s no tournament and no prizes or weigh-in or any of that. But let’s expect to get things swinging by 8 a.m. We’ll have a giant laminated map of the lake, and can put people on good spots. Sleds and wheelers will be the transportation, with quite a few on foot.

First, directions. The vast majority of out-of-towners will be coming up 53 from Duluth and taking the exit for 169 to Ely. That exit (a right) is about five miles north of Virginia. If you hit Cook, you've gone way too far. Once on 169, you'll got through Tower in about 20 miles and continue toward Ely. About four miles short of Ely, County Road 88 (Grant McMahan Blvd) turns off to the left. Take that left and go a few miles (didn’t clock it so don’t have exact mileage) to County 404 (Van Vac Rd.) Take a left there (only turn you can make). The public landing (big brown sign) is on 404, a ways up after a few dips and turns and valleys and hills. It is on the right side. The upper of the two parking lots is the bigger one, and can handle a fair amount of parking. The lower lot is for staging trailers, sleds and wheelers, and folks should not expect to find room to park there, though there are a few spots. Overflow parking, if it's needed, can go up the access road ABOVE the upper lot, but make sure you all park on the same side of the access road so people can still get by.

While there are some people driving on the ice, and you’ll likely see a few trucks out there, WE ARE NOT ENCOURAGING IT. There is a foot of good ice in spots, with 8 to 10 inches in most places, but there is still a little open water around some reefs and islands, and the ice does NOT inspire confidence. If you drive out on the ice and try to park near HQ or those fishing, expect to be hollered at. Also, it’s a BAD IDEA to sled or wheel too near any island. We got two to three inches of snow today (Sunday), and it’s covering some very thin ice near islands.

HQ will be straight out or nearly straight out from the landing. It’s only a couple hundred yards to the 50-60 foot breakline, and there are permanents and portables set up there, with a half mile of room for more all along that south shore.

This is an informal event, so bring what you’d like to eat and drink. There may be a fairly large metal container of malted beverage, the kind of container that requires a tap, but only if it sounds like there are enough malted beverage drinkers who will chip in a $5 apiece to allow it to break even.

Now, for the laker rookies or newbies, we’ll offer all the tips and techniques you’ll need to have a good chance at icing lakers. Chunkytrout, Surface Tension and I will be there to help, not to mention a number of other laker takers who have been there and done that over and over again, as they say.

Everyone, let’s have a BLAST.

So we can attempt a head count, please all you who are coming sound off in this thread as soon as you know if you’ll be there. People with sleds and wheelers who can help tow those on foot please add that you have said transportation, if you’re willing to perform that service. However, like I said, good fishing water is only 100 or 200 yards from the landing.

[strat-o-caster]

I (strat-o-caster) and last years Champ Marv Kramer will see you guy's up there!! We will be on foot.... Strat

[Steve Foss]

Good deal, strat.

Here's your preliminary Burntside Bash forecast, courtesy of NWS.

Tonight: Scattered flurries before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low near -1. West wind around 9 mph.

Monday: Scattered flurries before noon, then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. West wind between 9 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. West wind between 14 and 20 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 22. West wind between 15 and 18 mph.

Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. West wind between 9 and 14 mph.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 26.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low near 13.

Thursday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 32.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 13.

Friday: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high around 26.

FRIDAY NIGHT: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 14.

SATURDAY: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy, with a low near 7.

SUNDAY: Partly cloudy, with a high near 28

[ripstick]

will be there 4-7 of us hopefully with sleds.Arriving 7 or 730 am.Hope there is some fun left. If not will haul some up.

[Surface Tension]

Yessss. Long story short, I'm back in and my son will be joining me this year at the Bash.

I'll be bringing up the large B-Side map with some areas to fish all ready marked from last year. Just go off the access like STF said and look for a group of guys. The official Duluth/BWCA/Range flag will be flying as well. If you have a FRS/GMRS radio bring it along, channel 7 and no sub channel.

If your new to laker fishing have no fear, there'll be enough guys around that'll be more then willing to share techniques. In the mean time visit the 0ld Brunt side Bash thread for suggestions at to rods, reels and lures, then just bring yourself and be ready for a day of fun.

[Casaloma]

Youz guys have put together a heckuva' little festival. Kudos!

Too be a contributor I think there needs to be a story about Burntside soon..., much has been released regarding NLanders shack-stomping incident & a Cwazy Wabbit or 2.

Here' my story: 1st Laker

When I worked at the YMCA camp on the north arm we got the opportunity to be on the lake often, in Joe's canoes. I fished Burntside for years without anything more than some smallies. Many small, but some dandies too. We would race to the island off the north arm / slim portage. Sitting in a canoe in June I caught my first laker on a white Mr Twister jigging around the island ( Ford Isl. ?? ) for smallies. 15 Ft. of water for a June 15" lake trout. In my opinion Burntside is a beast in the summer & winter. I look foreword to the chance to catch another Burntside offering..

CasaLoma & Friend Thurs nite to Sun afternoon... Who wants to fish??

[Quickstrike]

sorry guys, i'll be missing this years bash. couldn't get the weekend cleared up so good luck to everyone and try to top our antics from last year! I can't wait to hear all the stories.

[Xplorer]

Xplorer will be there at o'dark hundred saturday AM, with sled/otter in tow.

With those balmy temps i may be spending the night on the ice in the otter. Anybody ever try night-fishing for lakers (or more likely a jumbo "poutasaurus" )

I'd be in for a $5 donation.

Will there be a grill in the HQ area by chance?

[Steve Foss]

I'm not planning on bringing my grill. Too big a production when I won't be driving on the ice. But if someone has a smaller gas grill or two, the portable kind, that wouldn't be a bad idea.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

To anyone that would like to help:

i am working on an undergrad research project dealing with inland lake trout in MN. i NEED a lot of data. i will be at the bash trying to gather as much as possible. what i need is for people to come around and let me know when they got fish on the ice (even if you plan on releasing them, if im close by it wont take long, just a quick photo). all i really need is to get some photo's, stomachs, and if anyone is willing to chop off the head i will take that too to get the otoliths out to age them. i will more than likely be B.S.ing with catfish and chunky and sharing their adult beverages ($5, no prob!, got a friend coming too that will chip in)so i can be found around them. i will also be in my Black portable (Sno-Boat is the brand)its a tall and skinny shack. so anyone willing to help it would be much appreciated. just holler and i'll run out to ya. if your not near by, find me at the end of the day if ya want.

holler for Jason.

thanks all, and i'll see ya saturday!

[Steve Foss]

Jason:

There likely will be a fair number of folks fishing Friday, as well, and maybe Sunday. I've taken Friday off so I can fish. If we get anything and want to keep it, I reckon we can fillet them and give you the rest. That'll get you otoliths and stomachs. If we let them go, I can get images and e-mail them to you.

[REEFRAKER]

STF,CHUNKY, I'll be coming up fri. morning. MY brother will be with, I don't know if he will be helping polish off the keg or not. Sounds like I might not be able to fish where I wanted to because of the thin ice. But like you say there's lots of places to fish. Hope the fish have on their feed bag.

[Steve Foss]

Hey Lonnie, shoot me an e-mail with the spot you want to fish and I'll tell you if I know anything about the ice there. On second thought, if it's the spot you hit the bash before last, the one down and around from the HQ, you may be alright. That section froze up early. It's the places that stayed open very late and then took snow on the new ice that thin. It'd be worth checking out on Friday.

[matts60x]

Hi all, new to FM. The bash sounds very interesting, I am new to fishing lakers and last weekend iced 2 for my first time out in the Grand Rapids area. I am hooked... Is there plenty of room to send a rookie out, I got the equipment, but as of right now not the sled to be mobile?

[Steve Foss]

Matts, welcome to FM. It's a good home! There's so much good trout water and so much room for you, whether you're on foot or not. You can walk right to good water. We'll also have sleds and wheelers to pull some people, and a giant laminated map of the lake so folks can have a good look. You should come up, it'll be uh, well, a BASH!

[little perch 1]

Steve and Chunky,

I will be at the bash for the first time.I will through $ 5.00 for the keg party.I will be fishing Friday also.Don't have much for laker stuff. Could some one tell me what kind of jigs will I need?And will a medium action walleye rod do for fishing lakers

[Steve Foss]

Cool that you're coming. We're up to 30 at least, and counting, including a couple of parties who have e-mailed me but haven't sounded off yet in this thread.

Your tackle should be fine. You might want to re-spool with 10 or 12 lb line for the weekend. If I remember correctly, Cashcrews won the Bash two years ago with a 12.4 that hit on a big tube fished on his medium-action walleye gear with fairly light line.

For lures, walleye size buckshot rattle spoons, jigging raps, pimples and such will work just fine, tipped with a minnow head or a little chunk of cisco or smelt. The eaters on Burntside tend to be put off a bit by the bigger lures most laker chasers use. We've found that to be true again and again. You can also just use one of your bare-hook walleye jigs and deadstick a live minnow near the bottom, but make sure your rod is anchored securely!

You can put a live minnow under a slip bobber a couple feet off the bottom, or run a tip-up nearby with a dead cisco or a live minnow half way down the water column, just hooked with a bare hook thru the back and a few split shot to keep it down there. I do the tip-up option. I've had quite a few flags after a laker has come in and refused to bite what I was jigging, then must have seen that wounded minnow wiggling 20 feet away and zipped over to it.

Rainbows are good live bait, but I prefer golden shiners under the tip-up unless I can snag/catch a live smelt. Live smelt, fresh out of Bside, are deadly on tip-ups, and smelt are thick in the lake. You can't legally transport live smelt off the lake, however.

[caseymcq]

I will be there on foot. How far out from the landing will the HQ be? Just curious.

[Steve Foss]

Maybe 200 yards. Might be straight out, probably at an angle. Look for the bright green/black flag flying. I guarantee it won't be as hard a walk as those hikes into Trout Lake, and the odds of catching fish will be much better.

And here's your updated Burntside Bash forecast:

Overnight Monday: Snow likely with areas of blowing snow. Cloudy, with a low near 22. Breezy, with a west wind between 18 and 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tuesday: Snow likely with areas of blowing snow, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high around 25. Breezy, with a northwest wind between 16 and 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow. Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. West wind between 8 and 15 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of snow before noon. Partly cloudy, with a high near 24. West wind 7 to 9 mph becoming south.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 11. South wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Thursday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 34.

Thursday Night: A chance of snow. Partly cloudy, with a low near 19.

Friday: A slight chance of snow or rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31.

Friday Night: A chance of snow or freezing drizzle. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15.

Saturday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29.

Saturday Night: A chance of snow or freezing drizzle. Partly cloudy, with a low around 11.

Sunday: Partly cloudy, with a high around 28.

[zappy]

My son, age 11, and I will be there. We might pop out Friday afternoon to do some pre fishing. Otherwise, we plan to be there 8 a.m. Saturday. We'll be on foot. Thanks for setting up this event.

[chunkytrout]

Zappy, great to hear your bringing the youngster. Sounds like they'll be some others as well.

[SnowAngel]

Just a heads up... alot of snowmobiles will be passing through the Burntside Bash fishing area on Saturday as the 5th Annual Ragnar Fun Run is held that same day.

Snowmobilers riding between Ely, Tower and Babbitt raising money for area snowmobile trails.

Hopefully the warm temps won't send anyone swimming. It's been one crazy winter. Is winter here yet???

Good luck to all, and stay safe.

[Steve Foss]

I just got off the phone with Nick Wognum, of the Ely Igloo Snowmobile Club. He said they staked the Burntside trail last Sunday night. I noticed it hadn't been staked last weekend and wasn't sure if they were going to stake it in time for this coming weekend.

Having the trail staked is better for the bash than it not being staked. Keeps the bulk of the sledders in a narrower area. Last year's trail ran about 100 yards inshore of where we had HQ, but last year's HQ was set up over 100 FOW. This year we'll be over about 50 feet, and that will be well inshore of the staked trail. Nick said this year's trail is even farther out from shore than they staked it last year.

And here's your updated Burntside Bash forecast. All I can say is, WOW, glad we got that little spate of cold weather last week. This forecast won't cost us any ice, but we won't be making any, either.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy, with a high around 26. West wind around 7 mph becoming south.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low near 13. South wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high around 38. South wind between 9 and 15 mph.

Thursday Night: A chance of snow and freezing drizzle. Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31.

Friday Night: A chance of snow or freezing drizzle. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high around 32.

Saturday Night: A chance of freezing drizzle. Mostly cloudy, with a low near 16.

Sunday: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high around 30

[cashcrews]

Stfcatfish remembers correctly...12.4 lb lake trout on an underpowered rig. One of those rod/reel combos found in a bucket at Marine General...total cost about $10. Spooled up with 8-lb. test.

That laker nearly spooled me a couple times, and the rod was near the breaking point. Later that season, despite the "good luck" attached to the rod, the thing gave out and I replaced with some significantly heavier gear.

The 12.4 "record" still stands. Will someone break it this year?

Cashcrews

[Steve Foss]

Cash, if you got one 12.4 laker out of a $10 bucket rod, you got your money's worth!

For those who don't know the story, it was the second bash, and Cashcrews was fishing about 100 yards from HQ as it was closing in on the 2 p.m. weigh-in. With a few minutes to go, I hear a loud shout, and people are scurrying toward where Cash's $10 cheapo is scribing the letter C in the air. At 1:56 p.m., one of Chunky's friends helps him gaff the sucker and pull it out of the hole.

"RUN! RUN!," I shout, waving my arm, and Cash makes a staggering 100-yard dash to the scale, plopping down the laker two minutes before the deadline. If I can find the pic, I'll post it.

Mr. Crews, are you bringing companions Saturday? How many?

I think what's really demanded here is that Cashcrews beat HIS OWN record. If there's any pressure, it's on HIM!

[cashcrews]

The current count of ice fishin' buddies is in the range of 8-10. We will be testing out the maximum capacity of my cabin a few miles down the road at EN3. Might have to bring up the wall tent and set it up on the ice! Several of these guys are home-brewers, and there is talk of many varieties of malted beverage being present, not counting my case or two of macro-brew!

[Surface Tension]

Actually ReefRaker holds the record, caught at the 1st Bash.

Not sure what the official weight was, someone....

[Steve Foss]

Oh cool, a debate over Bash lore. If we're at the point we can argue history, we really have history to argue.

I thought Reef's was about 11 pounds. Lonnie, do you remember??? Chunky???

[Wade Joseph]

Well, I will be there bright and early Saturday morning, not sure if the jiganator will be along or not. If he comes, we'll have sleds, if not, I will be by myself on foot. Count me in for 5 bucks for the adult beverage on tap, I'm also bringing along a 30 pack of the best beer made in La Crosse Wisconsin. I'll be on CB radio channel 19 on my trip up, my cell is on also, if you wanna contact me, ask, I'll share my number. Also have a motorolla 5 mile radio tuned to channel 7. I am so excited about this trip i can't sleep already!

[caseymcq]

Will anyone be plowing this year so we can all ford the Van Vac River again?

Wade- by any chance could you be contacte via smoke signal, you didn't give quite enough options in your post.

ST - Will Skeeter be doing freighting duties again? Or is she not attending the Bash.

Wow, who let the smart --- in here?