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Does anyone have any thoughts on what the cold temps will do for the fish bite?

I have talked to some people that have said they are excited by the cold temps and that it should turn on the fish.

Why?

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I don't know about that, but it will make driving conditions better on the few lakes that are drivable. I usually don't mind the first two days of a cold front, its the tail end of it that is toughtest. I would think with the temps being so mild for so long, that an extremely cold spell would make the bite even tougher. At least that's my 2 cents.

Fisherdog

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That is what I think, but I talked to some fellas and they are excited by the cold and one said, "Boy that should really turn the crappies on."

I think he's nuts.

Might go sledding the weekend.

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The cold temps for me have been a godsend.....I've hammered the crappies on monday and tuesday on middle cormorant....until the cold snap it was far and few between.

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Wiggle --

This must be a crappie thing. If I remember right, I think i have had better luck with the crappies during a cold snap as well. I don't chase them until 'eyes are tough to find, but I think that sounds right.

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Wigglin, Were you around the bend from Swannies or straight out? Just curious. All we were getting Sunday were Sunnies around the bend.

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I was around the bend also.......in between the fish houses and the shoreline.....I found a little hole that was about 2 feet deeper than the surrounding area.

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anyone going out saturday? i'm taking a friend to fish, was thinking middle c would be a good place...i like the accessability there

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Middle C is a good choice. The lake has a nice nothern population and the walleyes you catch will be nice eaters 15 inches plus.

Tip-ups may be the easiest way to fish for notherns.

You can also find some decent panfish -- If you get a chance leave us a report. smirk.gif

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Fished Middle C on Sat, Lida on Sun...caught a few on Middle C- a real nice northern. Nothing on Lida, don't waste yer time there! I heard for a good sunny bite, Prairie is pretty active. Should have went with my gut feeling and fished it Sunday. I think I'm headed to Prairie Tuesday- gotta find those crappies!!

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Lida is a funny lake. The last time I was there I happened to fish during the mayfly hatch.

Smooth move, exlax. No fish. Not a one.

I hit it once last winter and got shut out as well.

For a lake that many people say is the best in a 100 mile radius, I just don't know.

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Wow, it is going to be COLD. Like, you can die cold.

Is anyone going after any fish this weekend? Any thoughts on what the cold, really COLD will do?

It is too cold to ride so might have to fish?

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I have plans on going but i dont know if it is worth it. But with it being so cold i will have to do something, so might as well fish. Where i go will still be up in the air.

Andrew Shae

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Gotcha. I would like to explore other spots, but I'm sure I'll go the easy route and fish in the ol' shack.

Too cold.

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Gonna see what Saturday brings, but my coworker has that fish house over by the Y camp on big C, might check it out. It sits out there all alone!

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2 --

If you fish that house, stop by and visit us at my house. Just off the Landing access then a little west. I will have a sled or two parked next to it.

Silver house, can't miss it.

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For the cold temps, I think I am headed coyote hunting. Maybe just road hunt them, we see alot where we hunt pheasants and this way I stay warm but still get out of the house.

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Well, two of my friends and I are planning on making the trip to Devils this weekend - we are supposedly hitting this tournament up that I haven't heard anybody else mention a word about. I know that lake can go bad in a hurry with a cold snap like this... Crap

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So, what do you do with them once you shoot them?

Do you see a lot? What time of the day? Dusk I would guess?

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Bison --

I have never hit Devil's Lake and I should.

Is it as good as everyone says it is? I have heard a lot of people quit going up north because D Lake is closer and better.

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bison,

im heading there too, what do you know about the tourny, i havent heard anything. but would be interested in it, if there is one. im going with a friend so i dont know where i willbe fishing it is my first trip there. im a little concerned with the cold weather but we will give it a shot anyway.

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ludzy - I really have no idea about this tourney. I really am just excited to fish the ol Big Water again to be honest. My buddy said we will be signing in for the tourney on Friday night - I couldn't even tell you where the sign in is??? confused.gif

Anyways, if you do look at a map, we will be probably hitting Rocky Point by about 8:00 AM on Saturday morning. Rocky Point is on the southwest corner of Creel Bay. If you swing by that way, you might see the ol Blue F150 and our Clam Sleeper. Stop in and say hi if you want and we'll tell ya what's been doin...

Also, Hitman - Devils is the best walleye lake I've ever fished (second only to the great Lake Erie). In my opinion, it is the best right after ice out when the water temps just start to increase. It takes a little while to learn the lake because it is huge. When I first started, I went twice and got skunked and gave it one last try the third time I went out - that was precisely the time I learned how to fish it. Every time I've been up there since has been a walleye Bonanza...

However, I've never actually fished the ol' Big Water in the ice season and I am skeptical. Many a Devils Lake Old Timer have I talked to that will swear by that lake for 8 months out of the year and say crap on it during the winter.

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Bison --

When do you hit it? Like about when?

If I decide to go up there can you give me some spots to try?

I have heard the slip bobber is a killer. Where do you stay?

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hitman,

If you ever want to go just let me know, i know a couple of spots to catch fish. Also you can go up there and catch fish a lot of places.

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If you happen to get out and shoot a coyote or two the Fur Shed in Downer buys them. It's about quarter mile east of the bar across from the junk yard. It's been to cold to fish so me and the kids were going to town and had three yotes out in the section south of the house, didn't know how to run em so We went back to the house. I thought I would try to stalk them but it was too (Contact US Regarding This Word) cold so I got on the back deck and hit the rabbit call softly and they ran right up to the back of the house a hundred yards behind the tree line. Now I have two labs and three coyotes in the garage tonight..Sweet!! My first triple..

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thanks for the invite bison, i found out last night that we will be fishing in mission bay. like i said this is my first trip up there so i dont know where we will be in relation to you but if we are close i will say hi. thanks again.

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Bifflefan,

Thanks for the coyote info. How much did you get for the coyotes? Do they take fox and coon as well?

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Hitman, the best times by far in that lake are the morning and then evening hours - the two bite periods are from about 9:30 AM to about 12:30 PM and then again at about 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM. The midday lul has unfortunately always sucked for us... During those times I listed though, its usually been dynamite.

As far as what we do when we go there, (I never have ice fished the thing, so this weekend aught to be interesting) I am a real fan of fishing Six Mile Bay. There is a bridge there right in the middle of the bay (to the left of the Six Mile Bay boat launch). In the Spring we move slowly right across the mouth of that bridge on the north side of it (that is key because the south side of the bridge for some reason does not produce like the north side of it) while jigging pink jig heads, small white twister tails, and minnows. The key to the presentation is what my buddies and I have termed the "double up" technique where we are moving slowly and vertical jigging and then I will turn the nose of the boat toward our lines and they go slack - the walleyes go nuts right when the line picks back up again.

We do this technique a lot right by the bridge because the bridges create moving water like current (it is also a rule of thumb in the Big Water that all bridges are usually good). Also, fishing wind blown shores of Six Mile Bay with number five deep diving (yes deep diving) shad raps has been real good. Make sure to take the belly hooks off those things or you'll be hung up all day long. You cast them right into the shore - its like bass fishing and fun as heck when you get into them this way - I also use 17 lb fire line and a coffee colored leader to pull the shads so northerns won't chew them off and you can pull walleyes though cover if need be. As far as slip bobbers are concerned, I actually haven't really liked that presentation out there... Although I am learning how to fish them still up there - I guess you have to get in the submerged timber and only set them to half way down, not all the way down... This is a summer pattern so use leeches and crawlers with the bobs.

As far as where we stay, my buddies and I like to go the cheap route and camp on Graham's Island - you'll see it right on the map. Also, towards the end of the open water season, we were getting good at leaving Fargo by about 4:30 AM and being on the water water by about 8:00 AM - this way we didn't even have to stay and we would drive back to Fargo all in one day.

There are endless possibilities in that lake - it may take a couple trips, but in those first trips, get as much info as you can from locals and be very observant of what others are using around you. The third time I went up there (after getting skunked the first two full days I went there) was going to be my last if I came back skunked again - I happened to see a boat just derbying them and repeated their pattern and started hemmering them - its been Bonanzaville there ever since. So, what I'm trying to say is that like any new body of water, you will have to learn it, and once you do, its awesome...

That's my two cents!

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gone fishin: Dusty is the guy that owns the fur shed. I'm pretty sure it's 10 to 20 bucks for a coyote and he takes just about anything with fur on it. Stop in and check the place out. He also takes deer hides. He has quite the operation there. Just be ready when you walk in the door them first few lungfuls of air will about knock you over. I guess it shouldn't smell like a flower shop tho. His phone is probably in the book now. {The fur shed} or {Dusty Hough}

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