Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Horseshoe Chain


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 60
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • IceHawk

    7

  • Eric

    7

  • duckslayer27

    5

  • Ralph Wiggum

    4

Good point hanson

Did you stay late enough on saturday to get into the pesky crapies too. wink.gif Glad to see you and your dad had a good bite out there too. See ya on the water

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so haaad,

How thick was the ice? Would like to run up there with the family Christmas afternoon.

Later,

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me and a friend went out their yesterday. First time fishing cats. Went to a sharp drop and looked around a little and found some on the depthfinder.

Then it was unbelievable. Looked a little more, found spot that showed 20 feet, until I turned the power down on the vex, then it showed 35. Punched some holes and dropped the camera down. The cats were so thick the vex couldn't shoot through them. There had to be hundreds of em. shocked.gif They didn't seem to interested in the bait though, but we did manage 8 between the two of us. That was one of the coolest things I ever saw. grin.gifgrin.gif

Any one else ever find them this thick?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Official Fishing Report Team - MN

I have fished areas on the chain that are real similar. Cats winter in certain areas on the chain and you were probably in one of the areas they really school up. I call it danceing with the cats, quite the show on a underwater camera. I have had schools so thick that they literally run into each other. Cat fishing is a blast especially winter fishing for them. The chain is definately a pure cat meca and one of the few areas you can ice winter cats. As a request I ask all cat fisherman please keep some for a meal and release some back for the future. I know alot of people are tossing them on the ice etc. I have talked to the warden and he is looking into the problems etc. I personally have been working on this for years by showing and preaching to locals how the catfish is a important resource to our community etc. Cats are great tablefare and put up a excelllent fight and they are starting to find out. I have talked to alot of the locals who consider cats roughfish, and through time I hope they change their minds, respect the fish and enjoy what the chain has to offer and that's Cat-fishing at it's finest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well said IceHawk. The chain is a jem! I wish more people respected it. The walleye bite has been awsome too! You will catch little ones but those 20"s are nice surprises. I asked a gamewarden why I don't see the much on the chain. He said that "it's the land of 10,000 lakes and 25 wardens".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last FRiday we managed three nice cats and about a dozen small eyes in 21 to 27 feet....great day...tasty cats! don't waste 'em....eat 'em or release 'em!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure where to access ice from. My folks have a place at the ranch,EL RANCHO MANANA-only been up in the summer.. Is there anywhere to get on near Brinkys liquor store? Not looking for hotspots,just a place to get on the ice!! Any help would be great!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Official Fishing Report Team - MN

BlaineBoB- There is a winter access off of Hwy 22 past the public access. Most people use this one and it's the best area to go on. If you turn off HWY 23 onto HWY 22 go about 2 miles or so on 22. Look on the the right side you will see where people go out it's across from the Cedar Island winter access. Don't venture out from Brinkys canal to reach Horseshoe there is unsafe ice out near the mudflats and the bridge!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are folks driving out there with trucks???

I plan on running out tomorrow afternoon, but I think I'll be making a long hike crazy.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Official Fishing Report Team - MN

No they are not. The ice ranges from 8-10 inches. Foot travel is easy and safer right now. Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are recommending foot travel on the ice, but what is the real deal on ATV's? I read a couple of the posts saying there are folks out there on 4 wheelers, but are the ice conditions good to go for ATV's? An 8-10 inch average seems good for ATV's/sleds, but I don't know the ice conditions overall, that some of you others have found out there already.Like most forum users here, I am just looking to be safe on the ice, not inundate any one spot on the chain. Thanks for any feedback.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's one suggestion I would give you.... if you are unfamiliar with the chain, I would first go by foot. Typically the first time I go out I walk to find out the status of the ice. I tend to stay in one specific area and if I drive out the first time I am out there I will park a good distance from the area and go out and scout as to where the open spot is as I have seen it move over the years at least it seems as though it changes from year to year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am heading out to the chain this weekend. can any bdoy give me some advice as where to go to get into some cats or walleys,on cedar island or I guess anywhere on the chain. Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People were 4-wheeling on Horseshoe last week, but like Chemist and Icehawk suggested, use extreme caution if you do not know this waterbody. I walked out to the meth hole area from the 22 bridge. The walking was very easy because there's very little snow. However, there is still a little open water through most of the area between the islands that made it very tough to walk over. The actual meth hole is posted with signs again this year, so stay away if you see them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

People were 4-wheeling on Horseshoe last week, but like Chemist and Icehawk suggested, use extreme caution if you do not know this waterbody. I walked out to the meth hole area from the 22 bridge. The walking was very easy because there's very little snow. However, there is still a little open water through most of the area between the islands that made it very tough to walk over. The actual meth hole is posted with signs again this year, so stay away if you see them.


I echo what so haaad said. I walked from the bridge yesterday evening and there is still open water by the islands, so be very, very careful!

On a positive note, I picked up 4 walleye, 4 cats, a crappie, and a rock bass, so I had some fun. I had one cat at 26.5" and another at 24"--what fun!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went out for a couple hours this evening in the rain. Ended up with 3 cats and 3 eyes. 12 inches of ice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

kinda off the subject of fishing but what is going on with lakeview resort? i heard the new owners are killing it? i hope there is no truth to this

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

The ice ranges from 8-10 inches. Foot travel is easy and safer right now.


Icehawk, you been out since the rain?

Was wondering about the access off 71 onto Cedar Island. Are there any trouble spots in that area out to the islands?

Thanks buddy! grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Official Fishing Report Team - MN

Skeets- You will be fine most of the water found a home and the top is good again. The 71 access is in good shape just hug the W side. Are you familiar with the winter access off of Cedar Island Rd (the picket fence easment)this is the one I have been useing alot it makes the distance a little shorter. Good luck If your after what I think your after you will find them! grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

Are you familiar with the winter access off of Cedar Island Rd


Yes, I am. I just thought there was more parking room at the public access.

Quote:

just hug the W side


Do you mean the north side of the channel/deep hole?

Maybe see you out there sometime!

Thanks! grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Official Fishing Report Team - MN

Yes your right Skeets. I got my directions mixed up. grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.