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.

Bucket Back Weekend Report: 2/16-2/19 (pics included)


Recommended Posts

Nick (HeavyFish) and I kicked off the weekend with an evening at Chester Woods. We caught 25-30 smaller crappies and lost one nice one at the hole. We also managed a few gills in the 7.5” range. We never caught a large fish, but had a good time with the small ones. Waxies and spikes worked best on small, yet heavy ice jigs. We fished 2 spots and the depth was 26-28FOW.

On Sat am, we found ourselves at Lake Pepin (trailer park point) looking for some eye/crappie action. We were setup about an hour before sunup which proved worthless. By 9:00 I had 3 dink saugers and picked up 1 nice crappie (11”), but we decided to make a move to an area trout reservoir. Nick picked up 1 14” bow, and we caught prob 40 small gills, pumpkinseeds, and warmouths. We tried a few more spots, but couldn’t mustard up much of anything worth mentioning.

ty_crappie1.jpg

nick_trout2.jpg

Sunday am took us over to Albert Lea where we fished Fountain Lake. We fished and area with 9.5FOW and found a couple active fish. We maybe caught 10 gills that were decent sized (7.5-8”), 1 dink walleye, 2 largies, and 1 crappie (10”). The gills wanted the waxies and everything else took minnows or minnow heads. One of the largies is quite possibly my largest through the ice at 15.25”

ty_largie2.jpg

nick_crappie1.jpg

I’d classify this as a tough/mediocre weekend. We caught fish, but the size was down. Man, when am I ever going to get past this "lul"? We got a few decent fish for the camera, but that's about it. Put 25 hours into fishing this weekend. Whofta!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep Tyler summed up this weekend pretty well, a lot of time spent on the ICE and not a whole lot to show but it is always worth the time. Boy I didn't realize what that trout took out of me until I saw what I looked like in that photo. That was a wild hook up, all we were catching were small gills that wanted some small jigs and Tyler handed me his rod after I asked to use it quick and boom what do you know I tied into this nice bow and she took me for a ride. So SOME positives this weekend, but we are dooooo. smirk.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I should mention a little about what we were using. The top most picture of the crappie, I was using an Optic Stealth jig from Little Atom. I don't recall the size, but it was a firetiger/perch color pattern.

Nick's rainbow was taken on a Northland Jiggle Bug that I won during last years Trout Day.

The largie was taken on a JB Lures 1/16 Gem'n eye (chart/white) with a minnow head.

Nick's crappie took a micro weasel from JB Lures with a whole minnow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks for the pics ty, i'm useing them to teach my little girl to identify different speices. she does ok. after awhile, everything is 'crappie' to her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm hoping to turn things around tomorrow am. This nice weather should get the fish activated a bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you take any photos of the Warmouth? They are a pretty rare catch in these parts and I really want to get one for the life-list. I'd love to see a photo to confirm that it was indeed a Warmouth. Thanks a lot, and keep posting the panfish pics. ~hogsucker

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll take a photo next time. I'm no expert my any means, but I've caught several dozen "warmouths" this ice season so far. I certainly could be wrong thogh. I'll photo one next time for proper identification. Foster Arends and the sippi backwaters are typically where these fish have been taken.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Tyler. The part of the state that you are fishing is one of the very few places in Minnesota where these buggers live. They are actually a pretty unique catch and something to be proud of. I look forward to seeing some photos! ~hogsucker

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • mulefarm
      With the early ice out, how is the curlyleaf pondweed doing?
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   The big basin, otherwise known as Big Traverse Bay, is ice free.  Zippel Bay and Four Mile Bay are ice free as well.  Everything is shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th. With the walleye / sauger season currently closed, most anglers are targeting sturgeon and pike.  Some sturgeon anglers are fishing at the mouth of the Rainy River, but most sturgeon are targeted in Four Mile Bay or the Rainy River.  Hence, pike are the targeted species on the south shore and various bays currently.   Pike fishing this time of year is a unique opportunity, as LOW is border water with Canada, the pike season is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. Back bays hold pike as they go through the various stages of the spawn.  Deadbait under a bobber, spinners, spoons and shallow diving crankbaits are all viable options.   Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay and Zippel Bay are all small water and boats of various sizes work well. On the Rainy River...  Great news this week as we learned sturgeon will not be placed on the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.     The organization had to make a decision by June 30 and listing sturgeon could have ended sturgeon fishing.  Thankfully, after looking at the many success stories across the nation, including LOW and the Rainy River, sturgeon fishing and successful sturgeon management continues.   A good week sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.  Speaking to some sturgeon aficionados, fishing will actually get even better as water temps rise.     Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the Rainy River near the Wheeler's Point Boat Ramp is still producing good numbers of fish, as are various holes along the 42 miles of navigable Rainy River from the mouth to Birchdale.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  A few spots with rotten ice, but as a rule, most of the Angle is showing off open water.  In these parts, most are looking ahead to the MN Fishing Opener.  Based on late ice fishing success, it should be a good one.  
    • leech~~
      Nice fish. I moved to the Sartell area last summer and just thought it was windy like this everyday up here? 🤭
    • Rick G
      Crazy windy again today.... This is has been the norm this spring. Between the wind and the cold fronts, fishing has been more challenging for me than most years.  Panfish have been moving in and out of the shallows quite a bit. One day they are up in the slop, the next they are out relating to cabbage or the newly sprouting lilly pads.  Today eye guy and I found them in 4-5 ft of water, hanging close to any tree branches that happened to be laying in the water.  Bigger fish were liking a 1/32 head and a Bobby Garland baby shad.   Highlight of the day way this healthy 15incher
    • monstermoose78
    • monstermoose78
      As I typed that here came a hen.  IMG_7032.mov   IMG_7032.mov
    • monstermoose78
      So far this morning nothing but non turkeys. 
    • monstermoose78
      Well yesterday I got a little excited and let a turkey get to close and I hit the blind!!
    • smurfy
      good......you?? living the dream..in my basement playing internet thug right now!!!!!! 🤣 working on getting the boat ready.......bought a new cheatmaster locator for the boat so working on that.   waiting for warmer weather to start my garden!!!
    • monstermoose78
      How is everyone doing? Holy moly it’s chilly this morning I stayed in bed and will hunt later today when it warms up.
×
×
  • 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.