1. MN: We lost Alan Geisenkoetter Jr.
Alan was the 8yo boy hit by a snowmobile on Chisago Lake while helping his dad set up their portable fish house…passed away a few days later. Here’s the GoFundMe account if you can spare a few. If you’re the prayin’ type, please send a few his family’s way.
2. MN: DNR names new Mille Lacs fisheries advisor.
Tom Heinrich, who was the large lake specialist covering Lake of the Woods.
> “Heinrich begins his new role as the DNR continues efforts to understand and improve a walleye population in Mille Lacs Lake that has undergone a decline over the past 2 decades….”
Hope he has thick skin ‘cuz everyone thinks they know best how “The Big Pond” should be managed. More than a few variables going on over there, like:
> “…significant aquatic system changes including increased water clarity and decreased walleye productivity…the introduction of zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil and spiny water fleas…a changing zooplankton community that may be altering the aquatic food web…and declines in certain forage species, including tullibee.”
3. Great Lakes now 69.1% ice covered.
Only the 2nd time there’s been this much ice cover on the Great Lakes in the last 24 years — the other time was 2014.
Lake Erie was 90.7% covered as of Monday, which is a big deal ‘cuz they don’t always get fish-able ice and they have THESE:
Though wouldn’t all ice be fishable for Ross Robertson since he has an Argo?
4. MN: $20K for the biggest fish caught…
…at the Fishing for Ducks tourney on Mille Lacs Feb 17.
5. MI: Sturgeon “season” lasted 2.5 hours.
On Black Lake. Shut her down when the quota of 7 fish was met:
> The sturgeon fishing hotline was updated at 10:23 am, which officially closed the season. In addition, signal cannons, mortar rounds, fireworks and sirens were used to indicate the season’s end within minutes of the final fish being harvested.
Sounds more like a festival than a season lol.
6. MN: Mid-winter walleye tricks.
Joe Henry does a great job of breaking down different techniques for getting inactive fish to bite. He’s talking Lake of the Woods — where “tough” fishing is still pretty darn good [!] — but these tricks should work anywhere fish are being fussy:
7. Favorite LakeForkGuy rods came in…
…and now they’re sold out. Better keep hittin’ the Favorite website to see when stuff is in ‘cuz it goes crazy fast. Seriously — these rods sold out in 24-ish hours.
8. FishUSA has Okuma spinning reels on sale.
ALL of ’em! Check them out right here.
9. Garmin partners with Arrow Mapping…
…bringing LakeVü HD to paper maps.
10. Yammy trying to resolve large-outboard supply issues.
11. U.S. oil production is up but…
> Analysts expect gas prices could climb another 10 cents by early spring, a gain of almost half a dollar in a year.
