Today’s Top 5
The Hunchback of Winnipeg. Tomasz B. caught this stout 29″ greenback on a 1/4-oz Fintech jig/minnow in 20 ft:
Jordan M.’s 12-lb Bay de Noc giant, popped her on a glo perch Northland Puppet Minnow:
14.94-lber caught by Tim F. near Woodruff, WI. Looks like it was pulled right off that wall — guessing that’s exactly where it’s going:
Jason Mitchell with a chunky Devils Lake torpedo caught on a Clam Speed Spoon:
Noxon Reservoir, MT MONSTER caught by Nathan S. At 34.6 lbs just a couple lbs short of the ‘Big Sky Country’ record:
World’s largest ice fishing contest POSTPONED.
Is this a big deal? Yes. When 13,000+ anglers attend the Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Gull Lake in Nisswa, MN each year and this year there’s not enough ice to hold it — yet — it’s a big deal. Here’s a typical turnout:
That’s 34,000 holes! Amazing what 50 Strikemaster augers can do in just 4.5 hours:
WalleyeDan says there’s 7.5-13.5″, short of the 20″ the local sheriff mandates. New date: Feb 6.
Not a hook and line catch but we love this shot. A trout at the Decorah, IA hatchery jumped and stuck to an aluminum wall when it was -22 out. #fishsticks
Do you think the defrost will help?
Erie hasn’t frozen over yet, but everything around it has!
Ice Fishing
Cool.2. SD: Mobridge ice walleye winners.
Jan. 9 on Lake Oahe. Team of Caleb Martinmaas of Pierre and Mike Hogg of Faulkton won with six walleyes for 11.4 lbs.
3. SD: Winners of SODAK perch tourney.
> A Watertown team won the first SODAK Ice Fishing League tournament on Jan. 10 at Piyas Lake. The league is a two-person, team-based perch tournament series in northeast South Dakota.
> Grant Wirkus and Jeff Wirkus took first place by weighing in their tournament limit of 10 perch at 6.78 lbs.
4. ME: Moosehead tourney adds 3 more days.
In Feb because of ice concerns.
5. MA: Ice fishing play in the works.
6. How Mark Zona cuts ice with an outboard.
Great segment from Ice Force pro John Grosvenor for those in the southern half of the Ice Belt.
8. ON: Hardwater sled rescue = steep price tag.
> The average cost is about $1,000 if YOU simply fall through and require help getting out. You can expect 10X that amount if it’s your machine breaking through instead.
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News
1. UT/WY: Biologists pushing for burbot harvest.
In Flaming Gorge Reservoir and the Green River drainage (UT/WY) where they are considered an invasive species — “a voracious predator that eats sport fish that would otherwise be available for anglers to catch.”
2. AIM Weekend Series championship announced.
St. Louis River & Lake Superior, June 3-4.
3. MI: Michigan Walleye Tour + Brown Trout Festival team up.
Events
1. MN: Sportsmen’s Show this weekend.
Fishing/Ice Reports
> Ice fishing remains good during cold snap of -24! Some ice roads allowing midsize and smaller vehicles out on the ice. As always, stay on the marked resort trails.
> On the south shore, most fishing in 24-31′. Gold, glow red, pink, glow white and orange hot colors. Some anglers downsizing presentation for success. A mix of walleyes and saugers with a few eelpout and sturgeon. Many limits with a few trophies. The current cold snap will continue to build ice with 9-14′ of ice reported where resorts are traveling.
> The Rainy River is iced over in most areas but not safe overall. For safety, work through resorts. Some locals out on ice but they know exact conditions. Safety first. Most anglers fishing the lake.
> Up at the NW Angle, good fishing reported. Snowmobile trails to south end of lake are open. Resorts are on fish. Good bite with limits in 20-27′. Jumbo perch, pike and eelpout in with walleye and sauger mix. Some crappies being caught on Ontario side.
Resort listings at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
More on LOTW from Ice Force pro Brad Hawthorne.
2. ND: Devils Lake perch are on!
> The fishing has been good on Devils Lake. We are seeing ice conditions anywhere from 7-11″ throughout most of the lake. There are still some spots that have a spotty 4″ so be very cautious when venturing out on the ice.
> The bite has been good, lots of people are finding perch throughout the lake. The walleye fishing has been pretty consistent. Some are finding walleyes shallow while others are finding them in 25-35′. Find good structure or hard contour lines and start drilling!
> Best methods have been using various types of jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head. The colors vary from day to day but orange, pink, and red have been working fairly consistent. With this cold front over the weekend the walleyes were preferring a slowed down cadence while jigging. Keep trying different colors.
From Ice Force pro Tony Roach:
This is also happened on Mille Lacs…serious envy….
5. MI: Bay de Noc.
Ice Force pro Paul Tomaszewski:
“Got on some walleye on Little bay de Noc in Escanaba this weekend. Great tip up bite in 20′ using 4″sucker minnows. Biggest was 29” with plenty in the mid 20’s.
Also got ’em on Rapala Jigging Raps #7 in firetiger.”
Sign up another ice-head!
‘Eye Candy
Chrystal S. with a Big Sky ice giant:
Tip of the Day
Understanding and utilizing all the features on your electronics can give you a huge advantage on the ice. Brian Brosdahl’s go-to unit is the Humminbird Ice HELIX 5. In this video, Bro breaks down fish-catching features he takes advantage of:
Quote of the Day
All the times where I’m marking fish on my flasher, I swear they’re walleyes, or I swear they’re panfish. Drop the camera down — sheepshead. Drop the camera down — a bunch of carp.
– Eric Haataja chattin’ about why an Aqua-Vu is one of his favorite hardwater & openwater tools.
Shot of the Day
Let’s go ice!
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Melvin
March 6, 2016 at 4:08 am
Really helpful information. I think that you spend a lot of time to prepare for this. I found many useful tips and advice here. I love fishing and almost every week I go for it. Your guides may help me catching more fish, lol. Thanks for your great work!