It's almost that time again

[picksbigwagon]

third year in a row of our trip to Red Cedar. We have our usual haunts on the lake, we bring lots of orange jigs and orange hooks, but what about cranks and stickbaits? also, my goal this year is to keep fishing north past the falling A frame boat house all the way up into birchwood lake. What should we look for in birchwood? Obviously we would like to catch fish, after last year catching the biggest bluegills I have ever seen we won't target them, but won't release them either.

Any hints to catching bigger walleyes? I like being able to catch walleyes all day long on Red Cedar, but what else should we doing. We sit on the humps between the campground (where we are staying again) and the resort, I know of a couple other spots thanks to cooter, but what else can we do?

And for anyone hitting red cedar June 13-15th, look for a late 80s crestliner with three guys and probably 2 motors hanging off the back. Light faded grey boat............

thanks for the help.

[picksbigwagon]

thanks, our hope this year is that there are more 18" fish, last June we caught a lot of 16.5 to 17.5 inch walleyes out there......

[ridgerat2]

from what i have heard there are a few being caught

[picksbigwagon]

crud, I meant going into Balsam lake, not birchwood.......geez, what was I thinking...........

So, any hints on Balsam (connected to Red Cedar) would be great

[Cooter]

I have a great hint for Balsam...

[picksbigwagon]

Come on Cooter, it's either orange jig, orange hook, or don't go at all.....

we are heading to the bait shop in Birchwood (past birchwood acutally) to buy our leeches and licenses and stuff. Hoping for some help from them this year.....anything has to be better than the bait shop in Mikana......

I think I will drag a crawler this year on a rig, just for something different.....

[vman59]

well an alternative to Birchwood if your on the way up is to swing through Haugen and stop at the bait shop there. I found they had the best leech prices.

[CraigM]

I use the bait shop in Birchwood all the time. If you're talking about Seasonal Power Toys. Nice folks, but they don't usually have a lot of helpful information. There is also a bait shop on Birch lake next to the dam but they have never been open when I've stopped there. Don't know if they're still in business or not. I did hear that the walleyes had been doing well on Chetac but it's been a few weeks since I have been over fishing. Hoping to get over to the cabin next week.

[picksbigwagon]

Vman, were is the bait shop located in Haugen??? I don't mind stopping there for bait if they are helpful...the people at Seasonal power toys are nice, but never had much help from them either......

If haugen is open by 7 am, I will stop there on the way up..

[picksbigwagon]

Holy smokes, I didn't even know Bear Lake was there or that big....is that worth a few hours of our time to fish there? Or is it too big to learn in a day

[vman59]

they open at 6am in the summer and are very helpful and will let you know what they know. As for Bear lake yes it is well worth the trip and no it is not that hard to learn as a person might think. Get a lake map and work the humps at the north of the lake before it narrows to go into the northern bay. These humps are good for eyes, nice gills and crappies. Did good fishing them this past winter.Another good spot is the shoreline straight across on the east shore from the humps and it drops quick and is one of the best and most distinctive weed lines I can think of.Work the edge of it with a slip bobber and a jumbo leech early in the morning or right at dark.

[Cooter]

Forget the crawlers picks, stick with the leeches....well ok, at least give the crawlers a try but I have my doubts.

For Balsam I know several that get big 'gills when the spawn is going in slightly deeper than normal water. Just deep enough that you can't see bottom. Not sure if they are bedding that deep or early spawners still hanging around or late ones coming in but it can be a sleeper pattern. You just have to spend time finding those spots as you can't just cruise around looking for moon saucers on the bottom.

[FishinChic1]

Hey guys don't forget to pay homage to The Rambler with a beer can or 24 under the F bridge on Chetac!

I'm going out on Red Cedar and Chetac this weekend. It's going to be chilly, but I hear the bluegills are on their beds right now per Scottie Spaeth... it's usually especially good when the cottonwood is flying!

[picksbigwagon]

So if we go to Haugen for the bait, what is the name of the greasy spoon we can go to for breakfast that morning. The birchwood cafe is pretty good eats...... Name and location of cafe and bait shop in would be greatly appreciated. I am sure it is a small town, but I am a concrete/sequential kind of guy...

[vman59]

cafe is only a block away and has very good food. Lona's Corner Cafe.

[picksbigwagon]

Thanks Vman, years of experience has taught me that a great cafe' starts with an honest name. The real test is if the bathroom has Lava in the bathroom......

[picksbigwagon]

So, is the bait shop on the main drag in Haugen or just off the main drag? I talked my dad and my brother into meeting in Haugen instead of going to birchwood, it had better be worth it Vman

[vman59]

no guarantee's that's why they call it fishing and not catching.

[picksbigwagon]

If you're on Red Cedar this weekend look for 3 guys in a late 80's crestliner with a 40 evinrude and a 9.9 kicker on the back as well, say howdy........we're at the campground until Tuesday.

should be good weather for fishing the next couple of days too. I just hope all the 16 and 17" walleyes we released last year still like leeches on orange jigs.........

[FishinChic1]

There are a couple of place in Haugen, I can't remember the names besides the country inn! (amazing food! huge steaks!) There's a little cafe kiddy corner to the feed mill place... Is that the one you're talking of?

[Cooter]

I'm thinking Picks did pretty well with the gorgeous weather....find out tomorrow.

[vman59]

Lona's corner cafe and the Hideaway its just down the road from the cafe.

[picksbigwagon]

I will do an official update once my dad sends me the pictures.....I will say we caught a lot of nice walleyes, none of them over 18", and a few nice smallies too, including my largest on red cedar.....

Breakfast at Lorna's was outta site, the bait store was kind of a let down......but we did get some nice leeches there.

[Cooter]

Was the big smallie red in color?