Opener!!!!

[the squirrel]

It sounds like if you had a sail-boat this weekend you could move around faster than a 140 hp johnson!! Good luck kids!

[Guest]

Call me a Wuss, but I'm opting to stay home this weekend rather than fish in rain and big-time cold fronts.

Monday, however, is looking pretty mighty

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Chells

[big_fish_guy]

wuss!!

[Guest]

Thanks!

I needed that!

I'm still suffering from last year's opener in Lake Ida by Alex. It was truly miserable; not even the Stingers helped reduce my discomfort...

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Chells

[waterwolff]

I guess I am a glutton for punishment even though my fingers still sting with the thought of last years opener on Mille Lacs I will be out there bobbing along once again

[Jim W]

All,

I would like to wish everyone a safe and kick-butt opener this year!
Make sure you let us know how you did! Feel free to use this thread for post-opener repo's and stories!!!!

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[jegerjack]

I have woken up form my post-ice fishing hibernation....

Good luck, JegerJack.

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"What did the old man trade for these guys, a used puck bag?"

[Long Gray Line]

Not a ton of action but the night bite we saw was on leeches in less than 10' of water over rocks. Fish seemed to be scattered, slow bite the real early morning of the opener on Mille Lacs but we boated 5, missed several, kept 2. We picked up about half of the fish in 4' of water on the high spots of reefs!!

[Rick]

Who else has an opener story, report, or something funny or memoable that happened on opening weekend?

Share it with us here....

[Dennis Steele]

Had a good opener
The first morning I went out with Canopy Sam and between the two of us we boated a limit of eater eyes and a couple nice pike.We shared a spot with Rainman who landed a nice 22" eye in a little deeper water.
I got a good knap in the afternoon and met up with Rainman to fish the evening.No luck at the first spot but at the our next one we got into some very nice eyes.We landed over 18 eyes with the majority of them running 20 to 22".Ringworms cast to shallow current edges were the ticket.
This morning I again headed out with Sam and the eyes seemed to have lock jaw.We hit another spot and I picked up a couple eaters and a nice 24" eye.Sam suggested that they may have turned on so we headed to a spot that was likely to produce more fish.We only managed to get two more eyes but one went 26".
It was a good opener even if it rained most of the time we were out.It didn't dampen the fun, just the gear.

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Minnesota River Guided Fishing
"fishhead"
[email protected]
www.mnriverguidedfishing.com

[This message has been edited by Dennis Steele (edited 05-11-2003).]

[Rick]

Nice walleye Dennis.

[Jim W]

Dennis,

NIce fish and photo!!! The weather probably kept a few off the lakes, but the river.......

Ringworms eh?? Awesome!!!

Jim W

[Blackstarluver]

Sorry I am so stupid. Now that I am finished with the self-deprication, what are ringworms?
Who makes 'em?
Thanks!
JC

[Jim W]

Blackstarluver,

You can find a variety of "ringworms" at quite a few places. I believe Rick has some available here at the "FM" online ordering store.

ANother fine maker of these is Tim Hutchison out of Prairie Duschene Wis.

A ring worm is a plastic artificial, usually tipped onto a jig of choice. Most often used in river fishing, but I have had good success experimenting with them on lakes as well.

They are a "ribbed" 4 inch(other sizes available, but the 4 incher seem to fair best) plastic bait with a twister for a tail.

They come in more colors than any other artificial I've seen!

Try ordering some here and if you like, e-mail me and I can give you "Hutch's" address HSOforum.

That walleye you see me holding on the front page(29 incher, if it's still there) was caught on a purple/white tailed ringworm!

These generally are never used with bait.

I caught a few smallmouth and Northern on Lake Pepin Friday using them.

I hope this helps some?

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[mrclean]

you can also find ringworms at capras in blaine