Clearwater / Pipestone Conditions

[superbee]

Made the trip up Pipestone to the cabin. The conditions were pretty good overall. Clearwater had very little slush except for a few good sized pockets. Pipestone was slush pockets from Green Island up to Line Bay. Then it was good to High Portage Bay and a good pocket there. From there to the cabin was not bad on the long route. I took the short cut on the way there and felt the machine drop when the ice broke and then ran a long length of slush. Overall, only about 6-8" of snow on the ice. Travel for fishing will be good, towing sleighs off the trail might be an issue in different areas. The main trail will be froze good and won't be a problem after tonight.

[NoWiser]

Sounds great, Superbee! Now, just make sure the first group saves some fish for us. I can taste the boiled trout already......

[Fish&Fowl]

Heading up that way Friday, hope the trout are hungry!

[superbee]

They are always biting on Jan 1. Never seen it slow then!

[Outfitter17]

Hey Garret,

You will have to wait to fish trout until Saturday - Jan. 1, the season isn't open on Friday Dec. 31.

[hookset 31]

Wonderin if anybody has been into loonhaunt yet? Looking at flyin in next week - was hopin condition are good enough to set down on skis. Did you guys to the north get hit with the new years snow?

[Outfitter17]

Hookset,

I wouldn't even think about it right now after all the snow we just got. Slush has popped up everywhere.

[NoWiser]

I'll be up on Pipestone tomorrow night through Sunday and will give you a report as soon as I get back. It doesn't sound great, though, from what I've heard.

If I planned on heading into Loonhaunt I could pack you down a runway, but I'm not sure that I'll be heading down that way. If I do go down there, by chance, what part of the lake do you land on?

[superbee]

Hookset - I was just up Pipestone today. There is aot of slush and deep snow. I would n't try flying in anytime soon unless you want to leave the plane. I highly recommend sleds right now. If you mark a runway and pack it, you should be good later on down the road. I know Veg was up over the New Year at Stone Dam, but not many trcks headed that way from Pipestone. Maybe a bit more traffic from the Jackfish end.

[NoWiser]

Superbee, did you get a chance to wet a line at all?

Hookset, the more I think about it, the less likely it will be that I will head down into Loonhaunt. We'll probably be sticking to closer, and more familiar territory with the ice conditions. Good luck if you head up that way.

[hookset 31]

Thanks for the Info - we probably want to rethink our plan. Was gettin eager to get up there cause it doesn't happen that often for me but leavin a plane doesn't sound like a good idea either. Have to talk to the guys about a sled trip. Some of the lakes i fish around here are slushed also - not much fun plowin thru it with the sled. Seem like there is new spots of slush every time i go out. Thanks again.

[Fish&Fowl]

Hey Garret,

You will have to wait to fish trout until Saturday - Jan. 1, the season isn't open on Friday Dec. 31.

Hey Matt,

I meant stay Friday night and start fishing Saturday...thanks for looking out though haha. I didn't end up going because of the weather and some pretty big projects that needed attention on the house I just bought, but it's on for this weekend!

[Outfitter17]

Good Luck Garret,

Watch out for slush.

[hookset 31]

Any changes in the slush reports -Stonedam - Loonhaunt? Pospond the last trip - planning a new one. I amagine Pipestone and Clearwater get enough traffic to travel.

[NoWiser]

Hookset,

I was up there two weekends ago. It was bad. Really bad. The guys with powerful enough machines could skip right over it. Those with small fan cooled sleds struggled a lot. The Friday (Jan. 7th) we were up there seemed to be the worst, and it improved a little bit Saturday and Sunday. I am guessing after this cold weather things will be good to go, but I'd wait for Superbee to chime in. He will know for sure. I do know the trail he had up Clearwater and Pipestone was very good. Not a drop of slush on it. So, if you are sledding up you will be good to go until Stonedam for sure.

When were you thinking of heading up? We'll be back again February 2nd - 6th. Have to redeem ourselves from the 1st trip, fishing was very slow compared to what we are used to in January.

[hookset 31]

NoWiser-Not sure of a date for the trip yet- a couple of the guys want to fly in becuase of convenience- a couple of us want to sled in and bring alittle more gear for convenience. But i'm afaid if they want to fly in someone has to make a trip with sleds to freeze in a landing strip. (pick me)

[NoWiser]

You guys aren't, by chance, the guys with the yellow plane who we've seen flying over a few times on our past trips, are you? They were up there buzzing around when we were fishing the first weekend in January this year.

How do you guys fish when you take a plane up? Do you have some sleds that stay up there and store all your fishing gear? One of these trips I'm going to have to make a point to fish Loonhaunt for a day. I've covered almost every other lake within 10 miles of Pipestone, but I've never been on that lake in the winter. That must be fun to have access to a plane up there! I'm jealous. Its such an awesome area.

[hookset 31]

Not yellow- Red and white - one looks like sun rays under the wings.

[superbee]

The lakes are still slush except where there is a packed trail. I have not been up the lak this past week. I am planning a run tommorrow. I know some guys that fished Kairaskons the other day and it was full of slush and only 6" of ice in spots. Clearwater has a fair bit of traffic with the cabin owners. I would scratch the plane idea until March. The snow is real deep to top it off. The other day I was on a lake and it felt like I was running in slush, but it was just deep snow. In the bush it is over waist deep. I'll post what I see tommorrow.

[TB Camp]

Returned from Pipestone on Monday. Superbee's trail is good running up Pipestone. Off the trail can be quite a challenge if you are not careful. Trout Bay was very slushy, as well as Green Island / Sullivan Narrows and Dash Bay, heavy snow on West side of Lake. Did not go as far north as Stonedam. Approx !0 inches good ice in many areas. Hope to return in March but will check conditions. Be careful!

P.S. Trout Fishing was good but most action was on tip-ups, fish running a little smaller than most years.