First time ice fishing help - weekend at mille lacs

[mainbutter]

Well my bday was yesterday and my girlfriend told me that she's going to take us for a weekend of ice fishing at mille lacs! I'm super excited!

Neither of us have ever ice fished before and I'm hoping to get some suggestions on what to bring to make sure we have a good time and hopefully ice a couple fish (regardless of species).

I have one ice rod and one tip up, and the place that we're staying (appledoorns) apparently has rattle wheels. Beyond that, I'm lost on what to bring as far as bait or lures, and definitely lost on "how" to fish.

Could you guys get me pointed in the right direction? I want to make sure that we're prepared and don't forget something that could make or break the trip.

Also, how important is a flasher or underwater camera? I don't have any fishing electronics of my own, but Appledoorns rents them I think. If you had to choose between a flasher or camera, what would you choose?

Oh also do any of you know if Appledoorn's rattle wheels are spooled with fishing line, or are they literally just the wheel and I need to supply my own line?

Edit:

Anyone have a good suggestion for where to pick up bait? I like to support local businesses!

[walleye44]

Not know how deep you are fishing or water clearity right. I would say go with a flasher. They are really easy to use. You can use one to mark (4) depending on the layout is. Have fun! P.s. Call them up & ask them what they supply you. Some places supply even the rods..

[fishinfey8]

I'm sure Appledorns has their rattle reels spooled up with line already. As for electronics, I would rent a vexilar/sonar over the underwater camera. That's just personal preference. I don't like messing around with the camera, trying to figure out where my lure is, or where the bottom is...etc. I would ask Paul or anyone working at Appledorns if they could quick show you how to use the graph. Maybe youtube how to use a vexilar...understanding what your looking at when it comes to sonar is key.

Pick up some jigging spoons (sweedish pimples, buckshot rattles, lindy rattlin flyer) and tip it with a minnow head. Yep, cut off the head and just put that on it. Also, you might want to bring some wax worms, or larva for the perch

[Slabasaurus]

Before this weekend I would not have mentioned anything about a flasher being super important...

But i ran into a school of crappies suspended at about 8 feet in 18fow. Never would have caught them if it weren't for my flasher.

They're a blast!

Pick up some jigging spoons (sweedish pimples, buckshot rattles, lindy rattlin flyer) and tip it with a minnow head. Yep, cut off the head and just put that on it. Also, you might want to bring some wax worms, or larva for the perch

that's all i've used this season, except I've been having luck with full crappie minnows on crappie.

[coombia21]

For bait I would go to princes bait they will give you a lot of bait for your buck, and they are always there to help you find the fish.

[TooTallTom]

If Appledoorn's doesn't/ can't provide them, you might want to pick up a couple more rods, so that you and the gf will both have two. You don't have to break the bank, just buy a couple to fish with for the weekend. But you might check with Appledoorn's first and see if they can hook you up with some rods for the weekend.

[Rugbyguy]

FYI Appeldoorn's sells bait at the office where you check in.

[reinhard1]

if you want to relax and not spend the money on rods and reels ect. [always nice to have at least two for jigging] then set the rattle wheels at one foot off the bottom and put a minnow on. if they are biting they will hit the rattle wheels. but like others have said if you want to jig for perch and tullibees then a rod is a must and a flasher is nice as well. good luck and have a great time together.

[tunrevir]

Mainbutter, I'd call Paul and explain your situation and the available equipment you have at your disposal. He has a wealth of knowledge to share and will provide you with the best experience he can. I always bring an extra bit of mono for leaders on rattle reels and hooks and retie/replace any leader with my own hook and line(nobody to blame but myself). If you know what house you will be in ask for depth that the house sits in likely fish that you may catch out of there and what bait to bring. Perch will eat just about anything from euros and waxworms to fullsize fat heads. Jiggin spoons in the 1/16th-1/8th oz size in gold or silver tipped with waxies or a minnow head will work for both walleye and perch. A scoop of crappie minnows, a scoop of fatheads and a couple containers of eurolarve and waxies should be all that you need for bait. Setups for your rods, 4# line and a reel with a good drag should work. If you plan on bobber fishing use the lightest you can get by with like a venom/icebuster type float. Set your rattle reels 10-18 inches off bottom for walleyes with a plain red hook and a nice lively fathead. I like many, use pieces of minnow (heads) mostly to tip my jigging spoons. You will want to pinch the head off and leave it as ragged as you can rather then making a clean cut as this seems to pull more fish in. Small forage minnow spoons in greenglow or perch with a gold back, swedish pimples, angel eyes in gold can all produce. For perch same small jigging spoons will produce or you can fish crappie minnow,fathead under a bobber with a plain hook or use panfish jigs with minnow or wiggler of your choice. Depending on the depth a flasher can be quite handy to fish with just to kind of let you know what is going on down there.

Tunrevir~

[dfv87]

All of this is good advice... especially calling Paul! he works his behind off making sure you have the best time you can. I know he will do as much as he can to make it a good weekend. Buy at least 1 more rod though... for jigging.

Power for the ceiling fans. (find a buddy with a generator)or a car battery with a 12volt fan is absolutely necessary. If you dont have have a fan the top of the fish house is a sauna and the floor is cold.

[motley man]

I'm sure that they have all you need.

[Gunther]

I fished out of one of there rentals back in December. The rattlewheels were nicely setup with fly line, going to mono and had a variety of hooks on them. Couple had jigs, couple plain hooks, etc... The one thing ours did not have was bobbers. Bring some standard clip on bobbers and you will be good to go. Make sure you also have a clip on weight for checking depth. Like others have said set them 6-12 inches off the bottom.

Paul has bait at the access. He had crappie minnows when we were there. If you want to try any other kind of minnows hit the bait shop on the way there, there is one rigth in Isle.

[robert aldrich]

depth+water clarity+ice depth+ ice clarity+ snow cover= light penetration. that will tell you the kind of lure you want to use. like: no light = glow. little light= glow or bright color lures. alot of light= natural patterned lures.

i figured out a formula for ice fishermen now you know what kind of lure to use.

[Wanderer]

Great info so far. But as usual, I have to wander off in a different direction and recommend you rent a camera over a flasher if have to or get to choose one or the other.

The simple reason is if you're in a rental, you're not searching for fish and know the depth. Mille Lacs is one of those lakes tailor made for camera use and it's ALOT more entertaining than watching a flasher. Plus, you can usually set up the camera to watch more than one line and more than one person can watch a camera with interest.

And the most significant reason to me would be that this is your first (?) ice fishing experience. You will learn way more watching the fish on camera than with the flasher.

All other times I would pick a flasher over a camera if I had to.

Good luck!!

[ducker]

skip the fishin Wink wink

[Big A]

If you must fish the dead sea... then by all means.. try to do so with an underwater camera vs the flasher. The water clarity is awesome and you dont have to learn how to use the camera.. just turn it on and by all means.. contact Kare11 or KSTP if you happen to see a fish down there!!!

[mainbutter]

Thanks for the replies guys! Really glad to have all this info. I think I'm definitely picking up one more jigging rod.

I stopped by gander yesterday and they had a couple cheap setups under $30. Any suggestions on which one to pick up?

[that_guy]

Get a Medium-Medium Light rod, make sure the reel has infinite anti-reverse. The gander guide series is a nice rod/reel for the money, The frabills and mitchell's are nice as well.

My main focus would be getting a good action and a nice reel. The name on the reel doesn't mean much for beginners! Just make sure you have fun, and as other have eluded to, don't worry if the fishing sucks...plenty of room in those nice fish houses

[Swimmer]

I know it's kind of a no brainer, but make sure you have up to date licenses and know the basic rules of ice fishing. Ie, you can each fish two rods (rattle reel included here) and read the pamphlet on tip ups if you decide to use one. If there are other people around, ask politely if a guy would auger you a few holes within easy eye sight of your shack (or ask the guy from Appledorns if he would do this). That way during the beautiful sunny afternoon you can get outside and hole hop a little bit. You may be able to scout out some existing abandoned holes that haven't frozen over yet. Have fun and happy birthday. PS, a few of you may get this: wasn't "Appledorn" Shauna Grants non "stage" name?

[herefish101]

You do know your about to get addicted to a very expensive sport, don't you? If ya'll catch fish up there, the next thing you know, you'll be on here lookin for info on equipment.....lol..... Good luck up there, the pond can be hit and miss but if you get there when it's on then your in for a real treat.

[soldoncass]

Lots of good advice so far. Don't have too high of expectations for fish catching...it's tough just starting out. Just remember they bite VERY LIGHT, most of the time, so I definitely would get a rod with a flat spring tip. In fact I just replaced mine at the Gander here(an HT medium-light with flat tip). Then use a Genz worm lure with a waxworm or little minnow head only. That will "surprise" some of those light biting perch, eyes, and tullibees. Use your other rod for jigging a flashy or noisy lure with a minnow (or just the head), to call them in. That jigging can help the rattle reels or the "surprise" bait you have down. I've only been on the ice fishing a half-dozen times, or so, but that "surprise" bait has been my best so far. On the other hand you may be there when the fish are "hammering" anything you put down......just don't count on it. HAVE FUN AND ENJOY YOURSELVES.

[Feathers Rainin]

I know this isn't in the cards for you but my advice on fishing mille lacs is drive a couple more hours to LOTW. Mille lacs is so hit or miss and it usually seems to be a miss. Talked to a CO out there last weekend that was doing fisherman surveys at the landings and he said the most anyone had reported was two walleyes for four guys. Tons of little perch out there too but they are tight lipped. If you do rent a flasher keep an eye for suspended fish as the best bite I have heard this year from the lake has been on tullibe coming in suspended. Marked a coupel tullies last weekend but only got one light bite that I missed. Good luck and I hope you get hooked like the rest of us.

[mainbutter]

You do know your about to get addicted to a very expensive sport, don't you? If ya'll catch fish up there, the next thing you know, you'll be on here lookin for info on equipment.....lol..... Good luck up there, the pond can be hit and miss but if you get there when it's on then your in for a real treat.

I'm already 110% hooked on open water fishing, and since I live in this state full time I might as well get hooked on ice fishing as well I'm really hoping that I DO in fact get hooked on this!

[Wimbie]

Definately rent the flasher over the camera. The flasher will tell yuo where the fish are. Whether they be on the botoom or anywhere in the water column. The camera will only tell you whereever you have it setup at. If it's in the budget, get both. The camera is neat, but I think it's also a pain in the arse. But there are other things you can do with the camera, even if it doesn't have a recording option.

[soldoncass]

One thing I should mention is...if you have time do a search on ice fishing, Genz, Vexilar, or some advertisers on HSO. Look for videos of methods, and "how to do" stuff...just that little visual info helped me a lot when I first went. If they are aggressive, you'll know it, but plan for finesse, VERY LIGHT BITES most of the time.....you'll catch more. In fact on our trip to LOW a month ago I caught ALL my fish on one rod (no rattle reel, or jigging rods),only the light spring rod....and that BARELY MOVED. Good luck.