Icefishing Season in Review...

[Matt Johnson]

Now that the ice fishing season has pretty much come to an end, I figured we could take some time to tell some crappie and bluegill stories from this past winter. So, lets here the fish stories and how everyone did!

And, if anyone had any pictures that they would like to share feel free to e-mail me them and I'll post them for you.

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[email protected]
Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum
Stone Legacy
JR's Tackle

[This message has been edited by Matt Johnson (edited 04-02-2004).]

[hanronson]

I had a great ice fishing season! I tried a new lake and did fantastic on it. I also started minnow downsizing and caught many more crops due to your tips, Matt. I want to thank you and all the other FMers that posted reports and tips on this forum. Thanks again!

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(aftacrops nolonga)

[This message has been edited by hanronson (edited 04-03-2004).]

[RHW]

Little bit slower then last year, but yet, not all that bad. Started out with first ice at the Long Walk and south of Dairyland Power and got into some dandy gills. As the season progressed, crappies at the dike road, finger lakes and Wabasha harbor. Few fish at Wilcox but all small. As things progressed, it was on again, then off again. Depending on who you talked to and which day you picked to go. Dike road finished off kind of indifferent, some got some beauties and others couldn't connect.
West Newton wasn't as good as in past years, but a few did come out of there. Glad to finally see open water.

[ScottMN]

Worst year Ive had. I stopped fishing after my two kids were born, and just recently started fishing again. AAARRRGGHHH

[Corey Bechtold]

This weekend was my grand finale for the ice fishing season. My Brother in law and myself went north to find ice. We picked a lake that had a good weedline adjacent to a large flat along with deep water nearby. I drilled about 30 holes to start in shallow and found some standing weeds. J the in law thought I was too shallow, but he doesn't know much about ice fishing anyway. It took all but 30 seconds to start hammering the sunfish. I used larvae on a horizontal genz worm that I painted chrome. By the time the day was done there was hardly any paint left on it.
The next day we got an early start and found the sunfish again. Most were 7" but every once in a while we'd get a 8.5" monster. I switched to my favorite spring plastic and started getting all big sunfish. The fish were biting so good that we never took and digital pictures. Later that day after lunch we went back out and I found a few crappies had moved in. Watching them bite gets my blood rushing. My biggest crappie was just over 13 inches. I did get some pictures with a throw away camera. All in all we caught well over 100 sunfish that day and released most all of them. I did keep some for a meal until the open water season gets going. By the looks of it that is happening right now south of Brainerd.
To sum it up this year was fantastic for me ice fishing. My 2 year old caught a few bass early ice. I cant wait to get those pictures back. My oldest daughter and I got to put on a fishing clinic over my dad and his neighbor. They still give us some grief from time to time. I hope open water is as good as the ice fishing was this year. See all of ya on the water.
Corey

[iland99]

Best ice fishing I've had in at least two years. Of course, I've lived in Houston, TX for the last two years, just moved back up here last summer. I went out fishing just about every weekend this winter, and caught a lot of fish. Started the year with no gear, I now have everything I need except a power auger, and a snowmobile or 4-wheeler would be nice to have too. Can't have it all (yet). This year I bought an Eskimo Quickflip III, a Marcum LX-3, sunflower heater, 4 rod/reel combos, and many assorted jigs/spoons. Overall a very good year!!

[Matt Breuer]

This was a good year for 'gills and crappies. Not like I had wished for, but overall decent. Two biggest dissapointments: going down to my folks place near Brainerd to my favorite honey only to find people! Last year we caught numerous 'gills in the 9-10" range and crappies in the 12-13" range, this year was lacking in size and numbers, due to pressure no doubt! Secondly, I didn't hit my favorite late ice lake for crappies, the ice just got too soft too quick! Did have a great day of fishing with MJ5 for both 'gills and crappies in the "monster" catergory here in Bemidji, that was one of the highlights of the year!

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Matthew J. Breuer
Northcountry Guide Service
[email protected]
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Custom Jigs and Spins
Phelps Tackle
Today's Tackle
Stone Legacy
Ice Leaders

[Matt Johnson]

Yes, that would have to be one of my highlights too!

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[email protected]
Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum
Stone Legacy
JR's Tackle

[Matt Johnson]

From Ben1022.....

This was my first full season of ice fishing in about 15 years. I got up to MN well before the hard ice and started in on getting prepared. It brought a new house, new gas auger, Lakemaster software and all the new rod/reels and extras to go along w/it. Thanks to this site, I was able to dial in on what I really wanted/needed to get in the game. If I had gone out blindly and got what I thought I needed and went fishing where I thought it might be good fishing, I would be tremendously disappointed, I’m sure.

Again, thanks to this site and a number of you I’ve met on FM outings, my son and I have started the beginning of some great days ice fishing in MN. Next year we will have to get up to Red, Winnie and perhaps LOTW for a trip. Here are a few pix from this winter…

Sure looks like you son had a blast this winter!

Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson

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[email protected]
Iceleaders
Catch-N Tackle and Bio Bait
MarCum
Stone Legacy
JR's Tackle

[BDR]

Ben1022

Those are some great pics!! I was glad to meet you at Tonka. Hope to see you around.

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I'd rather be skunked than follow the crowd!

Brian Rogers

[huskiesplayer15]

Ben1022
Did you fish lake sarah this winter?
Best Fishes
Chris

[huskiesplayer15]

Did you move up here from south of here, kansas or missouri rings a bell, I had talked to a guy out there who had a son about your age, I was just wondering.
Best Fishes
Chris

[Ben1022]

Huskiesplayer15, yes, we did fish Sarah and a huge thanks is owed to Lake Sarah for giving them up! Fishing really couldn't have been better for us on Sarah this year. With a 5 yr old, you need to be into fish fairly quickly or they lose interest. This place that satisfied that requirement. He helped set up the house and I got his line down first. He was getting "mad" at the gills w/their fast bite but he dialed in and hooked quite a few...all on his own. We now have another ice fisherman in the making.
It was gills until sunset and crappies afterwards. The kid is totally proud when we make crappies for dinner...he knows he was the provider! It's a real treat for me to explain to him the resource and have fun at the same time and start to put conservation issues in perspective with him.
He had to put a bunch back and ended up catching the biggest crappie of the evening. Does wonders for a kid to outfish dad. Now he's asking when we can go fishing the open water and if the Crappies will still bite on waxies and minnows.
I told him BDR was taking us as soon as the ice was off!!! We're looking at boats trying to get a fix on what it is we're going to need. Until then, we'll hit some of the docks at Tonka and get out w/some friends.
I'm actually excited to get him to Mille Lacs w/the slot opening up. The kid will come unglued if he hooks a walleye!
BDR, was nice to meet you and I'm sure we'll cross paths. For sure on the site as I'll probably bother you w/all sorts of questions. Probably w/some painting needs as well.

[Ben1022]

Actually it was Arizona. Arizona had a super crappie lake and I never cashed in on the action. So, now that we're here in the land where kids learn to fish before they walk, we're taking advantage of it.
Last night we got a couple crappie rods/reels and are going to search Tonka for some crappies. CrappieMagnet showed me a few places to take him for some panfish earlier this week and perhaps just after Easter we'll get out to see how it goes.

[Ben1022]

Nope...didn't get to meet you but I would've given you mine, for what it's worth! I lost a couple screws on my Strikemaster this winter and have a couple extras in the tackle box, just for that reason. I'm tough on the equipment and you can never have too many spare parts.
I had always fished east of the narrows this year although I saw more people out from the main access point. Seldom saw anyone over on that end and when I did, they were all a good piece away from us. Perhaps we'll meet up this summer or maybe even next year at a FM gathering.

[huskiesplayer15]

ben1022
Do you remember a guy asking you for a bolt? I had lost one for the auger, so I had went around asking, I was wearing black carharts and a blaze orange shirt?
Best Fishes
CHris