HSO get together Big Stone Lake Saturday February 29th

[Rick]

I plan to be there in the morning weather permitting.

[rl_sd]

I'll be there Friday afternoon.

[rundrave]

  

20 hours ago, Wanderer said:

My main worry is access with the house in melting slopes.  I don’t like doing the luge with the house and truck.

 

@Wanderer what size fish house do you have? How long and how many axles? Anyone else besides Wanderer and rl_sd bringing permies?

 

Still trying to get a location coordinated. I just want to make sure we can accommodate anyone who wants to attend and make sure access is good for all.

 

The other thing to keep in mind is that I know some of the MN seasons are closed now but Big Stone is open year around. With all the heavy snow on other MN lakes and Eastern SD lakes the thundering herd has already been out there, and come nice weather this weekend you just never know what to expect. 

[Wanderer]

1 hour ago, rundrave said:

  

 

@Wanderer what size fish house do you have? How long and how many axles? 

Single axle; 8x21 (18 ft box).  I’ve had it in some dicey conditions before so I know what I can and can’t handle.  Glare ice and steep inclines can be managed if I can get one side on snow or maybe grass/gravel the way things are going.

 

Don’t worry too much about finding a fishing spot for the wheelhouse.  I can put it anywhere and travel as needed.

 

Are we at 4 members planning on being there?  Would you be open to hitting Traverse if I could help with a couple spots?

Edited February 25, 2020 by Wanderer

[rundrave]

Wanderer we will get you set up on Big Stone with no issues. Still ironing out some details but will have a location soon.

 

As of right now role call looks like this:

@Rick

 

@rl_sd

@Wanderer

and myself.

 

Lots of maybes?

@Borch

@Tom Sawyer

@Hawg

@IceHawk

 

I know rl_sd will have a few in his group and multiple shacks. I have exchanged PM's with a few others but haven't heard from  some of them in while. As of now I will be coming up by myself, wish my kids were coming but they got invited to a birthday party instead. Someday they will get their priorities straight lol.

 

Anyone else on the fence on this let us know would love to meet some more members out there. Weather is going to be great and so will travel conditions. Saturday forecast says a high of 37 and sunny with light south wind and the barometer dropping. Should make for a great day on the ice, and hopefully the fish cooperate!

 

Looking forward to it!

[Rick]

I plan to be there in the morning weather permitting. I will be there in visit mode. Not bringing a shelter or fishing gear.

 

So will be as painful as possible crowding each of your shelters in turn

[Wanderer]

I replied to your PM @rundrave 

 

There’s fish to be had and we’ll find em!

[IceHawk]

My apologies  wont be able to attend. Dog duty  Watching my Brothers  lab for the week as he and his family are on a vacation. And being his Dog and my two hunt together its a easy transition for his.  Boy with my two labs already in house and now his for the week its been kind of crazy. Been messing with them blowing my pheasant cackle call  Good luck guys have fun !

Edited February 27, 2020 by IceHawk

[Wanderer]

And I was planning on BS’in with ya about those Washington ducks... Bummer.

[smurfy]

8 hours ago, Wanderer said:

And I was planning on BS’in with ya about those Washington ducks... Bummer.

was that a poke in the eye cause he aint going??????????

[Wanderer]

24 minutes ago, smurfy said:

was that a poke in the eye cause he aint going??????????

No, Not really.  I’m not THAT spiteful!  I know Chris is interested in the backstory to my posts from the trip and I thought it would be a good chat.  Not saying it can’t happen another time!

 

Everyone has their reason to show up or not.  I’m looking forward to connecting with the Sodak guys and anyone else who joins and work together to get on some fish.  I’ll do my part!

[rundrave]

Weather for Ortonville is looking better and better by the day! And look at the barometer dropping and bottoming out, that says good fishing to me.  Seriously though a day like that with very little wind is unheard of around here.

 

 

Also don't forget you blue platers need a new license by Sunday   

[Duffman]

Have a great time guys!

Enjoy the camaraderie and laughs.

And get into some fish!

[Mike89]

2nd that for all of ya!!!  

[rundrave]

We are straight out on meadowbrook acccess. Few perch caught already this morning.

 

Any stragglers or late arrivals that I haven’t spoken with if you can’t find us send me a PM

[rundrave]

Well the sun down bite last night was productive and I was able to bring some nice perch home. The day bite was pretty spotty but I got to see @Wanderer live up to his name in pursuit of active fish.

 

I left around 8pm night to fish walleyes overnight on another SD lake and did awful lol.

 

Sounds like others had a productive morning today.

 

Appreciate all that made it out was good to put some faces with some names. Would be great if we could to do another one next year. 

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the GTG guys, and thanks for stopping out for a visit @Rick.  Good to meet up with you all!

 

So my wandering feet kicked in with the somewhat slow Friday night/ Saturday bite and I bugged out for Traverse.  Patience might’ve paid off better after the text reports from Big Stone but we were able to pick up 5 walleyes on Traverse for the overnight.  We headed for home fairly early this morning.

[Rick]

It was awesome seeing all of you guys. Ryan, Dustin, Tracy...you know how to do it up right! 

 

Thank you very much!

[rundrave]

We didnt take any pictures! May have to remedy that next year

 

Looking at the reports from over the weekend from Arties and Schmidts landing looks like this was likely the last weekend with the wheel houses so we timed it just right.

[Wanderer]

The Meadowbrook landing was still tight when we went off the Saturday afternoon but there was standing water and a stream of runoff opening up the side a bit.  Yeah, for wheelhouses it’s getting late.  The Traverse access we used didn’t have as much sign of deterioration on Sunday.

 

Pics? Yeah, no.  Not much for those.  I’ll take the liberty of sharing a pic of what we left for those who stayed put.

I’ve been told the cloudy or dirty water on both B S and Trav are where the walleye roam but I wasn’t expecting to see as “rich” of color in the hole in the morning!  It was milky white in the evening when I set the house but stuff found the surface and put a heavy coat on the surface overnight.  Yes, I pulled walleyes up the hole pictured.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Wanderer

[rundrave]

I don’t think weather is the issue at big stone it was the volume of traffic. I think other places will be good for a while yet. 

 

We should have did a group pic and I was so focused on fishing I never even thought about it lol

 

Here are a few from me I didn’t take many:

 

[rl_sd]

It was great meeting you three as well! We stuck it out until noon on Sunday and had a good results saturday night and Sunday morning. It was definitely time to leave though as the landings were going to hell in a hurry......  Here are a few more pics of the weekend activities. The highlight of my 8 yr olds weekend was pulling this 11.5" out of the ice.... although the hat that  @Rick gave him was a close runner up! The daughter of our friends next door was able to pick up a nice pike right before we left.... First pike that she has ever iced!

 

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by rl_sd

[Rick]

That Lane is a heck of an ice fisherman!!!

[rl_sd]

29 minutes ago, Rick said:

That Lane is a heck of an ice fisherman!!!

He sure does keep it interesting!