Winnie vs Mille Lacs vs. Upper Red

[Walleye #1]

I am going on my annual trek up to the North Country Feb 9-12. I go with three other guys and we always take one day and drive to a bigger lake. We stay around Backus, MN. Considering the time of year, between the following three lakes which of the following would you suggest we go to and why? I know some people feel Feb. can be the dog days of ice fishing, but we have some of our best perch fishing during this month on Winnie for example.

Winnibigosh

Mille Lacs

Upper Red

Or if anyone else has any other advice I would greatly appreciate it.

Wet Lines and Bobbers Down

Walleye #1

[Eric Wettschreck]

If it were me I'd hit Red. Not sayin Winnie and Mille lacs suck, I just think Red is better. I have not been on Mille Lacs in a long time. I was on Winnie a couple weeks ago. I'm going to Red soon.

Once you catch a broad shouldered crappie or eye or one of the mean dark greenies out of Red you're hooked.

[jig n' jerk]

I will second Red Lake. They probably have the best bite right now going on red. I have heard that Mille Lacs has been a little slow, and I haven't heard anything great out of Winnie.

[eyepatrol]

Hopefully my wife and I get to see what URL is all about next month, but I just got back yesterday from LOTW (River Bend Resort) and it was an awesome trip! If you gander at my report in the LOTW forum, you'll see what I mean.

[Ralph Wiggum]

If your goal is to just catch fish, go URL. We were up there on a bad weekend and still caught a mess of walleyes.

[hanson]

A guy shouldn't have to choose.

My vote between those 3 is for URL.

[arctic_scrap1]

URL is probably your best bet but winnie is an excellent lake also. The only thing that is bad about URL is if you're not on the fish then you need to move a lot until you are since there isn't much structure. I fish winnie quite a bit and have always caught walleyes and lots of huge perch. I've never been a fan of mille lacs, I've just never had any luck on it. Me and my buddy put our permanent on mille lacs this year and even though its been out less than a month I have yet to catch a fish out of it. Right now mille lacs is the dead sea.

[hondavxr]

If you want some action and non stop action you are gonna get from the walleyes then Red Lake is the ticket. You'll caught so much walleyes that you ACTUALLY get tired of catching them.

[Desperado]

Hey how 'bout a Road Trip Marathon? You can have it all.

Fish Mille Lacs one day, Winni the next, Red the next and then just for good measure; before the long trek home, ya otta hit LOTW (after all it's only 40 miles north of Red).

[Walleye #1]

If I had the time the marathon idea would be ideal.

It sounds like URL is the consensus #1 pick on this thread. May I ask what are the most common ways guys are picking up walleye and crappie these days on URL? With little to no structure what does a guy use as a reference point when starting out on URL??

Walleye #1

[Hotspotter]

My vote would be for Red as well.

As far as finding fish there, it can be tricky. I usually like to fish way away from the crowd. Open ice has been the key for me in trips past. Too many people crowding into an area, and the fish spook. Another great option would be to hire a guide or stay in a day-house. Another good option would be to stay in one of Kelly and Jonny-P's sleepers. They're booked for the season I know, but have openings mid-week. This was a good option for me on the last trip, as you have to pay lodging anyway if you don't have your own sleeper, might as well have lodging on a spot with fish!!!

If you're going to hit it yourself, you'll have to be mobile. Drill, drill, drill! Find pockets of unoccupied ice and keep searching. When you find them, you'll be rewarded! Also, check out the Upper Red Lake forum here for more advice and local conditions.

Upper Red Lake Forum

Good luck, and let us know how you do!

Joel