Season Predictions

[Guest]

The ice fishing season isn't too far away and I was just curious on any preseason predictions on what lakes are going to be hot this year. Here's my two cents.

1) Lake of the Woods- Walleye and crappie.
This past summer was an excellent year
for walleye fishing up at LOW. Walleyes
were scattered at various depths and they
bit quite agressively. I predict that a
lot of walleyes are going to be caught
early in the ice fishing season in the
bays adjacent to the larger bodies of
water. And as for the crappies, they
didn't get as much pressure this year,
according to the resort owners, then they
have in previous summers. I think that if
you can find the crappies then they will
be big and in high numbers.

2) Mille Lacs- Big Walleyes. I wouldn't be
surprised to see a number of 10 pounders
pulled out this year on a regular basis.
Assumming that fish populations didn't
stumble due to catch and release of slot
fish. This past summer was one of the best
on record and I think that this winter
won't be any different. Find structure,
and hold onto your rod.

3) Twin City lakes- Panfish. I know a lot of
these lakes don't get the hype like LOW
and Mille Lacs, but I wouldn't look past
them. Fishing pressure is high during a
good part of the winter but not early on.
Find lakes that provide shallow bays that
are pools extending from the main lake.
Last winter was awesome in the Twin Cities
for early winter crappie action. Most of
the time you won't need to go much deeper
then 8 feet or so. Find some still
standing weeds or shallow structure and
fish them like crazy. I'll bet my vexlar
that you will catch fish, and we all know
that we don't play around when it comes
to our vexlars.

Well, there was my two cents. Hope some of this works for you. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions. Thanks and good fishin'.

Matt

[Guest]

Unless we start losing some water, Clearwater will not be a safe lake to fish this winter. It is so high now that it is likely to freeze at above average level -- thus, as part of a river system, when water leaves the system under the ice it will create dangerous ice conditions. We could be looking at a bust year.

[Jig O Bit]

LOW all the way. The fishing always seems to be good there.

[vikingtom]

Early ice some where.

[Gissert]

Early ice will find me on Otter Tail, with a trip to the NW Angle of LOW soon after.

I am going to try to get to Crow Lake in Ontario for the lake trout opener, and go back there again in mid March.

[slick2526]

I dont believe we will get early ice this year. I do think we will get it and when we do its going to be very cold out side. I also think it will be one of are longer/longest winters we will have for ice fishing . Cant wait, cant wait.

[Guest]

NorthWoodsGuy, I too hope that the weather man is incorrect. In my mind I'm hoping for an early and long winter, with ice of course. If not, it makes for a long winter.
Good Fishin, Matt.

[NorthWoodsGuy]

Just saw last night on Kare 11 that El Nino is making a return this year and we "should" have a warmer than normal winter.

I hope they're wrong!

[Guest]

On LOW, I will catch a walleye that is at least 34 inches either Dec. 21, 22, 23 or the second week in January. If not, I will get skunked. Any and all that would like to witness this, feel free to join us.

[email protected]
Mark

[fiskyknut]

Mark
You still sportin' that horseshoe are ya? Those were definetly some dandy's you caught last year. 2 years in a row? we'll soon see!

Regards....Fisky

[Steve Foss]

My prediction? There's going to be ice. I'm going to fish. Until that happens, I'm going to be impatient.

[Guest]

Farmers almanac is calling for a fairly "normal" winter for us. As for those weather jocks in the cities with thier fancy suites and El Ninos they are about as accurate as counting the hairs on a wolly bear caterpillar! Last year they said we should have a noprmal winter because of the transition between La nina and El nino and I ended up hunting in 79 degree HEAT 80 miles south of the Canadian border...normal my rear end!
The way I see it is mother nature has a way of evening things out (law of averages) and we have had four mild winters in a row so we should get a humm-dinger this year...I just hope safe ice comes before heavy snow! Oh, and don't forget like I said before, I sold my soul to Jack Frost and he is a man of his word!!! lol

Just ran up to Blind lake north of Aitkin btw and it has 20' of shore ice almost all the way around.........and the suns been beating down all day.

[This message has been edited by chiro (edited 10-31-2002).]

[Guest]

Fisky, I sure hope so! Gonna be around on the dates I mentioned?

Mark

[fiskyknut]

You betcha, I'm on the ice at least 3 or 4 times a week, heck I live up here! Check Rick's "ice updates" post, I'm gonna drag out the tip-ups this weekend I think. When you're up in December I may have to track you down and see if some of that luck will wear off on me!!!

[Guest]

Oh, man, now you're going to convince to come up there a lot earlier than Christmas, huh? Well, I gotta do what I gotta do.....Keep me updated and you'll probably see me soon!

Mark