Where to go where to go.

[slick2526]

IF you could choose a place to go for a ice fishing trip one a year. Where would you head to and why?

Also whats the best ice fishing experience you have had on a trip or on a local lake?

Thought I would ask this question because I would like to find out some info on a place to go for some nice crappies and walleyes.

I would say the best time I have ever had ice fishing was with my step-father and I. Set up in 19ft of water off a huge sand bar. in 2 1/2 hrs we had 36-40 sunnies in 3/4-1lb range with about 9 1-11in crappies. it was a blast, and we were the only ones catching any fish were we where at

[Guest]

We should go to Rainy

[Scoot]

I think we should do a combo trip between URL and LOW

[Jim W]

Scoot hit it on the head! However, if you couldn't do both try LOTW. It is a true fish factory. I highly doubt a guy could get skunked on that lake. JUst don't see it happening!

I've been on the annual trip in March every year to LOTW on Buffalo Bay. Fantastic fishing!

Jim W

[minneman]

Im for buffalo bay too, there isnt, "in my mind", a more fun place to watch flags fly!

the walleye fishing isnt bad either..

[Steve Foss]

I second that emotion with URL and LOW. I've fished both through the ice, but never on a combined trip. Truly the BEST of both worlds.

Although a fishing buddy of mine just limited out on perch today on Winnie by lunchtime (biggest 12 inches, he said on the cell phone), and smartly headed to URL for the evening crappie bite before making the 3-hour drive from URL back to Duluth/Superior. That's not a bad combination either, even though it's something like seven hours of total driving in one day, starting probably at 5 a.m. and ending toward midnight. Not to mention the 70 fillets to clean from a limit of 20 perch and 15 crappies. He won't be done cleaning fish until 5a.m., which makes it a 24-hour tour! Sheesh, some guys LOVE punishment. Can't wait to hear if he hit the crappies, too.

I love having all this water and so little time. Better to have a dozen great options that you have to agonize over instead of one or two boring places to go.

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 01-28-2003).]

[Kidd]

An ideal ice fishing trip all on the same lake would be; LOW, drive straight to Soux Narrows and fish Whitefish Bay and catch some nice lakers. Leave the lake about 2:00 and drive to Nestor falls, rent a room and crappie fish into the night, roads to the spots will be plowed, the next morning get up and drive to Baudette and fish the second day for Saugers, Walleyes and possibly a monster Jack.
Life is good.

[Steve Foss]

Kidd:

Wow, THAT's a plan. Isn't LOW an amazing fishery?

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 01-28-2003).]

[Kidd]

stfcatfish, me and two buddies did that about 8 yr's ago. It was a blast. Caught the lake at the right time and came home with some great stories. We had flags on Whitefish the entire time we were there (by 3 sisters). Caught a nice mess of crappies, good action but nothing over 14 inches, and finished the weekend at another buddies place out of Baudette where we caught alot of walleye and Sauger. Nothing big but great eating size. AHHHH! Those were the day's.

[Poutmaster]

Right now now you just can't beat the once in a lifetime crappies on URL. You have to go,You have to go, You have to go. It won't last much longer so take advantage while you can. I went up with a group of 10 guys about 10 days ago and we caught 160+ fish in 2 days. All about 14" and 1.5 pounds. I'll be going up with another group of guys in March for our annual trip where we hit Leech, URL and Winne over the course of 3 days.

------------------
Love them 'Pout!

[Eyewitness]

Poutmaster, where did you go out of on URL? Am heading up there this weekend and have always gone out of WW, but have heard better reports coming out of Hillmans/Hudecs. A general location relating to the houses/access you used would sure be helpful to get me in the right vicinity. I can move around from there till I find em' Appreciate any help you can give. Tight lines!

[nunzio]

LOW or URL.....
Right now I'd go with URL..... where else can you catch "Franken-Crappie"
Judging from all of the cigars on LOW, that fishery is just getting better.

Eyewitness;
I've conducted my own poll with those URL crappies.... they haven't picked a favorite access road yet. They promised to let me know when they do.

[Shorthair Guy]

You guys will probably laugh, but last Feb. 7 of headed up to South Fowl lake on the Pigon River Chain. We had the time of our lives. I can honestly say that I will probably never catch that many fish again in my life!! We portaged in about 5 mi. with a 8 by 16 portable that Dad and I made. We caught 21 eyes the first night. Ate a few and still came home with 36. Portaged up a couple lakes to Mountain lake and caught a couple of lakers. The eyes were no smaller than 1.5#. All in all we came home with 36 eyes, 4 pike (biggest on being 7 and the smallest one being 3), 3 jumbo pearch and 2 small lakers.
The trip in was easy with the sleds but the trip out was a pain. We lost the 4 wheeler with a bad axil so we ended up humping all 20 pannels of the house up this big hill on the way out. But let me tell you I would easly recommend the trip and do it again myself. The bite was awesome!!!

[iceyooper]

I hate to ask, but what is URL and LOW???? I am from WI and do not recognize these lakes.

[fiskyknut]

URL = Upper Red Lake
LOW = Lake of the Woods