Upper Red Lake Minnesota
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snowfish
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Definitely a beautiful weekend! The Solunar Tables were in our favor, stable weather, and a great location. However, the bite was not fast and furious by a long shot.
Key presentation was just a plain #2 Orange Hook with a Fathead and bobber. I did catch a couple on a Vingla (kind of Swedish Pimple thing), some on a small jigging Rapala, and one on a White Puddle Jumper (mainly a crappie bait). A lot of experimenting going on.
We marked all kinds of fish, but they were very tentative. I decided to drop the camera in down view mode. Walleyes have a tendency to be camera shy. We saw fish look at the minnow, touch the head & tail of the minnow, look at the hook, look at the Vingla, look at the bead on top of the Vingla, and one even appeared to look up at the line attached to the lure! I guess they can even see Fluorocarbon, when they look close enough! Pretty crazy. Jigging seemed to spook them. We went back to the plain hook gig for the rest of the time.
We landed just under 100 walleyes in a day and a half. Most were 14-16" with a hand full in the 18-19"+ range. Only one Rattle Reel wakeup at 3:00am. Must have been a random school swinging through.
All in all a great time. We have a day trip to Leach in a week or so. Fish on!
Key presentation was just a plain #2 Orange Hook with a Fathead and bobber. I did catch a couple on a Vingla (kind of Swedish Pimple thing), some on a small jigging Rapala, and one on a White Puddle Jumper (mainly a crappie bait). A lot of experimenting going on.
We marked all kinds of fish, but they were very tentative. I decided to drop the camera in down view mode. Walleyes have a tendency to be camera shy. We saw fish look at the minnow, touch the head & tail of the minnow, look at the hook, look at the Vingla, look at the bead on top of the Vingla, and one even appeared to look up at the line attached to the lure! I guess they can even see Fluorocarbon, when they look close enough! Pretty crazy. Jigging seemed to spook them. We went back to the plain hook gig for the rest of the time.
We landed just under 100 walleyes in a day and a half. Most were 14-16" with a hand full in the 18-19"+ range. Only one Rattle Reel wakeup at 3:00am. Must have been a random school swinging through.
All in all a great time. We have a day trip to Leach in a week or so. Fish on!
fast_xc_700
New member
snowfish
Member
My Father InLaw was on Mille Lacs, last weekend, and only landed a Pout. Considering there were 8 of us, on Red, that worked out to be less than a walleye per hour (100 total for the weekend). They came in flurries with a lot of down time between.
However the fishing was 10 times better than last year at this time. Of course last year all the cards were stacked against us. Sun and Moon in the worst possible position and a major cold front shut down what was there. Left Brainerd at 39 below zero. A bit chilly. About 60 degrees warmer this year. Nice.
I'm not complaining. Fish fry was great on Friday and we all brought limits home (4 each less than 17"). We were just hoping for more picture takers. Cheers.
However the fishing was 10 times better than last year at this time. Of course last year all the cards were stacked against us. Sun and Moon in the worst possible position and a major cold front shut down what was there. Left Brainerd at 39 below zero. A bit chilly. About 60 degrees warmer this year. Nice.
I'm not complaining. Fish fry was great on Friday and we all brought limits home (4 each less than 17"). We were just hoping for more picture takers. Cheers.
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WOW.. you guys pounded the snot out them finicky arse walleys.
Fish.. Im not familular with the rattle wheel set up is this
some sort of tip-up ?
Im thinking either Devils Lake or Lake Saskewcha this year
of course I know DL is a great fishery but I seldom hear
about Saskewecha, any info on this?
M
Fish.. Im not familular with the rattle wheel set up is this
some sort of tip-up ?
Im thinking either Devils Lake or Lake Saskewcha this year
of course I know DL is a great fishery but I seldom hear
about Saskewecha, any info on this?
M
snowfish
Member
Canon, A Rattle Reel is a Line Holding Spool, with "jingle bells" in it, mounted to the wall directly above the hole. When a fish begins taking out line, the "jingle bells" alert the bite. Just google rattle reels and check out the images.
These allow one to be stealthful, as my friend Bill demonstrates, and still land a Walleye! And me with a little 17 3/4". Rattle Reel behind my hand/thumbs up. (not caught on rattle reel, though)
No real world experience with Devils Lake. I've always wanted to experience the Perch bite there. Still have not made it. Lot's of good reports, though! I'll ask, at the meeting, on Thursday if anyone has been to Devils recently. I'll ask about Saskewecha, as well.
Fish on!
These allow one to be stealthful, as my friend Bill demonstrates, and still land a Walleye! And me with a little 17 3/4". Rattle Reel behind my hand/thumbs up. (not caught on rattle reel, though)
No real world experience with Devils Lake. I've always wanted to experience the Perch bite there. Still have not made it. Lot's of good reports, though! I'll ask, at the meeting, on Thursday if anyone has been to Devils recently. I'll ask about Saskewecha, as well.
Fish on!
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snowfish
Member
We went with Northbound Fishing.
http://www.northboundfishing.com/redlake_fishhouse.html
The site is not updated, but the phone numbers are correct. We dealt with Lonnie. Very personable and a Brainerd local as well.
We rented two 8x18's for two nights. With 8 guys, that works out to $100 per person for two nights. Road pass was $80-$10 per vehicle per day. I'm not 100% sure because we kitty funds for fuel, bait, road passes, etc. Mighty Kenny of the Great North Woods handles all of that.
I don't think you'll find better than that. Nice houses, clean, with plenty of room for 4 guys each. The gas lights work fine, but we brought DeepCycles to run the 12v lights. Makes it a lot easier to tie up that stinkin Berkley Vanish Line at night! The Vanish Fluorocarbon (or similar) is necessary with these spooky Eyes. 4lb test Vanish is like tying transparent frog hair! On boy!
Again, number 2 plain Orange hooks, with FatHeads or Rainbows, were key. Very few on Shiners. That may change, but at least it's a high percentage starting point.
Good Luck! Fish On!
http://www.northboundfishing.com/redlake_fishhouse.html
The site is not updated, but the phone numbers are correct. We dealt with Lonnie. Very personable and a Brainerd local as well.
We rented two 8x18's for two nights. With 8 guys, that works out to $100 per person for two nights. Road pass was $80-$10 per vehicle per day. I'm not 100% sure because we kitty funds for fuel, bait, road passes, etc. Mighty Kenny of the Great North Woods handles all of that.
I don't think you'll find better than that. Nice houses, clean, with plenty of room for 4 guys each. The gas lights work fine, but we brought DeepCycles to run the 12v lights. Makes it a lot easier to tie up that stinkin Berkley Vanish Line at night! The Vanish Fluorocarbon (or similar) is necessary with these spooky Eyes. 4lb test Vanish is like tying transparent frog hair! On boy!
Again, number 2 plain Orange hooks, with FatHeads or Rainbows, were key. Very few on Shiners. That may change, but at least it's a high percentage starting point.
Good Luck! Fish On!
