My oldest son's graduation claimed two weekends.
well worth the effort.
I have managed to get out fishing when the wind hasn't blown us out a couple times so far this summer.
here are a couple recent pictures of me out with the kids a week ago.
with out much time to scout, we tried a couple old faithful spots on moose lake.
pay off!!
feel free to email me with any pictures of your summer outings and i will try to post them as soon as possible.
Saturday May 10th 2008
Today was the start of Minnesota fishing season.
for some this is a ritualistic weekend, rain or shine, they will come back to their favorite place to chase the elusive walleye.
Me? I just sit back and watch the traffic roll by, not wanting any part of the weekend warriors in full force.
Instead, Griz and I went to Pokegama to chase schmeldt. he had gotten a couple rain days from work and an order for a thousand pounds!
A full tank of gas in the crestliner, loaded with all the gear we needed to capture and contain these shimmering delectibles, a case of beer, we were on our way to the lake to dive head first into 48 hour whirl wind, that was the amount of time we had in which to accomplish this feat.
I had been schmeldting for about five days when he called saying he'd like to come up, with mixed results.
the best night we had had previously was about six five gallon pails.
most all of the schmeldt went to others who were looking for fish for their fish frys and to can.
The last night there, we only managed 1 1/2 pails full.
that's ok, we were looking to just get out and meet up with friends we see during schmeldting season.
on a good year, we can get several hundred pounds per night, but we hadn't had a "good " night for two years and it looked like things were slowing down.
I had a gut feeling for another location as there was still ice on the lake in places and we decided to try it.
to make a long story short, I sent him home with 1300 pounds in two nights of pulling.
We finished and he was on his way before it started to rain, which soon changed into snow!
I guess it just wouldn't be a Minnesota fishing opener without crappy weather.
Friday was beautiful but Saturday? It just couldn't be nice on opener.
the snow was steady and did accumulate, but it won't last.
with the schmeldt behind me and the weekenders soon gone, I will be heading out to try my hand at maybe catching a larger fish. a fresh walleye dinner would be wonderful right about now!
sunday April 20th 2008
today was a day to work on the plow truck.
nothing serious, just a wheel seal and a couple universal joints, but just things that needed attention.
I am sure glad I didn't have any serious issues this winter. I depended on my trucks and they both came through with flying colors.
the ice is STILL holding if you can believe it.
after fixing the truck, I took it on a test drive to the landing on Moose lake.
the ice is still white and though it's getting more squishy on top, I backed the truck out onto it in four wheel drive. no problem
I figured for sure I'd break through right by the shoreline, but nope, she held.
I may go out there again this evening to see if I can snag into some of those sunfish we found last year.
I have brought the crestliner home and cleaned it out, greased the bearings, cleaned the carbs, put on the bunny ears and fired the motor letting it run for ten minutes or so.
I charged two batteries, added a fresh tank ful of gas, fixed all the switches and running lights. the only thing that isn't operational is the air horn. I need a new tank and hose and she'll be working too.
the smelt run shouldn't be to far away.
in the past few years, I have pictures from April 21st that show us with nets full of smelt. not this year.
I don't know how long until the ice breaks, but it's still pretty thick out there.
I checked the creek because I heard one of those nasty rumors, but to no avail.
there was still ice on the creek in places, snow in the woods and the lake was only open maybe 40-50 yards out from the creek.
this is the cabin fever days that drive some of us nuts. hurry up and wait.
for now, it's get the nets in order, line up the buckets and coolers, waders, lanterns and head lamps.
The biggest goal for now I guess is that we have open water for opener!!
Thursday April 17th 2008
The ice is still holding!
I went out onto Moose lake yesterday to check the conditions and accesability.
much to my surprise, there was a lot of ice. 30 inches or so!
there is a top layer of slush, about 3 inches and about 8-10 inches of honeycomb. the rest was good solid ice!
up by the creek where the current runs into the lake, it was thinner. 24 inches where I took this picture.
It had been raining off and on most of the afternoon, but when I left to head out onto the lake, the sky started to break and the sun shone through. It was like it was meant to be.
the cooler evening air blended with the high humidity to create a soft layer of fog that seemingly made the ice and the sky become one. the background music provided by the canadian honkers and the supportive orchestra of waterfowl including goldeneyes, mallards, wood ducks and other unidentified birds.
one sound had me scratching my head though. it was a common sound, but surrounded by the variety of wild birds, I was trying to hard to place it. familiar yet as I scrolled through all the mental images from trumpeter swans and sandhill cranes, to blue and snowgeese, I just couldn't place it.
as the evening rolled on and the birds kept flying and calling, the unidentifiable sound was still there. then it hit me. Domestic geese. It made me laugh to myself.
while I feel the ice is still in good shape, I am not telling you all to grab your sleds or atv's and race up here this weekend.
that is for you all to decide. I just call it like I see it.
the safety aspect is up to your own discretion.
I always seem to push it to the end. when I can no longer drive my atv onto the ice I call it quits. there are still fish to catch but whether you are a late ice kind of person or not is up to you. the fish will still be there after ice out.
it's just tough for some of us hardwater junkies to put our gear away each year.
good thing god made boats.
24 inches of new snow as of 9:00 p.m. sunday evening has me believing that this will be it for our ice fishing in this area.
we had a great weekend fishing four lakes in two days with mixed results.
the best part of the weekend was getting together with my son and my friend Joe.
We went to Upper Red lake friday for a chance to see some monster crappies once again.
with the help of an old friend, John Halvorson from Waskish, we were directed to an area that had been producing crappies for him and his guests.
I have to say it did well for us too!
Eight great big slabs!!
It felt very good to get out on big red once again but it was sure different without all the people.
Now, back to the snow. I didn't even hear about it coming until last night at 9:00.
By the time I looked out side, it had already started and it was coming down!
when I looked out side this morning, I saw Joe on top of the motor home shoveling the roof of its new 12 + inches.
this is the most snow at once I can remember since the Halloween blizzard when we received almost 3 feet!
The lake conditions were ok for atv travel, but I have taken my last trip on the ice with a vehicle for the season.
I could hear the ice melting while we were out there.
All of the lakes that we were on were very similar in conditions. the top 6 inches was now honey combed and it was starting to get thinner too.
This new snow is very heavy and will push a lot of water up onto the top of the ice. this will not fair well for the ice.
I don't even know how I'm going to get out there to check it.
I will try to get out with the snowmobile I think but I'm not going to stop until I have a packed down area. there will be a lot of slush.
this snow will melt of course, but it is supposed to be below freezing each night for a week and the day time highs will be in the mid forties and the next two days, that will be with out the sun.
we will get an education as to how things will pan out, but as for now, if I get out at all, I'm thinking it will be on lake of the woods maybe?
Tuesday april 1st 2008
so yesterday, I goes out in a last ditch effort to bury the crappie and perch records.I have been let in on a honey hole and came excitingly close the other day to the crappie record and with yesterday being the last day of the contest, I felt compelled to give it my all.
my wife describes it as obsession
I arrived at the spot, and there was nobody there. perfect!
I started at one end with the vex and I figure I'll make my way towards the other end, hole hoping until I mark fish.
the very first hole I checked had solid red marks half way down.
I couldn't get baited up fast enough and they were gone.
I scanned the ice for the nearest holes and located two more close by.
I dropped the transducer and they were flickering so I checked the third hole and there they were. this time, ready, I threw down on them and the bobber snapped with that classic crappie "pop". I set the hook.
the fish came up fairly easily and I knew before it broke the surface it was hand sized.
with fish still marking on the flasher, I threw down again and once again, a 10 inch eater.
then they were gone.
I waited five minutes before I got antsy and decided to move along checking other nearby locations. I left my two rods down with buckets sitting on them and wandered over to another set of holes not far away.
I couldn't see my bobbers, but I figured I'd only be away from them for a minute....
not seeing any fish in the new set of holes I leaned my head towards my rods, to see one bending towards the hole.
I didn't think this old fat man could still run, but I did and I got there in time to set the hook on a line that had the bobber nearing the bottom of the hole.
Nice fish! it was slipping the drag while the rod was doubled over and it wasn't long before this mammoth of a crappie slid up onto the ice!
it was my goal that this fifteen inch plus hog did not slide back down the hole so I kicked it four feet away from the seemingly bathtub sized opening in the ice.
I turned towards my other line to see it racing downward as well. feeling safe my contest winner was far enough away from the hole, I threw my pole down and dove for the other one. I set the hook and this one felt bigger yet!
as I set the hook, I heard something...I looked to see my monster crappie racing back towards the hole...backwards!!??
What the??
down the hole it went, flipped downward and with a flick of its great big tail it went down.
I grabbed the pole before it to went down too and I could feel the pull. now there I stand with a pole in each hand, a fish on each one and no way to crank. hmmm...I put one pole under my arm and then I can crank one,then I will deal with the other one I tell myself.
as I once again begin to crank the first fish back up, I can feel a familiar tug under my left arm and suddenly I realize what just went down.
closer examination revealed my fear to be true.
the first fish, the mammoth, had taken the bait, and swam into my other line.
I set the hook and pulled the fish up. kicking the fish away from the hole, made the other bobber drop.
setting the hook on the second line jerked the crappie directly back towards the hole, the only place it could go. back down the hole.
the hook became dislodged and the fish lost to the depths.
there never was a second fish and I guess we could say the first fish was not meant to be.
so goes my quest for the largest crappie of the season.
this is by no means the end of the season, but I have to say coming up for air feels pretty good right now.
I will go back out, in search of slabs knowing that
this has been my best year, away from Red lake that is.
I have caught 13 inch crappies in four different lakes so far and I have two more immediate destinations in my sights.
of all the years fishing red, all the hundreds, or thousands of big pig crappies I have pulled out of the ice, I have never caught an honest 16 incher.
Is this the year I hit that mark?
I have had two bests so far. the 9 3/4 inch sunfish x's 2 and the 9 7/8ths sunfish.
the quest and the ice season continue.
If you are looking for me in the next couple of weeks, take a look out on that sheet of ice. there's a good chance that silhouette of a man standing over a eight inch hole just might be me.
listen closely and you may even hear me shout...
FISH ON!!
Thursday march 27th
the ice is still holding up great up here in the northland!
I have to say I think we may still be making ice! I know we sure arent loosing any.
most of the landings, even the ones on the north side are still looking great too.
the fishing is going strong. if you have been kicking around the idea of going for some late season panfish , go!
you can get around in most situations with a mini van right now.
there is very little snow cover, but the lake by my house still has the plow banks and snow piles from my late season plowing on the ice.
atv's are easy going and snowmobiles are still ok on lake travel, but with the warmer temps stating in tomorrow, I would think by another week, we will need atv's.
grab a fishing buddy or two, a grill, a couple cold ones and don't forget the camera.
today is tomorrows good old days. go make some memories!
Friday march 21st
The area lake conditions are still in great shape!
I am cautious as we always need to be, but the only place that caused me any concern, was an area on a lake that has the landing right next to a flowage between the lakes.
the warm sun has that area open and it didn't look safe enough to be on to me, but everywhere else was good.
the nights have been well below freezing. the holes that have been drilled two days ago can not be kicked open, but the ones from a day ago can, if that gives you any idea how cool it is getting at night.
the last couple outings have kicked my butt with only a handful of nice sunfish to show for it. I guess I have that coming as good as this late season has treated me so far. there is more good yet to come.
looking at the long range forecast, the days will be nice, in the thirties for the next five days or so, and then creeping into the low forties for the next five days after that, but it shows no nights above freezing.
this is the best we can ask for. slowly melting the snow cover, to prolong our ice fishing season.
If you are looking to get away for some great panfish action, there is still time.
I will go out on a limb here and say that we have at least a couple of weeks yet.
crappies have been biting on anything from large jigs with big minnows, to tiny ice flies with wax worms.
the sunny's have been coming mostly on waxies with small ice jigs.
lighten up your line to 2 or 3 pound test, 4 at the most and keep your small jig tackle box well stocked with a variety of sizes and colors.
when you find the fish, getting to them as quickly as possible is the ticket.
when they move, hole hop to find them. they usually don't go far.
these are the nicest days of ice fishing the season has to offer, so get out there and enjoy it.
March 10th 2008
today the weather finaly broke the freezing point and the sun is doing it's job.
we have a few noticeable areas of water along the road edges where the sun has been beating down.
it isn't supposed to get incredibly warm so I think our melt down will be slow, day by day.
the melting snow on the lakes will find it's way down and the oxygen levels will rise and the fish will become more active.
the crappie fishing has been fair to very good in this area. I brought my wife and two of the kids out all day yesterday for a great day on the ice.
we caught our limit of hand sized crappies with a few very nice ones mixed in, including a twelve inch and a thirteen inch.
I will be pulling my houses from the big lake this coming weekend and putting them up in storage.
seems like only a couple weeks ago that I hauled them out.
this is by no means, the end of the season though.
get your panfish rigs threaded with new line and make sure your ice flies and glow jigs are sharp and plentiful.
some of the best fishing of the season is going to happen in the next three weeks.
as allways, no ice is safe ice, so I recomend you travel on the ice with a buddy.
it's funner to share these outings with someone anyhow.
I will be hitting it pretty hard until ice out, looking for the elusive two pound crappie.
I heard a little bird talking about some slab sunfish too.
it's time to fish.
get out and enjoy the nice weather, catch a big one, take a picture and send it in.
Oh, and hey, take a kid fishing!!
March 3rd 2008
finally, a breather.
I have had guests in every day since...well, since the weekend before last.
I have learned one thing, with out the cooperation of the perch, I suck at catching them.
I still have two houses out on winnie and I will not remove them until I am ready to bring them home.
the warmer weather is coming and that will enable fisherman and women to venture out quite easily with portables. If you are in need of lodging, my four person bunk house is available at this point. I have a six hole day house also available, both on winnie.
the day house is catching fair numbers, and one of the nicest perch I have ever seen last weekend.
I had some great reports of perch from 9 - 12 inches north and east of perch bar.
you guys that fish perch know more about what to use than I do, so bring your tackle boxes and get busy.
crappie minnows, waxies, and the freaks, (mayfly larve) have been working well.
30 feet of water was doing very good from what I understand.
CRAPPIES!!
I have had some good success on crappies lately.
My guests from this past weekend came in for three days, caught a mess of perch, and then moved to my crappie house in another location for some great crappie action.John, pictured above here, caught his limit, with this beauty included. It might not look that big, but John goes about 6'5" and 350?
I managed a 13 incher. It was a very nice crappie..
ol Putz and uncle Floyd came up this weekend and we caught enough to have a fish fry on the ice and sent those guys home with their limits as well.
I still have a two man sleeper that will fish up to three guys on the crapie hole.
let me now if you are interested.
I will be venturing out into other areas also to try some old relaible spots and also to try some new secret spots.
this is my favorite time of year to fish. watch for more pictures.
February 26th 2008
I have finally been able to move one house to cutfoot, in search of crappies.
no luck tonight, so we will move tomorrow and keep looking.
the perch fishermen have been keeping me busy looking for their favorite fish.
for the life of me, I don't know what they see in them, but if that's what they want, then I will do my best to find them some action.
it has been very spotty in the areas I have been looking in, but I am seeing SOME fish come in.
no way would I call what I have seen so far a hot bite, but I am realisticaly optomistic.
they have to turn on sooner or later.
we saw flickers of a good bite in the last couple weeks, but nothing that has sustained that bite.
there are reports from other areas of the lake that are boasting bucketfuls and I may go searching in those areas.
I have a couple other tricks up my sleeve to try in the next couple days and I will report how that works out.
February 20th 2008
with this being the last weekend of walleye / northern season,
I want to thank all of you who have visited us up here at Camp Jigglestick.
it has been a great season.
many nice walleyes caught, some jumbo perch and a lot of northerns too!
I always enjoy meeting new people and showing them to a good time on the ice.
there are probably two more weekends that I will rent my sleepers.
if someone is looking for quality perch fishing, the last two weekends have been the best bite I have seen so far this year. I look for that to continue through march.
it has been my plan to put my sleepers on a crappie hole and by the reports I have recieved, I think I may be going to cutfoot, just to the north of big winnie.
if anybody is interested in some crappie fishing and a sleeper stay, let me know.
crappies are my favorite and I have not been able to fish for them once this season, so I am really looking forward to it.
last nights rental brought in a 24 inch walleye and a couple nice ones that got off, with a few big perch as well.
the temps warmed last night and it is already above zero right now at 10:00 a.m.
this weekend will be the best weather to be out on the lake so far this year.
if you have the time, just get out and enjoy the lake. sunny and upper 20's to low 30's is forecast.
get the kids out and make some good time memories for them and don't forget to take pictures!
February 18th 2008
this long weekend found us on a different part of the lake, a couple miles from last weeks outing.the weather started out great, with highs, near 33 degrees!
60 degrees warmer than six days earlier!
with a handful of my IBOT brothers and siters in tow, it was a nice reunion.
the fishing was fair to poor, execpt for my silver house, with my guest Blair and his son Max. they didn't have fast and furious action, but were very pleased with slow but steady action.
not sure with their final fish count, but I know they had at least four over twenty inches!
my other rental group went home a day early because fishing was slow for them.
well, that and they had a little trouble keeping the contents of their stomachs inside.
this was about the slowest weekend for fishing we have seen, but as slow as it was, there were still several nice fish taken.
here is one of hunter2's beauty's
a 24 inch walleye!
I have a two day midweek guest starting tomorrow, and then I am booked up for next weekend, the last weekend in walleye season.
I am looking forward to finding a nice spot to set up on crappies.
not sure where that will be yet, but as long as I can fish crappies, I don't care where it is! they're my favorite ya know!
there are more pictures coming in and I will add them as I get them.
the wind and snow came in so fast yesterday that many people out fishing were caught off guard.
I made it to shore to fill up the truck, but I couldn't get much farther out on the plowed roads to search for others who may have been stranded by the white-out conditions.
even the gps started drifting on it's own. I had to stop on the road until it let up enough to get my bearings. .
I sure hope nobody had serious trouble out there
thanks for checking in,
Jigglestick