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Monday
Dec282009

Finally on the Ice! 

DateMonday, December 28, 2009 at 01:45PM

Well,

I'm happy to report that we're finally out on the ice and chugging away!  I got a late start this fall, only because Travis Frank and I spent the last few days of the musky season trying to catch a new

A Bitterly Cold Ride Out

Minnesota state record musky.  While small lakes were freezing up, we were chuckin' 'pounders on Mille Lacs, trying to get that big fish to bite.  We fought snow and ice and wind.  Goggles and more than  a

Cold Casting

dozen pairs of gloves were mandatory.  What an adventure!  We saw a couple of fish that, if not state records, were certainly close, but we never put a big fish in the boat.  Other reports from Mille Lacs were about the same.  A very slow Mille Lacs bite this fall....  Just a few days later,  many of the smaller lakes froze u and we had fishable ice!

 

 My favorite winter walleye rig!  I started the season with a visit to a most unusual lake, right out behind my neighborhood.  It's surrounded by private property and has no public access.  My fishing buddy, Dirk Colby, invited me out to check out the lake.  Wow, what a fun place!  It has a reputation for a great walleye population. 

Wayne and Dirk on the ice


Dirk, along with my other fishing buddy, Wayne Smith, and I spent the afternoon chasing walleyes and trading a few fish tales.  We had good ice at the time, although I now wonder what the heavy snow has done to the lake.  I suspect a good chunk of central and southern lakes will be choked by slush for weeks and weeks and weeks.  Bummer.

Dirk and Wayne with a perfect walleye!

With all the snow, I'm sure the slush has set in.   Over Christmas, we fished St. James Lake through much of the winter storm that absolutely pounded us.  Wow!   I woke up Christmas Eve morning to quite a sight.  We found ourselves completely snowed in!                                                  

Snowed In!

 My wife and I were able to wrestle the shack through deep snow and slush, out to a promising spot on the lake.  She's a saint for helping!  Sure enough, we got the panfish to bite.  My little sisters, Ellie and Zoie sure seemed to have the hot hands. 

Katie and Ellie with another perfect panfish!

They watched dozens of sunnies and bluegills rush up to their baits! Now they both want Vexilars of their own!  

Ellie with a gem!

The panfish bite on St. James is great!  My bait of choice was a Fat Boy tipped with a couple of waxies.  I'd have used eurolarvae if I could have found them!  Meantime, I've already popped a couple hundred holes with the new Strikemaster, powered by SOLO.  I now understand why Randy Havel and Ray Peterson went all the way to Germany to find the new engine.   These machines purr...

The New Strikemaster Solo!

I'm hoping to be back on the ice over the next few days.   I'll keep you posted with reports!

AuthorBill Sherck | Comment6 Comments |

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