1/13/13 Mid January Walleyes-Leech Lake

 

Walleye fishing on Walker bay is still pretty darn good with an ideal mix of eaters and bigger fish, though most of the bites are coming at prime time. I have had my best luck on 12'-18' flats near the deep break. Perch fishing is good too but you will have to do some sorting to find fish over 10". I like a shiner minnow or bigger rainbow minnow for Walleyes and if a Perch can get it in it's mouth it's probably a good one. Ice quality and thickness is good everywhere I have been. 12"-14" in most places.

 

If I look cold in this pic, it's because I was. Ten below zero with a -30 windchill.

 

 

 

 

Cheers and Hooksets!

 

 

12/29/12 Northern Minnesota Crappies- Leech Lake

                                       What's black and white and bends my rod over?

I got out with my friend Brian on another local lake inteding to C.P.R. some big Crappies. We had a tough time at first hole hopping the rim of a huge basin. At lunch time we decided to try next to our first two holes and it was game on. We set up his big hub shelter, had a brat and reeled in two dozen slabs with half being between 12" and 14-1/2". I love lake hoppin'.

                                                       Happy new year everyone!

Cheers and hooksets!

12/23 Leech Lake Area Donkey Slabs

I tried a new lake today for some Crappies. I'll just say it exceeded my expectations. I got to lip multiple fish (like 8) over 14"! The biggest went 14-1/2" and all went back in the drink.       

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Crappie new year!

Man we have some great fisheries in the north country!

12/16/12 A Few More Walker Bay Walleyes

I checked out a shoreline break on Walker bay this afternoon and had 6" of ice all the way out. It was a little slushy but a crust has formed and supported my weight. I decided to wet a line and found some active fish in 18 f.o.w. but they were mostly cigars @ 6"-13". I love seeing these smaller fish in the lake, bodes well for the future. Before I went in I checked a 12' flat and picked up a couple decent fish. There was a lot of portables headed out this evening, I'm sure some fish will be caught this weekend. All of my bites came on either a Gold Frostee or a Forage minnow under cork. Fatheads worked fine.

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12/15/12 Spooning Walleyes

I got out this afternoon for a few hours and the 'eyes were hitting on gold spoons tipped with a minnow head in 12-18 f.o.w. I managed to ice about a dozen and kept four. This type of spoon that flutters back down on the drop can really be effective. I like Lindy Rattlin' Flyer's in stained water because the rattle will really call them in. In clear waters like Leech Lake I like C.J&S Slender Spoons and   Do-Jiggers. Fish in clear water seem to prefer flash over noise.

                                                                 Spooning.....

                                                                       

                                                                  Leads to forking!

 

Click on this pic!...are you hungry?

                                                                     

Fancaster's Crunchy Fish Batter

1/4 cup yellow corn meal
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup plain or seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Mix ingredients.Dip fillets in egg then dredge in dry batter. Fry in hot oil!

Cheers and Hooksets!



                                                      

12/09/12 Round-And-Round

I got out and checked some ice this afternoon on my local 'gill hole and it was good to go with five inches of solid ice. My first frozen foray this season. Hooking up on a Bull-'gill right away I am reminded of the that terrible '80's song by Ratt...Round and Round. It's fitting for these aggressive fish that run circle after tightening circle up to the hole. It's good to be back on the ice!

                

                                     "We will find some to fillet, just give it time...Yow!"

11/11/12 Crossed One Off!

I just got back from visiting the inlaws in North Carolina and I snuck in a day of fishing for Stripers on Lake Nottely in northern Georgia. I have been dreaming of catching one of these fish for years, nothing huge but I thought I would share.

Tech Notes:
Water temps were 55-60
We fished with gizzard shad, rainbow trout and blueback herring on circle hooks.
Two rods with "down lines"- Just a 1-1/2 oz sinker rig like a sturgeon or catfish rig.
Two rods with 1/2 oz "tweener lines"- same rig with lighter sinker, further back on the drift.
Two balloon rigs or planer boards for fish up high and to keep the baits away from the boat.
The down and tweener lines were fished with light 6'-8' Flouro leaders.
I fished with Josh Garrison of Blairsville Ga. Great guy, awesome fishery. http://www.fishgarrison.com/fishgarrison/Home_Port.html
These fish are really tough. My best fish pulled 100' of 15# flourocarbon off of the line counter reel TWICE! We chased a few fish that were feeding on the surface but we didn't have the major surface bite going. I really wanted to catch one on topwater. Maybe next time. One smaller (6#) fish was bleeding a  little so I kept it. I made fresh caught Striper fingers battered in a corn meal/starch crust. I was glad I did, they were a real hit.