Update on the bite in Ely.

Daytime walleye on Shagwa are moving between 15-18 FOW, the bite is slow with this cold front, but it should be picking up soon as the fish adjust. Shagwa’s best fishing is the hour before sundown, but can go through the night if you like to fish late! As the sun was setting the fish were more commonly found in 18-21 FOW off sharp breaks. Vmc uv glow tinglers tipped with a rainbow smelt head were the top producers, while Custom Jigs and Spins Mega Glow Demons on a dead stick were productive as well. Hits were coming after luring the Eyes about 3-4 feet off the bottom, they wouldn’t take it on the fall, but the rise convinced them best. Hopefully this helps anyone coming this way get some fish on the ice, good luck and tight lines!

Great report with the details! Good job Ben! I plan on hitting the ice for the first time tomorrow in the Omaha area. I gota work the bugs out before I go north on Friday.

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Great report with the details! Good job Ben! I plan on hitting the ice for the first time tomorrow in the Omaha area. I gota work the bugs out before I go north on Friday.

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Good luck in Duluth bud!

Hey thanks for the descriptive feedback sir!!

Those spoons sure do have what it takes to bring em in on these slower bite days. Have you been using the larger 3/16oz VMC spoons or have you downsized at all??

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Hey thanks for the descriptive feedback sir!!

Those spoons sure do have what it takes to bring em in on these slower bite days. Have you been using the larger 3/16oz VMC spoons or have you downsized at all??

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3/16 oz exclusively… Caught a 7″ Eye on one today… So I haven’t felt a need to downsize yet. Bite was really slow today, but it was -35 F at 7am this morning… We hoped the 40 degree rise in temp was going to turn the fish on but it wasn’t enough.

The eyes have been very sluggish. I’m fishing in a clear lake for eyes during this cold snap get a few at 5:15-5:45 then it shuts off. I stayed out all night Sunday to see any night feeding patterns with zero luck. Was slaying them from last week of deer season till the snow event. Bring on Jan 1st!

They have been slow lately, I’m thinking this increase in temps this week through the next few weeks will really bring that bite back though!

Yea hopefully tomorrow it picks up. On a positive note its safe for me at least to drive on the lakes

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Yea hopefully tomorrow it picks up. On a positive note its safe for me at least to drive on the lakes

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I would be very careful driving yet… This is more for anyone reading your post. While a few lakes may be safe for driving, there are many in this area that have sketchy ice in many spots.

Oh yea I’m always very careful and aware off bad ice on different lakes. I had 12-14 everywhere I was today with 3 inches of white ice on top of the good ice. Haven’t been to burntside in a week but I’d guess it has 6-8 under the frozen slush. Anyways gonna fish dark water tomorrow have a hunch the bite is gonna be on with a little more warmer air moving in. How much ice does shags have?

Got out on Shagawa yesterday afternoon/evening. Managed to get a few walleye on the ice. 19fow off a small point. There are still pockets of slush out there. We are not making much ice. Still about 7in of clear ice out there.

Going back for more, fish where very active today!

Nice! Was out on Shag yesterday and the eyes were starting to get really active… Then some really big marks showed up and kept bouncing between the 4 of us for half an hour, after switching out several times we found the right pattern to trigger a bite…. Several 30″ +\- pike had come in and scared away the eyes.