Coon Lake 1-17-07

Well, Made it out to Coon today to try a little Northern Fishing. Wanted to get an idea on the ice conditions so I stopped by 2 different bait shops. The first one I stopped at, the fella said that he wouldn’t be driving on it just yet. Coon is notorious for having spotty ice. Just to be sure, I stopped by one more shop. there, the bait shop owner and a couple of locals said that the ice is plenty safe for even 3/4 ton trucks. Well, I hiked it by foot, drilled more than a dozen holes all day… and the ice is NOT safe enough. At best, I found 8-10 inches of ice. Top 2 inches not that great either… so maybe 7 inches of SOLID ice. I can’t beleive people are so stupid as to tell someone it is safe for big trucks when I wouldn’t even drive a small hatch-back out there yet!

Anyway, I set up shop starting in 6 1/2 FOW along the western shoreline straight out from the north access. Morning was REALLY slow. A few other people out there, and I only saw 1 flag. Come afternoon… things picked up a little. That is to say, I pulled in a nice 4 pounder using my St Croix Permeier Ice rod. That was fun. Had another flag with a baby snake… and that was about it. Had to call it a day early as my daughter has a B-Ball game that I have to help coach. Here are a couple pics of the northern I kept. Wasn’t long (measured at 28 inches) but the thing was a beast. The head on this thing was monstorous… when I first got it up close to the hole… I couldn’t think of anything but reaching for the gaff…. Head on this think had me thinking it was 10+ pounds. Little disappointed when the rest of him came through the hole. Anyway, Happy Fishing!

One More.

The public landing is where that old timer put his pick up in the drink about a week or two ago……………

If you stop back to that bait shop have him meet you out on the lake in his truck…………..

Dave~
Thanks for the report. Some people just do not have a clue where they may steer someones father,husband,brother,son…

nice fish ! excellent for pickleing

well i have fished alot on coon, there is no way I would drive out there, too many springs and soft ice. I walk out from the landing or else use my sled, but even then, if you can’t walk about 500 yards, then you need to get into better shape. that is a lake that just don’t have any room for error for stupidity.

shane

Nice Coon Pike Thanks for the update.

Yep a very “shifty” lake. I get nervous walking on that one.

yup, I usually only walk out, but I am sure that I could run 500 yards in about 10 minuets if the ice started to seperate. I know that right around that north landing, (thurstin ave.) there is a spring right to the right of that landing, also there is a funky current by the channel, makes me wonder if there is another spring somewhere around that channel. but you will have to let mek now if you head out to coon, wouldn’t mind getting out there for a few hours.

shane