IDO ICE FISHING GTG MILLE LACS 2018

I’m cataloging all your pics so they don’t mysteriously reappear on the 16th.

But seriously – you’ve been knocking it out of the park this year Drifter.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Bigcrappies custom rod will go to the biggest EYE. gotta have a legit pic or it didn’t happen.

MNdrifter, nice fish pictures, looks like your boys are cleaning up, good on them.
Well there go my chances, I thought he said it was a door prize. It’s entirely up to him tho, after all he is donating it. I’m just hoping to meet a few guys, ANY fish will be a bonus.

Looks like a nice start to that fireplace corner.

17 days to go!!!!

MNdrifter wrote:

bunch of grown men.

Bit of a stretch, eh?

For those who aren’t making it, any one want some Snapchat going on? Anyone want to take on that role? Stupid idea?

Been there fishing vicariously through online media.

If a couch on a redneck sled shows up, anyone gonna be up for transporting with 4wheeler between fellow shacks?

Ah – Heck yeah! Might need to wear a GoPro for that one

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eelpoutguy wrote:</div>
I’m open for anything and using #9 for “home base/ice breaker” is perfectly fine with me.
I do suggest that if we head into the Door on Sat night, let’s play it by ear depending on the bite.

EPG, for those of you with sleeper and wheelhouse…you can cook out there whenever you want. For the rest of us, we might want a warm meal after the days activities. I think yes, it would be up to whoever what they might want to do. The one thing though would be if I arranged for the meeting room with Red Door…I’d hate to have them set that up for us and then have no one show up. I suppose we could just plan on the café for pizza and then we will not have committed ourselves to anything.

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
Andy, you able to rub elbows up there and get Mr. Steve Fellegy to do a teeny tiny Friday night fish seminar on mille lacs winter eyes??

I’d be more than willing to chip in some dough for tips from the Pro for it.

Well…? Steve never really did that type of thing to begin with and furthermore, he has kind of taken his life more private now.

What I was actually hoping for was one of the IDO TV personalities to make an appearance. We have a perfect “in-house” candidate in Will Roseberg. He has appeared in at least 2 of the IDO episodes on Mille Lacs. Would love to have the @MalmoMafioso make an appearance and put on a little clinic for us. I’m wondering though, the fact that he has not posted anything on this thread yet that he ain’t coming.

I’ll see what I can do… I married into a family that has 4 sacred weekends where everyone gets together at the family cabin… Presidents Day weekend just happens to be the winter weekend. The phrase “Happy wife, happy life” comes to mind, but perhaps if my drive from the cities to Mille Lacs includes a detour thru Park Rapids to drop off Kellie and the boys I may still be able to make an appearance.

On a side note, my parents-in-law actually travel home from FL just for this weekend so I see no reason why Pug can’t come back to make an appearance at the get together.

Will

Just saw Red Door is not allowing wheelhouses on there access. I hope it does not get worse. Has the ice actually been getting that bad? I only need to drive out but I know some of you have houses.

mrpike1973 wrote:

Just saw Red Door is not allowing wheelhouses on there access. I hope it does not get worse. Has the ice actually been getting that bad? I only need to drive out but I know some of you have houses.

The ice is in Great shape. I think they are just dealing with a crack that won’t settle down in front of the resort. hopefully the cold temps this weekend will allow that to freeze back up. FWIW, I can get from Isle Bay to Schultz Flat all by ice roads. No cracks of concern when we made the trek Saturday.

I’d be very interested to know how you were able to get that to work. Seems like each resort eventually comes to a dead end at least from my experience. Did you use the public access in Isle Bay?

Any ice roads that lead to bars in the area? Castaways have couch parking? Cardboard crack?

The meeting room at red door doesn’t sound all that appealing honestly:???:

Not to be a nervous Nellie but should we be worried about being able to have our get together? Just want to change plans before it’s to late. Long range forecast looks warm. I know nothing about the ice up there.

mrpike1973 wrote:

Not to be a nervous Nellie but should we be worried about being able to have our get together? Just want to change plans before it’s to late. Long range forecast looks warm. I know nothing about the ice up there.

I see nothing in the 15 day forecast that would keep us from accessing the lake. Obviously, things can change and ice conditions are not solely based on the weather. I can confidently say that even if Red Door closes their access, there will be plenty of very safe access points all around the lake for us to use. The high in the 15 day forecast is looking to be 26 degrees, and that is tomorrow. The rest of the forecast is in the 16 to -13 range for Garrison. Ice heaves and shifting are pretty much the only wildcard, and I’m not too worried about that.

Where are you getting your forecasts?

Wunderground has 10 day forecast COLD for Aitkin. Looks plenty safe.

Bowhuntr wrote:

I’d be very interested to know how you were able to get that to work. Seems like each resort eventually comes to a dead end at least from my experience. Did you use the public access in Isle Bay?

I’m out of Appeldoorns. Macs Twin Bays and Appeldoorns roads pretty much meat up out by the Highway Bar (about 60yds of un-plowed road, but beaten down from trucks and wheel houses). Macs is hooked up with Chapman’s in Isle Bay and Appeldoorns is hooked up to Hunters Point out by 3 Mile rocks. Hunters has a road that goes out to the Flats. I’ve spent enough time driving around on the Ice Roads looking for daytime spots, just happened to figure it out.

mrpike1973 wrote:

Not to be a nervous Nellie but should we be worried about being able to have our get together? Just want to change plans before it’s to late. Long range forecast looks warm. I know nothing about the ice up there.

I can certainly understand your anxiety Mr Pike, particularly if you went back and read the thread from last years event. Everything was a go, until it wasn’t on the day before.

But I wouldn’t start changing plans either. Like last year, there are no guarantees but the odds are highly favorable we’ll be fine.

IceNEyes1986 wrote:

The ice is in Great shape. I think they are just dealing with a crack that won’t settle down in front of the resort. hopefully the cold temps this weekend will allow that to freeze back up. FWIW, I can get from Isle Bay to Schultz Flat all by ice roads. No cracks of concern when we made the trek Saturday.

Red Door did have a bad night Saturday night as their access collapsed and they had to route everyone off that came through their access over to Barnacles after dark. Guess there was some pretty anxious folks.

You are correct that they seem to have more challenges right in front because of their location. Although they also had a bridge fail farther out by the Pantry flat the weekend before when I was out there.

I’m remaining positive and in case anyone is keeping track, my BIL and I will be up there Friday late morning, Sat, and departing Sun afternoon. Sounds like we’re in room #10. Gray F-150 with a trailer and Ranger UTV.

Really looking forward to it!

I’m sure they will do everything to get that access back up and rolling. It’s their livelihood. I do gotta say I miss Bobber when he was there. I haven’t seen it this year yet, but he did a good job keeping us posted on Red Door goings on. Hope where he went is treating him right. A lot of lake knowledge lost there.

nhamm wrote:

Any ice roads that lead to bars in the area? Castaways have couch parking? Cardboard crack?

The meeting room at red door doesn’t sound all that appealing honestly:???:

I’m thinking we might need to take a couch trip somewhere so I can get my fix of cardboard crack!

MNdrifter wrote:

I’m sure they will do everything to get that access back up and rolling. It’s their livelihood. I do gotta say I miss Bobber when he was there. I haven’t seen it this year yet, but he did a good job keeping us posted on Red Door goings on. Hope where he went is treating him right. A lot of lake knowledge lost there.

Well…? Their reality is that it is not really their livelihood. They struggle with it. They have more profitable exercises than fighting the lake’s winter demons that they cannot control. Not trying to be discouraging, but I have been watching and comparing and they are being challenged.

Bobber Bob, left a year ago to work at Menards in Brainerd or Baxter? Must have been the benefits…

Eelpoutguy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
Any ice roads that lead to bars in the area? Castaways have couch parking? Cardboard crack?

The meeting room at red door doesn’t sound all that appealing honestly:???:

I’m thinking we might need to take a couch trip somewhere so I can get my fix of cardboard crack!

Now didn’t you post previously that you might be reluctant to head inside in the event of a hot evening bite? And now you’re already conceding to sitting in a bar having more fun?

LOL,
This would be during the middle of the day right after the polar plunge event.

X2. It seems pretty well documented so far the bite isn’t like what it was last year. Fish hard the am/pm bites, get to know fellow IDO’s in between.

nhamm wrote:

X2. It seems pretty well documented so far the bite isn’t like what it was last year. Fish hard the am/pm bites, get to know fellow IDO’s in between.

Yes, and I can help with documenting how the bite has been so far this year, particularly during the midday.

nhamm wrote:

Any ice roads that lead to bars in the area? Castaways have couch parking? Cardboard crack?

The meeting room at red door doesn’t sound all that appealing honestly:???:

Barnacle’s is just down the road…much closer than Castaway’s. I’ve been there and it is a fun place. Their “formica flats” are as good as any other place on the lake. We could add this to the GTG Visitors Guide…

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

Barnacle’s is just down the road…much closer than Castaway’s. I’ve been there and it is a fun place. Their “formica flats” are as good as any other place on the lake. We could add this to the GTG Visitors Guide…

I’m ok with stopping into Barnacles. Used their roads once this year already since Red Door didn’t reach to the far east reaches of the flats, they were well maintained and decently marked. Jim is a character also!

2 WEEKS!

Anyone tracking a roll-call yet? I read there was a discussion of sharing numbers or doing a group chat. I want to make sure we’ll be able to find the circus when we get up there Friday.

Also still debating towing the UTV up or just taking the pickup on the lake. Do people usually stick to the roads or venture off them? I’d rather risk sinking the UTV than the pickup if that’s a dilemma I find myself in.

14 days!

Jamin wrote:

Anyone tracking a roll-call yet? I read there was a discussion of sharing numbers or doing a group chat. I want to make sure we’ll be able to find the circus when we get up there Friday.
14 days!

This is the “unofficial” list I have so far…

MnDrifter WH
Merican Eagle WH
Swivel digger WH
EPG FH #9
huntindave M
Andy M
Jamin M
Nhamm M
mrpike M
Charles ?
belletaine ?
gotalunker ?
marmike ?

Those with ?’s haven’t said which day or if they’re staying overnight. Not sure if I missed anyone but if so, please chime in.

2 weeks from today… I would say we will try to figure out some group communication method and also if we want to formalize anthing for Friday and Saturday night dinner.

Andy,

Barnacles would be an OK addition to the get together agenda.
They graciously welcomed me last weekend. A fun band and beverage was had after the Red Door Road Rally started trying to get off the defunct ice.

See you guys at the get together.

Mike

marmike wrote:

Andy,

Barnacles would be an OK addition to the get together agenda.
They graciously welcomed me last weekend. A fun band and beverage was had after the Red Door Road Rally started trying to get off the defunct ice.

See you guys at the get together.

Mike

I have added you to the roster. Looking forward to meeting you Mike!

2 weeks to go, once we get within a week we should be getting a better idea on how this will shape up. Weather…always the wild card? I thought about some kind of cook out at the epicenter, would be easy and fun…as long as it’s not bitter cold with the a howling wind. That would most certainly send us to Barnacle’s.

But a nice, relatively warm day with little wind and sunshine…would be fun to kick around out there. Playing around with different games or contests, chewing on brats “Gillespie” style with tip ups or I-Fish Pros set to be “fishing” while we’re discussing how we can catch more walleyes.