Next Season – Where to Go?

I know its a long way off…. but its never too early to get a reservation in somewhere. I’m looking for opinions for next season. February 2015 the wife and I did the shallow water/deeper water combo on LOTW (Zippel Bay) and New Years 2016 was Devils Lake out of Woodland with a cabin.

Both trips were a blast but you can’t really compare the two, Zippel Bay was almost like camping, granted the fishing was a little slow (12 fish total each day) it was still a great time. Devils Lake was a great time too but different, the first day was guided with Perch Patrol (we ended with 38 perch between us so pretty close to a limit with not keeping anything smaller than 9″) and the 2nd day was a hard house thru Woodland that resulting in 2 big perch and 9 keeper eyes (and 20+ small eyes).

Looking to set up something different for next year. We like to be able to cook our own meals so someplace with a cabin or sleeper house would be nice.

We thought about 2 days at LOTW thru a different place, somewhere that takes you out just for the day so there is the possibility that the 2nd day would be somewhere different if the first day if the first day is slow (thinking Ballards or Sportsmans).

We have thought about getting a sleeper on Upper Red and bringing the ATV and portable if we wanted to move around during the day

I’ve seen a little on Winnie and Leech but don’t really know much about those lakes or places near there

I’ve also done some research on Rainy Lake (been fishing it the last 3yrs in early October). We don’t have snowmobiles but there are guides and places that have hard houses and like the Thunderbird Lodge

Does anyone have any suggestions?

If you are thinking about LOTW’s again I would highly recommend Sportmans. Stayed there for the first time this year and it was phenomenally run resort. Everything was clean and well organized with how they transport you out to the fish houses. If you do stay there the only thing that isnt great is the food.

Rainy Lake would be cool, or renting a cabin on the Northwest Angle on LOW.

I have stayed at the Thunderbird Lodge on Rainy a dozen or so times. It is an awesome resort with friendly staff. I, however, have not fished up there. We used to go snowmobiling up there a couple times a year. I know it is kind of redundant, but if the fishing is tough, the walleye dinner at Thunderbird is amazing. They have their own breading that is BRIGHT orange and delicious.

I am planning on hitting Red Lake instead of Lake of the Woods next year. I had two disappointing trips to LOW this year and for the last 6 years the bite has slowed down. Any suggestions on who to rent sleeper houses from on Red Lake?

Northwest Angle or Geiger’s Trail’s End resort on Bowstring north of Deer River. VERY nice perch, some walleyes, some crappies, nice cabins, good folks. Did Valentine’s Day with my wife there and we had a great time. Not a million people either.

Attachments:

1. 

   sspx01001.jpg
   

how bout lake gogebic in the U.P. of michigan

-b-

Nw Angle is further than we want to go and I don’t know much of anything about Gogebic. Are there any places you recommend?

Just tossing around ideas with the wife, we may be looking at doing Upper Red with a sleeper rather than a guided trip so we could safe some $ and look at a 2nd trip later in the season to Green Bay/Sturgeon Bay for some whitefish

Just booked two 6 man sleepers from Alpine Rentals on Red Lake for mid January 2017. Has anyone stayed at with this outfit and how are the houses?

That is the place we are looking at, heard good things about them

31lifer wrote:

Has anyone stayed at with this outfit and how are the houses?

Diane is a quirky, but very friendly lady. The houses they rent are what you would typically expect from outfitters. They are kept up nicely and move somewhat frequently. I have stayed with her a few times and have always put fish on the ice. One year we rented, there was a couple nice pots and pans in the house, but I wouldn’t bank on the house having them.

Justin at UpNorth Rental on Red out of Roger’s is amazing…..great places and the service that anyone would need. The fishing is good, they move you if needed and being able to go on your own is more than there. Port A Villa is also there and new owners of Roger’s, they have the really high end stuff and will still help you if you clean fish at the bar. Limits of eaters are there and all but my one huge trophy came from that resort as far as size, thank you Mille Lacs catch and release regs she is still in there.

How about South Dakota? Close, cheap, and good fishing.

Wanted to make a trip with the GF out there this winter for late ice, but we know how that ended.

We have fished there numerous times in the summer and my cousin has ice fished the area. We always do well but the weather can be iffy at times.

Just booked it, Upper Red thru Alpine Fish House Rentals. Arriving before noon on 12/31, leaving by 10AM on 1/2/17

We are going to look at a 2nd trip somewhere in late February based on ice conditions (Erie if possible otherwise Green Bay/Sturgeon Bay)

Now the waiting begins……..

At least I have an open water trip to Ontario this summer and a trip to Rainy in early October

Bigstorm,

we are going back to devils again. for the fishing and for the good time we had last year. we can’t imagine the fishing being any worse than last year and if that is the case we are pumped.

I think a whitefish trip would be cool. I am not into whitefish but the way you fish them is really neat. Super deep water and I hear they put up a good fight.