Worked through High School for Fish Lake Bait in Harris. Traffic used to backup practically to North Branch with all the guys stopping to buy leeches the week leading up to opener. We sold TONS of Jumbos that week.
[/quote]
How long ago was high school ?
I was up in Bemidji on Sunday to visit my daughter and talked to a bait shop up there and they said according to the native trappers it would be highly unlikely there will be leeches
82-86
I was just born. lol
I still think its too early for leeches, but I guess I don’t know for sure. We’ll just find out soon enough here.
BWCA, here. Lighted slipbobber and a leech. Hopefully it isn’t as windy as it has been because my “canoe motor” is getting old and lazy!
I was just ice fishing the bwca and surrounding area 2 days ago. We were on a 4 wheeler one day and my buddies ion almost didnt make it through. Hand auger in the bwca was the full auger flight and generally hard. Alot can change though. Shore lines are starting to get sketchy but you might want a plan b…
Does anyone on here happen to live by or drive by Fish Trap Lake or any of the Lincoln Area lakes (Alexander, Shamineau, etc)?? I was hoping for open water this weekend so I could run up and put the fishing boat, dock/lift in so I didn’t have to take time to do it on opener. But not going to do it until the ice is 100% gone.
Last I heard was 10 days ago, the report was that the ice was deteriorating but still 20″ thick. I’m hoping the wind and rain over the weekend really started to chew it up.
Any ice-out reports from that area would be greatly appreciated!
When nobody had leeches on opener… Johnsons Fur south of Willmar always had them… 
Just sayin’
We mix it up. Usually one of the big six. Last year Red. This year Mille Lacs with my kids.
Another guy with no cabin or resort tradition, and am jealous of those who do. I normally do not go out the first weekend, but am planning to this year in the metro. It’s just been way too long of a winter and I refuse to waste a single day of open water season sitting at home.
One of my favorite things about opener week is seeing all of the boats on the roads heading up. That’s how I know it’s time. Gets the blood going.
P.S. just looked at the calendar and my boys first baseball tournament is the weekend of opener. what kind of MN organization schedules anything like that over fishing opener!!!!??? Looks like ill be missing opener this year
Yep, a couple decades ago, that wouldn’t even been a consideration as teams would’ve had to forfeit after players and even coaches wouldn’t be there. Today, not so much. Sad how the fishing opener has declined in importance over the years. It used to be that you felt like the entire state was either participating in or cheering on their family members who were. Today, it’s a shrug.
Another guy with no cabin or resort tradition, and am jealous of those who do. I normally do not go out the first weekend, but am planning to this year in the metro. It’s just been way too long of a winter and I refuse to waste a single day of open water season sitting at home.
One of my favorite things about opener week is seeing all of the boats on the roads heading up. That’s how I know it’s time. Gets the blood going.
I like when every one goes north, keeps the local lakes quiet. The last 3 years we do Mille lacs at midnight and fish till about noon. But I’m skipping and staying close to home. Hoping Chisago or green will pay off.
I hauled my boat up to the cabin a week ago. Needed it to haul some long boards up. I don’t fish around here, think horseshoe chain area.
I haven’t fished opener in years. Now iffin someone called and asked and it nice out I’d go.
I will be on Otter tail. First time fishing it since 2000 opener.
Jig and a shiner lindy and a shiner will probably be the starting tactic’s.
I don’t know if any years we limited out but always caught plenty of fish.
Random question… What is Upper Red like for opener? I’m going to assume it’s an absolute zoo.
The last 3 years we do Mille lacs at midnight and fish till about noon.
I used to do the Mille Lacs thing at midnight. Went for 10 years straight. We’d launch around 11:30 and get to our spot early so we could drop our lighted bobbers in the water right at midnight. Some years were really good, some years sucked. You just never really knew how it was going to go.
We usually fished until the sun started coming up. The worst part was driving home. It was about an hour back to my parents house and I often drew the short stick, so I was the driver. There were many times that I found myself close to dosing off behind the wheel. That’s why I stopped doing the midnight thing. I just didn’t trust myself anymore to stay awake.
Roosie’s still locked up so I’m heading to NC and hang out with the Belle.
770B34FC-D3B7-4445-AA1C-87E9DE31C8AF.png
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
The last 3 years we do Mille lacs at midnight and fish till about noon.I used to do the Mille Lacs thing at midnight. Went for 10 years straight. We’d launch around 11:30 and get to our spot early so we could drop our lighted bobbers in the water right at midnight. Some years were really good, some years sucked. You just never really knew how it was going to go.
We usually fished until the sun started coming up. The worst part was driving home. It was about an hour back to my parents house and I often drew the short stick, so I was the driver. There were many times that I found myself close to dosing off behind the wheel. That’s why I stopped doing the midnight thing. I just didn’t trust myself anymore to stay awake.
We would do the same. Launch at 11ish, but fish till noon and then drive back to north branch. But we pulled cranks and didn’t do bobbers. Other wise I’d be sleeping. We always have done pretty well. Trolling in 5 to 8 ft of water
Random question… What is Upper Red like for opener? I’m going to assume it’s an absolute zoo.
It’s like early ice but not to extreme, and the fish have been great for us the 2 times we did it.
Random question… What is Upper Red like for opener? I’m going to assume it’s an absolute zoo.
depends? on a normal opener there are lots of boats like you would think. we used to go every spring but closer to memorial weekend and it was very busy. usually the boats line up along the breaklines there is only one public access on the tamarac so most go out of the resorts.
i still have nightmares from sleeping in Buddy Hillmans ice shacks that he kept in his junkyard but it was only $15 per night. hey at least this year you won’t have to worry about the skeeters as cold as it has been so that’s a plus. the ones up on Red are the size of a quarter!
been there, done that so many times that lake spoiled me for life! i will stick to P4 for the foreseeable future. at least i can be humbled here.
Don’t get the midnight thing. If I went out at midnight I’d make it for about 6 hours and then I’d be pretty much f@cked for the rest of the weekend. But to each his own.
I’ll be up at my place, with a fire going and drinks flowing Friday night. Will get up on Saturday morning whenever I decide and go out for a few hours here and there throughout the day. Have a nice fish fry Saturday night with more drinks flowing. Now that I think about it, this pretty much describes every weekend during the summer..
Don’t get the midnight thing. If I went out at midnight I’d make it for about 6 hours and then I’d be pretty much f@cked for the rest of the weekend. But to each his own. P
The thing is with Mille Lacs, the bite is often much better at night than it is during the day. Plus there is night ban that starts on day 3 of the season so opening weekend is the only chance you get to fish at night out there until September.
You are right though, it often jacked up my weekend in terms of sleep. I was younger with more energy and motivation back then. Back in the day we filled our live wells with eating size walleyes and they were very easy to catch. Nowadays there’s no fish in the live wells out there but you still can catch plenty.
Unsure of plans rn. Probably be last minute as usual w me. Local Mississippi is usually where I end up, out of Camden or boom island.
Unsure of plans rn. Probably be last minute as usual w me. Local Mississippi is usually where I end up, out of Camden or boom island.
Our shop is in Camden, right next to McDonald’s. I think about pulling my boat to that section all the time
As you age you realize there is no need to be mad at the fish. Fishing is designed to be relaxing, bumper boats, getting up in the middle of the night, battling crowds kind of defeats the purpose for me. It’s been that way for the last 20 years.
I’ve also discovered that most fisherman are not nearly as good as they think they are. There always will be fish left after everybody has gone home or given up.
Everybody enjoy your time out there and wear a life jacket.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Mr.Beads wrote:</div>
Unsure of plans rn. Probably be last minute as usual w me. Local Mississippi is usually where I end up, out of Camden or boom island.Our shop is in Camden, right next to McDonald’s. I think about pulling my boat to that section all the time
Do you ever fish Rush?
Let me add one more thing.
For those new to boat ownership. Now is the time to go practice backing up a trailer and launching a boat. Know what things to do PRIOR TO backing down the ramp. Make sure the boat motor will start.
You don’t wanna be that guy everybody bitches about the Monday after opener.
Do you ever fish Rush?
[/quote]
Yes sir. Grubson and I fish rush weekly, early am, and evenings. Then run to pokegama
nice! I pretty much stick to Goose. Even though I have no idea how to catch the walleyes on that lake.
Do you ever fish Rush?
Yes sir. Grubson and I fish rush weekly, early am, and evenings. Then run to pokegama
[/quote]
If you don’t like crowds rush ain’t a good one lol. Did rush at midnight couple years ago, then last year during the morning for half day. Caught a few each time out, all small fish not worth keeping. A hundred other lakes I’d rather fish for opener but my mom lives on east so it’s an easy go w kids hanging w gma for a bit.
Camden is good for spring and fall, too much riff raff in the summer months for me to want to leave my rig there. Very unfished part of the metro area, tons of small mouth, not big ones, mostly in the 12-15″ range but can catch em all day if you find the rocks. Occasional eye shows up if you’re throwing minnow baits. Opener can troll the flooded shorelines if one knows where the slow water is.
Plans are in place. Looks like we head out Monday night for the Rainy River. Fish sturgeon Tue – Friday. Even with the high water they have been catching reel good in the last several days. My kid will have been sturgeon since Sat. so we can get some fresh info to get started. Fish 4 mile bay / Gap for walleye opener. Then Sunday afternoon drop on down to Red. Most people have left by then. Fish Red on Monday. If the fishing/weather is good we may extend the trip through Tuesday.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
