Red this Week

We were up to Red this week. The bite has slowed according to wardens who checked all the resorts. Still good not stupid good. The ice is real rough and several heaves making ATV travel slow. I can’t imagine what will happen when snow comes and covers them. Ice is about 10″. We did better in 11 fow vs 8 fow. Mid day bite was the best on Wednesday when the sun came out. Lots of 18-22″ fish. So fun. Bobber rods and a gold small buckshot spoon was the best for us. We averaged 2-4 fish per person early in the week per morning or evening outing. Wednesday afternoon it was 10-20/person. Thursday started out good but we had to leave at 1:00 which was when it really took off the day before. Northerns were a problem completely destroying both my rigs one morning in poor light. Later I broke a pole on one later in the morning. Not happy. Not sure why it broke. Darn I liked that pole. I also managed to drop my phone on the edge of the house and like a bobsled run,…it slid right into a hole. Ugh. So,…the trip was not without problems. Face mask compliance in the cleaning house very poor. Skid house starting to get pulled out. Im glad in a way that Red isn’t closer,…I’d be up there every week! good luck

A slow day on Red is better than a good day anywhere else really. Too bad we can only fish 13% of it.

eyeguy507 wrote:

A slow day on Red is better than a good day anywhere else really. Too bad we can only fish 13% of it.

Are ya saying 5,000 guys need more lake to destroy?

The lake is in the process of getting destroyed the way it is. Be glad it is as far North as it is…

“Face mask compliance in the cleaning house very poor.“

Alcohol consumption and some pretty rough language also witnessed. Definitely not a place for the fragile.

Dutchboy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eyeguy507 wrote:</div>
A slow day on Red is better than a good day anywhere else really. Too bad we can only fish 13% of it.

Are ya saying 5,000 guys need more lake to destroy?

I haven’t destroyed anything the times I was there, maybe the toilet at the gas station?

eyeguy507 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eyeguy507 wrote:</div>
A slow day on Red is better than a good day anywhere else really. Too bad we can only fish 13% of it.

Are ya saying 5,000 guys need more lake to destroy?

I haven’t destroyed anything the times I was there, maybe the toilet at the gas station?

TMI!!!

Bottom line..Red Lake is a zoo. Social media fans the flames of that dumpster fire. But hey, more quiet ice for the rest of us.

I was up Mon-Thurs. It was decent but not great. One fish per 30-60 minutes on average with a little flurry of a few quick fish at dawn and dusk. Pretty easy to get a limit. The challenge, as usual, is to get the under-17″ fish to fill out the limit.

Traffic was very heavy for weekdays, the only time I fish up there. Heaviest I’ve seen. Still, I rarely fished within a block of others. Often times, I’d be 4-6 blocks away from others.

I’d stay away from Center Bar. The traffic starting Weds ramped up hugely. There were 10 parties out there Tues, and 50 on Weds. Unsurprisingly, the fishing took a dive.

I moved on a wheeler every 15-60 minutes up there and had a good time. When hole-hopping, if you don’t get a fish in two minutes, move to the next hole. Nearly every fish I marked would bite.

Red is awesome. Yes, it’s a complete shitshow, but it’s an important part of Minnesota ice fishing culture. Early ice, easy fishing, easy limits. Have some fun, enjoy it, try not to get the Rona, and bring home a few meals. The fact that we can only fish a small fraction of the lake is likely why it’s sustainable.

Good points, bass. That last sentence may just be the deal-

shady5 wrote:

“Face mask compliance in the cleaning house very poor.“

Alcohol consumption and some pretty rough language also witnessed. Definitely not a place for the fragile.

Actually laughed out loud! Yeah, don’t bring your grandmother, unless she’s into that.

LabDaddy1 wrote:

Good points, bass. That last sentence may just be the deal-

Oh don’t worry, the nets and 2 liter bottles on the rest of the lake take more fish than the small dent the rest of the public does.
Can’t get your limit? Head to redlakewalleye.com and order up a few hundred pounds. If only the DNR knew how many locals double and triple dip on that lake just to spite the rez.

Makes total sense. They can’t have it there way so abuse the resource. Great philosophy.