Report

Just got back from week on winnie with wife and kid. Kid fished with me some but not nuch, mostly family time at the resort for the week. Ended up boating 60. Couple on lindy leeches couple on slow death crawlers. Did decent on spinners and crawlers. Did best on mix of jiggin raps and power corkin. All fish on north end humps. 12-20ft. Had 8-10 fish over 23” biggest was 26” that the 9 year old cranked in while we were power corkin. A bunch of dinks also, so future looks good.

Thanks for the report. What time(s) of day was best?

I did well mornings and evening but the quickest catchin I had was Friday from 11-12:30, midday. I think the reason for that was probably me finally figuring out a consistent pattern.

Nice report, thanks! Sounds like a good vacation.

Yes its was. We usually go in mid june. But wife is taking some grad classes so vacation is getting pushed back to July for the next couple years. I much prefer June weather and the spring shinner bite(I seine my own so that helps too). Personally I’d rather be dressed in layers while fishing than sweating. I seen water temps over 77 degrees at times. I guess the temps helped the pool temps too so the kid spent a lot of time swimming.

more of an ice out report…….some of my informants are telling me that most of the 500 acre or so lakes are ice free in the area…..and i person i know on sand lake figure ice will be gone by mid week!!!!!!!

I just looked at Geiger’s webcam on Bowstring. There is still plenty of ice but I have faith that it will disappear before next weekend.

Jason wrote:

I just looked at Geiger’s webcam on Bowstring. There is still plenty of ice but I have faith that it will disappear before next weekend.

I agree, check out bowstring shores webcam. Looks way closer to ice out. It’s on the east shoreline of bowstring.

Also Williams narrows webcam. Ice took a serious beating there the last few days. That does have current there though.

except for a tiny bit of ice on geigers shoreline, the ice on bowstring is gone.

as susual i suppose that lake will be a zoo come saturday morning!!!!!

Looking at some reports today Glen and I it looks like I will be back on Winny for opener this weekend. I was getting doubtful but the rain and wind the past few days made a big difference.

CBMN wrote:

Looking at some reports today Glen and I it looks like I will be back on Winny for opener this weekend. I was getting doubtful but the rain and wind the past few days made a big difference.

the new owners of highbanks posted something on Facebook with a picture. Ice was floating pretty far out and expect it to be gone in the next day or so!!

Glen, neighbor got some first hand pictures from his place just south of Highbanks yesterday evening and I didn’t see any ice. Should be good to go.

CBMN wrote:

Glen, neighbor got some first hand pictures from his place just south of Highbanks yesterday evening and I didn’t see any ice. Should be good to go.

good to hear. i just read a report from jeff sundin, he’s saying based on the new guy that owns freds bait minnows are going to be really hard to come by…..especially spottail shiners. he advised if you want them to check the baitshops on your way up. they may be able to get some out of mille lacs.

and apparently to make things worse, the leech lake band is NOT renewing minnow trapping on the res if your non-native!!!!

I am all set for minnows already but thanks for the heads up.

Brother is up there now, figures the lake is at it’s normal level. He did say the swamps and creeks are plenty full maybe due to water runoff from all the snow!!

No more snow banks though!!!

Did ok up there over the weekend Glen. Got blown off the big lake both Saturday and Sunday, but found fish on smaller lakes up there also Glen. 8-12′ was the best range for us on any of the lakes.

CBMN wrote:

Did ok up there over the weekend Glen. Got blown off the big lake both Saturday and Sunday, but found fish on smaller lakes up there also Glen. 8-12′ was the best range for us on any of the lakes.

i’m heading up on friday or saturday……not sure what lakes i’m gonna hit!!!!!!!