Yep, tons of spots like that out there. We just kept moving till we found one with fish.

Just a FYI Joel, that spot was the first spot I took you guys to a couple years ago. I just wish the perch would grow a little more.

Strikemaster should be able to provide an auger assembly for you.

I’ve been to Muskie Bay on Crow Lake several times. We’d fish lakers one day on Crow, crappies the next on LOW – Sometimes we’d split the day and do both.

Right in Nestor Falls, there is usually a road plowed out to cyclone point and the crappie fishing can be quite good at times.

The nice thing about Muskie Bay is they have a private access on LOW you can drive to. It is on the east end of Stevens Bay. Some years (We always went in March) were able to drive our trucks, most years you needed a sled. If there is a good February warm up, truck travel might be a good option again.

The crappies were sometimes not far off the landing. The trip out to Hay Island was usually worth the drive too.

We would catch a few walleyes out around Hay in Skabaskong bay, but we never really set the world on fire. Most of the walleyes and perch came from other spots, but still in sight of Hay.

We ventured farther west from Hay one trip and found some pretty decent walleye fishing along islands that had a bunch of baseball size rocks on the shore.

I’ll try and post some pics in a few days. I dont have any yet with fish in them, but I do have some neat down the hole shots.

T-Bone and I are planning an Ottertail Onslaught this weekend, despite the weather. If he cant make it, I’ll probably be in the spear shack.

Sorry I did not see this earlier Joel.

I’ve pretty much been spearing lately. I fished last Friday thru Tuesday.

The pike activity is very slow, but similar to what I expect this time of year. The sunfish bit was good, but timing was everything. I’ve been getting a lot of bass too.

Crappies, not very many at all, but enough to keep it interesting.

The bite on Tuesday was awful.

I need to venture over to Ottertail and chase some walleyes soon.

Hey Joel,

Conflicting reports? The big snow knocked the bite off for a bit, and patterns changed. It has been spotty.

I pulled my wheel shack off prior to the storm, and the put it on a spearing spot for a bit, then moved it back to where it was. It was a tad shallow and not producing.

Did a little scouting around and I am back on a decent bite. The gills were very active this morning. If it ever warms up, I will start chasing ‘eyes.

One thing that has surprised me a bit is the slow ice growth. Still not much more than 14 inches.

Another vote for checking the transducer bottom. Often when you pull it out of an outside hole, it takes seconds for ice to form on the bottom and that really cuts the signal until it is wiped off, or it melts.

I get it, though I no longer grab it and read it right away like I used to.

Carney grates on me, especially that last artice he did on how terrible steel shot is at killing ducks. The foolow up letters ripped him pretty good on that one.

Cigarette butts….I saw a whole bunch on the ice already. It looks terrible. The filters float up on shore in the spring.

Checked Ottertail. 3 inches in front of Greystone. I could see open water out from the horseshoe bar, and another spot farther out.

Stopped at Ken’s and it sounded like there was some open water off Riveria.

I saw West Battle this morning. Odd to say the least.

Clitherall looked much as it did Sunday. North end froze, but big expanse of open water to the south.

Eagle was 60-70 percent open water.

I’ll try and take a peek at OT this afternoon.

I went out and checked the ice in front of my place today. Chiseled out a piece, and it was 2.25 inches thick.

If I stomped really hard, I could get it to crack a bit. A couple more nights and we’ll have walkable ice in places.

Proceed with care!

Friday, perhaps?

I did a little recon yesterday:

Otter tail – East end was ice covered and I saw guys walking out from the Pelican Bay access. I could see a large expanse of open water in the center section of the lake.

West Battle – Mostly capped, but many random scattered open spots of various sizes.

Clitherall – North end frozen, south end open.

South Turtle – Frozen, 1.5 inches in front of my house.

I will make the rounds today and tomorrow and report my findings.

CDN -Horray! I finally got you sold on the Angle?!

I have been going to the Angle since the mid 90’s. It started with staying on the mainland and taking bombers out to rented houses.

It evolved to bringing sleds and portables, and then to staying on Oak Island and running with sleds and portables.

The time frame I like best is the first to second week of March. We get walleye, sauger, perch, and pout. Every year a few of the walleyes will be in that 25-29 inch range. You also have a shot at some big pike on occasion.

We will fish reef edges, and some time tops in the morning, and perhaps some mud flats too.

In the late afternoon, we look for current. The bite window there is short, but it can be amazing.

I remember you telling me about that blocking festival you had. Yuck.

Agree 100% on picking up the blocks later. I filled up my Otter ATV trailer last spring with crud I picked up on my lake, and a lot of it was blocks.

Q: Will I need an extension?

LOL, That mink was a real eye opener for sure. I am not sure who was more scared – me or the mink. (Probably me)

East Lost – be careful. There are spots that are iffy due to currents. The east lobe has some houses on it usually. I used to catch some panfish out there, but have not winter fished it since the mid 80’s

Depends upon the lake. Last year on a smaller lake we got into gills, crappies, and even a nice walleye on the same spot.

Hard to beat walleyes on Ottertail at first ice, though you may have to do a bit of searching.

One tip that worked last year when targeting fish in weed lines was to set up where a lot of air bubbles were visible. For some reason, that was key. Once we got some snow cover, it got a lot harder to find those spots so more drilling and searching was required.