I’ve been out a couple times on Koronis in the past few weeks. The night bite has been very slow. Just a few eyes on cranks. The day bite however has been pretty good with most of the eyes in the 15-19″ range coming on leeches in 18-23 feet of water.
Good Luck guys!
I plan on being out there tonight trolling cranks for one last soft water trip. Hopefully we have a little better luck. I’m guessing I’ll be utilizing one of my drift socks before the night is over. Gotta get down to1.0-1.6 mph with those water temps.
Bite is still going for eyes. It’s not fast and furious but rather a good steady bite. During the day on minnows or crawlers in 15-30 ft of water. At night on cranks from 12 ft of water or less. You’ll find some tight to the shore at night. Good news for prospective shore anglers.
Water temps were 55.7 degrees for the most part.
I’m planning on heading out to Koronis tonight weather permitting. Sounds like Mille Lacs will be pretty rough tonight as the wind is supposed to kick up. Koronis is pretty tough to get blown off of with it’s smaller size and irregualr shape.
I use them a lot to get floating lures to be neutral bouncy lures. A lot easier and you don’t ruin lures like some of the other methods.
When talking to a DNR District Manager last fall she stated that the bouys should be at least marked with reflective tape. But the DNR often contracts the service out and that the contractors may not be following protocol. We caught one last fall in the same area. Luckily with our fishihng lines and not our motor as it was a nasty windy night. Definitely complain to the DNR about it. I’ve usually got a pretty prompt response. The content of the response is often not to my liking however.
BTW,
I worry more about those running across the lake with a floodlight on than those who don’t use them. The floodlight makes you totally blind to anything not in it’s beam. Unless you putting along at 5-10 mph by the time you see it there it’s too late. Boat don’t have brakes. Just my humble feeling on the subject. 
I’ve been out twice in the past week. Eye fishing is good with several bigger fish being caught and a couple little ones. Biggest one I got last weekend was a fat 27″er. Also lots of pike. Most are small but did manage one pushing the 10 lb mark. The bass are everywhere. Lots of 10-12″ largemouths to go along with the smallies. We also found some very nice sunfish when livebait rigging for eyes.
We found fish in 9-23 fow during the day. During the evening over the remaining weedtops in 5-8 fow. The walleyes are really plump this year and there are lots of nice ones in the lake right now. Water temps ranged from 65-68 degrees and the water still has a bit of color to it. Water levels are still significantly down from normal.
On the breaks in 13-28 fow during the day. Up shallow in the evenings. I’ve found active fish on shoreline points, a few humps and around the islands. Make sure to bring some crawlers. Leeches and cranks in the evenings.
Good Luck.
Nice picture!
Biggest smallie I’ve landed there thus far this season is a fat 19″er. I’ve been targeting eyes and they’ve been pretty cooperative. Lots of 15-19″ eyes hitting right now. Also a few in the low to mid twenties.
The smallies have been in the 12-19″ range with most around 14-15″.
I fished Koronis Sunday night from 8pm-midnight. I planned on trolling cranks and didn’t bring any livebait. The first two hours netted two rockbass and a pike. After a few moves I found the eyes in 6-9 fow and filled out on 15-19″ eyes with one 24″ and several smaller ones tossed back. A pretty good night after a slow start. Sounds like the day time bite was pretty tough based on the reports from four different boats that came in as I headed out.
On a nice day yes the Buddy heater would get you by. But on a cold day it would not be enough. I use a Big Buddy in mine and it does a good job for me. I insulated the roof with the reflective bubble tape and even with last weekend’s frigid temps I was warm in my lodge.
Well it depends on where you want to fish. Get a way from the crowds and look for rough ice. Sometimes they like it jigged and sometimes not. Depends on the school of fish you’re on. Keep moving until you find them.
Had good luck on white glow demons with a red dot or strip and red optic stealth jig and while nuggie by little atom bait.
Had a couple crappies chase the bait 6 feet off bottom as I slowly lifted it away from them. We were out of Hillman’s fishing anywhere from 5-9 miles down his roads.
Good Luck!
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I noticed some IDA guys are strikemaster prostaffers,so what is the big difference between the Lazer Mag and 2000? I have read all the specs on both, but I am just wondering if someone has used both. How does the chipper blade on the Mag 2000 work? Sorry about all the questions, but I want to make the best choice.
I have both.
The mag 2000 is a chipper. It’ll cut holes no problem. Not as fast as the the lazer mag. I picked up a lazer mag last spring when my mag 2000 went on the fritz on Upper Red. The mag 2000 needed a new carb kit. The folks at strikemaster fixed it up for me when I got back. Gotta love that Strikemaster customer service.
Actually I’m looking at selling both of my strikemaster augrers with extentions. Nothing wrong with them but I need to free up some cash for a new ice fishing toy.
I starting using the Amsoil 100:1 Saber synthetic oil this winter. I’ve heard nothing but gresat reports on this oil and so far it’s been workingh grest for me in my augers. I’m mixing it a little richer for now at 85:1. No smoke and the augers have performed flawlessly.
My favorite is the Go Devil in 1/16 for crappies and 1/8 oz for eyes. Next would be the Angel Eye Jrs and then the Swedish Pimples or Varmits. I like Glow, Glow Red, Chartruese or Gold.
Those technicians must be working ovetime! Many of the guys who sent their units in last week for the update have received them back already! Looks like 6-7 day turn around from mailing it out to receiving it back for folks living in MN. That’s an unreal turn around for this type of work, this time of year!
I got my lx5 yesterday. I can’t wait to get on the ice with it. 
The display is awsome. Just like the LX3-tc! Put my Vex to shame. Guess I’ll let my son use the vex this winter.
I’m not Scott,
But i have seen a couple un its that have been upgraded.
And yes they are much brighter, sharper and crisp than they used to be. Just like the new lx3-tc units. They guys I know who have had the conversion done and received their units back have considered it money well spent.
Took about 2 weeks to get the units returned.
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Borch, I think you meant “with a MarCum battery”
Yeah that’s right. But I know how it works here. I saw the depth finder thread. 
Psss…..Actually it’s just some generic knock off.
The 12volt 50 watt bulb will eat up the vex battery pretty quick. Although you may get 2-3 hrs of usable light out of it.
Many of us are now using LED lighting in our portables attached to a support bar with the wires attached outside or through the bar with a small hole drilles near the light location with a vex battery for power. You have a pretty good selection at most truck stops. Depending on how many you use you can get 30-60+hours of usuable light using a vex battery.
Down side is that it will be more costly to assemble than the 12v 50 watt bulb setup. Generally in the 20-50 dollar range depending on how much light you need.
Although the long term cost is signicantly less than using a propane lantern and you don’t need to figure out what to do with all the empties.
I’m pretty sure they make an LED bulb that would screw into that setup. However I don’t know the cost of such a setup.
I’ve been having my best luck at 1.8-2.2 on the GPS. Although some nights they want it faster than that.
The nets were also out on Sherman’s point and into the bay. We found three and there may have been more. The one we snagged had several eyes in it.
We only caught to eyes with a few misses. Finally gave up at 2:15 am. We fished from Indian point up past Shermans. Pretty rough and lots of floating weeds to snag hooks. I’lll be out working the rocks on friday night.
I had between 61.5 and 62.5 on the SW side Friday night.
I was out Friday night and cuaght just one eye pulling cranks. But we noticed that the baitfish were starting to stack up on the edges of the reefs. Just didn’t find any eyes with them. Sunday night was much better for the folks I talked to. Lots fo eyes with some big girls as well. I’ll be back out Thursday night on the SW side.
Borch
Well Koronis continues to heat up. During the day in 12 – 24 fow on minnows or crawlers. Leave the leeches at home because the eyes and smallies won’t tough them right now. At night pulling cranks in 5-12 fow with get you fish as well. The darker colors seem to be working best right now. You’ll need to sort through some little guys. Keep moving till you find decent fish. They are there to be caught.
Jeff
I really like fishing those river sections. A little current break and cover does a lot to concentrate those bass. But to be honest I mostly get into the largemouths there(lots of them and some biggies too).
When chasing smallies I usually hed over to Rice or Koronis. Picked up one just over 20″ on Rice last week. Wish I woould have been able to get a pics of her.
Jeff
