Got fiddled for two hours and trailered the boat on Sunday mid day. Switched to trout and cleaned up. Gotta wait for the bait fish to get eaten up before trying that again

isu22andy wrote:

Was out last night . Marked a S ton of fish in 25-30 foot of water on the MN side south of maiden rock . They wouldn’t bite for nothing . Slid up to that 15 foot mark and started catching lots of shorts . They lakes a way more peaceful place in the week time . Wowza lol .

That’s a good sign in my book! I’d rather catch 10 14.75” eyes than 1 16” all day. What were you using to fish the 25-30’ water? Pepin is amazing how fast it goes from beautiful to a hot muddy puddle covered in recreational boaters.

isu22andy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ProStaffSteve wrote:</div>
Love seeing this post get more attention! I’ve been out three times in recent history. Wish I had better news to report. I hit Maple Springs and Wabasha twice. I’m new to wabasha but my IDO research led me right to the three wing dams, but it wasn’t what I hoped. Pulled a couple eaters each day, the fist on cranks & ratte traps & the second on crawlers and leechs. Lots of fish were marked but they didn’t react to slow or fast presentations, willow cats could have changed that. If I get out much more I’ll be back on the big lake, found an Instagram post from a pepin guide who has been sticking pigs and numbers somewhere out there. I’m thinking Maiden Rock will be the move

Least your picking up a few . I was out last weekend with little to show in front the rush . Tried for pike the rest of the day and skunked ! Guide still trolling cranks or did it say ? I’ll be out Sunday hopefully. Trying to figure out where to launch solo . Can’t wait for the pleasure boaters to calm down a little ha .

The secret on the wing dams was to switch lures every 6 casts and don’t be afraid to lose lures to rocks. The guide was pulling cranks, and that’s how I’ve been picking up the odd fish. My best bet is to pull em late in the day or better yet early in the morning on any of the shore lines. Sauger are almost a given, no sauger is too small for the box and just use em as an excuse to keep you entertained till you stumble into a pocket of hungry eyes. Honest, if you’re pressed for time just pull in front of the public landing. Most consistent walleye for me year over year. Fish everting from 4ft of water to 30ft. Color is irrelevant, just make sure your lure is smashing bottom

Love seeing this post get more attention! I’ve been out three times in recent history. Wish I had better news to report. I hit Maple Springs and Wabasha twice. I’m new to wabasha but my IDO research led me right to the three wing dams, but it wasn’t what I hoped. Pulled a couple eaters each day, the fist on cranks & ratte traps & the second on crawlers and leechs. Lots of fish were marked but they didn’t react to slow or fast presentations, willow cats could have changed that. If I get out much more I’ll be back on the big lake, found an Instagram post from a pepin guide who has been sticking pigs and numbers somewhere out there. I’m thinking Maiden Rock will be the move

Started on Roschen with myself and my girlfriend @6:08pm, pulled cranks in roughly 20 foot of water grabbing a small bundle of sauger & a pike. I was already pleased with the day 40 min in so we high tailed it to the rock finger off Stockholm. We made it half a mile through very wind blown trolling with nothing to show for it so we picked up to hit location x where we hooked up immediately, breaking my crank in half. I landed a small white bass on the half lure not knowing it had been damaged. Still pushing through waves my gf managed a healthy 16” walleye, the game was on. Instead of pulling lines up on the next pass I attempted a wide circle. The first turn my rod doubled over, a grueling 7min battle and a 20 foot run and we landed a 27” eye. One of the better july fish I’ve found in that puddle. I have been forgoing using a depth finder of any kind having some familiarity with the water paired with chart viewer navionix on my phone, very pleased. Will be getting back out xD

Going tomorrow evening, plan to pull cranks in 20ft -4ft as the evening progresses along Roschen Park. Bit of a time constraint so I’m looking to maximize time spent with lines down

Any updates from the 4th? Figured a few people snuck out? Would love a report

Fish biting any better? This should be the week

ajw wrote:

I have a pair of Meopta MeoStar 10×42 binoculars in like new condition that i’d be willing to part with for a fair price. You will not find a better pair of binocs for sub $1000.

Really appreciate the offer, maybe some other enthusiast will be able to take you up. Like new, those cost more than my boat, so did the elk tag, but I can’t justify owning such a nice piece of equipment just yet. Sub 1 k looks like a great price though!

Dave maze wrote:

100% on the un-insulated boots. We were hiking 10 miles a day last season. Cold feet was not an issue.

Made me chuckle. I figured I’d tell everyone my half-assed plan to see just how stupid it was. I’ll be grabbing some new ones soon. Funny I made a post looking to save a buck and I left with a longer shopping list than I came with

Ben K. wrote:

Congrats on the tag. I failed to draw Montana this year.

Be sure to do hills/incline in those boots. I hunted with a guy a few years ago who broke his boots in wearing them to work for a month on a flat indoor surface. Day 1 his feet were torn up and affected his whole trip.

Good luck with your gear search. I’m still hoping to figure out a hunt this year, so I’m not much good to you (other than unsolicited boot advice…)

Thank you, friend. It was a surprise to say the least, first time submitting for a draw anywhere although it’s been on my list for a good long while now to take a stab at a bull. I bet he felt pretty silly wearing them to work too, lmao. Tough lessons to learn for guys not smart enough to do their research (or to seek advice from guys who do research). I’m a bit of a gym rat so I am looking to switch back to cardio which is how I spent all last summer. The incline with a pack and boots sounds like actual hell. 😤

tornadochaser wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ProStaffSteve wrote:</div>
Hahahah that’s a real mofo. As a work from home feller with soft terrain near by this is an issue. I have a medium warm pair of boots hunting that I’ve had for 8 years that I’m very comfortable in, considering using those because I would hate to be uncomfortable

Not sure how you plan on hunting, but you’ll likely want a broke-in pair of un-insulated boots, and pack some booties along for long sits glassing. Western big game hunting can be a whole different animal when it comes to packs, footwear, layers, glass. I’ve just started buying and using quality gear for my western SD hunts to get used to it while I accrue points for MT, WY, and CO.

Definitely the end game here. I am interested in looking into some more comfortable light weight options for glassing. Sounds like I have my work cut out for me in terms of putting on miles. I’ll be doing a boundary waters camping trip where we will be moving 17 miles through the bush so perhaps I can front-load my discomfort but utilizing that to break in a fresh pair of kickers

John Rasmussen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>waldo9190 wrote:</div>
buy a decent pair of hiking boots NOW and start breaking them in. There is nothing that can ruin a hunt more than shredded feet that limit your ability to chase critters.

^^^This x 10

Hahahah that’s a real mofo. As a work from home feller with soft terrain near by this is an issue. I have a medium warm pair of boots hunting that I’ve had for 8 years that I’m very comfortable in, considering using those because I would hate to be uncomfortable

riverdewey wrote:

FYI Water temp this afternoon was 56°F.

And with that all the eggs drop and the fish start to hunt. Tempting to try getting out this week. Just wish Rochester was an inch closer

Love it. I feel my trip was similar, just slowly putting the puzzle together. I love how the river give-eth’ and take-wth’ away in this fashion. Although some consider her a world class fishery I compare is to more of a worddle where some days you get it and other days it gets you. All about improving strategy and method each time while not being afraid to try something new or new-to-you to get on em while others simply follow the crowd

You musta seen me out there. We can leave the other details to the birds. I’ll be out next week again. I have a hunch things will only get better

Made it out for a few hours on Wednesday. Not a tell all but I will say someone’s advices to not fear the shallows was rewarded.

Jay Tegeder wrote:

As stated staying overnight in the fisherman parking areas isn’t allowed. Will a sheriff bother you? Probably not. You can always drive away if they do. Or park in one of the business parking lots in town. In the Spring it’s harder to catch fish on spinners, spoons and plugs. Those baits work good in the Fall. I’d use stonefly nymphs, yarn flies, beads or spawn sacs. The water has been high and muddy this Spring. Hopefully it will be better by May 1st.

Lol. Don’t feel like having a sheriff wake me to save $10 on parking. I will park somewhere.

Being a spinning gear guy I should stock up on bubble floats to throw fly gear then… I sure hope the water clears up. If not I will have to bank on flashy & fast fishing.

tegg wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ProStaffSteve wrote:</div>
Ohhh I see. So I had another pot tell me that hitting fish dropping back I the move. Do you feel that dropping back means upstream of the dam area still? Feels like they will be in both areas.

Hard to say on timing this spring. More cold weather to start next week. Sounded like some fish on the north shore over Easter weekend but not peak of the spring run.

Wow, I really need to spell check before hitting send. I will admit, I have done some research and it seems that May 7th is the opener for water UP STREAM from highway 2… I love planning trips to exotic fishing and hunting but it can be so hard to understand regulations that are broken down this deep. I suppose I will grab my waders and shoot for the stars. I find myself rather competent for catching trout and I’m sure I’ll run into those. Really hitting my first steel head is the goal here. I’m sure when I get to the area it will be more clear where I should go.

tegg wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>ProStaffSteve wrote:</div>
That’s super good info. And regarding the dam, is it decent fishing on either end of that or would I want to be even closer to the lake? If you can’t tell I’m new to tracking my river to sea salmonoids. Presumably they could jump right over but perhaps a majority don’t bother? Also, is public access to these stretches or river exclusive to the roads crossing it or is it open to access in other ways?

Look up the Brule River Sportsman’s Club. You can purchase a map of the Brule that shows all the parking areas. You can cover a large percentage of the river from these parking areas. The dam has a fish ladder with counting station. My recollection is the dam itself is not really constructed in a manner that allows the fish to jump it. The majority of the steelhead enter the river in fall and go up well past the dam.

Ohhh I see. So I had another pot tell me that hitting fish dropping back I the move. Do you feel that dropping back means upstream of the dam area still? Feels like they will be in both areas.

duh queen wrote:

You’re not too likely to be able to wade most waters upstream from County hwy B. Too brushy or too mucky. I’d target waters downstream from WI 13 and fish for drop-backs using crawlers and hardware. Insulated waders shouldn’t be needed by early May.

That’s super good info. And regarding the dam, is it decent fishing on either end of that or would I want to be even closer to the lake? If you can’t tell I’m new to tracking my river to sea salmonoids. Presumably they could jump right over but perhaps a majority don’t bother? Also, is public access to these stretches or river exclusive to the roads crossing it or is it open to access in other ways?

Drizzy Musky wrote:

Yea, grab a spot at Copper Range campground you’ll be much better off. Hungry Trout is right there.

Fishing aint to bad in that area either

Great insight! I will check it out. Good thing I posted here before making the excursion.

matt wrote:

Got it to replace an Okuma Rtx that I abused for 7years before it crapped out.Was going to go with another Rtx but figured I would try something different as the scheels/diawa reel had good reviews and was of similar cost.After another disassembly and inspection I see the felt washer is extremly thin.In turn the paint/finish on the spool beneath where the washer rides is wearing off in spots.So it could be that a new better washer is all it needs either way ordered another Rtx this a.m.

Ouch! Hahaha well Scheels has a solid return policy. I am really looking forward to breaking this in to drop a review of my own.

matt wrote:

I bought one about a year ago. Decent but not to impressed with the drag.Mostly use it in cold weather and drag seems to stick up then surge,allmost like the spool is not aligned and wobbles a bit.I found the grease was applied really heavily so I cleaned it up and reapplied some better stuff.It didnt seem to improve much.May return it and try another one or get something different,havnt decided yet

Yikes! So I just ordered two, I will be revising that down to one for SURE. Thank you fellow fisherman. The truth hurts but it is good to hear a first hand account.

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>stevenoak wrote:</div>
If you’re not brand faithful. Look at the Shimano Sahara. For $60 to $80 they may be built better than the Fuego. This would be a better comparison than The CI4s That are over twice the price. I have 5 or 6 Saharas, if not for the Mag Seal for salt water. I would choose the Sahara for smoothness.

I loved my sahrahs for years. The 2 newest ones I bought are not the same. They are cheaply made. And have issues my older ones never had

So brand loyalty has definitely been built with Daiwa, clearly. I don’t like to be close minded & Shimano would be my #2 for sure but I recall a couple of their cheaper models being disassembled in my hands while dealing in fish as a kid. Lmfao, I was probably on their $15 Walmart reel but somehow they lost me.

On the other note I had a couple scheels brand rods that I had bought 6-8yrs ago that had been grandfathered into their lifetime warranty (now a 3 yr warranty). Now I definitely got a few returns in on each of them but their most recent model isn’t the same rod. They basically degraded the rod into an ugly stick on the most recent innovation. I do worry they will do the same to the Scheels branded reel, hopefully Daiwa wouldn’t play that game thinking nobody will notice.

BCNeal wrote:

I’ve never owned a Fuego but I can vouch for the Tatula.
I loved the first one so much I’ve purchased 2 more. Never a single problem with any of them. The drag on the Tatulas is fantastic.

Hahahah and this is my other worry. I love aesthetics & higher end stuff (not that I’m rich our anything) I would rather buy one fancy coat than 10 from fleet farm. Apparently the buck stops here when it comes to fishing reels. I’ve been out of school for a couples years. God knows five more years of working and I’ll have an Exist LT ($799 model, by Daiwa) sitting in a glass case by my bed to help me sleep.

stevenoak wrote:

It’s a Fuego with a couple tweeks. Good choice in the $100 range. I just surpassed 50 days saltwater and 25 fresh water days. On a pair of Fuegos, Along Stradic CI4s. The fuego is a solid reel, with the Mag Seal is a good choice if your rods ride in the open boat or back of the pickup. Or if you fish a wet, salt or dirty environment, and don’t pamper your equipment. With that said. It’s less than half the price of the Stradic. Everything is smoother on the Stradic due to parts quality and materials. But the only downside I find is the casting distance. All things equal #10 PP same rod and jig. The Fuego casts a fair amount short. Probably due to the spool design. Thats important casting to spooky fish in shallow clear water. But not a big issue otherwise. For that price point I’ve been happy with them so far. Fishing salt water in a kayak. I take one Stradic to throw plastics. 2 Fuegos to throw live and hard baits. What I gathered from Scheel store manager, there are a couple minor upgrades on the Scheels model. Other upside, if it were to blow chunks. Scheels may just give you a new one, instead of a warranty process. For a reel in the $100 range, exc for casting lighter lures distance, it’s a good choice.

Thank you, Steve for the in-depth analysis. I have to say, the Stradic is also going to be purchased before spring rolls though. I grabbed two of the new Scheels brand reels listed before. I love kayak fishing bass, trout & walleye fishing in waders, and traveling across the country so that mag seek is something that really appeals to my style. I will then save the Stradic for boat fishing.

Hello Community,

I am an accidental foremost expert on this body. So, I have caught 1one 14” walleye on this lake directly on the spill-over, small gold crank bait. This was about 8-9 years ago, Which made me feel old at 24 😅. Back in the day there were TONS of bass in the system. Several hit the 4-5 lb mark. Ice fishing near the stream yielded easy crappie fishing, limit five. Unfortunately the crappies are the only thing that holds true today. Presently, OCCASIONAL 3.5lb bass get caught on Cascade and Interlachen. Small small mouth are frequently caught on both lakes, target current areas. A new or new-to-me revelation are the heavy white bass populations. Last year, Aug 2019, we pulled several on cranks. The larger crappie in the system will fall for these as well 11”. Over all the lake is a poop puddle though. Good spots regularly fill with silt, big fish are too skinny. Would love to see the lake o. The opposing side get properly filled and moved to C & R or something. I used to catch big yellow perch and gills on that side.

We are thinking pike, as there are several 30”+ in the area or a boat prop. Personally I think a slimmer grabbed him.

Girlfriend pulled this today while we were catching 12”+ perch.

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