Best spring time is when the Lilacs are budding (starting to bloom). Crappies will be shallow looking to bed.

We use to fish Rainy Lake north of International Falls** Memorial Day Weekend (Lilacs flowers are budding) using 2/0 gold TruTurn hooks with emerald shiners (size used for walleyes*) under pencil bobbers slowly retrieved (stop & go). Weight the bobber so only an inch is above the water, the bite is when it raises.

To locate them s-trolling the warmest water you can find with the same rig or large river or pearl #7 shad raps using your bow-mount motor along the shore. Look for large flat rock(s) running out into the water. Small bays produce better than the main lake.

*bait dealer was out of crappie minnows one year / we never went back to small bait!
** And Red Gut Bay

Did you retire to Rainy Lake? Charlie

The prop was a Mercury HighFive

I had the same problem years ago and Supreme Marine (Minneapolis) fixed me up with a five (5) blade SS prop that fixed the problem. I’m unsure if they are still made but you could call them.

Windshield and enclosure is a must on Rainy Lake. They called it “Rainy” for a reason! I was glad I had one many times returning from Kettle Falls

I mostly agree with “TheFamousGrouse”

20 gauge, 2 3/4 or 3 inch, Federal Premium #4 (lead), copper plated / buffed magnums

I shoot two barrel lengths which have had the forcing cones lengthened to improve patterns:

26 inch IC/Mod
18 inch Cyl (great grouse gun)

I tried many custom loads over the years and settled on these over 30 years ago for the same reasons TheFamousGrouse did. They work!

For those that think #4s are to big for grouse, they are not in a 18 inch cylinder gun. You get a BIG (barn door size) pattern that’s makes it hard to miss… just point and shoot.

Buy yourself a cheap used barrel at a gun show and have your gunsmith shorten it and lengthen the forcing cone as trap-shooters do.

If you can find one, a Ruger rifle (auto) in 44 Mag. Very little recoil. Use hollow point bullets only as others do not expand correctly in bear.

Good luck

I have two of them in my tackle room. Used them for years!

Anyone recommend a panfish guide for the south end of Mille Lacs? Thanks

That’s what I used for years, works great.

Try calling Fish-Lectronics in Columbia Heights MN on Hwy 48. If they’re still in business they should be able to fix it or refer you to someone.

Aquarium pump is the best way to go if you have 110v. They’re built to run 24/7 and there quiet. Back in the day I used to keep left over bait in an aquarium in the garage. Used freezer packs to keep the water cool.

Used a crockpot for years, low over night or longer.

The instant pot is my new replacement. I make a beef roast with potatoes, carrots etc. in 45 minutes. The meat just falls apart! No more crockpots.

Sorry, I’ve not been able to get out as I came down with kidney stones and had to cancel all trips for the year.

Should be a good year from what we’ve seen… get out and hunt!

We’ve been vacuum bagging since the late 1980’s, fish and meat last for many many months as long as they do not lose seal. I miss placed a walleye in the freezer for three years and it was still perfect, but I don’t recommend keeping them that long!

If the seal is gone and freezer burn started I do not use it. This does not happen often.

We forest camp with an RV…so we have a freezer etc

Just got back from the Baudette area.

The first day we only hunted the last three hours and we saw nineteen got five. We thought this would be a great hunt, not so much it was down hill from there. The next day only one for 8 seen. Total after 5 days hunting was 15 birds for two hunters.

The weather was very warm with high winds which made for poor and difficult hunting.

Thanks, I’ll be in Baudette this weekend for a week and will let you know how it goes.

May have to try Orr the following week as it’s closer to home.

Good look’n dog, sure miss our Brittanys.

Thanks for the report, can’t wait to get out. Leaving Friday for a week. Will post when we return.

I’m looking for current northern MN grouse reports as we will be leaving next weekend for Warroad to hunt.

Black Otter Squirreless birdseed at Black Otter Supply.com is the only seed that we have found that the squirrels try and leave alone. I bet if you mixed it with your tallow it would be great!

Ron F is correct they are Indian pipes, we use to find them fall mushroom hunting.

You MAY be correct but the last time I had to clean/remove my boat trailer((s) I have more than one) wheel bearings they were built with an inter-race that the bearings ran on. But when we had to change the wife’s rear axle wheel bearing on her Jeep they had cheapened the bearing by manufacturing it without that inter-race and running it on the axle. This required us to replace BOTH the bearing and the axle. Luckily none of my trailers have these cheap setups.

A damaged spindle-bearing does not “lock up”, the bearing is destroyed causing the hub/wheel to come off. We all have seen trailers on the side of the road missing the wheel/hub.

The only way to tell is inspect them, remove the hub(s), clean the spindles and see if they are discolored (from over heating) or scratched (from a spun bearing). Other wise it’s just an UN-educated guess!

I’ve used Bearing Buddies since the mid 1970’s (yes I’m that old). They are great if used correctly, I have never lost a bearing and I’ve driven many thousands of miles.

Use only “marine” bearing grease* and be sure to completely fill the hub to get out any air etc. Then only put enough grease in to move the piston half-way back to the lock ring. If and when the piston moves back add more as needed.

*unaffected by water

I currently use a 20ga Ithaca 37 LT pump (5lb) with a legal limit cut barrel (18″), cyl.choke with the forcing cone lengthen, shooting 2 3/4″ #4 Federal copper-plated buffered lead mags (old duck loads). Best grouse gun for wingshooting I own and I have acquired numerous shotguns over the years (I’m older than dirt). It has an extremely open pattern which is why the heavy load and large shot. This will bring down a bird with a one pellet hit though heavy cover. Also the open pattern keeps you from blowing up your dinner! It’s pretty hard to miss with this gun. Try it you’ll like it as I did.

Nice, he’ll remember that hunt forever

Anyone hunting or hunted recently around Warroad/Baudette this year? Looking for some current reports as we are going up next weekend.