last year I pushed it too far and got caught storing my boat when there was already snow on the ground. When hauling it to storage, the trailer sat with road salt all over the frame and corroded. Figured I’ll be a bit smarter this year lol. Already freezing up here at nights.
Good way to end my open water season. Caught it when I went to winterize the boat.
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Took my Dad and Wife on a 9hr drive to Lake Winnipeg this past weekend to get at least one of them on a 30″ walleye and my Dad crushed it with a 31″ 13+lbs Greenback. Hate to say it, but he now holds the biggest walleye in the family considering his old PB was 7.5lbs. We booked a Snowbear trip with IceBound Excursions with our guide Troy. I’ve never fished Lake Winnipeg before, there’s a good chance I will come back.
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BigWerm- Ice fishing I go and stay in the Tobin lake resort. There’s a few guys who rent out their cabins for 200$/night or stay at the rusty hook, they rent some nicer cabins. Early season Dec-Jan is good for walleye and March go to the Flats for big pike. The Flats you may need snowmobiles or tracked vehicles to access depending on the snow and weather.
– Summer time early June to July is good after the spring run off and October is good in the river. The big walleyes follow the Cisco’s up river in the fall when the cisco spawn happens. Need to dress warm as the temperatures can range from plus 10C to snow and fog all in the same day. Most people launch their boat in the Nipawin provincial park in the fall time if they are fishing the river.
For me biggest out of Tobin is a 34″ walleye (weighed 11lbs), heaviest is my profile picture 30″ weighted 12.5lbs. All were released I generally only keep the 16″-20″ sizes in my boat.
Average size only 6-12 inches?
Tobin lake has a slot limit no walleye can be kept if it’s over 21.5″ and only one can be kept if its over 33.5″
So walleyes are either too big or too small to keep. It’s difficult to catch eater size walleye since that’s what most people keep. With that being said 50% were in the 6″-12″ size 10% were in the eater size and the remaining 40% were over 21.5″.
I pull off 40ft of line and cut it. I don’t fish deeper then 30ft so the extra 10ft of cut off is any possible ice build up that may have frayed the line. I run a mono backing on my reels to prevent line slipping on the spools a 150yds of braid goes a long ways on my ice reels.
I’m on my first set of KO2s with 80,000Km (50,000miles) over 3 years. they have been great for ice fishing, as I usually break trail when my friends are with me. like any tire they aren’t the greatest on glare ice with a truck but 4×4 helps in those situations. I can only compare it to duratracs since I haven’t run any other types.
The main pros/cons between the 2:
Pros: KO2s are quieter on pavement, better ice and snow traction, better tread wearing, softer ride, and looks bada** on my truck hahaha.
Cons: Can get stuck in mud easier (fall hunting), 1/2 stones get lodged in the treads and come out like bullets when driving grids often (needed a plastic cover for my boat trailer and mud flaps that connects to my hitch), the tire is a softer rubber and started to crack after 3 seasons (I park outside year round the east side show more wear due to sun damage)
I own 2 savage gear squad walleye rod in 7’ML and 7’3″M. I find my self using the medium light more then the medium when pitching a jig and leech combo or pulling lindy rigs. The medium works well for casting jerkbaits and rattle baits.
Both suck for snap jigging and ripping jiggin raps or shiver minnows, there is too much play in the tip and it wobbles like a spring door stopper when you drop it on a slack line after the snap. I tried both braid and mono with similar results.
Just making some core memories with my son. Did a quick trip up to my father’s cabin for a boy’s weekend.
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Well I couldn’t let my wife have the big fish crown this year. Narrowly beat her out with a 10.5lb 30″ walleye this past week. She’ll have to come with me fishing more to get back on the leader board lol. Fish was released shortly after a quick photo.
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We can only use a gaff here with the intension of keeping, plus it can only be 3ft long. I used hockey sticks before but I did leave it with the 10″ auger. Next year they are coming with me lol.
Milwaukee battery M18 Power Source is what I used. Just plug the usb to back of the unit and go.
Lindy bug I believe
Rattle baits are my bread and butter on the ice.
I’m running 10lb braid as a main line with an 8 or 12lb 36″-48″ floro tied direct with a uni to uni knot. I’m not worried about line twist as I’m always jigging/ripping the lure. Rod size in the shack I’m using the longest on possible 38″-36″ medium graphite. long rod since it’s less work to jig and helps fighting the fish better, graphite for the feel when they tap it on the free fall down.
The live target golden shiners are my go to bait since it falls off to the side like a wounded minnow, Other lipless baits I’ve used don’t have any action on the fall.
If anyone knows of any other lipless cranks that have a good falling action please let me know. I had some golden shiners custom painted just for more color options.
Peric really screwed it up when he lost Justin Jenkens and assorted meats he is a gold mine and probably one of the best fishermen not included in this group.
100% Justin was awesome and still is. Guy is out there having fun and poking fun at other youtubers. His last video reminds me of fishing with my buddies with all the chirping and missed fish.
I’m 50/50 on it. Swing – Jay, Conrad’s, and Clayton. Miss – Team Frostbite, Uncut (missing completely), Peric.
Honestly I can’t handle watching Peric it’s like the living embodiment of ADHD. Plus the first episode he has more verbal diarrhea coming out of his mouth then his rear in the parking lot. I’m sure most of his viewers are 20 and under but it’s not for me.
Last weekend I was shore fishing with my brother in laws today we got ice.
Post edit: Ignore the amazon order lol
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Depends on your fishing style. If your jigging bare handed small hooks under 1/4oz go cork. Anything over 1/4oz, I’m jigging big rips to call over fish and they usually hit hard enough I don’t need to feel it through the handle. I do like the smaller real seats on the St. Croix primer ice. I’m hole holing in -20 so gloves are a must and a smaller real seat feels better in my hand then a large diameter cork.
My brother has a 2013 3.5L, engine blew at 80K. He doesn’t tow anything except for a sled trailer in the winter (6-8 times/year). His went just after warranty so he was on the hook for a 10k repair. My father and brother-in-law both have 2020 F150, my dad’s is a V8 and brother inlaw is eco boast. I like riding in the V8 when towing but the eco boast gets way better gas mileage.
I have the same setup and I added the gear box to mine. Major difference, lots more torque and less speed especially when you first start the drill going.
Well worth buying..
any difference in battery usage?
Poaching need heavier fines. No more 1 year band and 2500$ fine for keeping 50 plus walleye.
Here’s a few more action photos. I was surprised they would use a whole salmon fillet and head for bait. They said it had to be fresh or decomposing and they wouldn’t touch previously frozen fish.
And to answer a few questions:
– the 9 footer took 20mins to bring in the guide said that was fast as some will take 30-45 minutes and the 10ft and over will be 45mins to over an hour.
– my wife would have beat me in size, the photo BC2022d was the monster we lost as the guide said it was an easy 10ft plus sized fish.
– the biggest they caught that year was 11’8″ so far and they caught 2 10′ and one 11′ 2 weeks before we came.
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The other off road capable tire that gets good reviews and real world experience with longevity is the BFG KO’s or now KO2. They are louder than the Goodyears I recommended though.
I’m a KO2 fan been running the same set for 2 years now on my tundra. Have notice 90F days they tend to wear faster since the rubber is softer but I don’t have many days like that here. Also not the best on glare ice for stop and start. Other then that I have ran through deep snow and mud past the axel and all sorts of blizzard road conditions and felt safe every time. currently have 45,000 miles on them. also they do pick rocks so have a tow protector or bow cover when trailering.
How much battery life do you need? I’m running a Dakota 10AH battery on my LX7 and getting 16-18 hrs run time. I have my brightness set at 50. I’m out hole hoping in minus 20 during the morning and evening and sitting in my hub any other time.
Sorry guys had to upgrade. Caught this beauty mid day and 30 mins after setting up. 29.75″ weighted 10lbs 11oz, again released for the next fisherman.
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Been running 20″ BFGoodrich T/A KO2’s on my Tundra for the last two years. Put on 60,000Km so far and they haven’t let me down. I’d say 40% of my driving is city, 50% highway and 10% grid roads. Worked well in Saskatchewan in -40 weather and snow. I had wrangler duratrac before and the KOs I find are better in wearing and road noise. Only downside is it fire rocks like crazy on the grid roads, mainly 3/4″ stones. I have a plastic cover on my trailer to protect my boat and it takes a beating some days lol.
Definitely helps to have a flasher or sonar to pick which perch you want in the school by keeping it away from small marks. On my home lake I have found the larger ones to stay close to the bottom during the day. Morning and evening they will move into the shallower parts of the lake and the small perch will stay behind. don’t be afraid to give a smaller offering if they lake had more bugs then minnows.
Eating beans the night before. 
Found when I had steel rims on with my snow tires I never had snow build up. other than that I just pull over and scarp them out before getting back on the road from the ice.
