Upper Red Lake, the land of giants

With the ice pack growing at a steady pace we can hear the lake verifying its intentions with a constant serenade of intense rumbling and sharp pops throughout the day and night, old man winter is taking control of the often wave riddled Upper Red Lake and turning it into a ice fisherman’s paradise. Complete with bountiful walleyes and pike of gigantic proportions!

With the harshest of the deep freeze lifting into above zero temps and the walleye activity on a steady increase my old friends Joel Nelson and James Holst found themselves on the road headed for Upper Red Lake. They where in route with video camera in hand to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and suburb ice fishing we are experiencing currently on Upper Red Lake. Our morning plans of targeting shallow water pike had failed and a new plan was needed. We had a theory that we turned into a plan, checked the Lakemaster map and made the move, right or wrong we had to make a change from a shallow water morning void of any activity other then taking turns trying out the new Strikemaster with its Solo motor. Once a course was plotted and we hitched up the Otters before we headed into the uncertainty of a theory…and it was the best move we made. With the ice measuring in at a solid 10-13” with some variances in thickness form area to area we where able to safely head via snowmobile to shiner infested deeper water rock piles, where I was sure we would find some active walleye and maybe even a pike or two. Once arriving on the spot I broke out the Marcum camera and verified that we had located the outside corner of this eleven foot deep rock reef, a guaranteed feeding zone for active walleyes. Now we needed a plan to deceive the walleyes into a sure fire strike all while fishing for pike at the same time, it was a plan like no other and if the pieces all fit it would be a day to remember, and oh how it was.

With the semi stained water and murky conditions we have been faced with on Upper Red Lake this early ice season we knew we needed noise to pull these fish in yet we needed a small presentation to trigger midday biters and we couldn’t forgot about the pike as that was a goal we all had in mind for the day. Joel and I rigged ourselves up each with one tip up rigged with a Bigtooth tackle sucker rig and one lively sucker to entice any pike traveling the area. After a few quick holes and setting them a few feet off the bottom we where fishing pike! Now for the walleyes. This was a easy question for Joel as he set up a one two punch with one rod rigged with B Fishing Tackle blade bait with its sonic calling card and the other rod was fitted with a ultra finesse approach to walleye, the glowing Ratso. The walleye are basically spellbound to come investigate and often aggressively attack the blade bait but every so often old marble eye wanted something a little smaller. Quickly reel up the blade bait while monitoring the fish on the flasher we would send down in the ground troops, the glowing Ratso. A few wiggles in front of them was all it took to turn those lookers into killers. The day couldn’t get any better for this old guide; I had good friends in great weather and the fish where on fire. Although true to Upper Red Lake’s character the good day turned into a great one.

As we where laughing about the aggressive walleye and my constant blunders attempting to keep up with a steady stream of fish Joel noticed a flag sprang up signaling the need for immediate attention. The T bar of that tip up spun like the blades of a helicopter…we had forgot about the pike fishing with all the walleye action and luckily for me Joel was busy tending to yet another walleye. I dropped my gear on the ice and sprinted to the flag only to see the spinning stop completely, did he drop it was he chewing on it? What to do as the emotions raced? After a few seconds that seemed like hours trying to decide to grab the line and check or not that braided black line began spiraling off the tip-up at speeds yet to be achieved by man. A solid grasp and steady hook set I felt what I thought was a Yankee Class Nuclear Submarine on the other end. With much assistance from Joel feeding line to me during the runs and piling it during the retrieves we slowly worked the fish closer and closer to us only to be startled at what looked like a salt water crocodile rearing its head from the ice…we had just caught and released a forty six inch Upper Red Lake pike!

Click on the photo to access the video or use the link provided below.

Jonny P., Tip Ups and a 46" Pike from Upper Red Lake

Needless to say Upper Red Lake is on fire and making dreams come true right now. If you want some early ice action like no other stock your tackle box up with sound orientated lures, small jigs, some minnows, a sucker or two for a pike offering . For great action drill a few holes over deeper rocks, humps, drops and gravel. Don’t wait for a steady stream of good reports or a few silly crappies to show up before you come to Upper Red Lake as the action has already started.