The night bite still continues for those that stay out. It’s somewhat slower than the last week, but if you’re in the right place, it’s good.  Daytime Perch activity has picked up; some decent-sized Perch are showing up more and more.

Ice conditions are very slowly improving. Those who follow this report know we had a 150-yard stretch of ice running east and west along our shoreline about 250 feet from shore, 150 yards wide, that was and still is our thinnest ice.  After last week’s rains and warm temps, its thickness went from  15″-16″ to 13.5″.  Since it has got colder the last four days, it has increased to 14″.  Most of all, the rest of our ice ranges from 15″to 16″ in most areas, with a few small areas of 11″ around the Graveyard and the Bowl.  We have zero snow out there, and I am hoping we get a little bit out of this next disturbance passing through tonight.

Starting Thursday, we will increase the vehicle weight limit to 5000 curb weight. So lighter 1/2 ton rated trucks and SUVs can access the rentals and also portable fish.  Single axle wheelhouses that can be pulled with an ATV and dolly or UTV or SxS can go out. But no trucks will be pulling wheelhouses out because of that stretch of ice we have out in front.  In a normal year we usually let wheelhouse traffic start when we have 17″-18″ of ice. We are not even close to that and I am not going to push it.  If you look at the MNDNR minimum ice thickness chart you can see their recommendations. Along with no snow on the ice and varying temps the ice can crack and move a lot easier than with snow cover.

    click to enlarge

We will continue with our smaller rentals, see what the colder weather does to improve ice depths over the weekend and decide what we will do for the last weekend of the season early next week.

Keep a Tight Line!

Eddy

The Walleye bite picked up some for the anglers out there on Saturday night and Sunday. A 27″ C/R and a few slot fish were reported. Sunday, for some, was good in the afternoon, but by then, there were very few on the ice. (Super Bowl).  Overall, the Weekend Walleye bite was pretty good, and a couple of rentals had some nice 11-12″ Perch in the mix.

We checked out the ice some more and did find a few spots that only had 10″-11″ of ice in the Graveyard area and out by the “Bowl,” but most of the ice was 14″-16″. Our area in front which is 150 yards wide and 200 feet offshore (that has been our thinnest ice since the refreeze), is 13.5″. I don’t feel good about letting trucks pull wheelhouses across it. Repeated travel on that thin of ice would not end well.  So, we will limit wheelhouse traffic to those who can pull their single axle with their UTV, SxS or ATV only.  Starting tomorrow, vehicles with a curb weight under 4000 lbs. can go with portable out or drive-to rentals. But nothing weighing more, and don’t ask. You can “Google” the curb weight of your vehicle very easily. You can figure what you put in it for weight.  If the colder weather over the weekend improves ice depths, things will change for the last week.

We have rentals out for those that have reserved houses for the weekend and if you would like on we will have it out ready for you.  Call ahead to reserve.  If you don’t have a vehicle under 4000 lbs., Bring a ATV to have out there in case of emergency and we will shuttle your gear out and back in as necessary.

Keep a Tight LIne!

Eddy

Saturday, most of the anglers out there reported a pretty quiet day.  Not many caught Walleye.  Those that did went to deeper edges in 20′-26′.  The shallower reefs had some decent-sized Perch action but not much for numbers.  From what report I heard, the shallower reefs did have an evening bite for the Walleye.

Some Northern Pike fishermen that come out through us later in February and March showed up to give it a try early and did pretty well.  I usually don’t post fish pictures on this report, just on our Facebook page, but these photos were such good quality I had to put them on here. Nice images of quality Pike, and happy fishermen!!   One was 43″ and the other 40″.

               Click on the image to enlarge.

It sounds like temps will start dropping towards the weekend after a little snow Wed-Thurs.  Looks like we will have a little bit of winter for the last week of the Walleye season.  We will recheck ice depths on Monday and decide about driving and wheelhouses for the coming weekend.  Most fishermen reported approximately 14″ and, in some places, up to 17″ in rough ice.  However, some anglers out on the Graveyard reported 10″-11″ in some spots so that we will be looking that area over.

We will have our rentals available for the last two weekends and pull more as they are reserved.  So call ahead.

Keep a Tight Line!

Eddy