Every year my Family and I ring in the New Year together out Ice fishing. This is my favorite time of the year I get to spend 3-4 nights out in the Ice Castle with my Wife and four kids. I also have a report from the other hook and go Ice House Rentals. This fishing report includes Bow String Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish, Mille Lacs, and Leech Lake.
Here is the Johny Miller Fishing Crew Report he did a hook and go rental with a 8 x 16 Extreme Ice Cabin. They went to Leech Lake and sounds like it was on fire in 21 Feet of water out of Trappers Landing. Fishing off the Reefs. As far as lures, plain bronze hooks seemed to be best. Very few fish jigging. Also, small suckers and shiners far out fished everything else Pictures below are from Leech Lake.
The next Report is from a group of guys who rented the Ice Castle Mille Lacs Fish House and towed it out of Randys on Mille Lacs Lake. They found the best depth to be out in around 20 Feet of Water. They said they had a good bite and caught fish. Here are three pictures they sent me of fish caught! I can not wait to get out on Mille lacs with the Sno Bear!
Now this report is from my trip with my wife and kids, my dad and my friend Matt and his Wife Jessica rented one of Chartered Rentals Grand Castles. This trip was about the kids and family time. We started on Bow String Lake NE of Winnie first time on this lake and it kicked my butt we went out of Bow String Shores Resort. We fished on Bow String for 1 night and then fished on Lake Winnibigoshish for 3 nights out of Nodaks Resort. The 1st night on Lake Winnibigoshish we fished out about 3 miles. One house was in 18 feet of water and the other house was in 22 feet of water the first night. We fished out on South Moses Bar the last two nights both houses in 16 feet of water. I will have to say we had slow fishing on Winnibigoshish. We usually do really good on winnie on the jumbo perch and a catch a mess of walleyes. The water clarity was poor 3-4 ft and I think this had a lot to do with it. We did manage to catch lots of pike and a handful of perch to fry up. The walleyes caught on Winnie measured 22.5, 23 inches, and 24 inches. two of the walleyes had some funny dorsal fins. We set up in 16 feet of water on the south side of moses bar on a inside corner. we moved around in the otter portable to fish different depths and just did not matter marked perch but they not many hungry fish. The sno bear went home early to the shop on the first day to get some repairs done to the clutch. So I felt old school fishing with out it just hopping around with the ice castles and portable. Good thing the Pike were hungry. I bet between the two ice houses we got our line broke off at least 20+ times. We must of caught at least a dozen of more pike. For the most part the kids tended the rattle reels and I let them work on the hook sets so we had plenty of big pike break the line. We did see what looked to be at least a 40+ inch pike on the camera come by then a few minutes later my friend Matt and his family got broke off by it in the other castle. Next time we will have to set up some rattle reels for pike when we run into this situation. All in all we had a great time grilled steaks did a fish fry. My friend Matt’s wife works at the French Lake Butcher shop and they had a giant yetti cooler full of Bacon, Steaks, Jerky, and it hit the spot. I have to say they are my favorite friends to bring on the fishing trips as they always bring the bacon! We also did Tacos one night that was one of my highlights. Oh yeah and the last night at 5 a.m.I did manage to catch a Eel Pout that I forgot to take a picture with. The perch liked the gold tungsten jigs, the walleyes liked Pink and Gold JB lures jigging spoons. Pictures below are from winnie.
