Goggle Eyes

On May 20, 2008February 26, 2018 By LPR OutdoorsIn LPR Adventures1 Comment

The opening week of the Minnesota fishing season also happened to be finals week for me. While I finished up cramming for final exams and polishing off term papers, my good friend Paul Nistler and friends Curt and Todd headed north for the warmer waters of Upper Red Lake and Lake of the Woods. That’s right, I said headed north for warmer water.

Although some of the larger lakes in Northern and Central Minnesota were finally shedding this year’s ice pack, the shallow waters of Upper Red Lake had been ice-free and warming nicely and in fact the walleye bite had been on fire since opener. The guys stopped off at Red on Friday morning and anchored down near the mouth of the Tamarack River and soon found themselves in the midst of unbelieveable walleye fishing that included several triples.

At Lake of the Woods, the boys found more of the same kind of action. By late Friday the winds had kicked up to gale force, but fishing Saturday in the shelter of Pine Island produced as well as anything to be expected at the walleye capital of the world.

Another Icy Opener Report

On May 14, 2008 By LPR OutdoorsIn LPR Adventures3 Comments

I received this picture from a friend who was trying to fish Leech Lake on opening weekend. This picture was taken on Mother’s Day, Sunday, and is of Walker Bay, the smaller and deeper side of legendary Leech Lake. They were fishing in Shingobee Bay, which was open.

She also told me that apparently there were some anglers that had put in at Erickson’s Landing, near Kabekona Bay and north of Walker, on the Northwest side of the lake, and while they were out fishing the ice flow shifted and blocked the landing. Supposedly they were able to negotiate to another landing and retrieve their vehicles and trailers from there, but it sounds like there was some scratch and dent, and gnarling of props….

I also spoke with another friend who owns a cabin at Huddle’s Resort on the Southeast side of Leech Lake, who told me he spent the weekend working on his boat because the entire south side of the main lake out to the north end of Pelican Island was still iced over.

Most of the fishermen I know from the Whipholt area skipped fishing on opening weekend, but a few did go around the ice flows to the north end of Bear Island, Sugar, and Battle Points where the cool waters left the walleyes a little sluggish and uncooperative.

The ice did finally go out from area lakes this week and the summer fishing season can begin in earnest. I observed a dozen boats and pier fishermen on Lake Bemidji this afternoon between finals. I didn’t see any fish caught during my brief observations today, but we’ll be an active participant this weekend instead of a casual observer. Then we’ll have hard facts to report!