First days on the ice

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MN_DeerHunter
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First days on the ice

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Fri Dec 28, 2018 5:12 pm

With safe ice now I decided to take a break from bowhunting and go after some fish. They have been cooperative so far.

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Kind of nice to get out before the wheelhouse cities are set up on all the lakes. Heading to Red Lake for the weekend and I’ve been hearing the bite has been great.


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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Dec 28, 2018 5:18 pm

Nice work! Catching walleyes is fun as all get out... but I love eating them as much as catching them. I pulled the trigger on an ice castle this spring and have been waiting to get that thing on the ice.

I don't quite have a "set" big enough to bring it out with the truck on 12" of ice but some people do. Checked a local lake Christmas day and it was from 12-14"
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Fri Dec 28, 2018 5:25 pm

Nice! I haven't been out yet. How thick is the ice where you are at? The ice is really looking sketchy in my area after today's massive rainfall.
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby Sailfish_WC » Fri Dec 28, 2018 10:51 pm

Nice catching !
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:00 am

Crazinamatese wrote:Nice! I haven't been out yet. How thick is the ice where you are at? The ice is really looking sketchy in my area after today's massive rainfall.


I’ve seen anywhere from 7”-10”. It’s really variable this year
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:22 am

Lockdown wrote:Nice work! Catching walleyes is fun as all get out... but I love eating them as much as catching them. I pulled the trigger on an ice castle this spring and have been waiting to get that thing on the ice.

I don't quite have a "set" big enough to bring it out with the truck on 12" of ice but some people do. Checked a local lake Christmas day and it was from 12-14"


They really are the best to eat along with crappies. I’ve been making fish tacos like crazy lately. What model Ice Castle did you get? Would love to get one someday especially once I have a kid or two.

I’m with you on ice thickness, I don’t like to drive out until I see some bigger pickups running around out there.
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:27 am

Crazinamatese wrote:Nice! I haven't been out yet. How thick is the ice where you are at? The ice is really looking sketchy in my area after today's massive rainfall.


Also I think the rain will help the ice now that it’s going to get really cold really fast. It will be much easier pulling the Clam out on the lake too with cleats
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:09 am

MN_DeerHunter wrote:
Lockdown wrote:Nice work! Catching walleyes is fun as all get out... but I love eating them as much as catching them. I pulled the trigger on an ice castle this spring and have been waiting to get that thing on the ice.

I don't quite have a "set" big enough to bring it out with the truck on 12" of ice but some people do. Checked a local lake Christmas day and it was from 12-14"


They really are the best to eat along with crappies. I’ve been making fish tacos like crazy lately. What model Ice Castle did you get? Would love to get one someday especially once I have a kid or two.

I’m with you on ice thickness, I don’t like to drive out until I see some bigger pickups running around out there.



8x16 Lake of the Woods. Sleeps 5. I brought it East River SD opening weekend and West River in October. Beats the heck out of sleeping in a tent!!

Once you fish out of an ice castle it’s tough going back to a home made. They’re crazy comfortable.
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby muddy » Sat Dec 29, 2018 10:28 am

Something I've never been fortunate enough to do much is ice fish. Would be a fun trip if they're biting and a drunk trip if they're not
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby matt1336 » Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:31 am

Lockdown wrote:
MN_DeerHunter wrote:
Lockdown wrote:Nice work! Catching walleyes is fun as all get out... but I love eating them as much as catching them. I pulled the trigger on an ice castle this spring and have been waiting to get that thing on the ice.

I don't quite have a "set" big enough to bring it out with the truck on 12" of ice but some people do. Checked a local lake Christmas day and it was from 12-14"


They really are the best to eat along with crappies. I’ve been making fish tacos like crazy lately. What model Ice Castle did you get? Would love to get one someday especially once I have a kid or two.

I’m with you on ice thickness, I don’t like to drive out until I see some bigger pickups running around out there.



8x16 Lake of the Woods. Sleeps 5. I brought it East River SD opening weekend and West River in October. Beats the heck out of sleeping in a tent!!

Once you fish out of an ice castle it’s tough going back to a home made. They’re crazy comfortable.


They sure look pretty cool. I’d love to own one. Do you plan to use it as a camper too?
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:35 pm

matt1336 wrote:
Lockdown wrote:
MN_DeerHunter wrote:
Lockdown wrote:Nice work! Catching walleyes is fun as all get out... but I love eating them as much as catching them. I pulled the trigger on an ice castle this spring and have been waiting to get that thing on the ice.

I don't quite have a "set" big enough to bring it out with the truck on 12" of ice but some people do. Checked a local lake Christmas day and it was from 12-14"


They really are the best to eat along with crappies. I’ve been making fish tacos like crazy lately. What model Ice Castle did you get? Would love to get one someday especially once I have a kid or two.

I’m with you on ice thickness, I don’t like to drive out until I see some bigger pickups running around out there.



8x16 Lake of the Woods. Sleeps 5. I brought it East River SD opening weekend and West River in October. Beats the heck out of sleeping in a tent!!

Once you fish out of an ice castle it’s tough going back to a home made. They’re crazy comfortable.


They sure look pretty cool. I’d love to own one. Do you plan to use it as a camper too?


Absolutely. I did both times when I brought it to SD. We camped in it locally once this summer, but decided camping with a 3 yr old and 15 month old was quite stressful :lol: hopefully we’ll camp more in ‘19.


MN Deerhunter just curious what the ticket was for those walleyes? Set lines? Jigging? It amazes me how selective they can be. Anyone who fishes knows what I mean ;)
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Re: First days on the ice

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:37 pm

Lockdown wrote:
MN Deerhunter just curious what the ticket was for those walleyes? Set lines? Jigging? It amazes me how selective they can be. Anyone who fishes knows what I mean ;)


LD, in the picture of the six in the tub 4 were with the smallest size jigging rap you can buy in perch color. The other two were on fatheads under bobbers with a size 6 or 8 red hook. In the other picture I got them on slender spoons.

It’s funny how quick changes in weather and falling barometric pressure can turn these fish on and trigger them to feed. In the one picture the bite was slow until the sun came out randomly on a mostly cloudy day and the fish went crazy for about 30 minutes.

The other day was slow until the sun started setting and that latest snow storm simultaneously came through, then they really turned on. A guy could easily fish 8 hours and catch zero and then a weather front comes though and you catch you limit in 20 minutes.


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