UPNORTH Report
|
Ice Fishing Report 12-17-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Heavy Snow Slows Ice Making |
|
|
Another season kicked off with mixed results. If it wasn't for all the snow I think we would have a perfect situation. Ice thickness seems to range from 6"-12" depending on what size of lake you are on. Our nights have been dropping down below zero for a couple of weeks now but with all the snow cover the ice making process is slow. Slush also seams to be a factor on many area lakes. As far as actual fishing reports at this time very few are coming in. Most anglers seem to be more concerned about the ice. One friend was out crappie fishing late in the week and limited out in roughly an hour fishing in 30' of water with a jig and minnow. Another group was out on Wednesday and found good numbers of walleye on mid lake humps that peaked in 20' of water. Sunrise showed the most action with a Northland Buckshot Rattle Spoon. Reports are starting to trickle in from Mille Lacs where ATVs are venturing seven miles out. Limited success so far but the mud flats and rocks are producing some with a slow moving Buckshot. |
If you are planning on heading to the lake the best advise I can give you is to check with a local resort. Both ice conditions and fishing reports are changing day to day. Check back often through out the season as hard water angling begins to heat up.
|
|
See You On The Ice! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
Winnibigoshish Report 11-7-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Parasite Kills Scaup On Lake Winnibigoshish |
|
|
Lake Winnibigoshish in Northern Minnesota, a well known resting place for migrating waterfowl recently turned into a final resting place for many.
Roughly 3000 Scaup (Bluebills) have died on Lake
Winnibigoshish since October 28th said Steve Cordts, DNR
waterfowl specialist in Bemidji. Cordts and
other DNR employees collected about 1,000 dead bluebills from The deadly worm like parasite (Trematodes) which is 1 mm in size is found in a certain type of snail. Bluebills feed on the snail, their stomachs digest the shell releasing the parasite. Ducks Unlimited Chief Biologist states "The parasite requires intermediate hosts to complete a complex life cycle before it infects the final host, in this case Scaup.” “When waterfowl eat an infected snail, the trematodes attack the birds’ lower intestines causing ulcers and hemorrhage resulting in severe blood loss. The birds can be infected in less than a day and die in three to eight days.”
According to Biologists the snail that is carrying the parasite is a Banded Mystery Snail. This snail is native to the East Coast and is commonly used in aquariums. The Banded Mystery Snail was documented by fishery biologists on Winnie eight years ago but four years ago the population exploded on the west shore near Ravins Point. Scaup numbers are 40 percent below long-term levels and now this situation is sure to add additional stress to it's recovery.
Currently the parasite is only effecting Scaup and Coots but could effect other waterfowl that digest the snail. Trematodes doesn't seem to effect humans but hunters are being warned not to eat sick looking birds. Our Fall has been warm enough so that the main migration has not taken place yet. With any luck this year Waterfowl will choose another body of water or Winnie will be locked up by the time the major flight takes place. Controlling the snail that serves as a host would be "almost impossible," Cordts said. |
Photos Of Lake Winnibigoshish Scaup (Bluebills) Taken November 7, 2007
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
Duck Hunting Report 11-7-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
A Positive Outlook |
|
|
|
Waterfowl hunting conditions in the 1000 Grand Lakes Area are far from excellent but they are definitely picking up. After a 2-week Mid Season Slow Down we are finally seeing a positive outlook with new birds in the area. On our last outing we were fortunate to see many new Greenheads in the area and were also able to bag a few. These new birds have not been shot at and with minimal calling found their way into our decoys. Our decoy spread was kept simple with roughly 2 dozen mallards and 2 Robo Ducks, one on each side to complete the enticing package. On our last hunt we headed to one of the river systems in the area where cane and rice could be seen for miles. With the hard freeze we had Tuesday night much of the back waters and small pot holes are now locked up. With any luck this should help push these new birds together making for a great day in the blind. If this weekend you are planning on making your way to Winnie to view the Bluebills please be careful. In fact, leave the smaller duck boats at home and dig out your fishing boat. Winnie can change in just a few moments and you might find yourself in a situation that you do not want to be in. |
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Duck Hunting Report 10-30-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Mid Season Slow Down |
|
|
We are half way through the Minnesota Waterfowl Season and as usual we have hit the mid season lull. The mid season lull is where many of the local birds have headed south and northern birds have not shown up yet. On top of the low percentage of birds the weather has also been working against us. Bluebird skies, warm weather with only some wind on most days. A complete opposite of ducky weather. On a positive note we woke up Sunday morning to find ice around our boats and many of the near by pot holes were skimmed over. |
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Duck Hunting Report 10-14-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Fall Progression |
|
|
The Fall Season is progressing nicely. There is plenty to do for the outdoor enthusiast. Most of the leaves have fallen giving Grouse Hunters better visibility. Many of the area lakes have turned over clouding the water up and pushing the fish a bit deeper but it should stabilize shortly and there are plenty of ducks in the area to keep hunters busy in the blind. Roughly a week ago I had the pleasure of speaking with the main Game Warden out of Bismarck, ND. This past summer Western North Dakota has gone through a sever draught causing the flyway to move to the east. What this means is if you draw a line from Bismarck to Devils Lake most of the descent hunting will be to the East. |
For us water isn't a problem anymore. In fact, we have seen a couple different public docks under water because of recent rainfall. Both Puddle Ducks and Divers are present in strong numbers. Normally this time of year we tend to stick with the smaller rice lakes but since my 10 year old son was joining us I wanted to make the hunt as easy as possible for him. We are still doing the sunrise shoots but in approximately a week we will move to the mid morning hunts. Being able to head out after the sun is up allows us to go find where the birds are rather then relying on a feeling of where the birds should be.
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Duck Hunting Report 10-1-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
2007 Minnesota Duck Opener |
|
|
I must say that now is my favorite time of year by far. It is the only time of year you can get out of bed and harvest a few ducks, pull a few walleye mid day and then walk the trails for a couple grouse. It doesn't get any better then this! This is the time of year we can enjoy what nature has to offer at it's fullest and forget the hassles of every day life. Another Minnesota Duck Opener has come and gone and for many it was a remarkable weekend. I have spoken with several groups of hunters and it seems everyone did quite well. Even with the mixed up weather we did well. We went from a couple lightning storms with heavy rain to the mid
|
60's with a sunburn and then back to rain with strong winds. The whole time we were out in the elements enjoying the opener. Ringers and Teal were the main type of birds we bagged with Wood Ducks to top off our day. We also saw good numbers of Bluebills, Mallards and a few Pintails. Either way the numbers look good in Itasca County and above last year at this time. New For 2007: Also a reminder that motorized decoys are not allowed till October 6th. This restriction applies whether the motor is running or not.
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 9-9-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Fall Is In The Air |
|
|
Fall is definitely in the air. The night time
temperatures are dropping to the low 40's. Leaves are changing to
their bright autumn colors and the fish seem to be turning on the feed
bags to prepare for a long winter.
This is by far my favorite time of year. Cool
mornings and comfortable afternoons. Not to mention duck season is
right around the corner. The dog even seems to have an extra
bounce in her step and appears to be more in tune with her surroundings.
For the most part fishing remains the same. We have |
been targeting shallow weed lines. Unfortunately with the cool nights we are already seeing the vegetation begin to die off. The most effective way for us as of late has been to run the outside edges of the weeds with a #4 Salmo Hornet. The weeds that we have been targeting are being found in roughly 8' of water so I have been keeping the boat right around the 10' mark. Once we start pulling a few fish we put the line counters away and dig out a jig and minnow combination. When we make the switch I like to hug the weeds a little closer and use a 1/16oz Fireball tipped with a shiner. Even on the windy days I like to stick with the lighter presentation because you will have less hang ups and more time fishing. Check back soon, the Fall Frenzy should be kicking in right around the corner!
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 8-2-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Time To Crank It Up For Shore Line Walleye |
|
|
Another week has gone by and summer fishing seems to keep getting better! Consistent weather and wind patterns are starting to pay off and help anglers find fish. Water temperatures on many of the area lakes seem to be holding right around 80 degrees kicking vegetation growth into high gear. Air temps on most days have been in the upper 80's to 90 degrees but the wind has kept us pretty comfortable on the water. Main lake humps and bars are still holding good numbers of fish and a Roach Rig tipped with a crawler or leech is producing best. The real frenzy lately has been crank baits back on the shore lines. We have been targeting wind swept shore lines with heavy vegetation and/or rock and gravel. What has worked best for us is a #4 Salmo Hornet. Hot Perch, Blue Daze and Red Tail Shiner in 9'-14' of water has kept the fish most active bending the rods. We have been running our line counters out to roughly 58' and pulling these hard working hornets from 1.6mph to 2.8mph with incredible success. If you are not one who has spent much time in the boat pulling cranks now is the perfect opportunity. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. |
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 7-11-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Plenty Of Opportunities In Northern Minnesota |
|
|
What a great week we are having here in the 1000 Grand Lakes Area! For the past 2 ½ to 3 weeks a number of lakes have experienced multiple fish fly hatches. The good news is that things are starting to stabilize and the bite is picking up speed. Earlier in the week we were able to find Small Mouth, Large Mouth and Gills in deep weeds all mixed together. Being able to fish three different species in the same spot is a good sign for summer fishing at it s best. Bass fishing was close to incredible using Northland s Ring Worm (Slurpie). Since we were traveling light and not expecting to target gills we had to make it up as we went along but found a #6 hook and a split shot tipped with a leech worked perfect. Walleye fishing is really picking up speed in the area now that the fish fly's are thinning out. Rig fishing is still the way to go. Targeting mid lake humps and bars have been producing best with a 5 Roach Rig but I must say the past couple of days more fish are coming from the bars. We are now also seeing an increase of activity pulling cranks near the shoreline weeds. A #4 Salmo Hornet in Red Tail Shiner color or Hot Perch color are putting plenty of fish in the livewell. We have been running anywhere from 50 -80 of line out on these deadly baits depending on the vegetation growth and pulling them right around 1.8 mph. If its Pike you are after we have had positive results pulling this same Hornet in a Crawdad color in the same weed lines. As you can see there are plenty of opportunities going on in Northern Minnesota and many styles of fishing taking place to please everyone. |
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 6-25-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Fish Fly Hatch Tests Anglers |
|
|
Will the wind ever let up this summer? I think I had one or two days on the water this week where the wind turned out to be perfect. To top it all off many of the area lakes have been experiencing a fish fly hatch. So far the hatch hasn't shut down the bite but you must find areas that are not totally clouding up your electronics. Rig Fishing is still the most productive presentation. During the early morning hours we have had success dragging a crawler and as the day progresses the bite has switched to a leech. We are still concentrating on mid lake structure but the past couple of days have moved to the bigger bars. We have been working the outer edges with the sharpest break. Keeping a 5' Roach Rig in 15'-20' of water has worked extremely well. Lately the key has been to move as slow as possible. |
For the past several years I have used bullet style weights for just about every situation. This spring Northland Tackle released a new version called a Sling-Shot Worm Weight. This new design will do everything a standard bullet will do and more. It is the most versatile and effective weight on the market. It has an adjustable rubber sling that grips the line with a twist of the wrist for Texas and Carolina Rigging but can move freely when needed for Live Bait Rigging.
The Northland Sling-Shot Weight, Slip One On!!!
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 6-18-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Fish Are On The Move |
|
|
Talk about a mixed bag of weather thrown at us this past week. Calm sunny days, sunny with wind, rain and don't forget the 30mph winds with a down pour and through it all we caught fish. The past couple days have been a real learning experience Summer patterns are now in full swing and for those of you that truly enjoy rig fishing, now is your time. We have found good numbers of fish on mid lake humps and bars that top out around 15'-18' of water. When working the humps and bars we have zeroed in on the areas that have rock and/or vegetation. This type of structure has had the best concentration of fish. We have also been doing well on the deeper clam beds. |
The best presentation for us has been a roach rig tipped with a leech and on occasion a crawler has done pretty well. On calmer days we have used a 5'-6' snell with a 3/8oz Sling Shot Weight from Northland to stay in the strike zone but when the wind would pick up we would have to hug a little tighter with a 3'-4' snell and a 1oz rock runner.
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 6-7-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Active Fish Are Shallow And Deep |
|
|
What an incredible week we are having in Northern
Minnesota! It doesn't seem to matter where you go. Fish are
active all over the 1000 Grand Lakes Area.
Just about the only thing that is inconsistent is the
weather. One day we will have blue sky's with calm winds and the
next clouds, rain and 20mph winds move in making mobility difficult.
Water temperature seems to be holding in the low to mid
60's. On days that are calm we have been venturing to the bigger
lakes where the shoreline bite is in full swing. Plenty of eaters
being caught in 8' of water with an 1/16oz FireBall tipped with a
shiner. The fun thing about it is we are picking up plenty of
Pike, Jumbo Perch (12"-13") and Smallies in the same spots with the same
presentation.
On the big water there is also a main lake bite going on.
If you are looking for a few photo fish we are picking up good |
numbers on main lake humps that top out around 20'. With the deeper bite a 5' Roach Rigs tipped with a leech is the ticket. When the wind picks up we have been spending our time on the small deeper lakes. Water temperature still seems to be averaging around 62 degrees and the shoreline is still the way to go. Targeting vegetation in 8'-10' water with a 1/16oz FireBall is what they are in the mood for. Over the past couple of days we have attempted pulling Hornet Crank Baits with some success but I think at this point the hornet's action is to dramatic. When we run into this situation its time to switch to the Salmo Sting which is a Stick Bait with a slower wobble. Its just what the fish want!
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 5-21-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Spring Patterns And Locations Predictable |
|
|
The first week of the Open Water Season has come and gone and weather conditions have gone from one extreme to another. Early in the week productive days became predictable. We concentrated on wind swept shorelines in 5'-9' of water. Once we would locate fish during a drift we would back up and work that particular area thoroughly. Best presentation was a 1/16oz FireBall tipped with a shiner. Watermelon and Bubblegum with a fast snap action produced best. As the week progressed the wind switched several times and a major cold front pushed into Northern MN causing more difficult situations. The latest cold front had caused fish to scatter and suspend 1'-2' off the bottom. We discovered long lining 1/16oz FireBalls to still produce best but found the fish to be less aggressive and would commonly tale bite our presentation. Our answer to the tale biting was once you felt the bump or your rod to become heavy we would back reel for several seconds allowing the fish time to inhale the minnow and then set the hook. For the upcoming week we should hopefully see more consistent weather patterns making presentations and locations more predictable. Hopefully we might see things heat up for a little cranking action. |
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 5-14-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
A Minnesota Fishing Opener To Remember |
|
|
Could this have really been the Minnesota Fishing Opener this past weekend? This was a common statement in my boat this past Saturday. Where was the rain, snow and freezing cold temperatures that pierced your body? Not that I am complaining but it just didn't feel right. Who would ever think that we could be comfortable or even warm on Opening Day? To top off the comfortable conditions we caught fish, LOTS OF FISH! I would have to say this is one of the best openers I have ever experienced. The morning did start out a bit on the slow side for us. Surface water temperature was 51 degrees when we first ventured out at 6:00am. During the early A.M. fish were a bit on the sluggish side where you basically had to hold the jig and minnow right in front of them before they would show any interest. These fish were found in 9'-12' of water which was a little deeper then I expected. By mid afternoon water temperature raised to 61 degrees and the bite was on. During the afternoon frenzy, fish had moved up into 5' of water and it couldn't get much better. The old standard seemed to do best for us. We were hopping and twitching 1/16oz and 1/8oz Watermelon and Super-Glo Lumi FireBall Jigs tipped with a Shiner. In fact, we went through a whole quart of beautiful Spot Tales. For each eater we through in the box I would say that we would throw back 2 or 3 that were 18"-23". After being on the water for 13 hours our hands hurt so bad that we could hardly hold onto our rods but what a great pain to deal with. |
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 4-30-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Walleye Stripping- Part 1 |
|
|
Spring is surely an awesome time of year! New growth can be found everywhere you turn. Mother Nature is rejoicing in song after surviving the long winter. Another sure sign of spring is the annual walleye stripping on Cut Foot Sioux. For over 80 years the DNR has gathered eggs at this location for stocking purposes around Minnesota. Every spring nets are placed
across the narrows to trap walleye moving upstream to spawn. Each
day the nets are emptied and the walleye are
separated into
different holding nets depending on their sex. Females are sorted
based on how ripe they are or how ready they are to drop their eggs.
Generally the females are larger with extended bellies because of the
eggs. If you gently squeeze the belly and eggs easily drop the
female is ready to be stripped. If they do not drop easily she
will go back into the holding net till she is
|
ripe. If a white milky substance (Called Milt) appears this is a male. When the females are ripe workers gently push on the belly causing the eggs to drop into a large bowl. When the eggs come in contact with water they will begin to swell. At this point the eggs must be fertilized within a couple minutes. The male's milt is squeezed directly into the bowl to fertilize the eggs. The milt or sperm is only active for a few seconds so this step moves along quite quickly.
After the eggs are fertilized they placed into a strainer and covered with mud. The mud coats the sticky outer coating of the egg. In natural reproduction this sticky coating helps the egg stick to gravel and rock during the incubation period but can cause problems at the hatchery.
After the eggs are coated in mud they are placed in coolers with fresh moving water. Over the next couple of hours the eggs will continue to swell. Once they have reached their maximum size the coolers are transported back to the hatchery. The complete process can last anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks from set up to tear down depending on spring progression and weather conditions.
Check back soon. In a couple of weeks we will tour the Grand Rapids Hatchery to learn about the incubation period, the hatching of fry and stocking of our lakes. Also, the Minnesota Fishing Opener approaches quickly. Along with the opener comes weekly up to date fishing reports.
|
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 1-21-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
A Perch Jerkin' Good Time |
|
|
|
|
|
See You On The Ice! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 1-21-2007 Jason Green |
|
|
Winter Warm Up Triggers A Waltz With The Walleye |
|
|
What an incredible way to start out the year. Our family finally made it out on the ice for the first time since New Years and what a blast it was! The recent warm temperatures have really turned on the bite. Unfortunately the wind chill was going the other way. High winds and even white out conditions at times kept us in the shelters most of the time and limited how much we could move. Anglers across the ice tied rope onto their shacks and connected them to their vehicles or anchored them to the ice to keep their temporary homes in place. Because of our limitations with the wind chill our window of opportunity was very small. The good news is that our day paid off in less then a 1/2 hour. For the lake we ventured to, most our time was spent on a mid lake mud flat in 15 feet of water. Keep in mind mobility was limited thanks to the wind chill, but after we punched a dozen or so holes I was able to locate a small rock pile. For roughly an hour we got to watch marks move in on the Vexilar only to disappear. After an hour or so of being frustrated, I set my rod down to take a look at my GPS to come up with a new plan of attack. Suddenly the rod tip started to gracefully move up and down much like a conductor's baton leading an orchestra in a waltz. 123, 123, 123... set the hook! For the next 30 minutes the orchestra played as we waltzed with the walleye. It was some of the best Ballroom Dancing I have ever seen. |
|
|
See You On The Ice! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
|
UPNORTH Fishing Report 12-30-2006 Jason Green |
|
|
Perfect Conditions For Hard Water Anglers |
|
|
Tis the season to be Ice Fishing! We finally got the chance to get out on the ice, what an incredible feeling to be jigging walleyes through the ice again. Ice conditions in the 1000 Grand Lakes Area are actually pretty good. We brought the tape measure with, scrapped the snow and slush away and read 14" every time. The DNR stopped by and asked what we had for ice and said that we had enough ice to drive on. The problem I see is multiple vehicles in one area. As soon as there is one truck there will soon be others. We had our best luck the other day locating shoreline |
structure in roughly 15'-20' of water. Look for little fingers that extend out to deeper water with any kind of vegetation present. We have been drilling 12-20 holes on a certain piece of structure, grab the vexilar and start looking for bigger pockets of fish. If there is nothing on the flasher there is no reason to waist your time. Many people take the time to try and "Call" the fish in and they might pick a few but we choose to be proactive and go look for fish. Once we located fish normally there would only be a couple that would bite. We are using a Super-Glo Perch Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon with a small shiner minnow hooked through the tail. Once we have pulled the active fish we switched to Super-Glo Gold and were able to produce a couple more fish. When several minutes go by without a bite its time to move to the next hole. Wishing you a safe and Happy New Year!!! |
|
See You On The Water! (218) 327-8183 jason@upnorthinc.com - www.upnorthinc.com |
|
2005 Archived Reports
2007 Archived Reports