The 09 season

[Murph!]

Well we made it through one of the coldest January's we have experienced in a long time. Ice fishing has been very good this season. My son Jamie and his friend Eric moved our big house on Friday. We had some reservations on leaving the house on the ice due to the deep snow. If you have a house on the water make sure you are blocked up high enough. My neighbor had a tidal wave flood when he drilled a hole. They moved the house a hundred yards away and did some fishing before leaving the ice. They slammed the walleyes, a lot of small fish, but 2 limits for the frying pan. Spoons and minnow heads are still the best presentation. If you are not catching fish experiment with colors and different jigs. On some occasions rattles are the best bait, and the next time on the water plain spoons rattle free are the only thing they will eat.

It may be a little early but if you are like me you are thinking ahead to the 09 season. Now is the time to check your equipment. Clean and lube your reels and check rods for broken line guides. Your time on the water should be relaxing and having equipment problems can be stressful. It is also a good time to spool your reels with fresh line. Check your lures and make sure you haven't damaged any of your hooks, replace if needed. Maybe purchase a few new cranks in the colors you must have.

[Eyeman]

Do you need four wheelers, snowmobiles, or can you get around with your truck.

[Murph!]

Snowmobiles are the best mode of transportation. 4 wheelers are definetly not good, the snow and slush are too deep. You will need chains on your 4 wheel drive truck unless you find a plowed road. Be careful and have a shovel in your truck at all times and a tow strap.

[Eyeman]

how thick is the ice

[Murph!]

On the big lake the ice is at least 20 inches. I have not been in Walker Bay but I know they are driving in the area in front of the Chase. I have heard there is a drastic fluctuation of ice thickness is some parts of the Bay, so use caution. It is hard as I stated earlier to drive through the deep snow and slush on most of the lake.

[Eyeman]

thanks for your input and good fishing

[Kayo]

Murph,

I have to agree with you Murph. I started coming to Minnesota in 2002. This will be my 8th year. Each year seems to be a bit better then the last. I have limited sucess at Musky fishing but I just love being on the water, casting and listening to the loons. The week I spend fishing there is truly one of my highlights for the year.

For the past 7 years I have been throwing a bait-caster for musky and a spinning reel for everything else. Does anyone use a spinning reel for musky? If they do, can they recommend a set-up for me?

I fish most of the year at home with the spinning reel, in Minnesota I use it for waleye, pike, bass and panfish. I am very comfortable with that kind of reel and it's drag. The few big fish I have caught on the bait-caster (Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Record Reel) I wasn't overly impressed with the drag.


Any pointers or suggestions of what to use would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

[Murph!]

Ken,
Shimano makes a muskie spinning rod, it is 7 feet long and has worked well for my clients. The drag on you Record reel should be fine. If it is not working have the drag washers checked. If you are using one of the new superbraid lines you have to have some mono backing on your reel If you don't, the line will slip on the reel because the stuff is very slippery and it will fell like you have no drag system.

Good luck, Murph

[Kayo]

Thank you Murph. I actually forgot I posted the same question a few weeks back. Most of my fishing involves bucktail spinners. They aren't the heavy baits that I see in Reed's. Maybe my skills with the baitcast aren't the best as it seems for about every 50 casts I get one nasty backlash thrown in.