Thorne Bros Ice Outing Dates Set!

Thorne Bros Annual Ice Fishing Outing
Feb. 5-8, 2009
Muskie Bay Resort, Nestor Falls, Ontario, Canada

This has become an annual trip for us at Thorne Bros and we look forward to it every year. Paul and Chris Trinkner and their staff do a great job taking care of us. This is an American Plan trip and we will have local guides bringing us to the hot spots. As a group, we will decide what we want to do, but the basic plan will be as follows:

Show up on Thursday and fish or get your gear ready. Supper will be provided. Friday, we will get up and have a quick breakfast of donuts and/or rolls and hit the water early. Lake Trout will be the primary target early in the day on Crow Lake and its surrounding lakes. Conditions will dictate how far we will be able to travel. We will come in for a hot lunch of sandwiches and/or soup and then head to Lake of the Woods for and afternoon of Crappie fishing. At dark, we will come in and have a hot supper. Saturday we’ll do the same, but that night we will have a dinner of Crappies and Lake Trout. Sunday morning we’ll fish and then head home.

You will need a snowmobile or 4-wheeler (depending on snow/ice/slush conditions—snowmobile is usually preferred), a portable fish house (like a Fish Trap or Otter), a flasher (Vexilar/Marcum/Hummingbird), heater with enough propane, ice scoop, warm clothes with waterproof boots (temps can get to less than –40F and have very slushy conditions) and the following recommended fishing tackle:

Lake Trout: Thorne Bros 42” Professional Plus, Shimano 2500 to 4000 size spinning reel, P-line FluoroIce in 8# or 10#, ice rod case, #10 barrel swivels, 3/8oz tube jigs and 3”or 4”tubes in white, glow and/or rainbow trout and a needlenose pliers.

Crappies: Thorne Bros Panfish Sweetheart Plus, Tica SS500 spinning reel, P-line FluoroIce in 2# or 3#, ice rod case, Lindy/Systems Tackle #10 Fat Boys and #10 Genz Worms, Hali 25mm, Berkley Power Maggots and/or Power Honey Worms, #2 Jigging Rapala and a forceps.

The price for the Ice Outing is ONLY $250 USD. Taxes not included. To book your trip, contact Paul, Chris or Jake Trinkner at Muskie Bay Resort at 1-800-363-3379. A $100 deposit is required. For any other questions, contact Brett Erickson at Thorne Bros, 763-572-3782 or brett@thornebros.com or check out our message board at www.thornebros.com
Brett Erickson

Couldn't stay away and had to make a quick little weekend trip up to Muskie Bay. Lots of nice fish caught over the weekend with a large number of them over 30". Aggressively jigging a glow tube or deadsticking a green jig with a chunk of shiner on it seemed to be the most productive for most people in camp. Everyone in camp was trout fishing and no one went crappie fishing so I don't have a report on them.

There was quite a bit of snow and Saturday they got about 10" more. We have officially crossed the line where trucks and 4-wheelers are out of the question. Only a snowmobile will get you around now. Slush wasn't too bad, but if they get a bunch more snow it will get worse. Absolutely beautiful driving home yesterday with the fresh puffy snow blanketing the trees and everything and glistening in the bright sunshine.

The Outing is starting to book up and is open to anyone who would like to come and fish with us. It is only a month away now!
Brett Erickson
P.S.--Thank you Paul/Chris/Jake/Ashley for a much needed getaway!