Big Lake trip experiences......Were they Bust or Must

[Agronomist_at_IA]

So the Ice fishing dream vacation got me thinking.......Just how many times a guy has done a trip and it ends in a bust or must trip. So let's label the lakes/trips we been on and what we experienced.


Here is my list.

Upper Red Lake-must always caught walleye. Nothing big but plenty of them. Group has had a number of wall mounted crappie and a 47in northern come out of the lake.

LOTW-must-great fishing-red is closer though lol.

Winnibigosh-fair -40*F front came through fishing was tuff but some perch bite just fine. Not the big perch but good sized.

Mille Lacs-bust-3 days one scrub perch never have gone back

Devils Lake-Must-have two foot ball perch on the wall from the trip perch was great walleye were tuff but caught.

Waubay-fair- slow fishing but when dusk hit the walleye were nuts.

Bitter Lake-must-It's the version of a small Devils lake and 1/2 the drive. Perch are crazy there if they bite. It's either doom or gloom all or nothing here.

Iowa Great Lakes-bust over rated since they are the only decent sized lakes for the most part in Iowa.

Dead Lake-fair walleye and panties are good. 20in pike drive u inputs

Osakis-fair-fish are there and lake has some great structure.

[boder]

Cool list, Thanks for sharing. I think I need to go on more ice fishing vacations..

[VanderLaan]

Dead Lake-fair walleye and panties are good. 20in pike drive u inputs

Was this at a local watering hole?   

[Ice Scratcher]

Was this at a local watering hole?   

 

If it was on the lake, I'm there man!

<°)))>{

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Was this at a local watering hole?   

LOL spell correct pan fish pan fish....

[Deal Ninja]

Now we know the REAL reason he bought the fancy shack!

[Buckshots]

I wouldn't consider the Iowa Great Lakes a bust. It's excellent fishing there. Far from over rated IMO

[ElectricSlide19]

2 of my dream trips are on there. Red and Devils. I guess I know who I will be personal messaging haha. That and where to go for the panties on Dead haha

[Iceaddict82]

A few years ago some friends and I did a weekend at Mile Lacs. Bust. Had a great time, but the fishing stunk.

[BigSling]

Spent 3 days on Winnipeg in February. 2 days were busts with maybe 6 fish combined and none over 20" but the middle day was a must with 15-20 fish including four 26" or bigger and a few missed big red marks.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

2 of my dream trips are on there. Red and Devils. I guess I know who I will be personal messaging haha. That and where to go for the panties on Dead haha

I got some GOS point at Devils of brush piles I'd give you. Doubt I'll use them.

[ElectricSlide19]

I got some GOS point at Devils of brush piles I'd give you. Doubt I'll use them.

Thanks I will keep it in mind. Stinks that they got rid of the perch express. That was an awesome deal/ experience from what I have heard

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I wouldn't consider the Iowa Great Lakes a bust. It's excellent fishing there. Far from over rated IMO

That's your opinion. Maybe you have different experiences then me, but its nothing to brag about IMO. I know a lot of people that drive past the IGL to fish it's an ok fishery but nothing great. Open water fishing is about impossible with all the rec boaters, I haven't open water fished it for about 3yrs now. So maybe it's changed.

[Buckshots]

I know the baitshops have cleaned more fish this summer than any other summer. I know Stans had cleaned more fish this year already than the whole year last year, and that was over a month ago when he told me that. The amount of gills that have been being caught is unreal.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I know the baitshops have cleaned more fish this summer than any other summer. I know Stans had cleaned more fish this year already than the whole year last year, and that was over a month ago when he told me that. The amount of gills that have been being caught is unreal.

Well maybe that's where we are different. I don't go to the lakes to catch Blue Gill, Yellow Bass, 7in perch, or Bull Heads. I'm sure some people do. For gills local farm pond are where it's at. When the bait shops post a picture of a 12in perch on face book and rave about it, and people consider 7in perch keepers I don't call that good fishing. I mean don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fish in the IGL, but size and quality are much better IMO when one goes north.

[Buckshots]

I don't know anybody that considers 7 inch perch keepers. I think that West lake has excellent perch fishing with some of the best quality perch in the state of Iowa. I agree that perch fishing is better when I head north for sure, but for Iowa it's one of your best bets. West is also a trophy lake for blue gills. Anglers from all over come to fish the IGLs. It's awesome panfishing and if you'd rather catch pan fish somewhere else well hey, to each their own. But to call it over rated is a stretch IMO. Perhaps you just need to figure the lake out better because to me, it's the best place to go in Iowa for ice fishing and I'm lucky enough to call it my home lake. I know there are many Iowans that wish they could do the same.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I don't know anybody that considers 7 inch perch keepers. I think that West lake has excellent perch fishing with some of the best quality perch in the state of Iowa. I agree that perch fishing is better when I head north for sure, but for Iowa it's one of your best bets. West is also a trophy lake for blue gills. Anglers from all over come to fish the IGLs. It's awesome panfishing and if you'd rather catch pan fish somewhere else well hey, to each their own. But to call it over rated is a stretch IMO. Perhaps you just need to figure the lake out better because to me, it's the best place to go in Iowa for ice fishing and I'm lucky enough to call it my home lake. I know there are many Iowans that wish they could do the same.

Not in disagreement with that. However if those lakes were 45min farther North they'd be like most other lakes.