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Iowa => Ice Fishing Iowa => Topic started by: hoppy63 on Jan 20, 2020, 03:36 PM
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Any ice/snow reports? And fishing reports if fishable?
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Yes. Both ice and fishing is good.
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Yes. Both ice and fishing is good.
Thanks for reply. I hear water clarity is better this year than the last couple, and you can sight fish again.....is that correct?
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This information is 3 weeks old, but I was at the mouth of Emerson and it was chrystal clear. Nothing but dinks down there, but water was clear. Good luck, have fun.
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I did real good on blugills on East yesterday. There was about 400-1000 other guys. I don't know how many 8"+ blugills I saw, had to be 500. Also largemouth bass, tons of them. Clouds of baby perch, one 7" perch, 1 8" crappie. Kept a limit of blugills, all over 8 maybe6 over 9. If you had the patience you could get a limit all over 9. I bet I saw a dozen blugills in the wow category, they looked really nice. Haven't seen any like that in years. That was great to see. Water clarity was good.
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Did really good again. I hear that Smith Bay has a lot of nice blugills in 20', a camera would help.
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Any word on the yellow bass bite? Heard a rumor there’s some good-sized ones around and hungry
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Smith bay, east okoboji and probably minnewashta, I seen a small city out there last Saturday.
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Headed up that way Tuesday March 3rd thru the 9th. Any idea how the ice will be? Trucks or 4 wheelers? Been kind of quiet on here about the lakes up there.
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Trucks are getting around just fine.
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Thanks Buckshots, much snow left on Spirit or West? Have a couple guys from WI coming to Iowa this year and they wanted to know if they should pull their side by side down or just use the truck.
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Headed up that way Tuesday March 3rd thru the 9th. Any idea how the ice will be? Trucks or 4 wheelers? Been kind of quiet on here about the lakes up there.
Do you have family in the Okoboji area? Otherwise, why would you choose to fish there for 7 straight days?
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Not much snow at all. Ice on west is 14-18”. I’d use a side by side if you have one. Then you can go from bay to bay. I wouldn’t drive a truck bay to bay. Especially with these warmer days we have been getting. Accesses can get beat up by trucks real fast on nice days.
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planing a 3-5 day Okoboji trip. Any recommendations as to were to stay
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Thanks we have a couple side by sides and 4 wheelers.
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Northland Inn . Central location. Fish cleaning house , microwave, bed. Nothing fancy-affordable rates.
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Do you have family in the Okoboji area? Otherwise, why would you choose to fish there for 7 straight days?
You make it sound like it's a bad thing to fish Okoboji for a week straight or there are much better alternatives. My buddy goes there every year (12 hr drive from Ohio) for a week to chase blue gills and loves it. Just curious why you question why someone would want to fish a whole week there????
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Ohio is closer to Ontario than iowa. Ontario is better than iowa. I would tell you to fly to Detroit and we would pick you up on the way to Ontario. Okoboji fishing is usually a disappointment, like 90% of the time. The surging popularity of ice fishing and the willingness of bait shops to share any piece of information has really hurt Okoboji. You find a spot and 3 days later it's a trailer park. Old guys have a network and one of them tells the baitshop. Instant trailer park. Good luck, there are fish there but the forecast is gonna mix everything up. You won't be dealing with trucks and wheel houses, not with all the 50s in the forecast. I hope you nail them.
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Where to Ontario????? I hope you're not referring to Simcoe????? I've talked to no one who has done really well there this year, and seems to be the trend for recent years. I have not made it to Okoboji, just know guys that love it and wondered why you would question it is all. Makes no difference to me. And as far as Ontario.....if I could go up to NW Ontario where we fly out from, I'd spend a month up there if I could.....as long as the drakes mix, oil and beer held out! Just got my 3 yrs liscence and card last week!
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I did real good on blugills on East yesterday. There was about 400-1000 other guys. I don't know how many 8"+ blugills I saw, had to be 500. Also largemouth bass, tons of them. Clouds of baby perch, one 7" perch, 1 8" crappie. Kept a limit of blugills, all over 8 maybe6 over 9. If you had the patience you could get a limit all over 9. I bet I saw a dozen blugills in the wow category, they looked really nice. Haven't seen any like that in years. That was great to see. Water clarity was good.
I think post like this would be why they fish for a week straight.
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Thank you tor the recommendation
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I think post like this would be why they fish for a week straight.
I fished there 41 days this year. I didn't think anyone wanted to hear about the days I didn't catch jack squat so I didn't post those days.
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I fished there 41 days this year. I didn't think anyone wanted to hear about the days I didn't catch jack squat so I didn't post those days.
I appreciate hearing about your trips. That's why we are here.
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Going to fish west this weekend. No 4 wheeler. Just wondering how much snow is on ice. Probably fishing west side of the lake.
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Snow? You’ll be lucky if you don’t fall through the ice. It’s about shot. You’ll be on foot.
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How has the bite been this week?
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I heard fish are biting ok. I haven't been but my buddy was on the Grade. He kept some smaller blugills and saw crappies but they weren't biting for him. Word is that they were biting later in the day. Good luck
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I was on Emerson today. Caught a lot but a lot of sorting. Talked to 3 other groups who were not doing that well. I was using a Schooley and sitting on a bucket. Lots of guys out there fishing in places I wouldn't even try. I hope they did good.
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Thanks for the update. Good luck to you if you get the chance to get out again
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I think I'm gonna skip church and go on Sunday. Let's hope the ice holds, it was not in great shape today but okay for walking. I saw some 4 wheelers out. I hope they survived their fun.
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I went to Emerson again today. The bluegills are on fire. I talked to a few groups that weren't doing very good again. I asked some guys what they were catching and the answer was "not much". I said the fish are on fire where I was. They went to where I was fishing and I left. I hope they nailed them. I am done for the season. I hope everyone has a good off season.
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Hit west yesterday, pounded on the perch!!! 18 feet of water. Thought I’d mix it up and hit Spirit today, waste of time. Managed only a few small perch in nearly 3 miles of walking. Till next year IGL’s
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was there for three day on the school of perch out from sunset. all lookers 5 fish in three days
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We went out of anglers bay and fished the northside and the middle of the bay with bringing home only 10 perch. Lots of work for fish that weren’t 10”!!!
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You see a lot of pictures on FB of Spirit perch and they are all dinks.
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I got a little time off between Christmas and new years thinking about trying the Okoboji area. Anyone been on the Ice yet???
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No ice here.
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Making ice now. Will spud today to see where we are at.
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Making ice now. Will spud today to see where we are at.
Let us know how it turns out! I'm hoping to be there between Christmas and New Years, but I'm not liking my chances. Hopefully Spirit will have some!
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It has been darn cold here. Backwater on Red Rock is starting to stiffen up but its going to be a while yet until its ready. Im already playing the how many hours will I need to drive north to get on some ice game.... :whistle: Gonna be a long season I think!!!
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was on 5" northern iowa today. other places were around 3"
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I think I'm gonna skip church and go on Sunday. Let's hope the ice holds, it was not in great shape today but okay for walking. I saw some 4 wheelers out. I hope they survived their fun.
Really 4 wheelers? My gosh I’m on a protected pond and have 3.5-4in surprised the lakes are fishable. Gill bite has been on. I might head up that way
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Really 4 wheelers? My gosh I’m on a protected pond and have 3.5-4in surprised the lakes are fishable. Gill bite has been on. I might head up that way
Hey Agro, you might want to look at the date of Mr. Seagurs post. That was last March. I did see some people venturing out onto Lost Island today.
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Hey Agro, you might want to look at the date of Mr. Seagurs post. That was last March. I did see some people venturing out onto Lost Island today.
Lol 🙈
My relatives said some people were fishing the edges and could make it a fair amount off shore. I've hear that the perch fishing and crappie isn't to bad.....which suprises me with all the yellow bass. Walleye is suppose to be getting back to decent after the fish kill from years ago.
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Let us know how it turns out! I'm hoping to be there between Christmas and New Years, but I'm not liking my chances. Hopefully Spirit will have some!
Saw 7 guys on Minnewashta. North shoreline and not very far out. Templar lagoon had people coming and going so my guess is no fish of size. Ended up at the “grade”. 5 in. of ice and lots of blues. Mostly small but an occasional 8-9 incher. Not worth a trip for that,but ok for locals.
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Saw 7 guys on Minnewashta. North shoreline and not very far out. Templar lagoon had people coming and going so my guess is no fish of size. Ended up at the “grade”. 5 in. of ice and lots of blues. Mostly small but an occasional 8-9 incher. Not worth a trip for that,but ok for locals.
Any of the bay's on west fishable
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Didn’t drive the west side of West. Probably not fishable. Smiths definitely was not. Bait shop said canals were ok but only 2 fow and dink’s. IGL’s are so low this year the shallowest puddles are even shallower.
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What is the best way to access Anglers Bay on Spirit? I've always used Hales Boat ramp in the winter. Is there something public north of there?
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What is the best way to access Anglers Bay on Spirit? I've always used Hales Boat ramp in the winter. Is there something public north of there?
When you ask the best way do you mean walk or drive?
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What is the best way to access Anglers Bay on Spirit? I've always used Hales Boat ramp in the winter. Is there something public north of there?
I think some guys park on the north road then drag through the trees and shore to the north side. If there is no snow it’s not bad....once some snow/slush you won’t do it again lol
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I think some guys park on the north road then drag through the trees and shore to the north side. If there is no snow it’s not bad....once some snow/slush you won’t do it again lol
I’m one of those guys and have done it again. Over and over. Maybe I have a wonderful problem called “Ice Fish’n Addiction”! Or possibly I’m just plain nuts!
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I’m one of those guys and have done it again. Over and over. Maybe I have a wonderful problem called “Ice Fish’n Addiction”! Or possibly I’m just plain nuts!
Last time I did it was years ago pulling a two man shack. There was about 1ft of snow and 1/2foot of slush on top of ice. We dragged it out and back. Every step was a battle.......never pulled out of there since. It probly isn't that bad of a pull but I always think of it and haven't pulled out of it since.
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Agree. Can be a bad pull at times. A little disheartening but I put on my tough guy ‘tude’ and away I go!
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Anglers Bay was a shanty town this morning already, at 9am. South side of East had numbers and so did Minnewashta. Little Emerson and “Big Em” had a few people yesterday but not yet today. Ice is 4 to 5 in.
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Were thinking about a Tuesday Wednesday trip. Any good reports on Spirit?
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Were thinking about a Tuesday Wednesday trip. Any good reports on Spirit?
Try kabele's might have info....blizzard was terrible today
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Remember: Anything that Kabele’s says take with a grain of salt.
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Thanks, I usually break out the Rock Salt to make that call. It was cold as heck here and blew alot of the ponds back open.
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Remember: Anything that Kabele’s says take with a grain of salt.
Lol.....I wouldn't listen to them for a fish report,.....more for an ice report.
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I’m planning on heading out Monday through Sunday this coming week. It’s my one week a year I really get to boji. I’m thinking of starting at anglers and as the week progresses probably trying Emerson and miller’s if the ice thickens, which it should! I’ll try and leave some reports for you guys! Hoping the weather man is wrong about the snow!
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Had my grandson on Spirit on Monday. Fished Templar basin. Nothing but small perch. Ice in there was plenty good, but got thin near the lake. Not taking any chances, especially with Kix along.
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Anyone have any reports. Going tomorrow to fish with a budy. Not looking for hot spots or anything just an area where fish are cooperative.
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I just drove around there. There was a fair amount in front of the ritz. Smiths bay had about a dozen people. Triboji has about a dozen also, but they weren’t far from the ramp. Didn’t check miller’s. Little Emerson was packed and folks had wheelers out there. Not on the big bay, just the little one. There were also about a dozen folks of the ramp on big Emerson. Not too far out though. I will be going up there tomorrow also. Not sure where yet.
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Kabele's said gills and some walleye were getting caught at anglers......but it's a kabele's report so who knows
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Kabeles will say whatever they have to say to get anglers up that way.
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Kabeles will say whatever they have to say to get anglers up that way.
That's what I mean
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Started out north of Ritz. Picked up a few gills and crappie....most just looked then left. So at noonish went up to north side of anglers bay. Flashers were solid perch. One after the other.....all dinks. Fished Anglers from 1-5:30 sorting perch......ended up with 6 worth keeping.
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I went to West. First bay didn’t work out so I went to a different one. Flasher was solid perch as well. Lots of sorting, but you could site fish it. I ended up with a limit of perch.
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I went to West. First bay didn’t work out so I went to a different one. Flasher was solid perch as well. Lots of sorting, but you could site fish it. I ended up with a limit of perch.
Nice
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Bay north of the ritz has good ice.....some crappie and gills coming out of it. Emerson was good ice gills are large. Anglers on the north side was all dink perch.
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I fished right by the Ritz. Caught a ton of blugills but 1 out of 10 was 8". Tried Smith Bay, tons of small perch, biggest maybe 8.5". Some 7" blugills. Emerson better size not great numbers. Millers was dead where I tried but I didnt spend a lot of time there, got hungry and left. Lots of small fish. If you find the dinks on bottom, fish high. If the dinks are high, Fish lower. That has been working for me somewhat. I've been out 4 times, have done OK every time. Good luck.
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I fished right by the Ritz. Caught a ton of blugills but 1 out of 10 was 8". Tried Smith Bay, tons of small perch, biggest maybe 8.5". Some 7" blugills. Emerson better size not great numbers. Millers was dead where I tried but I didnt spend a lot of time there, got hungry and left. Lots of small fish. If you find the dinks on bottom, fish high. If the dinks are high, Fish lower. That has been working for me somewhat. I've been out 4 times, have done OK every time. Good luck.
I found you either need to site fish or use a camera. Nice size fish are with the hundreds of dinks. U just need to keep away from dinks and put it in front of the big ones.
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Fairly steady bite on west side of east lake on Sunday. Needed super finesse to get the gills to go but I got a couple nice ones.
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Tried TriBoji today fished in 7.5 to 21 ft
Lots of dink perch in the 10-16ft range....I messed with them for about 2hrs thinking that I’d get a keeper only to catch dink after dink....so I went deeper....got a couple 9in gills in 21ft of water. Bite sucked. Nothing even hit the crappie minnow on my rattle reel.
Older guy came over had the same issues I was having and was smarter then me and left. When he was leaving he stopped by and gave me the only 9in perch he caught since he didn’t want to clean just one....shoulda got his name seemed like he’d be a good guy to fish with.
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Yeah ! Cant see driving all the way up to okoboji for 1 9" bluegill ......LOL.LOL.
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Yeah ! Cant see driving all the way up to okoboji for 1 9" bluegill ......LOL.LOL.
It’s fishing just how it goes
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Fished all day Friday and Saturday. Smiths bay all day Saturday, first time using my new camera, watched countless dink perch and bluegill swim by. The bite was very poor, about had to see them take it into their mouth to catch them. Sunday we went up to spirit and had about the same luck, a couple keepers. Went to East off the Kum and Go ramp, around 1 they finally got hungry, caught lots of really nice gills a few good perch and even a dozen or so yellows.
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I bet fishing today was on fire in the rain. I'm heading up again Friday and Saturday this week.
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It never rained here.
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Bite was ok today very finicky. Would not hit a jig with spikes....would not hit plastics.....a finesse plastic with a small spike was the ticket if you left it still would not bite. If you jigged would not bite. Had to just barely wiggle it. Woulda caught about two to three times the crappie but the paper mouths kept ripping & throwing the hook out of their mouth.....popping it out at the hole or breaking the line off. Wasn’t at the lakes...just a local lake.
(https://i.postimg.cc/4H6fDBpb/18942-CD4-30-DF-4-D6-B-9944-A9-E60-FED144-C.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4H6fDBpb)
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We probably got a half inch in Sioux Center. It was pouring at 130am.
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Anyone have an update on ice conditions at the IGL's?
Heading up tomorrow to drown some bait.
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(https://i.postimg.cc/0KMtPpRt/0-E41-E331-6-B56-4182-815-A-120-F8-B711-E7-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0KMtPpRt)
I was on triboji it had 8inches.
Bite was tuff. The fish were there just would not bite. Site fished the saddle...got some. Talking with guys at the ramp nobody was catching much. Had a 35in + pike or Muskie swim under me. Could have cared less about my bait.
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You stepped foot in that place???
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Only place to get fish cleaned now. I will never use an element 74 jig, no matter how much better they are.
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You stepped foot in that place???
Lol.
I had gotten two free hand augers off facebook that I restored. One was missing a set of blades. I heard kabele’s had used sets that were sharpened for $19.......well at least I thought so. I put them on the counter to buy.....and she ask me for my exchange set....I was like what? Why would I exchange my blades when I can have them resharpened for $10 (I do it myself) I just want to purchase a used set of sharpened blades. Long story short....they finally sold me a used set of resharpened mora blades for $25......I made sure they were Sweden.
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Please Lord, let whoever is working on Shucks turn it back into an awesome bait shop. Not that dump it became.
You restored an ice auger? Why?
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Lol.
I had gotten two free hand augers off facebook that I restored. One was missing a set of blades. I heard kabele’s had used sets that were sharpened for $19.......well at least I thought so. I put them on the counter to buy.....and she ask me for my exchange set....I was like what? Why would I exchange my blades when I can have them resharpened for $10 (I do it myself) I just want to purchase a used set of sharpened blades. Long story short....they finally sold me a used set of resharpened mora blades for $25......I made sure they were Sweden.
Can’t you get a new set of mora blades for that?
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Please Lord, let whoever is working on Shucks turn it back into an awesome bait shop. Not that dump it became.
You restored an ice auger? Why?
I’ve done 2 6in and 2 7/8in hand augers.
Get them for nothing or $5 on facebook. Then I sharpen the blades hit them with paint and sell them for $35-$40 looking like new. Plus I like to repair/fix stuff. A lot of hand augers go for nothing since they want $35 for a new set of blades.
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Stans sells resharpened blades...
Kabeles sure do like to push those element jigs all over social media. They must make quite a bit off of them.
Damn....wish I new Stan sold used resharpened....I like stand I woulda got them there.
I looked at the element jigs....eh it’s a jig they made to bring people to there store. It’s no shuck’s jigger by far.
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Kabeles store doesnt bug me as much as their Facebook behavior. It's their life, they can do what they want but it's my money. I have to laugh when they post pictures of 9" perch. Embarrassing.
I haven't caught jack squat on the north end in years. Not sure I'd be willing to try it unless someone else was driving.
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Can’t you get a new set of mora blades for that?
Not that I could find....I’ve look even for a cheap HT set at Walmart....no luck.
Blades in scheels and stores I’ve seen $30 for the eskimo and $35 for mora
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Kabeles store doesnt bug me as much as their Facebook behavior. It's their life, they can do what they want but it's my money. I have to laugh when they post pictures of 9" perch. Embarrassing.
Lol when I caught the 12in perch the other day I thought damn kabele’s be posting this like it’s winning the lotto
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A 12" perch is a heck of a perch for the lakes.
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A 12" perch is a heck of a perch for the lakes.
True, I see a few today....they wouldn't bite. Where were you trying on spirit that you've had such bad luck
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I wasnt the one on Spirit, I try to never fish spirit. I only go there when my summer buddies want to.
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Bought an element 74 super awesome can’t fish without it jig last weekend. Half the paint is already gone. I take their reports with a grain of salt, they are usually reasonably priced and the convenience of stopping there on the way to spirit usually gets me. I really like stan’s but its on the wrong side of the lakes for me most of the time. I definitely miss shucks!
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Bought an element 74 super awesome can’t fish without it jig last weekend. Half the paint is already gone. I take their reports with a grain of salt, they are usually reasonably priced and the convenience of stopping there on the way to spirit usually gets me. I really like stan’s but its on the wrong side of the lakes for me most of the time. I definitely miss shucks!
I looked at the element 74 jigs. They weren’t bad looking...I didn’t look at the price though. I usually buy the tungsten jig kits from Sitka since they are pretty reasonable.
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I tried East out from Kum n Go. It was dead. I caught some perch and 1 bluegill and 1 crappie. I was gonna keep moving but a friend wanted to hit Little Emerson so I left. A few years ago we did good off to the NE of the ramp but I never got there today. Went to Emerson while I was waiting for him, it was dead too. Little Emerson was pretty slow but did ok. Gazillions of babies with a few nice ones. There was a small town off pocahontas point but I was not a resident.
I bought some widow maker jigs from Stan's. I think these are fantastic. I will definitely continue using them.
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I tried East out from Kum n Go. It was dead. I caught some perch and 1 bluegill and 1 crappie. I was gonna keep moving but a friend wanted to hit Little Emerson so I left. A few years ago we did good off to the NE of the ramp but I never got there today. Went to Emerson while I was waiting for him, it was dead too. Little Emerson was pretty slow but did ok. Gazillions of babies with a few nice ones. There was a small town off pocahontas point but I was not a resident.
I bought some widow maker jigs from Stan's. I think these are fantastic. I will definitely continue using them.
I didn't go today....got around to getting my 4 wheeler ready. Put the mad dog ice áuger holder on the front rack of it & my ram holder for the lowrance H2O GPS. Had to replace a plug on the trailer...sucked none of the wire colors were correct....but got it done.
My buddy was out on millers....said he caught a few but nothing great was slow.
Sounds like everywhere is slow.
Spirit has to be DEAD with a no report from kabele's
(https://i.postimg.cc/QH8ScD1b/image.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QH8ScD1b)
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They are a nice looking jig which is why i decided to try one, I think they are $1.99. Bought one of the kits from widow maker a few years ago and I buy a few when they are on clearance. Had to give one a try.
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Bite was ok today very finicky. Would not hit a jig with spikes....would not hit plastics.....a finesse plastic with a small spike was the ticket if you left it still would not bite. If you jigged would not bite. Had to just barely wiggle it. Woulda caught about two to three times the crappie but the paper mouths kept ripping & throwing the hook out of their mouth.....popping it out at the hole or breaking the line off. Wasn’t at the lakes...just a local lake.
(https://i.postimg.cc/4H6fDBpb/18942-CD4-30-DF-4-D6-B-9944-A9-E60-FED144-C.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4H6fDBpb)
[/quote Were you at a local lake from your list of considered NW Iowa lakes,as I live close to all and like to chase crappies, or perhaps a local lake in another state as you live in Sheldon in way NW Iowa?
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Wasn’t a lake on list but is in NW Iowa. It must be a good year/year class for crappie. Between all the lakes I’ve fished this year I’ve caught more crappie then normal by far.
I made it over to lost Island today, since the bite at the lakes is so finicky....ended up catching 10 so wasn’t really better number wise...and the fish were finicky....would only hit whole minnows..but quality wise was a big improvement. Talked to 4-5 people that left the lakes to fish lost island since the lakes bite was off....It should be due to pick up next week.
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I think the success at the lakes has been way better than last year. I normally fish the worst hours of the day, 10am to 2 PM, and get a dozen fish. That's all I want to clean. If you can fish early or even better, late, the fishing is way better. But I'm an hour away, that gets me home pretty late. Yesterday I fished 11-3 and got 8. Everytime I moved, i got a few fish. I lost 2 in the hole and 2 halfway up. And i had several where the bait went in but when i set the hook, it came out. Bad luck? Dull hook? Probably both, that jig has been on for 3 trips. If I weren't so lazy and cheap, I would have had a really good day. The lakes never gets real good until late in the season, for the middle of the day guys at least
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Wasn’t a lake on list but is in NW Iowa. It must be a good year/year class for crappie. Between all the lakes I’ve fished this year I’ve caught more crappie then normal by far.
I made it over to lost Island today, since the bite at the lakes is so finicky....ended up catching 10 so wasn’t really better number wise...and the fish were finicky....would only hit whole minnows..but quality wise was a big improvement. Talked to 4-5 people that left the lakes to fish lost island since the lakes bite was off....It should be due to pick up next week.
Your list of considered NW IOWA lakes has just expanded! Could you be so kind as to share the name of that lake with other members of this site?
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Your list of considered NW IOWA lakes has just expanded! Could you be so kind as to share the name of that lake with other members of this site?
No the crappie would be fished out in a week then. Plus it is private.
If your looking to catch crappie. Just go and fish west Okoboji or east Okoboji in the bays . I usually catch a few every time I go.
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My mistake. From a previous post you said it was a local lake. I thought all lakes in NW IOWA are public and ponds, pits,etc. can go both ways, public or private. Wasn’t aware of any private lakes. My bad. Sorry I asked.
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Nobody’s going to put up there hotspot on a public board. The way social media is these days, there will be 100 people there by the weekend.
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Wasn’t asking for a hotspot. Being narrow minded as I am, I now realize a lake can be as SMALL as 2 acres. Learn something new everyday. There are a lot of “local private lakes” in NW IOWA that can be fished out in a week. I was taught lakes are larger and ponds, pits, etc. are smaller. I never would have asked for the name of their “Lake”, esp. NOW knowing it is private.
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Anybody fishing these beautiful days? Almost makes me wish I was old, decrepit and retired instead of a middle aged, virile working man. But not quite, I can only eat so many fish.
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Yes and never wish to be decrepit. Not even sarcastically. Bad karma.
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Anybody fishing these beautiful days? Almost makes me wish I was old, decrepit and retired instead of a middle aged, virile working man. But not quite, I can only eat so many fish.
Was out today.....one bite no fish was terrible...haven't been skunked in years..... Hope others had better luck.....Looks like the bite on spirit is hot......according to Kabele....🙄.
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Yes and never wish to be decrepit. Not even sarcastically. Bad karma.
I'm safe, I don't believe in karma. Did you do any good?
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(https://i.postimg.cc/SJ0d8p7s/20210108-111905.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SJ0d8p7s)
Pulled this 35" off of West Okoboji on 1/8. Saw plenty more this size and bigger but the bite was slow, just a lot of lookers.
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That's a great pike for Okoboji. I've been seeing them but haven't gotten around to putting out tipups since I can't get fish cleaned :(
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(https://i.postimg.cc/SJ0d8p7s/20210108-111905.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SJ0d8p7s)
Pulled this 35" off of West Okoboji on 1/8. Saw plenty more this size and bigger but the bite was slow, just a lot of lookers.
Lots of nice pike....usually they swim past and could care less about the bait in the water. Nice catch.
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I've done OK catching them throw the ice on West the last 3 years. I've hooked a few rod and reel fishing live bait that I couldn't land. After that I went to tip-ups and use like bait or large frozen creek chubs depending on what they are interested in.
I've also got pretty good at cleaning them. Since learning how to get all the Y-Bones out it's one of my favorite fish to eat.
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(https://i.postimg.cc/mz2qT9yD/20190428-181238.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mz2qT9yD)
I like to grill them (skin on) with some butter and onion packed where I removed the Y-Bones. Add lemon pepper or your favorite steak seasoning and it's a great meal.
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Anyone do any good today?
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I don’t think there were too many brave souls out there today.
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Few places you could easily avoid this wind direction but I was really making a joke. But my otter cottage could handle this wind no problem
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Few places you could easily avoid this wind direction but I was really making a joke. But my otter cottage could handle this wind no problem
It's not so much the wind, but add the heavy wet snow to it.....yeah you know.
I stayed home and build a flat line Rod.
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Any recent reports on west okoboji????
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What is the depth of water you guys have been finding weeds? Wanting to know how much line to put on my tip-ups.
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What is the depth of water you guys have been finding weeds? Wanting to know how much line to put on my tip-ups.
What lake are you talking about? It's clear water......there are weeds in 20ft of water and deeper.
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That’s all I needed to know. Thanks agronomist_at_IA!!!!
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To piggyback off this a bit, do you guys go searching out for green weeds on West O? Or do you just find a weed pocket or weed line near the dead/fallen over weeds? I'm new to ice fishing as of last year, but I have not been able to find weeds that are "green/alive" as the experts would suggest. Fish still seem to be around the fallen weeds and the village of shacks seem to setup on dead weeds frequently from my very limited experience.
Also, do you guys fish the weeds this time of year or do you push out to the 20-25' basins in Emerson, Smiths, Millers and Triboji?
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Do not trust the village. I almost always fish weeds. There are many areas with shallow weeds on West. Keep trying them until you find fish.
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Do not trust the village. I almost always fish weeds. There are many areas with shallow weeds on West. Keep trying them until you find fish.
Are the weeds you're fishing green or fallen over/dying most of the time? Are you drilling holes until you mark some or do you fish a hole for a couple of minutes and then move if fish don't show up right away? I realize these are early/mid/late ice-dependent. It really comes down to my lack of time on the water to know the West O fish movements. I can't decide if I should start in 5-10' and drill out to deeper until I hit the weedline or if I should just skip right to the 20' basin once February hits.
I do appreciate the weeds all almost always guidance info!
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From my experience. If you are fishing for gills with a few mixed in crappie the weeds and areas your talking about are fine. Fish can be shallow to deep. This late you can see fish move more to a basin bite. You will also see 20ft of water can hold nice gills with crappie suspended & you will find some perch with a possible pike or walleye.
If you are looking for a hot bite where they slam it and you pull one after the other in .....then don’t go to the lakes. 90%+ of the fishing is going to be small tungsten jigs with clear lite line and a finicky bite. Make sure u have a SMALL jig and a noodle tip. Few are the days fish just slam the jigs. Persistence and patience is what delivers a bucket of fish.
West O is an entirely different lake when it comes to fishing vs east or spirit. Spirit it’s basin fishing in 20ft this time of year.
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I rarely see green weeds under the ice. Almost never.
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I appreciate the advice guys.
Learning what the fish like and how they interact is the reason I love fishing West. Just love (but sometimes hate ;D) that clear water. I’m less concerned about a bucketful (although nice). I just want to find em faster and avoid setting up dead water less often.
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I appreciate the advice guys.
Learning what the fish like and how they interact is the reason I love fishing West. Just love (but sometimes hate ;D) that clear water. I’m less concerned about a bucketful (although nice). I just want to find em faster and avoid setting up dead water less often.
When u setup if you don’t see fish every 15min or less....move