Author Topic: Blackstrap 2020-2021 (Read 67818 times)

Majic_Fish · « **Reply #90 on:** Dec 03, 2020, 10:57 AM »

Hey all. Glad everyone is having some kind of success out there.
Just wondering if the boat launches have been cleared yet. I'm getting too old to be walking up and down hills covered with a bunch of snow lol.

Churchill River · « **Reply #91 on:** Dec 03, 2020, 12:34 PM »

Evan was going to take his quad and blade and open one of the launches up the other day. Haven't heard back from him yet.

How did you make out Evan?

EVAN NIM · « **Reply #92 on:** Dec 03, 2020, 03:40 PM »

Managed to clean up the north launch, broke my winch cable trying to clear the south. Sorry for any mess,

Did manage a few Walleyes south of thode but it was slow today.. only a handfull
Of perch,

The ice seams a little different this year,

Majic_Fish · « **Reply #93 on:** Dec 03, 2020, 03:58 PM »

Quote from: EVAN NIM on Dec 03, 2020, 03:40 PM

Managed to clean up the north launch, broke my winch cable trying to clear the south. Sorry for any mess,

Did manage a few Walleyes south of thode but it was slow today.. only a handfull
Of perch,

The ice seams a little different this year,

Wow that looks good Evan! Looking forward to going out this weekend.

Churchill River · « **Reply #94 on:** Dec 03, 2020, 04:29 PM »

We only need one launch.....great job Evan.

Did you find 11 inches of ice?

EVAN NIM · « **Reply #95 on:** Dec 03, 2020, 04:45 PM »

maybe 10” at the most, made my way across checking The lake checking,

Straight accross from the launch i tried as well, no luck there but i did find what appeared to be a bit of a preasure ridge forming, it only stretched out about 40 yards but it was along one of the big cracks that has seemed to have opened and refroze, they seam to be all over the lake, unless its just melted snow banks but it didn't look that way..

TheRe was someone out there after me, maybe im wrong and they can elaborate, just reminded me of being on LmL a bit today
Black good ice though, fishing was slow for me

shawno · « **Reply #96 on:** Dec 03, 2020, 10:48 PM »

@ Evan Nim - thanks for all the clearing you did! I’m sure a lot of people will appreciate it.

Barometric Pressure is low today (28.1 inHg). Low pressure usually indicates slower fishing. Pair that with a Waning Gibbous Moon and things will be slower for awhile. Things should pickup around the 14th of Dec. Only thing that might improve your luck is that magical green spoon

gman51 · « **Reply #97 on:** Dec 04, 2020, 06:26 AM »

i would re-phrase that by saying that its one thing that could improve your chances. i would encourage people to try different lures and colors. you might be surprised.

Finnegan · « **Reply #98 on:** Dec 04, 2020, 08:29 AM »

Evan NIM - I walked out there yesterday afternoon. I saw the spot you mentioned and indeed it seemed like a spot that had opened and froze again. Fishing on that side picked up after 3:00 pm. Found a few holes with active perch. Steady catching for an hour and a half. All small however. A handful made 9 inches. Everything else smaller. Everywhere I drilled was 10-11 inches of ice.

Cholo · « **Reply #99 on:** Dec 04, 2020, 10:49 AM »

Quote from: Churchill River on Dec 03, 2020, 04:29 PM

We only need one launch.....great job Evan.

Did you find 11 inches of ice?

Quote from: Churchill River on Dec 03, 2020, 10:03 AM

Toon, that could be very well and they are sending all those little newbies to confirm. And those little ones never do what
they are told........stay away from hawger spoons and our poor relatives eyes.

Good to see ya havin some early success out there Church, itching to get out there . Hopefully sooner than later🎣

Quote from: Churchill River on Dec 03, 2020, 10:03 AM

Toon, that could be very well and they are sending all those little newbies to confirm. And those little ones never do what
they are told........stay away from hawger spoons and our poor relatives eyes.

dirtydix · « **Reply #100 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 04:02 PM »

Hey guys, been reading back a few years into this forum and am appreciating the information. Thought I'd join.

I'm new to fishing blackstrap and relatively new to ice fishing altogether - we are inexperienced to say the least. 3 days on the ice and have caught 2 fish total. Everyone else seems to be doing consistent numbers and everyone we talk to on the ice is catching decent amounts. We are wondering what we're doing wrong! Tried the common spots on the south: Evans road, out from the boat launch. Using the recommended gear: small minnows, Buckshot, etc. 20-25ft water. The fish gods just aren't smiling on us haha

Any tips for a few summer fishermen trying to get in on the winter action?

ToonFisher · « **Reply #101 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 04:15 PM »

This is my 10th year. The key is to find the fish. Perch likes deep water. Walleye likes drop-off. It doesn't matter much what lure you use. Recently the rim of sunken Evans road is quite good. But you still need to drill quite a few holes to find then. If you have camera or sonar, you can tell whether there is fish and whether your jigging is attracting them. Cheers!

Churchill River · « **Reply #102 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 07:06 PM »

They are getting bigger........two of us fished the North end today, well over 100 perch were caught. We were able to keep 16 perch that were 10 to 12 inches for supper. One 5 lb pike, and one 3 lb pike....no walleye. I heard from a couple of friends that were fishing the South end and they had just as good or even better luck then we did today.

The gentleman I was fishing with today lives just North of Shields and he went yesterday with his bobcat and cleared the North causeway. He also went and groomed the entrance to the lake, it's going to be easy access this year at the shoreline.

By mid afternoon there were 30 trucks parked on the causeway and another 6 in the parking area at the entrance to the lake.

And as Rip mentioned the other day in his post, everyone has their favourite lure, but don't be scared to try other ones. As the old saying goes....... When they are biting, it doesn't matter what you use, and when they aren't biting, it doesn't matter what you use. Some lures will
out perform others when the fish are finicky.

shawno · « **Reply #103 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 07:07 PM »

jpicks and I made it out today and what a beautiful day to be out. The wind was a little brisk at times but you couldn't ask for a much better in December. Fishing was definitely slower for us today as we really had to search for them. We walked a long ways and probably put down 50 holes but in the end had enough fish for supper. All the fish we caught were Perch except for two small Walleye. We noticed a little village forming near Shields pumphouse. Anyone care to chime in on how they did over there?

Churchill River · « **Reply #104 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 07:32 PM »

Shawno, I was there (front of pump house), Wed, and had none stop action from 1 to 4, but they were the smallest perch I have seen this winter. No walleye or me, but a couple nice ones were caught by other fishermen.

Churchill River · « **Reply #105 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 07:46 PM »

And as you mentioned Shawno, beautiful day. Early morning was breezy, and later in the afternoon the wind came back up, but in-between it was
calm, very warm (able to fish with no gloves). Even with the windy periods it was still very bearable.

And some days the fish win, just got to keep getting out there and get those days when....payback is a b***h for the fish.

chezboy · « **Reply #106 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 07:58 PM »

I am heading out fishing with my father Monday just before lunch. We have been out a few times in the last couple years but have had no luck ( 1 perch in 6 trips). We usually go on the lake from the boat launch at the park and set up on the outer edges of the shacks. Kinda hoping the shacks were there cause they know where the fish are. So far that theory hasn’t panned out. We usually see a bunch of perch on the camera but they are never interested in our hooks. We have never seen a walleye or jack in the several years we have been going out. If anyone has any tips or depths I should be trying I would appreciate them.

Also is the ice thickness thick enough for 3 of us to walk out and set up close to each other. Usually I just wait until I see shacks and pick up trucks on the ice and then walk out with my sleigh. Is it safe for us to walk out and set up together? Any area or anything we should watch out for?

sparksNfishing · « **Reply #107 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 09:08 PM »

Quote from: shawno on Dec 05, 2020, 07:07 PM

jpicks and I made it out today and what a beautiful day to be out. The wind was a little brisk at times but you couldn't ask for a much better in December. Fishing was definitely slower for us today as we really had to search for them. We walked a long ways and probably put down 50 holes but in the end had enough fish for supper. All the fish we caught were Perch except for two small Walleye. We noticed a little village forming near Shields pumphouse. Anyone care to chime in on how they did over there?

I made it out about 300 yards by 8am and was one of the two red shacks in the middle. It got really busy closer to shore by noon. We had consistent perch at 25' all day and many big jack coming in but mostly in the late morning and early afternoon. I was there a few days earlier and had lots of 10-12" but all were less then 8 today. By 3pm I had moved into 16 fow but it was slow. My daughter yelled at a guy since he wasn't noticing his flag was up. He ended up pulling out a 30"ish burb.

shawno · « **Reply #108 on:** Dec 05, 2020, 11:16 PM »

Thanks everyone for the information regarding the pumphouse. I appreciate it.

Sparks, we too were finding fish deeper today as well 23-25FOW. I don't really like to fish much deeper for them though as you run the risk of barotrauma in the fish.

I'm shocked to hear a burbot of that size was caught.

Churchill River · « **Reply #109 on:** Dec 06, 2020, 11:02 AM »

Wait a minute Shawno.......a burbot of that size......no kidding. I have been ice fishing Blackstrap a long time.....drilled over 10,000 holes (I should think about getting my blades sharpened),
fished over 600 days, caught over_________fish...we ll, caught a lot of fish. I have caught every species in the lake, except a burbot. Keep hearing they are in Blackstrap and hearing about the odd one been caught. I guess I need to get out more.

DBaz · « **Reply #110 on:** Dec 06, 2020, 12:28 PM »

Hey all, late to the game but I was at the pump house village yesterday. Just south of two red Eskimo tents. Blue tent. Fished all day and only had what I suspect to be small perch stealing my maggots. Tried many holes at various depths with tip up. No luck. Fella caught a 3.5-4 lb jack closer to shore. Great day weather wise.

I too want to thank everyone for the comments. Long time since I fished Blackstrap. All your info helps greatly.

snack pack · « **Reply #111 on:** Dec 06, 2020, 01:08 PM »

was out early this am in front of 2nd boat launch perch galore, 5 to 8 inches then northerns started hanging around bye bye perch.

EVAN NIM · « **Reply #112 on:** Dec 06, 2020, 02:12 PM »

Tried a few spots by the old road south side,
20-23.5 fow.. slowest day in years, 1st spot seamed to show lots of tiny perch on sonar, spots 2,3,4 produced nothing.. lots of holes drilled in the area.. fishing by 8:45,9 gone by 12:30 weird day.. nice weather though

Majic_Fish · « **Reply #113 on:** Dec 06, 2020, 05:32 PM »

Was out in between the boat launches all day. Lots of action in the morning. With tons of 6”-9” perch. But then saw a few pike on the camera that pretty much chased away all the action. Very slow in the afternoon marking the odd fish here and there. Not a bite after 1pm.

I guess there’s tomorrow

shawno · « **Reply #114 on:** Dec 06, 2020, 10:16 PM »

Quote from: Churchill River on Dec 06, 2020, 11:02 AM

Wait a minute Shawno.......a burbot of that size......no kidding. I have been ice fishing Blackstrap a long time.....drilled over 10,000 holes (I should think about getting my blades sharpened),
fished over 600 days, caught over_________fish...we ll, caught a lot of fish. I have caught every species in the lake, except a burbot. Keep hearing they are in Blackstrap and hearing about the odd one been caught. I guess I need to get out more.

You and me both CR! In all my years of fishing Blackstrap, I have never seen or fished with someone that has caught one. Countless hours of watching a fish cam and not so much as ever seeing one on camera. Maybe one day, I'll be lucky to catch one of these elusive burbot.

EVAN NIM · « **Reply #115 on:** Dec 08, 2020, 02:02 PM »

Curious if anyone is out today, Im interested to hear ice conditions after todays warm spell

Churchill River · « **Reply #116 on:** Dec 08, 2020, 02:09 PM »

Might be some water on the surface from the melted snow that didn't soak into the ice. It would still be good enough for quad and snow machines. I am heading out tomorrow and will report tomorrow night.

Churchill River · « **Reply #117 on:** Dec 08, 2020, 02:13 PM »

https://hotline.gov.sk.ca/cameras/blackstrap.html

here is the hwy cam as of 2:10 this afternoon. Still some snow and a couple people out fishing the South end.

snack pack · « **Reply #118 on:** Dec 08, 2020, 02:40 PM »

Good to hear the ice is still holding, with the colder weather coming on the weekend hoping to bring my new perm shack out on Sunday,. was out over the weekend between the launches good 10 inches of ice, hoping for a couple more inches this weekend with the colder weather

ToonFisher · « **Reply #119 on:** Dec 08, 2020, 09:17 PM »

One November afternoon a few years back, I was fishing on 4 inch of ice and half an inch of water all over that whole area. I wouldn't dare again.

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Author Topic: Blackstrap 2020-2021 (Read 67818 times)

gman51