Author Topic: Gull Lake; 2019 (Read 16462 times)

skibumm100 · « **Reply #60 on:** Feb 09, 2019, 11:10 AM »

Quote from: Jaybes on Feb 08, 2019, 10:33 PM

Little Long or Sherman? Both have been sketchy compared to Gull. And the fishing hasn’t been as good.

Little Long. I don't quite understand why the ice is thicker on Gull. Gull has open water long after LL locks up. LL is way shallower, should end up with thicker ice earlier. There are a lot of springs in LL that will burn a hole through the ice. I started out this morning on LL and turned around. Very thin ice at the shore but it's only a couple feet deep so I kept on spudding my way out. Wasn't going through until I got out to 8-10 FOW and then was hitting water on the second hit and punching through on the third. Too thin for my liking. There was about 8-10 guys at the north end of LL and a couple near the middle. I'll check it again tomorrow morning. I took a look around the north end of Gull and I saw one guy at the boat launch, looks sketchy out past where he was. Nothing at baseline and you can see the cracks as SB described. Still open at the shore. Bible Conference had a bunch of guys out there and I saw one guy out off of Ross Twp park. I can't compare the LL bite to Gull fishing but I can confirm LL has been pretty slow. I might try loading up my junk and trying Bible Conference if the ice on LL is still iffy tomorrow AM. Be careful out there.

Jaybes · « **Reply #61 on:** Feb 18, 2019, 06:37 PM »

Smeltbuster: Have you tried anymore GL smelt fishing this year? I’d really like to go at least once this season but I haven’t heard of anyone catching/finding any so I’ve been sticking to crappie instead.

Anyone having any luck with smelt?

smeltbuster · « **Reply #62 on:** Feb 18, 2019, 08:21 PM »

Been a couple of times & its not what it used to be . Heard of some being caught, but very slow. Had a report of 7 &13 by 2 different guys, this past week-end. Sounds like there might be a few left. Hoping they make a comeback in a year or 2. Talked to some guys that pike fished the North end on Saturday & they had zero flags. Plenty of ice . Pike bite has been very slow for Smelt jr., He did manage to get a 26" & a 28" this morning. He was fishing an easy area to get to, but most guys don't fish it. He asked me not to say where. Took a couple of nasty falls on the ice a while back & messed up my shoulders. pretty much slowed me down a bit. Been wanting to try for Trout, hoping to get out this week-end.

steeliewood · « **Reply #63 on:** Feb 20, 2019, 02:19 PM »

Caught this last weekend on the north end...34" 15' water

Average-Joe · « **Reply #64 on:** Feb 21, 2019, 06:27 AM »

Anyone done any good on panfish out there this year? NOT looking for spots just asking in general. I’ve struggled to find them like I have in the past.

Jaybes · « **Reply #65 on:** Feb 21, 2019, 09:43 AM »

Quote from: Average-Joe on Feb 21, 2019, 06:27 AM

Anyone done any good on panfish out there this year? NOT looking for spots just asking in general. I’ve struggled to find them like I have in the past.

I’ve had a fantastic year for crappie and gills but both have started to slow down quite a bit this week. Fingers crossed for late ice.

Average-Joe · « **Reply #66 on:** Feb 21, 2019, 10:09 AM »

Jaybes, glad to hear someone is doing well. Guess I'll have to keep trying new spots/tactics

Jaybes · « **Reply #67 on:** Feb 21, 2019, 10:52 AM »

Quote from: Average-Joe on Feb 21, 2019, 10:09 AM

Jaybes, glad to hear someone is doing well. Guess I'll have to keep trying new spots/tactics

Dont get discouraged, it has been a weird year on Gull. I've caught far less Pike than normal and way more crappie than normal.

Couple weird catches I've had: Caught a keeper Pike in 80ft of water (never done that before) and a giant zombie Rock Bass in the bay (had a bite taken out of it's belly). Strange year for sure!

Fish Killa · « **Reply #68 on:** Feb 21, 2019, 11:02 AM »

I also did well on gills and crappie on early ice in several locations thru out the lake. Once other lakes took off 4 weeks ago I never fished Gull again. Plan was to pike fish this Sunday but the wind is going to keep me at bay I think.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #69 on:** Feb 21, 2019, 02:50 PM »

Jaybes, catching pike in that deep water is very common ,in the winter ,when you are smelt fishing. 4 yrs. ago I stopped using 10 hook smelt rigs, because I got tired of fighting pike on them & when I did land them, I had to throw them back due to hook restrictions. Started using a 6 hook rig & now I can legally keep them. Also, that deep water in the summer is an excellent place to catch pike & bass, using big lake methods.

Jaybes · « **Reply #70 on:** Feb 21, 2019, 04:38 PM »

Quote from: smeltbuster on Feb 21, 2019, 02:50 PM

Jaybes, catching pike in that deep water is very common ,in the winter ,when you are smelt fishing. 4 yrs. ago I stopped using 10 hook smelt rigs, because I got tired of fighting pike on them & when I did land them, I had to throw them back due to hook restrictions. Started using a 6 hook rig & now I can legally keep them. Also, that deep water in the summer is an excellent place to catch pike & bass, using big lake methods.

That’s interesting, I’ve been fishing this lake my whole life and never caught one that deep in the middle of the day halfway up the water column. I thought it was weird.

dutch3376 · « **Reply #71 on:** Feb 22, 2019, 11:19 AM »

Does anybody have an ice report for the north end? I assume it’s fine, just want to double check before making the drive. TIA

smeltbuster · « **Reply #72 on:** Feb 22, 2019, 12:09 PM »

The north end ice is fine.They are running quads & snowmobiles on the entire lake. Pretty much, no snow on the ice. Be Warned; they are putting in new ramps at the boat launch & there is open water there. It is wide open in front of the creek, ruining the chance of fishing for shallow water trout. You can get on the ice @ the west side of the bath house w/ no problems. The gate is up, but they are using an envelope pay system. $7.00 per vehicle, $10.00 w/ a trailer. Season pass is $80.00. I have not measured the ice, but I would say it is at least 7-8". Very easy walking, even pulling gear. Talked to a guy in the local bait shop today & he told me the pike bite has been pretty good @ the Bible Conf., don't know how true it is .

dutch3376 · « **Reply #73 on:** Feb 22, 2019, 12:45 PM »

Thanks for the update SB. Heading that way tonite to try to scrounge up a smelt or 2.

dfishman · « **Reply #74 on:** Feb 25, 2019, 08:34 AM »

Anyone been over to the north end or second bay to see how gull weathered the weekend warm up?

Jaybes · « **Reply #75 on:** Feb 25, 2019, 08:51 AM »

Quote from: dfishman on Feb 25, 2019, 08:34 AM

Anyone been over to the north end or second bay to see how gull weathered the weekend warm up?

I haven’t but I’d be shocked if it really effected the ice at all. Most of the lake had 7-9inches before the warm days. Obviously bring a spud but I’m betting the ice is fine.

GullLakeFisherman · « **Reply #76 on:** Feb 26, 2019, 08:05 PM »

Hi All -
Today I kept two perch. One had nothing in its stomach and the other had three minnows. I’m really interested in what these might be. The first two look almost like a trout and the last one had a flat head looking like a sculpin. Any ideas?

Average-Joe · « **Reply #77 on:** Feb 27, 2019, 08:43 AM »

Not a biologist or fisheries expert but it looks like a blacknosed dace to me. There are lot of different shiner, darter, “minnow” species in Gull. If you look at some of the old DNR reports for the lake you can find a list of them. Caught a lot of those as a little kid with a net.

wilsonmi · « **Reply #78 on:** Feb 27, 2019, 04:32 PM »

The one on the far right is a darter. The one on the far left looks like it might be a stickleback.

Smeltman · « **Reply #79 on:** Feb 27, 2019, 06:49 PM »

That's from the man who know's.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #80 on:** Feb 28, 2019, 10:13 PM »

Warning : Baseline rd. access is not 100 % safe. My brother & me decided to try Smelt fishing off Baseline tonight & the ice conditions are not good at the shoreline. While unloading gear, I broke through in almost knee deep water. My brother had one foot go through, about 20yds. from shore. Lots of snowed over pressure cracks. Quads & ATVs have busted up the shore ice. The north end is fine if you go on, west of the bath house. As for the fishing tonight...... between 4 of us, I was 2nd. best,.... w/ 2 ! Call me Smeltbusted

Jaybes · « **Reply #81 on:** Mar 01, 2019, 06:05 AM »

Quote from: smeltbuster on Feb 28, 2019, 10:13 PM

Warning : Baseline rd. access is not 100 % safe. My brother & me decided to try Smelt fishing off Baseline tonight & the ice conditions are not good at the shoreline. While unloading gear, I broke through in almost knee deep water. My brother had one foot go through, about 20yds. from shore. Lots of snowed over pressure cracks. Quads & ATVs have busted up the shore ice. The north end is fine if you go on, west of the bath house. As for the fishing tonight...... between 4 of us, I was 2nd. best,.... w/ 2 ! Call me Smeltbusted

I went through the ice a couple times this week as well, the wind really messed up the eastern shore. I got skunked on smelt last night too. Were you not marking them or were they not biting?

smeltbuster · « **Reply #82 on:** Mar 01, 2019, 07:29 AM »

We did not mark very many fish. And the ones we did mark, would not bite. Lots of Plankton, though .

Fish Killa · « **Reply #83 on:** Mar 01, 2019, 10:01 AM »

I wasn't expecting to find busted ice on Gull. Anyone know if I can get on ok at the bible conference?

DaveSS1 · « **Reply #84 on:** Mar 03, 2019, 01:14 AM »

I know this is a long shot but if anybody happen to find a pair of skis for a smitty sled at prarieville in the parking lot tonight, please let me know. I was arranging some gear in the truck and with the lot being dark left them behind my truck. Didn’t realize it until I was home. Btw. Bite was slow but did manage to have a pike come up an attack our transducer under the ice. Made for some excitement.

DR.SPECKLER · « **Reply #85 on:** Mar 03, 2019, 07:31 AM »

Quote from: DaveSS1 on Mar 03, 2019, 01:14 AM

I know this is a long shot but if anybody happen to find a pair of skis for a smitty sled at prarieville in the parking lot tonight, please let me know. I was arranging some gear in the truck and with the lot being dark left them behind my truck. Didn’t realize it until I was home. Btw. Bite was slow but did manage to have a pike come up an attack our transducer under the ice. Made for some excitement.

still can’t believe we left those skis.i got ya tho.you can have one of my smitty sleds.that was a looong night.

smeltbuster · « **Reply #86 on:** Mar 03, 2019, 07:56 AM »

Smelt jr. is on his way to check for them. Update, they were not there. He checked @ 9:00 a.m., if you need a pair, I also have an extra set you can have.

DaveSS1 · « **Reply #87 on:** Mar 03, 2019, 03:42 PM »

I appreciate you taking the time to look. I normally do a final sweep with my phone light and didn’t this time. Only 3 other trucks there and they would of had to walk right by them. Perhaps they will turn back up.

2trackin · « **Reply #88 on:** Mar 08, 2019, 07:42 AM »

Has the smelt fishing picked up at all?

smeltbuster · « **Reply #89 on:** Mar 08, 2019, 08:48 AM »

2trackin, Welcome to "The Shanty" ! Pretty slow. Thinking I might be done for the year.

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Author Topic: Gull Lake; 2019 (Read 16462 times)