Valentine Refuge Questions

[ajb05854]

I took my girlfriend up to Lake of the Woods and Mille Lacs last year and she had a blast.  We're both students in Iowa.  This year she wants to take another trip and I'm not sure where to go.  I sent all my ice fishing gear with my parents last year (who live in Nebraska), so I'd have to drive west to get everything before any sort of trip.  Is the refuge still worth going to?  My dad owns some ponds where we'd catch good numbers of 8-10 inch gills and really nice bass, so I'm just curious if there is a chance the fishing would be any better.  I know their are a lot of pike, but what are the sizes like?  I can't find any surveys on the refuge lakes.  My parents live around Columbus, so it's still quite a drive.  I'll be moving somewhere across the country soon, so this is our last trip for a while and we want to make it fun.  

Any other ideas where to go?  I found out she's never been to the mountains, so I'm thinking about going to Colorado to give it a shot.  

Thanks!

[Slimdog]

I'm sure Sandbilly will chime in for more details, but I'll start.  I would say it is definately worth a trip.  A group of us spent 2 days on the refuge last January.  My biggest Pike of the trip was 37" on a tip-up.  Lost a bigger one a the hole as well.  Plenty of 30" fish.  I also got into the Perch pretty good.  No jumbos, but lots in the 6"-8" range to help take up the time between flags.  The outlook is supposed to be pretty good for this year too.  We are heading up in late January again.

[falcon]

If your looking for good pike action my vote would be DEWEY. Ive seen more than a few over 10 lbs out of there. It has been a few years though. The locals would have to hook you up with the current pike action. Pelican has been ok in the past as well my dad brought one in at 16 lbs. We just dont fish for pike much any more. Hope that helps ya.

[Sandbilly]

Might need snowshoes if you are headed up the hill in Colorado. Some friends went elk hunting near Steamboat and said the snow was belly deep on their horses a few weeks ago.

Valentine area is a great ice destination.

Pictures from 3 days last February.

Refuge
 









Merritt







Best pike lakes are Dewey, Pelican and Clear.

dc

[HuskerPike]

Don - didn't Tristan or a guy in your group land a huge carp through the ice last year?

Great pics by the way - really gets ya fired up for ice!

[Sandbilly]

Don - didn't Tristan or a guy in your group land a huge carp through the ice last year?

Great pics by the way - really gets ya fired up for ice!

Thank you. Got out for the first time yesterday. I won't rub it in.

We caught several carp last year through the ice, but none on the Refuge. Can't imagine how productive these Sandhill Lakes would be if they were all void of carp. Maybe that herpies virus will mutate enough to effectively kill everyone of em. 


Tris


Jon


dc

[falcon]

Nice pictures Sandbilly! Thats a great highlight real of the refuge. Great memories from there, cant wait to get back.

[hankthecrank]

How come you didn't tell me about the carp.

[Sandbilly]

Sorry Hank. IMO a carp is a carp, never did get the bug for em like the Europeans do.

dc

[DannyBoy09]

Glad to see you got out to fish Don..Looks like you had some preey good luck.

 Dan Siegfried

[HuskerPike]

Don - yep, that was the pic I remembered you showing me back in June.

Glad you got out! I got out on a farm pond today back here, only 2.5 inches of ice. I didn't fish long, just wasn't worth the risk.

We should have good ice by Dec 11 so the plan is to get out all of next weekend.

[crappie15]

Can anybody give me a hint on which refuge lake would be best to fish for decent perch or bluegill? Me and a buddy are heading up there saturday and he want's to fish for panfish. I usually go to Dewey a couple times a year to fish for pike but do most of my panfishing on Merrit.

[Sandbilly]

All the Valentine Refuge lakes have good pan fish via moisture in recent years. Clear / Willow is pretty short in the gill department but has nice perch if you are patience enough to sort through 6 inchers before hitting a good one.

Easier to locate fish on the smaller lakes, Watts, West Long, Duck, but if you don't mind cutting holes they are in the others also.

dc 

[crappie15]

Thanks for info Sandbilly. We're planning on going saturday. I hope the ice holds up. I also see your planning an ice fishing clinic. If things work out I'm gonna try and bring my kids to it.