Author Topic: Fish/Ice conditions in Winnett area? (Read 4788 times)

Moose Drool · « **on:** Jan 23, 2012, 12:33 PM »

The kids and I would like to get into some pike and walleye action this Saturday. Can anyone tell me how things are north of Billings. Petrolia? That's a little easier drive for a day trip. OR, does a guy just go the extra distance to Crooked Creek? I see some guys talk of Payola. I've never heard of that reservoir.

TJet Apprentice45 · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 01:47 PM »

Petrolia has been a bust lately, I don't think there's been a decent report out of there in a couple years now. Your best bet for a day of Northerns and Walleye is going to be Crooked Creek.
Payola is a fun little lake for numbers of Perch, not much for size but lots of them. Vogel is another one north of Winnett that has been producing (at least for us) this season. It's a trout lake, but lots of them and so far the bite has been pretty consistent every morning. The turn to Vogel is approx. 7 miles up the crooked cr. road on the right.

Moose Drool · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 01:59 PM »

Thanks TJet. What else besides Perch in Payola? What are the directions get to Payola? Maybe that would be a place to fall back on if the road to C/C got bad. We did try Tongue two weeks ago near Rattlesnake and 2 perch is all we caught in 6 hrs. I haven't heard lately if things have picked up there and the threads talking about Cooney describe it as being slow too.

Bareback Jack · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 02:07 PM »

The turn is right at Winnett before the CC turn,can't miss it. Hear tell of bass in there also.
BBJ

Cooper58 · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 02:09 PM »

There are bass, I have never caught them thru the ice but it can be good in the summer.

Cooper

TJet Apprentice45 · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 03:08 PM »

The bass in Payola are a little harder to come by through the ice, but we've pulled a couple. The road to Payola is dead north out of Winnett. When you pull out of town instead of going right or left, take the dirt road that's straight in front of you. There's several signs pointing the way once you're on the dirt.

Moose Drool · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 06:40 PM »

What's been the ice thickness of Petrolia and Payola the last time you guys were up there? I would imagine with our recent weather patterns that most places must be safe now, especially for kids. Sounds like the thickness at Crooked Creek is doing well.

OUTHNTN · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 08:53 PM »

There's also perch in Vogel to go with the trout. Use a camera to catch the perch as they seem to be just nibblers this year. Yellowater reservoir has been producing pound to pound and a half trout in decent numbers. Ice on all the lakes but Payola was in the 6" range 2 weekends ago. Payola was only 3-5" but all should be pushing a foot by now. Good fishin' - OH

chucknduck · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 09:56 PM »

Any size to the perch in vowel?

OUTHNTN · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 23, 2012, 10:47 PM »

No. The biggest was about 10" but I only caught 6. Really had to work for 'em that day. Trout fishing was better. -OH

Moose Drool · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 25, 2012, 10:05 AM »

The kids are game for the longer drive to Crooked Creek in hopes of landing some northerns. The forecast looks ideal at this point. We are on foot. Any tips on where to go that's not too awfully far from the ramp? I haven't been to C/C in over 20 yrs. Was a teenager then and don't remember much about it. Thanks guys.

Krakkon · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 25, 2012, 10:48 AM »

For northerns just fish the edge of the willows sticking up that are about 200 to 300 yards out from the ramp... It's about 10 feet deep there... I was planning on tongue this weekend but it sounds like everything is tight lipped there.. If I head to crooked creek I will be in a white dodge dually with a lance slide in swing over and have a beer!

Moose Drool · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 25, 2012, 06:11 PM »

Thank you for the good info Krakkon. We will give it a good try Saturday. Will be in the area of the ramp if you make it there---in a Fatfish pop-up. I too don't understand why good feedback isn't on this site about Tongue. We fished it Jan. 14 off Rattlesnake and in about 5 hrs, only picked up 2 perch. Pretty slow. Thanks again.

double_a85 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 25, 2012, 07:53 PM »

So with yet another warm snap accompanied by wind, does anyone think the ice at yellowwater or vogel is going to hold up for the weekend?

OUTHNTN · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 25, 2012, 10:04 PM »

It should hold up. Cold snap probably added 4 or 5 inches, maybe more. Be careful along the edges, and spud your way out. Better safe than sorry! Good fishin' - OH

TJet Apprentice45 · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 30, 2012, 12:03 PM »

Fished Vogel this Saturday, Ice was 9-10 inches. Fishing was pretty good. Biggest perch was 11.5, biggest trout was 2.1 lbs. The trout were really light bitters, we really had to be on top of the hole to get them hooked.
The Perch were all over, just bounced around holes in a couple areas, all on small jigging raps and sweedish pimples.

Big Mo · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 01, 2012, 02:40 PM »

Tj, you said that you just were at vogel this last weekend? It was good to here that the ice was that good. Did you catch alot of fish tomake it a good day?

Big Mo · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 01, 2012, 02:42 PM »

Also Tjet what was the best spot and depth you used? If you will tell me Hee!Hee!

TJet Apprentice45 · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 01, 2012, 02:49 PM »

Yea we brought home a good mess of fish. As for spots I was all over the place, probably punched 30-40 holes covering half the lake (the half towards the dam) We caught fish everywhere from 3ft to 16ft, it didn't seem to matter much. Just had to be on top of the rods when they went down, the trout were hitting really light. The perch were all over, not much for rhyme or reason, just had to jig alot to get them going.
I would think the ice will hold up this week... The shores might be a little interesting, but there was close to 10 inches of clear ice. If you go this weekend bring cleats, it was slick on Saturday, and throw in some water on top it will be a nightmare moving around.

Big Mo · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 01, 2012, 02:56 PM »

Thanks abunch for the info! My family is from Winnett and I have been hunting and fishing up there all my life. Me and a cople of friends have a place in Winnett so I was thinking bout going up there Friday through Saturday.

TJet Apprentice45 · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 01, 2012, 03:05 PM »

Good luck, Let us know how you do and what the ice is like after this warm weather.. We'll probably be on the horn chasing hte trout arond with the long poles, but if not we may just see you up there.

Moose Drool · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 03, 2012, 01:29 PM »

Last Saturday, we measured the ice at approx. 16" at Crooked Creek. Would think it's gotta get warmer for a longer period of time to melt it now. Here's a couple pics of the northerns we caught. No luck landing anything else. Happy fishing this weekend.

OUTHNTN · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 03, 2012, 01:31 PM »

Moose Drool,
Did you make it out to the main lake? If so, how much ice was out there? Heading that way mid next week and was curious if the main lake is fishable and atv navigable. Thanx Greg

TJet Apprentice45 · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 03, 2012, 01:48 PM »

Nice Pics Moose, looks like a pretty good day.

Moose Drool · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 03, 2012, 01:56 PM »

OUTHNTN, we didn't make it past the pressure ridge in the bay. We were on foot and tough to get the kids too far. Were a lot of ATV'ers that way and looked like a couple running the river. Hard to say-it was dark at that point.

It was a great day. Good weather and fish to come home with.

OUTHNTN · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 03, 2012, 02:51 PM »

Thanx! No kids with us this time, just FISHIN'! Hopefully the ice holds w/ this springtime weather we've been 'blessed' with. - OH

Big Mo · « **Reply #26 on:** Feb 06, 2012, 11:37 AM »

Hey all, we went up to Crooked Creek on Saturday. The ice in the bay was a good 14 inches. We fished close to the boat ramp with about 18 set ups all with minnows. Fishing was slow we only caught 1 northern, 4 crappies and 2 perch!! We probably should have went out further to the willows I suppose. 4 atv's went through the ice at Andersons Point. Be careful! Mo.

Lindy Rig · « **Reply #27 on:** Feb 06, 2012, 09:33 PM »

Ice had separated from shore as of Saturday morning on Petrolia. Maybe frozen again now.

TJet Apprentice45 · « **Reply #28 on:** Feb 07, 2012, 07:15 AM »

Lindy, did you fish Petrolia? How did you do?

Lindy Rig · « **Reply #29 on:** Feb 07, 2012, 08:25 PM »

Nope-2nd hand report from a relative. He didn't dare jump the gap to fish since he was there alone.

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Author Topic: Fish/Ice conditions in Winnett area? (Read 4788 times)