Bill Lundeen
01-07-2010, 10:56 AM
Hi
The super-cold temperatures over last weekend and early on this week helped heal the remaining "iffy" spots AND hardened the surface slush on Mille Lacs - Nearly all the road systems are in place and the travel is good. Ice thickness runs about 20 inches over most of the lake. We didn't get any of Thursday's snow (yet) and don't expect any measurable snow through the weekend.
Reports have been mixed through the cold snap - each day we talk to folks that really "lick-em-up" and others that struggle. While no one area stands out from the others, the mid-lake mud flats have out produced most of the inshore reefs. Look to 25-28 feet for your best bite. Jigging spoons (Hawger spoons, Weasels, Mr. Champs) tipped with a piece of a minnow work well on your jig lines. One of the most frustrating things can be when the fish will come up to look at your bait but won't take it - "lookers" we call 'em. One of the "tricks" we like to use on "lookers" is to drop a Willow Spoon down the hole. A Willow Spoon (somewhat similar to our classic favorite the Slender Spoon, but lighter) can take forever to get into the zone BUT... if you buy into the theory that fish often hit on the drop (or pick up as the bait settles) these baits are lethal. It takes MUCH longer for them to fall, which can be just the ticket that can turn the "lookers" into "good eaters". If you run a set line (tip-up, rattle reel, dead stick) I'd recommend a small glow jig (Demon, Gem-n-Eye) with a live shiner on it. Some of the better spots so far this week include 7-mile, Eileen's Flat and 2nd reef. Perch action is pretty typical for January - expect things to pick up as we get further into the season.
________________________________________
The weather for the weekend (according to the National Weather Service) looks like this:Friday: Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 1. Wind chill values between -14 and -24. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around -14. Wind chill values between -18 and -23. Light and variable wind.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 8. South southwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 1.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 19.
The last quarter moon is 1-7-10.
________________________________________
Don't forget to check out our weekly "shop special" at www.lundeens.com
Getting your house ready for the ice? We stock all sorts of "fish house stuff" like thermocouples, regulators, 12V light bulbs, mantles, globes and LP gas.
Auger dull? We have sharp new blades AND exchange blades in stock for most augers - spark plugs and oil too! Heck, we'll even fill your auger with pre-mixed gas and oil!
Once again this winter we will be renting FL20's, power augers and underwater cameras. Be sure to reserve them ahead to assure availability.
Finally,"If you had one dollar and you asked your father for another, how many dollars would you have?"
Vinny raised his hand and answered, "One dollar." The teacher shook her head. "You don't know your math." Vinny replied, "You don't know my father."
Have a great weekend,
Bill Lundeen
Lundeen's Tackle Castle
38752 Twilight Road
Onamia, MN 56359
320-532-3416
lundeens@lundeens.com
www.lundeens.com
© Copyright 2010, Lundeen's Tackle Castle. All Rights Reserved
The super-cold temperatures over last weekend and early on this week helped heal the remaining "iffy" spots AND hardened the surface slush on Mille Lacs - Nearly all the road systems are in place and the travel is good. Ice thickness runs about 20 inches over most of the lake. We didn't get any of Thursday's snow (yet) and don't expect any measurable snow through the weekend.
Reports have been mixed through the cold snap - each day we talk to folks that really "lick-em-up" and others that struggle. While no one area stands out from the others, the mid-lake mud flats have out produced most of the inshore reefs. Look to 25-28 feet for your best bite. Jigging spoons (Hawger spoons, Weasels, Mr. Champs) tipped with a piece of a minnow work well on your jig lines. One of the most frustrating things can be when the fish will come up to look at your bait but won't take it - "lookers" we call 'em. One of the "tricks" we like to use on "lookers" is to drop a Willow Spoon down the hole. A Willow Spoon (somewhat similar to our classic favorite the Slender Spoon, but lighter) can take forever to get into the zone BUT... if you buy into the theory that fish often hit on the drop (or pick up as the bait settles) these baits are lethal. It takes MUCH longer for them to fall, which can be just the ticket that can turn the "lookers" into "good eaters". If you run a set line (tip-up, rattle reel, dead stick) I'd recommend a small glow jig (Demon, Gem-n-Eye) with a live shiner on it. Some of the better spots so far this week include 7-mile, Eileen's Flat and 2nd reef. Perch action is pretty typical for January - expect things to pick up as we get further into the season.
________________________________________
The weather for the weekend (according to the National Weather Service) looks like this:Friday: Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 1. Wind chill values between -14 and -24. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around -14. Wind chill values between -18 and -23. Light and variable wind.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 8. South southwest wind between 3 and 7 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 1.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 19.
The last quarter moon is 1-7-10.
________________________________________
Don't forget to check out our weekly "shop special" at www.lundeens.com
Getting your house ready for the ice? We stock all sorts of "fish house stuff" like thermocouples, regulators, 12V light bulbs, mantles, globes and LP gas.
Auger dull? We have sharp new blades AND exchange blades in stock for most augers - spark plugs and oil too! Heck, we'll even fill your auger with pre-mixed gas and oil!
Once again this winter we will be renting FL20's, power augers and underwater cameras. Be sure to reserve them ahead to assure availability.
Finally,"If you had one dollar and you asked your father for another, how many dollars would you have?"
Vinny raised his hand and answered, "One dollar." The teacher shook her head. "You don't know your math." Vinny replied, "You don't know my father."
Have a great weekend,
Bill Lundeen
Lundeen's Tackle Castle
38752 Twilight Road
Onamia, MN 56359
320-532-3416
lundeens@lundeens.com
www.lundeens.com
© Copyright 2010, Lundeen's Tackle Castle. All Rights Reserved