’07 Tamerack/IDA Get Together!

By Brian Klawitter 0

What a way to put our ice season to bed!

Our In-DepthAngling Get Together at Starck’s Tamarack Resort on Big Winni couldn’t have been more perfect from every angle.

Largemouth, Northern and Walleyes were caught and released along with Eelpout, huge Rock Bass and a sucker. Although this was a Perch trip, we were all extremely happy and surprised at the number and size of the bluegills and crappies that were caught!

Iceman’s son Brett was renamed “Crappie Boy” as one of our Ida Members gave up a hole to Brett that was producing…literally one huge crappie after another. More pics of Crappie Boy to follow in the thread below. Here Brett and Love2fish are holding one of the monster papermouths. I know there was one Crappie Brett pulled in that almost made me say “Slabasoras” out loud! Brett and the rest of us release all of our Crappies that were over 15 inches.

Many of us were using Scenic Tackles Go Devils tipped with a wax worm or a fathead. There were reports of the Perch hitting on the plain Go Devil without tipping them. I personally caught a number of Perch using a waxie that had a minnow tail sticking out of its mouth! They were on the feed! My hot color was…um…Pink.

We were fishing in about 7 to 8 feet of water, plus the ice. Using my trusty old Marcum camera there was very little weeds on the bottom and when there was some they weren’t too tall. Sounded like a perfect place for Reel Weeds to me! What was odd was that the areas that had Reel Weeds down seemed to shut off. This was the first time this year that this artificial structure didn’t seem to help me. Later on, in using my camera, I learned why. In one half hour stretch, I counted 4 different size Northern swimming through or hanging around the weeds. One of them sat just outside of the Weeds….just watching. Since Northern season was closed, using them in this area was a definite disadvantage.

Pictured here is Jeff Beckwith, (Scenic) with a couple dandy gills caught on a Go Devil.

After the fishing and the cleaning on Saturday, Jeff & Laura from Tamarack Resort put on an awesome gill, crappie and perch feed! Which included backed beans, homemade French fries and a couple different kinds of venison sausage. I didn’t get any pictures of this because…well, I was eating! Thanks again Jeff & Laura!

A number of us were using H20 GPS units with the 07 Lakemaster chip. Matt also had the Lakemaster paper map and in looking at the area, we were right in basically a bowl, or a depression from the surrounding area….and of course I marked the spots for wet water fishing this spring!

This photo is of the a few of the Crappies that many people go to Red Lake for! Pictured is Chappy and Love2fish.

The ice conditions on Winni are going fast. With above freezing temps and the rain this morning, I doubt vehicles will be on the ice after yesterday. I would caution folks using ATV’s…at least check in with Jeff at Tamarack Resort prior to heading out on the ice. I’m not an ice expert and I always lean to the safe side…which is why I wouldn’t be trekking out on the ice anymore this year.

To wrap this up…I have to say this was one of the most enjoyable trips I’ve had. The weather was just “nuts”, the fish were willing to jump on the ice and Jeff and Laura were THE most hospitable hosts I’ve met on Winni. I met many new IDA members and my only regret is that I didn’t get a chance to spend more time with them. Andy, I hope you and your friends didn’t mind the friendly ribbing we all gave you guys.

There were too many people up there for me to name, but I have to mention two people that were outstanding in there own way. First Mr. Love2fish. When someone had a big crappie, northern or Large Mouth on, this guy was to the hole to help the angler ice the fish no matter how far a way they were…he was there. Although John I have to tell you I can’t get that circus music out of my mind all day today!

Also, Mr. Matt Grow. This guy hands down is one of the best ice guys I’ve ever met and an all around good guy! I was sitting in my sun warmed fish house and watching him. He has a method and it works.

He uses his Lakemaster chip to locate the breaks of the selected area and then starts drilling hole after hole. Once he starts fishing, all you see is a red Gamehide suit with a matching red Marcum going from hole to hole. If he pulls a fish out, he stays there a few more minutes…no fish..on to the next hole. He runs out of holes…back to his red auger and a bunch of new holes are drilled. The cycle continues.

Thanks All!

Are we doing it again next year?

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Brian Klawitter

• First Person to be Knighted at the Spam Museum by Sir Can a Lot. • Founded The Minnesota Catfish and Sturgeon Alliance. • Networked to change the MN's Bullhead Bait length laws for Catfish Anglers • Networked to allow the use of cast Full Bio ›

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  4. Wonderful time fishing with you all. Talk about a great way to end the season. I hope everyone is eating well after this trip.
    I’m sorry to say I was a bit busy to take pictures so I’d appreciate any pictures you guys can email to me. This is one of those trips I’ll talk about for years

  5. Great report Brian. I can honestly say that this was the best ice trip I have ever been on. I still can’t believe the size of the crappies and gils we iced. Who would have ever thought Green Lake had such big fish in it I also enjoyed meeting each and every one of you over the weekend. Only 364 days until we will be back up there doing the same. I have a feeling after this report we will have a few more guys show up next year. I will email out photos to you guys today. Fell free to post them here.

    Oh ya, by the way, when you hear the “Circus Music” close your eyes and run.

    Thanks again guys- Can’t wait til next year.

    John

  9. This is from Friday evening when Mr. Matt Grow was putting on a on the water seminar.

    Matt, I know one of your gills hit the 10.5″ mark, do you recall what the perch and crappies were taping out at?

  11. That last pic of the gill and two others are going on the wall at Tamarack Courtesy of Jeff and Laura. Can’t wait to see those!

    We had over 15 crappies at 15-16 inches. And the Iowa boys brought in a few 14 inch perch. One of which is also going on the wall at Tamarack.

    Although we did catch many of these big fish, I’m proud to call the guys I went with sportsmen because of their Catch, Photo, Release practice. I’m happy to fish with true sportsmen.

    Again, a great end of the season. It was really nice to get out into Winnies main basin. This lake is such a nice break from the hussle and bussle of Mille Lacs. And to have over a 3 mile radius to ourselves was great to say the least. Once Again Big Winnie proves itself.

  13. That was the most incredible ice fishing we’ve ever had. Huge crappies, perch, and gills and great numbers, too.

    Don’t worry about the “friendly ribbing”, BK. Chappy made up for it when he ventured out to our hot perch bite midday saturday and said, “Ok, we’re sorry. You guys are good. What are they biting on?”.

    Thanks Jeff and Laura for the great hospitality. And thanks to Brian, Matt, and all the other guys for making it such a great time! Hope to do it again next year.

    John, Brian, everybody – Can you please send me all the pics you’ve got?

    THANKS!!!

  14. Andy- I will get them out tonight or first thing Tuesday. Thanks again for everything. You Iowa guys are alright.

    John

  16. Umm…Luke? Saying that you miss out on some action…might be an understatement. Not to rub it in.

    There’s on coming in!

    He’s coming up!

    FISH ON!

    OH MY GOSH LOOK AT THAT MONSTER! WOO HOOOO!

    That’s a keeper!

    There’s one coming in!

    He’s coming up!

  17. John,
    Was a pleasure meeting you on Saturday at Winnie!
    Say, Do you have the pic of that crappie I caught Saturday Morning? If so…please email it to tofishem@ aol.com

    Ethan & Jeff,
    Thanks for the kinds words! It would be a pleasure, to say the least, to fish again with such genuinely nice guys!

  18. lol…thanks for rubbing it in.

    Here was my weekend…

    “Is that a fridge floating down the river?”

    “Yes”

    “Is that a washing machine floating down the river”

    “Yes”

    Fun fun!!!

  21. Thanks for calling me and rubbing it in on Sat by the way. I should have come out, I had just got back. Way to go guy’s.

    Bruce, I guess I know where the six of us (Jeff and his son might fish also) will be on the 5th of May!!!

  23. Guys, I’m going to post a website (ftp site) that you can get all of the Winnie GTG pics from later tonight so check back to get the URL, username, and password. I’m sick of getting returned emails from everyone i send pics to due to the large size.

  24. I think I tried to tell them that it wouldn’t be nice to rub it in….
    Or maybe I encouraged the call…

  25. Don’t have permission yet to use the work ftp site for pics but i think i can tomorrow. for now, i’ll post a few from Mike Fessler and John (Love2fish).

    Here’s a shot of the “sun dog” we saw on friday.

  39. are you sure you guys were on Winni? We have had days like that on a small lake off of the Third flowage maybe, but not on Winni. Those are some real beautiful fish. What makes me wonder is that no one says anything about those hammer handles keep’n them busy.

  40. We actually didn’t want to say we were on Winnie but we were. You talking about little walleyes or what Chomps?

  42. Chomps, we were on Green Lake in Chisago County. (that make you feel better? )

    There were a smattering of small northerns, but nothing to serious. Many of the crappies and gills had teeth marks.

    That sundog photo was cool!

  46. Briank, I’ve been on that Green lake, I would for sure have to call you on that one, although that bass has the same smile. I know Winni has all of those types of fish you caught, but up till this point I have never seen actual photos of all being caught in one area. I guess that is one of those days you hope to see again. Any bald eagles? Kind of makes me think that I should be marking off some time at the same time next year and join up with you guys, the last three years in a row Winni has kicked our butts. Great jobs guys.

  47. WOW!! Looks like you guys had a blast. I tried to make it work into my schedule this year…did not succeed. Next year I am making the trip for sure. I am going to talk eyetroller into hitting the hard water for some REAL fun!!! Looking forward to it already. Ted

  51. Next year we need to have Johnsonvilles, Dogs and chips on a big grill out there…

    Jeff, I think we had everyone starving after the smell we cooked up at lunch! That’s the only way to go ice fishing for the day, with good hot eats!

  52. Great Idea Bruce! Maybe we can invite the guy from T.V. so we can here that……”It’s a Slobasaurus!”

  53. Yes, the good ole Gillespie!! I’m afraid..he wouldn’t have any arms left after our crew got done with him. We all know how he’s grabbing everyones fish cause it’s only a ½ hr. show! Still the only one that does it every week and tells where he’s at.

    He’s taken some crap for that though. Have you noticed he’s going to larger bodies of water now? 15yrs ago he was filming on smaller bodies of water!

  54. Bruce- Next year BrianK has already volunteered to wear the white cooks hat and cook the Brats. Oh ya, he also said something about being the one to yell “SLOBASAURUS” every 10 seconds.

    John

  56. Great point Bruce- I never thought about that. I’ll cook the Brats and we will leave the “SLOBASAURUS” yelling to BK.

    John

  57. Just can’t leave you guys alone for a minute can I!

    You guys had those Johnsonvilles a smoking…I though I was pretty cool stopping by just as they were done to chat with you guys. “No…I didn’t come over for the brats”…”I want to get to know you guys”…works every time.

  58. Boy did I miss a good GTG I see!!! You guy’s caught some nice fish and quite a few I must say!!!

    I hope to make it next year

  59. Bob- Next year if it is anything like this year, you would be missing out big time. I am sure that Mr. Grow (our resident expert) can get us near the spot, oh sorry, spots, spots, spots, spots, spots, and spots from this year. You are more than welcome to come, it would be great to meet you.

    John

  60. I would be willing to bet that we can keep this thread going from now until we head back up to Tamerack next year. Be sure to talk to your DA’s (if you have them) and make sure you don’t miss out next year. My kids will be 9 and 6 next winter and I might consider bringing them as well. It might keep me away from all the Circus Music, but then again I might have to leave them home so all of you doctors can laugh you es off and get fed at my expense. Thanks again guys keep this thread going. I know I will never forget last weekend.

    John (Di Di Di Di Di Di DI DI Da Da Da, Circus Tunes)

  61. Chappy, Brian K, Andy, Bruce, Jeff, Iceman, etc…. Lets start posting the pictures of the really big fish next October to get everyone excited about showing up.

    John. (BK PM on it’s way)

  64. OH, good one. Jeff even called me at the office yesterday to tell me it was you!!! See if I tell you guy’s where to again!!!

  65. Ok, my turn. Sorry it took so long but work is crazy right now. (hence the 12:00 post). I had an awesome time with you guys and I know my son and I will never forget it. You guys really made my sons weekend. Thank you to all of you in ripping holes (Matt Grow) and giving up “hot” hole (the majority of you) for my son aka “Crappie Boy”. I’ve got a few pics showing the smiles gotten over the weekend.
    Iceman

  69. I can’t keep bait on the hook!! Loves2Fish getting bait for my son not to impeed progress down the hole!

  75. Thanks for posting those pic Ice! (I thought we lost you there… )

    It was HUGE in my eyes to see your son get on those fish. Heck….it’s still making me smile! I’m thinking he’s going to be talking about that trip for a long while!

  76. As you can see…….I was knocking the crap out of them! I’m sitting with all the special people in my life!!

  77. Quote:

    As you can see…….I was knocking the crap out of them! I’m sitting with all the special people in my life!!

    Chap, I don’t even see a beer next to you,….???

  78. Hey guys. I am wondering if you all could send pics from this weekend to my email. I make movies from my fishing trips and I know I didn’t get all the pics I wanted for it. Thanks, Iceman
    [email protected]

  79. I was too busy trying to keep the bucket from crushing under the extreame weight!
    After Easter I’m hitting a diet and will be losing 30 pounds by the end of Summer!

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