Working on my boat in a friend’s shop in the Northfield area on Saturday. Thinking of trying Sheilds or Mazaska in the evening.
How’s the ice? We’re experienced ice venturers and comfortable if there’s 4 inches of GOOD ice.
Gem-eye-guy,
If 4 inches makes you comfortable….you’ll be able to get out on Shields or Mazaska. I was out there 2 weeks ago on 3-4 inches….I haven’t been on those lakes in the last week, but I think there may be 6 inches in some areas now leading out to the main lake areas. You’ll see ATV’s running all over out there. With the snow today it should make walking easier or maybe a snowmobile a possibility. As for the bite….either Shields or Mazaska seem to be about the same for panfish bite from what I seen and heard. Walleyes….Shields is loaded with 8 to 10 inchers….although I did get a few keepable ‘eyes out there early and there are some dandy ‘eyes in there….there just super difficult to pattern. The Jan. MN Sportsman just listed Shields as a walleye go to lake….not for numbers….but for quality. Seems to be backwards to me….lots of small ‘eyes and not as many respectable ‘eyes in my opinion.
Good Luck!
I talked to the area fishries guy at the DNR last year and he told me that some commercial netting for carp,was done on Shields a couple of years ago and that these guys released over 500,5# and bigger walleyes that they had also netted with the carp.He went on to say that for some reason,big walleyes,will sometimes run with a school of carp,possilbly foraging on different critters the carp stir up when they are rooting around on the bottom.It’s a phenomenon they are studying.I have observed this behavior myself while ice-fishing a particular body of water.Just a random rambling while working on saturday when I should be fishing.Mike
TGIF
Thanks for the info. We went to Mazaska from 4pm to 8pm. I guess we shoulda showed up a little sooner as the crappies bit best before 5pm. There was still action after 5, but they bit alot lighter after it got dark. Anyhow caught about half keepers and half too small. All in all it was a fun evening.
There was 7.5 inches of SOLID ice.
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