Early season fishing

  • outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    #1319029

    With the ice melting and spring on it’s way too many people hang up their rods and wait for Opener. But why there are so many more species to chase that can keep your reaction time good for that first outing after walleyes or whatever you chase. Once the ice is off the streams and rivers the redhorse move in ready to spawn and are a bast to catch. There are days where a group of 4 can catch hundreds of pounds of fish with some of the top fish close to 9 pounds! Catch and release is my game so these Non Traditional Game Fish are my target!

    To ramp up for this I am getting together some people together to make sinkers to prepare for my favorite time of the year. I have nearly 20 styles of sinker and jig molds and hundreds of pounds of lead to melt. If anyone is interested just pm me for more details.

    I live in Stillwater MN and it will be on March 22nd around noon making time to hit the river afterwards and catch some of those NT gamefish!

    Aaron

    tom_gursky
    Michigan's Upper Peninsula(Iron Mountain)
    Posts: 4751
    #755904

    Very Kewl!
    Hmmmmm I could get a Walleye on one shoulder and a Smallie on the other…
    Around here the Reds and White Suckers come in the rivers from Lake Michigan by the thousands and will agressively hit a red/silver or red/white small streamer on a flyrod…a blast!

    Bob Gordon
    Washington,IL
    Posts: 606
    #755934

    Don’t know if I would be putting a sucker on my body !

    Jackofallspecies
    Andover, MN
    Posts: 43
    #755968

    Way to go Aaron, what a speciman (referring to the fish). Wear it proud! I can’t wait for those shortheads to start running.

    outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    #755992

    Got some shortheads today and silvers and goldens too!

    castandblast
    Eau Claire, WI
    Posts: 269
    #756016

    You are one hardcore roughfisher. I wish my wife would let me get a Tat like that. I think I would do a paddlefish on one shoulder and a Smallmouth Buffalo on the other.

    outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    #756044

    Quote:


    I wish my wife would let me get a Tat like that. I think I would do a paddlefish on one shoulder and a Smallmouth Buffalo on the other.


    You know my wife didn’t let me……she went to France so I went to the tattoo parlor! Fair trade and mine was cheaper.

    I think a fat paddlefish would be cool!

    Jackofallspecies
    Andover, MN
    Posts: 43
    #756091

    You guys are out of my league, my framed redhorse, sturgeon, and gar photos are as far as I am going to push it. Nice work on those latest fish, any rivers in the mix?

    life1978
    Eau Claire , WI
    Posts: 2790
    #756112

    Got all the rods and reels cleaned and lubed. So I’m good to go.

    outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    #756122

    Quote:


    You guys are out of my league, my framed redhorse, sturgeon, and gar photos are as far as I am going to push it. Nice work on those latest fish, any rivers in the mix?


    Nope no rivers. I rarely catch rives south of Stillwater. The prefer the areas that are more cozy!

    Did get a few pesky walleyes stealing bait from the redhorse though sorry no pics of those bottom feeders. We also got some nice bass smallies and large.

    dfresh
    Fridley, MN
    Posts: 3053
    #756149

    What technique were you using to catch them?

    Man, I am all wound up to fish now!

    outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    #756171

    Simple bottom rig and a crawler. The key this early is location. Very few places they are holding right now and feeding. If you want more info feel free to pm me.

    redneck
    Rosemount
    Posts: 2627
    #756301

    Ok you have my attention now. Where did you find crawlers this time of year? I was just wondering the other day how long it would be before I could find some. I fish for the other rough fish—-walleye

    Ralph Wiggum
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 11702
    #756303

    Quote:


    Ok you have my attention now. Where did you find crawlers this time of year? I was just wondering the other day how long it would be before I could find some. I fish for the other rough fish—-walleye


    I can’t be sure, but Walmart almost always has crawlers.

    castandblast
    Eau Claire, WI
    Posts: 269
    #756314

    I would seriously pay $10/dozen for Canadian Crawlers over here. I would just love to soak a fat Canadian Crawler on the Mekong. I have to use these puny worms that exist over here.

    gotcatfish
    Prior Lake,MN
    Posts: 550
    #756331

    Redneck- Bob up at Moore’s has crawlers right now!!!

    redneck
    Rosemount
    Posts: 2627
    #756333

    Very good, thank you sir.

    gotcatfish
    Prior Lake,MN
    Posts: 550
    #756336

    Thanks to Outdoors4life I now have to go up and see Bob

    outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    #756526

    I wish I lived close to Bob! You have to give our local baitshops the business! I hate to admit it but I get my crawlers from wally world in Stillwater.

    Redneck you can take them pesky things. It is always good to catch a mixed bag but I dislike seeing people target species out of season. I am not referring to guys fishing walleyes but there are some guys targeting Muskies.

    Anybody wants to catch em talk to me I love all those strange fish!

    outdoors4life
    Stillwater, MN
    Posts: 1500
    #756536

    Here are some of my fav pics from this past weekend!

    The Musky was the guy fishing next to me that I stopped fishing to watch him get this fish. He had 6 pound test going for white bass. This Ski jumped and fought like crazy and was entertainment for us all.



    eye_hunter
    Posts: 517
    #757328

    hey did you guys catch those carps at the powerplant too. how many fish did you guys catch at the powerplant that day. is it getting good yet.

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