Sugar Lake advice needed

I have a rule-never fish a lake the 1st time through the ice, so much easier to learn a lake in a boat. I always break that rule though and I think I will this weekend on Sugar. Would like to get a mixed bag of pike to pickle and catch other stuff for fun.
Couple of bass, pike and crappies and that would be a good day for me. Not sure of what part of the lake or depths or anything. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Which one?

Wright Co. Mn. by Clearwater.

Thought Sugar might be a sleeper, this post is really asleep-HELLO-if you went once and the trees looked pretty tell me!
Thanks

We used to live 2 miles North of the County Road 7 access which by the way has a creek right next to it. Be careful if you use it as it was opened up into the bay near shore right next to the access last week. Even when we lived that close we never really fished it. I’m not saying that it’s not a decent lake at times. It’s just not on my list of good pike lakes after living out here for the last 30 years. We just have way better lakes in my opinion in the area for pike and panfish.

Thanks c w

I’m going against my better judgement here by letting the cat out of the bag. I live not too far from sugar, and for what it lacks in numbers of fish it usually makes up for it in size of the fish for both crappies and northerns. CW is rite though if your looking for hammer handles and a bit of excercise chasing flags all day I can think of a dozen other lakes. If you want a 30″er that’s where I’d go. Crappies too. Nice ones in there, but hard to find until late ice when they move super shallow. There’s special regs on sugar so you might want to check them out. Good luck if you get into them, remember me please!

I guess when I’m looking for a batch of pickling I’d prefer not to have to throw back anything over 2 1/2 pounds. Do you have a really good recipe you’d like to share for pickling those 30″ pike your catching and putting back because of the protected 24-36″ slot?

I also don’t think the crappie regulations have improved anything there either. Like I said it’s a good lake at times. Early February isn’t that time in my opinion.

CW

Easy there gunpowder. LOL. I didn’t mean to ruffle your feathers.

CW, drifter addressed both your concerns in his post, special regs and late ice is best.

Have no experience with Sugar, but to address your learning new lakes the lakefinder is your friend. Have been to several lakes from Annandale, to buffalo, over to Cokato, maple lake etc area and have struck out a few times, but have actually added lakes to my get to in a boat list. Many of those lakes are very fertile from creeks running through them and build super year classes of fish. One in particular my buddy got over 30 eyes each boat trip out, that’s nuts, and that ain’t no fish tale from a 500ish acre lake. Just put in your work to find them and you’ll eventually be rewarded. Tuesday found some really nice perch on one off hwy 55 a bit. Hand over fist, no jumbos but all were at least 7-8″, big in my metro book.

Please send way points. The UPL is having a tournament out there the beginning of March HAHA!

Still attempting to find that crappie honey hole. Closest we got was a 30acre pond that put out half dozen 12″ with 2-13″s. Daughter caught one of the 13″s.

Only beef I have with that area in smaller lakes is when I do keep some fish to eat, quite a few of em have worms in their stomachs. Blah.

if headed to sugar I would swing into little jims to get bait and see what direction they point you in.

nhamm wrote:

CW, drifter addressed both your concerns in his post, special regs and late ice is best.

I thought that the original question was if it was good for picklers and crappies this weekend but I could be wrong……

Well ok I’m also looking for some bass on tip ups=#s on Sugar seem very good, Pm me some general locations or tell me about that small crappie lake, worms don’t bother me!
Thanks

If muskies are a fish of 10000 casts, then big crappies are a fish of a 1000 ice holes for me. One doesn’t give away those spots, they earn them

Since the word is out on basins this year due to social media or whatever Intel, almost every lake I’ve pulled up to has been Swiss cheesed exactly where they “should” be. Don’t even bother plugging holes there unless they are really old holes. Tend to find fish hanging on some sneaky edge away from all the main basin areas

Does not hurt to ask! I love scouting new water but right now I just do not have the time. Some guys can fish 4 or 5 times a week I can’t do that in a month. Not complaining-some can’t fish 5 times a year or at all. I give tips I get tips. Also I usually throw back crappies over 11”-Thanks everyone for all the help, still not sure wher I will go Sunday.