OK, I do feel barometer has a SLIGHT effect on fishing. The effect, in my mind is merely a reaction to changing weather systems. Falling barometer seems to instigate some feeding as weather systems move in. I have followed this for many years and to me, it seems as if this effect is limited to the very few minutes preceding a large storm.

Other than than that I would not put much thought into this effect. Falling barometers generally precede big weather systems with thunder, lightning and high winds. You need to get off the water before that happens.

That being said, there are MANY websites that you could follow. Unfortunately, they are just looking for advertising impressions and nothing more.

Good luck,
Frank

111,000 acres. Easy to be blown off when the wind comes up!

Most people go there to fish walleye. Nevertheless, the lake has huge pike, big smallmouth and giant muskie.

The thing is, it is very easy to get blown off the lake. When I went up there I was prepared to drive around the lake to find the most sheltered side if it was windy.

I never caught a musky there and I tried a few times.

It has been a few years since I was there, but I will show you the best places I know on the Navionics chart viewer.

For smallmouth I fished the SE corner along the reefs and buoys on the east side of the lake.

Here is the map reference: https://webapp.navionics.com/#boating@10&key=oauxGpsjyP

For pike, I fished the edges of the weeds in Vineland Bay and all around the rocks and weeds near and just out of Cove Bay (south edge of the lake). Wahkon Bay (next to Cove Bay) may also be good.

Here is the map reference for Cove and Wahkon Bays: https://webapp.navionics.com/#boating@10&key=mjqxG~m%60zP

Here is the reference for Vineland Bay (on the SW corner): https://webapp.navionics.com/#boating@10&key=gpuxGfytzP

You can use the + and - buttons to zoom in and out (and also see the entire lake.

There are many rocks in these areas. Be careful.

Note special regs on walleyes are STRICTLY enforced and they can change. They probably do not allow any night fishing as well.

Those were my best areas. Please report back on your success.

Frank

I have a NOCO charger in my boat. It has lasted longer than any other charger I have owned.

As to the jump starter I would like to note that many motors today cannot be started with an emergency cord unless there is enough power in the batteries to activate the fuel pump. This is explicitly noted in my Yamaha manual. If this is the case for your motor, you DEFINITELY need something like this jump starter. I have one in my boat.

Check out your motor manual to see if this is the case for your motor.

The ice will probably be out by then. There will be warmer weather next week, so that may help.

Right now, the lakes still have plenty of ice on them in the northern half of the state.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ice_out/index.html

I have been on many fly outs and had spectacular fishing. We could help you a whole lot more if you would give more of your requirements...such as:

1. How far are you willing to travel to get to the seaplane base?
2. What king of fish do you want to catch? This is important because, for example, if you want big muskies or numerous mid to large walleyes, your best bets are probably not fly outs. If you want trophy lake trout the best bets would be a flyout to the northern provinces.
3. What is your budget? You can find flyout from $1500/person to 7-8,000 person.
4. How many people are you travelling with (some outfitters require a minimum of four for some of their accommodations).
5. Do you want housekeeping or American plan (this can make a big difference in price).

Technically, you do not need a passport to travel to Canada if you are a U.S. citizen. Having one will make your trip a LOT easier. U.S. customs says you need one, but by law they have to admit U.S. citizens. So they will let you back in, but it could take a while for them to determine if you are truly a U.S. citizen (I know someone who was held up for over eight hours, which would be quite unusual, but could happen). If I were to travel without passports, I would have a birth certificate for each traveler and a legal photo ID. Enhanced Driver's Licenses (just a handful of states issue these) work the same as a passport at the U.S. - Canadian border. Real ID driver's licenses are NOT the same as Enhanced Driver's Licenses. If you want to get a passport before your trip, note that the lead times are VERY long even for expedited passports. I have a NEXUS card (a special border card for between the U.S. and Canada) and it took six months for my renewal to be completed.

If you are planning a trip this summer, you may have a little trouble booking at the best places because they are usually filled by now.

Good luck,
Frank

Haven't called the number you gave me. I will do that tomorrow.

I have found that muskies, even very big ones are much more likely to take small baits. The bait you made is a perfect muskie bait.

My experience is that large baits are great for VERY aggressive fish, but most of the time these fish are just looking. Your small bait was the perfect enticement.

A fisheries biologist in Minnesota once told me 90% of the stomach contents of muskies are less than 2 inches in length.

Fred, technically you are right, rock bass and black bass have different geni (plural of genus) but both are of family Centrarchidae so I was incorrect to use the family as a difference. Rock bass are genus Ambloplites and black bass are genus Micropterus. So they are in the same family but separate geni. I don't know how the original poster defines bass. If rock bass is included, then all sunfish should be included as well.

So for everyone naming rock bass that is not correct as a rock bass is NOT a member of the bass family. It is not a bass. It is a member of the sunfish family.

https://www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Species/Fish/Rock-Bass

As someone new to CT I am struggling with the complex and very unclear CT regulations. So I have a few questions:
1. I see wording like this in a lot of places in the regulations:

"In summary, fishing for Broodstock Salmon restricted to single fly or lure with a single free-swinging hook only. No additional weight may be added to the line."

Does this mean I cannot use a slip bobber because I need to attach a weight to the line? Can I use a jig (weighted)?

2. Length is measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. In Minnesota we were required to compress the tail lobe as it made the fish longer. Are we required to compress the tail lobe when measuring the length?

I have been ALL over the regs looking for clarification. Does anyone know a contact within DEEP that I can call? I have not found one yet.

Thanks for your help!

Frank

For the heck of it, I went to their site and looked for xxls in their sizing charts. It is not on the sizing charts they provide that I could find.

$2900 for a beat up Ambassadeur Reel

I just checked and this reel is still available with the same number of watchers. I am guessing people are watching just to see if the reel actually gets sold. It has been more than a month since my original post.

What I don't understand, is that other than the Great Lakes, I can only find rivers on this map. Is there a reason for this. Surely some lakes must be contaminated as well.

Frank