Super User FryDog62 Posted October 24, 2020 Super User Posted October 24, 2020 In Minnesota it seems that the winters in the past 7-10 seasons has gotten about a month longer... either earlier in the Fall or later in the Spring (or both). It did again this year with December-like conditions in October (highs in the 30's, low's in the teens/20's and 8 inches of snow recently). Hard part is that if you're shut down now - its 7 months until the open water bass season starts again! We have a closed spring season due to protecting the sacred walleye and its illegal to fish for bass too until May. Its hard when you're passionate about an activity you can do for less than half the year... and ice fishing, or shivering in your boat on the Mississippi in below freezing temps in the winter just doesn't do it for me... 3 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted October 24, 2020 Super User Posted October 24, 2020 6 minutes ago, FryDog62 said: Its hard when you're passionate about an activity you can do for less than half the year... and ice fishing, or shivering in your boat on the Mississippi in below freezing temps in the winter just doesn't do it for me... Ya, I've already pulled the battery and TM from the canoe for the year. Now I wait for open water in the spring...even panfish in April is better than no fishing at all. No, I don't ice-fish. 2 Quote
TriStateBassin106 Posted October 24, 2020 Posted October 24, 2020 2 hours ago, FryDog62 said: In Minnesota it seems that the winters in the past 7-10 seasons has gotten about a month longer... either earlier in the Fall or later in the Spring (or both). It did again this year with December-like conditions in October (highs in the 30's, low's in the teens/20's and 8 inches of snow recently). Hard part is that if you're shut down now - its 7 months until the open water bass season starts again! We have a closed spring season due to protecting the sacred walleye and its illegal to fish for bass too until May. Its hard when you're passionate about an activity you can do for less than half the year... and ice fishing, or shivering in your boat on the Mississippi in below freezing temps in the winter just doesn't do it for me... Florida is the promise land for bass fishing. They have warm temps all year and it ticks me off lol. 2 Quote
joshuaray83 Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 We just got snow last night, but it's gonna be in the 50s by Friday (almost a high of 60 on Saturday), so I'll be trying to get out this weekend. Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted October 26, 2020 Super User Posted October 26, 2020 Despite the locally disastrous weather, I've delayed putting my rig up for the year hoping to get one or two more trips in before the hard water sets in. Waiting until November here is really hit and mostly miss as there's usually some snow on the road by then. I do not tow in snow. Forecast is actually looking somewhat fisherman friendly next week. Still may try to sneak out this Wednesday for a afternoon trip out onto Lake Menderchuck west. Ended my season on a high note last year there so we'll see what happens. Either way, there'll be some wind and the 25 inch transom of the Pro-V Bass will get a workout. A-Jay Quote
joshuaray83 Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 1 minute ago, A-Jay said: Either way, there'll be some wind and the 25 inch transom of the Pro-V Bass will get a workout. As a non-boater, you're speaking another language here... 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted October 26, 2020 Super User Posted October 26, 2020 On 10/26/2020 at 11:27 AM, joshuaray83 said: As a non-boater, you're speaking another language here... OK, please allow me to clarify . . . . . When out in sloppy water with waves and wind, often times water can & will wash over the front and or back of the boat. Not the best case scenario. The transom height measurement helps indicate how high up the deck is from the water. In this case, the higher the better or I guess I should say, the drier my day will be. 25 inches is a little taller than the industry standard. A-Jay 2 Quote
joshuaray83 Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 2 minutes ago, A-Jay said: OK, please allow me to clarify . . . . . When out in sloppy water with waves and wind, often times water can & will wash over the front and or back of the boat. Not the best case scenario. The transom height measurement helps indicate how high up the deck is from the water. In this case, the higher the better or I guess I should sat, the drier my day will be. 25 inches is a little taller than the industry standard. A-Jay Deck height from the water. Got it. So, on windy days, you're planning on getting wet. Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted October 26, 2020 Super User Posted October 26, 2020 3 minutes ago, joshuaray83 said: Deck height from the water. Got it. So, on windy days, you're planning on getting wet. The possibility exists. However, I purchased this rig specifically for the bigger waters I fish and with big water comes waves. Part of the deal. Having a boat capable of safely navigating it, can increase my days on the water. A-Jay 1 Quote
throttleplate Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 53 minutes ago, A-Jay said: OK, please allow me to clarify . . . . . When out in sloppy water with waves and wind, often times water can & will wash over the front and or back of the boat. Not the best case scenario. The transom height measurement helps indicate how high up the deck is from the water. In this case, the higher the better or I guess I should sat, the drier my day will be. 25 inches is a little taller than the industry standard. A-Jay i need this for my waders, wind and water skiers can swamp me 2 Quote
Squarebill79 Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 Im in Iowa and Thanksgiving is my last stand. Ive had really good days in November depending on the weather so I usually stay for the end of the fall bite. I usually take December off, then get my ice fishing gear ready for after New Years. 1 Quote
joshuaray83 Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 1 hour ago, Squarebill79 said: Im in Iowa and Thanksgiving is my last stand. Ive had really good days in November depending on the weather so I usually stay for the end of the fall bite. I usually take December off, then get my ice fishing gear ready for after New Years. Have you been able to ice fish the last few years? I feel like the last two years, we never got solid lake ice around here in west-Iowa. Quote
throttleplate Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 1 hour ago, Squarebill79 said: Im in Iowa and Thanksgiving is my last stand. Ive had really good days in November depending on the weather so I usually stay for the end of the fall bite. I usually take December off, then get my ice fishing gear ready for after New Years. gonna hit 35 on wed and 9 mph wind so maybe i can get out to the lake for some deep hole shore fishing leaving the waders at home. Since we moved back to the usa from the philippines i dont have any ice fishing gear except an old 2 stroke auger and i spent over $1000.00 on lures, rods,reels this summer so i am not going to invest in new gear for the ice. One lake i fish has a deep culvert running under the road to the other side which is another deep hole to fish and i was told by local fsherman that that culvert area stays open all year so i will check it out and go on warmer days and toss something in and see what happens. Quote
Super User scaleface Posted October 28, 2020 Super User Posted October 28, 2020 I might have 1 trip left . I know a good deep water spot for cold weather bass . Maybe I can entice some with a worm ,red eye shad or a blade bait . This area is a puzzle to me . There is a good point that comes out to about 14 foot , then it drops abruptly to a 20 to 25 foot slightly sloping flat bottom all the way around . When the bass are deeper than 14 foot they gang up on one area of that flat a good cast away from the tip of the point .Its predictable and I dont know why that spot attracts the bass . The important thing is I know where it is . 3 Quote
Dens228 Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 I keep fishing until ice covers the water so I can't put my kayak in. Quote
MidwestBassAttack Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 I fish until the lakes are fully iced over...or my 6-pack of Paulaner freezes between casts. Either way, time to pack it up and head indoors for some rod and reel cleaning and some guitar time. Quote
Super User Darth-Baiter Posted October 28, 2020 Super User Posted October 28, 2020 i live and fish..maybe should say, FISH and live in California. i am also a total newbie. especially to kayak fishing. i dont plan to shut it down this winter. i got some Clearlake Intel, and was told Nov/Dec kicksbutt - with the correct bait. what i am gonna do, i am going to buy some immersion clothing should i take an unplanned dip into the cold water. i'll buy a Farmer John wetsuit and wear it in the freshwater like a total rookie. whatever, i dont like killing myself. i know how to climb back onboard my kayak. i've practiced enough. Quote
Super User soflabasser Posted October 28, 2020 Super User Posted October 28, 2020 Why do many Northerners stop fishing for the Winter when many rivers still have flowing water? I understand some might not like ice fishing in lakes but I would fish a river with open water even if it is snowing. From my experience it is easier to dress for warmth than it is for fishing in +96 degree temperatures with +85% humidity and little to no wind. Now that is that type of weather you will truly have to love fishing to fish in! Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted October 28, 2020 Super User Posted October 28, 2020 Just now, soflabasser said: Why do many northerners stop fishing for the Winter when many rivers still have flowing water? 1) Distance and time - the closest river to me is the Crow River, and that freezes up and even so, the shore fishing spots are few and far between...I don't canoe on a river. Even most of the Mississippi here freezes over at least around the shorelines and the shore-fishing spots there are an hour or so away from me. Given that I have at most 4 hours, traveling there would leave me 2 hours max to fish...and the shore spots are 'spotty' for catching anything in winter if you can find open water to cast to. 2) Weather - we have periods where the high for the day is single digits...sometimes below 0of. Trying to work a reel, much less change lures, in that temp is beyond annoying...especially at my age where the fingers don't work up to snuff to begin with. 1 Quote
joshuaray83 Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 17 minutes ago, soflabasser said: From my experience it is easier to dress for warmth than it is for fishing in +96 degree temperatures with +85% humidity and little to no wind. Now that is that type of weather you will truly have to love fishing to fish in! I'm with you there for sure. You can only take off so much clothing... Layers in the winter make a big difference. I might have to start looking for some local streams to fish around here. Quote
throttleplate Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 11 minutes ago, soflabasser said: Why do many Northerners stop fishing for the Winter when many rivers still have flowing water? I understand some might not like ice fishing in lakes but I would fish a river with open water even if it is snowing. From my experience it is easier to dress for warmth than it is for fishing in +96 degree temperatures with +85% humidity and little to no wind. Now that is that type of weather you will truly have to love fishing to fish in! best to come to minnesota for a week this winter and experience it in real time, meaning come and fish around the dams where the open water is but pick a week where the weather is hoovering around 0-25 above and that will show what we put up with in winter. Dry air, wind chill, freezing fingers even with heat packs, toes get cold in the warmest of boots due to standing in ice and snow. Wearing a facemask to stop from getting frosted eyelashes,frosted mustache helps but the wind always finds a way in and then the masks starts to freeze up around mouth nose area from your breath and eyelashes start to stick shut. I was fishing the red river last week in 32 degree F sunny with a wind chill that brought the temp down to 25 and my rod eyelets all froze and the line on reel also frosted over. 5 Quote
joshuaray83 Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 1 minute ago, throttleplate said: best to come to minnesota for a week this winter and experience it in real time, meaning come and fish around the dams where the open water is but pick a week where the weather is hoovering around 0-25 above and that will show what we put up with in winter. Dry air, wind chill, freezing fingers even with heat packs, toes get cold in the warmest of boots due to standing in ice and snow. Wearing a facemask to stop from getting frosted eyelashes,frosted mustache helps but the wind always finds a way in and then the masks starts to freeze up around mouth nose area from your breath and eyelashes start to stick shut. I was fishing the red river last week in 32 degree F sunny with a wind chill that brought the temp down to 25 and my rod eyelets all froze and the line on reel also frosted over. Dedication. 1 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted October 28, 2020 Super User Posted October 28, 2020 Well, a little joke about small towns on the prairie: How'd you pick this place to settle? The mule died. So, even if that applies to your great grandparents, why are you still there? 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted October 28, 2020 Super User Posted October 28, 2020 1 minute ago, roadwarrior said: So, even if that applies to your great grandparents. why are you still there? Financial - can't afford to move. Quote
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