Still Frozen???????

[Frank Walsh]

View from the Bay Store Satellite today. Looks cold.

[musky1969]

So is that open water in whitefish, and also the ice looks different in the Sunset channel. Also looks like there are some other lakes in the area with open water. What is your opinion.
Darren

[Frank Walsh]

I sure could not answer that with any authority. It definitely looks different. Same with Shoal Lake. Might guess either partially open water, or later developed ice without as much snow cover. You can definitely notice the much shallower water a more opaque white.

I got an email from a friend in Kenora yesterday. Still open in front of his place near Bigstone Bay, and heard Clearwater Bay was still open last week. Don't know about this week.

So, possibly could be open. How's that for a political answer???

[Muskie Nut]

Hey Frank where the heck is the dotted line that divides US and Canada??? I've seen that on every map I own. :D:D

[Frank Walsh]

It's on the original, but this is really zoomed in. Click on the original link and you should be able to see them. Just be sure your at 250m, and the border box is checked.


http://www.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/index.php?satellite=a1&product=true_color&date=2008_12_06_341&overlay_sector=false&overlay_state=true&overlay_coastline=true&sector=USA3&resolution=250m

[Frank Walsh]

Lines are there, but very faint. You almost have to know where the are to see them.

[Frank Walsh]

I just heard from Al. Bigstone was still open last night, but froze over this morning.

[musky1969]

Just think if you had a hover craft how much longer you would be able to fish, I herd those things troll great and you dont have to worry about hitting anything.

[Frank Walsh]

Not impressed with them on ice. My only firsthand experience was on late ice, and the ice shards were deadly on the skirts. Shredded them. Might not be as bad on early ice as it would break into plates.

How about a put a sucker on a quickstrike from a tip up, and fish you know where. Might be interesting trying to drive the hooks home.

Guess I need to do more with my time.

[fishwizard]

I had nine follows today on a little river half a cast wide. Two fish hit, but failed to stay hooked. Granted the biggest fish I saw was 41", but at least they were muskies. One of the missed opportunities was definitely my fault, because I looked down at the depth finder then looked up to see a muskie sitting there with my squirrelly DD in its jaws. I immediately set the hook and ripped the bait out of its mouth. I had paused the bait and it was just sitting there when it had come up and ate it, I didn't feel the fish until I ripped the bait away from it. I've got finals on Wednesday and then 5 weeks between semesters to put a hurt on these southern muskies.

[Doug Johnson]

The big lake out of Warroad was wide open the day after Thanksgiving when we had a good west wind for a day. It had been frozen over for a week as far as I could see but opened fast with the wind. It's now refrozen, and a few spear houses are showing up off the mouth of the Warroad River. It's normal for Whitefish Bay to be open much later than the rest of the lake. It's 216 ft deep and it takes a long time to cool the water down, same with Clearwater Bay. It's not uncommon to go to Whitefish and find 15" of ice when there's 30" on the big lake.

Ryan, I'll be down in Mid-February, don 't catch them all.

Doug Johnson

[fishwizard]

Doug,
Not to worry, I've been spending most of time on the Collins River, and not Melton. It's a lot closer to me, and easier to fish by yourself. Also note that I said I saw 9 muskies and caught 0. I imagine that by February things will have changed quite a bit, especially when the steam plant gets up and running.

I'd still like to be able to come up and take the journey to Whitefish for some lakers. That was a trip I'll remember for many years to come. Just when I get the Ski-Doo up and running, I move to the south. Go figure. Any one want to buy an 1998 MXZ 500?

[musky1969]

Ryan,
Carol is from Cooksville and she ask's is there any muskie's in Tenn. because she knows I can not be far away from the ski's, I want to move the hell out of Ill. and go to Minn. and she said she want's to move back to Tenn. (it is very beatiful down there )and I tell her no musky's down that far south He,He,He;). I told her you can't fish them in the summer because of the heat, and when we are that far south it cost that much more to go north on weekends. So far she bought it so maybe we will head down that way this Feb. let me know if you want to get out.
Darren

[fishwizard]

Yes, there are definitely muskies down here and it is a very beautiful state. I have to agree with you on it being costly to go to Frank's from down here, as it is about a 22+ hours to drive. Hopefully gas prices will stay down for a while, but I'm not going to hold my breath. The muskie fisheries are still being developed, but as I'm sure Doug will tell you the future of TN muskie fishing looks pretty bright. Not very much summertime muskie fishing with the water temps, but guys do catch them in some of the cool running rivers. Not to mention that the big 40-50 lb stripers are catchable all year long. The ideal scenario would be to spend the summers on LOTW and the winters down here, which is pretty close to what Doug gets to do. Unfortunately it will be a while before I can retire into that lifestyle. Of course some people think that I live like that now.

[Doug Johnson]

Darren:

Yes, there are muskies in Tennessee and quite a few of them. The're also getting bigger and bigger rather rapidly. We spend two months down there every winter and it's a great place. If you want to know more about what's going on down there send me an e-mail at dougj@wiktel.com.

Doug Johnson

[Doug Johnson]

Darren:

Here's some more information on Melton Hill muskies. Some pretty interesting stuff in the videos. Click on the muskie broodstock and electrofishing videos. The bottom video is one we did last year. This is real interesting to do.

Doug Johnson

Here's the link.

http://www.tnfish.org/MuskyMeltonHillLakeTennessee_TWRA/TennesseeMuskyMeltonHillLake_TWRA.htm

[musky1969]

Doug,
Thanks for the link that was great to watch how that is done, I just think those Tenn. boys need a bigger net:rolleyes:. I'll get a hold of you when we can get away maybe March. This is great !!!surprise Carol and say lets go visit some of your friends in Tenn. and she will be wondering why we are taking the boat. Whooo who:D
Darren