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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,556
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,556 |
I fish perch, gills and crappie commercially for something to do in retirement. We can sell our panfish here on Lake Champlain and I go out most days open water and hard water seasons.
living the good life every day
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,433 Likes: 20
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,433 Likes: 20 |
My kid does ok on walleyes. Nice one
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,279
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,279 |
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 11,090 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 11,090 Likes: 2 |
"There's more to optics than meets the eye."--anon
"...most of us would be better off losing half a pound around the waist than half a pound on our rifle."--dhg
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,248 Likes: 20
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,248 Likes: 20 |
Long armed or not those are some dandy walleye. I usually don’t keep big ones of any species. I make exceptions for walleye and crappie.
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,382
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4,382 |
Do you know what the forage base is in Fort Peck Reservoir? Those are some of the fattest walleyes that I've ever seen. Smaller heads on them too which means that they are relatively younger fish. I've got a 30 and 32" on the wall from Canada, but while they have huge heads aged by our DNR at 18 plus years old, they look anemic compared to those Fort Peck fish.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 11,426 Likes: 3
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 11,426 Likes: 3 |
I've only gone twice, was working in Northern Utah last year. There are worse places to be fishing at. Mostly perch we caught, but some rainbows and bluegill. Fun experience. Would love to catch a big walleye or pike. Guy that took us lost a rod and reel to a muskie on a different lake a few weeks later.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,279
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,279 |
I think the main forage base in Fort Peck is Ciscoes planted in the 80's as a forage food for the Walleyes and the Lake Trout. Their main food is fish----probably what ever there is available. This group of guys usually catch a few up 14 lbs when they go. They also catch a lot of other species on each trip. This winter they just about didn't go due to the unseasonably warm weather. He said they had 9" of ice . I think that biggest, fattest Walleye was 31 1/2" .
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 752
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 752 |
Those are some really thick fish. Those walleyes are all over 10 pounds. Great catch!
Dean
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,419
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,419 |
that all looks like a great way to spend a cold winter afternoon. i envy you guys up north that get to do that on a regular basis.
Help keep our sport going. take a kid outdoors!
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,211 Likes: 15
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,211 Likes: 15 |
Not for the next 2 weeks !
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,433 Likes: 20
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,433 Likes: 20 |
Not for the next 2 weeks ! Just like the 70's. damn
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 19,509
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 19,509 |
I've done OK this winter, but struggled with the walleye. A group of us went cisco fishing this morning and I finally scored a Walter. It's the 4th walleye to be caught in this 80 foot-plus deep hole. Most guys, including us, don't think to look for them this deep around here, preferring to fish the 30-50 foot areas and structure/drop-offs. We got into some cisco as planned, landing around 50 between all, which was a bit slower than expected, but still fun. Here's yours truly with a decent walleye and a Master Angler cisco.
4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,248 Likes: 20
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,248 Likes: 20 |
What do you do with those Cisco? They look a lot like our shad, which are an oily mushy fish we only use for bait.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 19,509
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 19,509 |
They're a relative of whitefish, so aside from being a little boney, they're decent eating even though some consider them not fit for food. I like them, but prefer perch, walleye and pike for the table.
The funnest part is that cisco are aggressive and they school, so the action is often fast and frequent. They also fight hard. The 18"-ish cisco fought noticeably harder than the 21"+ walleye did.
4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,384 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,384 Likes: 1 |
This is what we like to catch here in Idaho
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,211 Likes: 15
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,211 Likes: 15 |
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
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Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 298
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 298 |
Thanks for all the ice fishing photos, brings back great memories. Grew up in central MN and used to go out with my grand father and catch crappies all winter long in the late 60s. Now when I get back I get out with my 80yr dad and we have mixed luck, but still a great time. Headed back in late March for some pan fish. I'm also still looking for my walleye of a lifetime. When I get it I will post it up lol.
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,211 Likes: 15
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42,211 Likes: 15 |
Paul.
"Kids who grow up hunting, fishing & trapping, do not mug little old Ladies"
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,433 Likes: 20
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 24,433 Likes: 20 |
Nice pics. Ice fishing here only on the smaller lakes I picked up the same auger a month ago. Nice and light. Ive only used on ice up to 6 inches. How is on the foot plus ice?
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