Like we mentioned last week, there are a variety of locations and presentations have varied with recent weather changes. Sunken islands, tapering points extending into deep water and even along shoreline breaks. So instead of fretting about the slow formation of ice, you could consider taking a walk in the woods this weekend. Casting small jigs tipped with plastic action tails are good for searching the cabbage and outer edges of spawning habitat. For example, a 1/8-ounce jig, tipped with a minnow and pitched toward shallow shoreline points will always produce some fish. Dragging Lindy rigs along the outside edge is working but your best bet is to sit just outside the weed line and pitch small jigs tipped with a leech or crawler using a slow retrieve. As always, our shelves are stocked with all of the newest and best tackle and we've got plenty of live bait on hand too! Slow rolling large spinnerbaits can be very effective, so are large swim baits like YUM’s Money Minnow or similar swimming artificial lures. We’d like to remind you that ice fishing on Kabetogama is a unique experience. They’re in the process of re-routing the road and it’s almost completed. Slowing down the speed was the first trick I learned from Keeler. The store shelves are stocked too, so be sure to stop by for live bait, fishing gear and for any of your last minute needs." Let the enticing action of a swimming minnow trigger strikes from the fish that came in to look at your attracting lures. "Eight weeks ago, we were wringing our hands over buying the new SnoBear. There have been a number of fish in the mid to upper 30 inch range and even a few fish over 40 inches. One way to try targeting perch that you happen across is to rig up short-snelled Lindy Rigs tipped with minnows. Working soft bottom areas during the day and then fishing edges of reefs early morning and just before dark has been productive. One good trolling strategy is to plan a route that that takes your lure between structures, but not necessarily over the tops of them. When you see fish that don’t strike the aggressive presentations, quickly offer them the more subtle ones. For me though, the secret was to find small patches of clear sand or gravel that laid between heavier patches of weeds. LinkedIn. Even with hunting customers scheduled to arrive soon, fishing traffic on Lake Kabetogama is still robust. So, after doing some head scratching, we decided to go ahead and pull our rental shelters off the lake a couple weeks ahead of the March 16th deadline. We’ve had some fun with Lindy’s Glow Streak this winter and there is other large size, flashy and noisy lures which we’ve had fun fishing with too. There are no plowed areas on the lake as of today, and there is no federal ice road yet. The staff at KAB Outdoors is knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Over the short term, it’s likely that a Lindy Rig tipped with a lively minnow would be a better choice than a jig and minnow. Jig and minnow is the mainstay presentation during the day, 1/16 and 1/8 ounce sizes will probably be best during the opener. — The shelves are stocked with everything you’ll need to convince those fish to bite; so be sure to stop in and let us help. Walleye anglers are out on the Columbia in The Dalles Pool and … 1 Lund Forum - Crossover, Tyee, Pro v ; 4 Outdoor Gear Forum - What do your better halfs wear on their feet  Using 1/16 to 1/8-ounce Lindy Live Bait Jigs tipped with ½ night crawlers, we pitch our baits out and away from the boat. Nowadays, we still hear the phrase “I got one!” but it means different things to different people. Impeding one person’s progress sometimes offers opportunity to another. Kabetogama is part of Minnesota’s northeast pike zone, an area where trophy pike still exist and can be caught by anglers who pursue them. For More Information >> Contact KAB OUTDOORS or Call 218.875.2281. We had two nice fish fries while were there and the boys each took home 4 walleyes, the legal limit for Kabetogama. We will keep you updated as the season progresses. "Looking forward to the ice fishing season doesn’t require looking quite as far forward as it did a week ago. For More Information >> Contact KAB OUTDOORS or Call 218.875.2281. Casting large plugs like the Suick is one of Kent’s favorite presentations. Anglers are reporting catching a few here and there but moving around right now is necessary to stay on the bite. They were holding along the breakline of a small reef in about 26 feet of water. Whether or not the snow will impact travel conditions on Kabetogama is uncertain. Any fear you have had in anticipation of running into a shortage of shiners can be laid to rest. Facebook Share. Thank you Ebels on the Ash River for the first-rate houseboat and service. OUTDOORS: Lake Conroe Fishing Report By Larry J. LeBlanc, Outdoors Writer Jan. 20, 2021 Updated: Jan. 20, 2021 10:16 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Migrations toward mid-lake structure peaks as the insects reach full maturity and this period will present anglers with renewed opportunity for locating good concentrations of walleye. Typical key depths during spring are 4 to 8 feet and fish are using typical early season structure. But periodically, our customers do catch perch while they’re walleye fishing. Finally, we have a last minute opening for one of our Ice Castle sleepers over February 13-15, 2020. The idea for this trip was that he-they wanted us to be situated where we could fish for 3 days but check out a different lake each day. We’ve been in touch with our bait dealers and so far they haven’t begun trapping minnows; that will begin early next week. We think it’s a good idea to stop by the store for details about up-to-date, daily trends. But we might be changing our minds about that as these larger minnows are fast becoming our favorites! Many anglers would rather sit it out at home than try to catch fish during a major bug hatch. If you’ve got the right equipment, i.e. Besides the shiners, we have excellent an excellent stock of nice fatheads and plenty of Kent’s favorite minnow, the rainbow chub. Popular during the summer peak period are mid-lake structures like rock bars and sunken islands. You just have to keep your eyes glued to your electronics and be creative, move frequently to explore fresh territory.”. Bulrushes, emerging lily pads and shallow rocks will attract fish that are in spawning mode. We have located one decent stretch of ice that’s 12 to 13 inches thick, that is the best so far. Thanks to the addition of more rental shelters, we have some fresh openings to work with, but they won't last long. The outer edges of mid-lake reefs or points leading from shore toward deep water are good starting spots. With cold overnight temperatures, some stretches of the road freeze up overnight, but daytime traffic breaks up the ice and wet areas return. This is when we get a greater number of “keeper” size fish for the creel. Snowmobile [...], Kari2020-03-03T19:48:23-06:00Fishing Report|, Kabetogama area fishing, ice conditions and snowmobile trail report. Upgrading kitchens, bathrooms and flooring should keep us busy as the ice gets thicker. You’d be amazed how many bass you can catch by rigging 6 inch sucker minnows on a 5 foot minnow snell with a #1 or #1/0 size hook. But there are early migrations of small schools of fish heading for deeper, summertime structures and during daylight hours, these fish are easier to target than are the shallow ones. If my fishing party rents a fishing shelter from KAB Outdoors, will you shuttle us back and forth to it, or do we need to provide our own transportation. Anglers are walking on some areas and using ATVs on others, and ice depths continue to vary from 2-10 inches. Deer are more active as [...], kla2019-09-20T17:33:35-05:00Fishing Report|, FISHING REPORT 8/6/2018 This can be a frustrating time of year on the walleye front, butfishing remains consistent on mid lake reefs and island points in the 22’-32’ range. By Frank Sargeant, The Huntsville Times Cold weather slows bass fishing … Key depths and structures haven’t changed a lot recently either. As you can see in the accompanying photo, there’s even a chance at crappies whenever the lure lands in the right spot. When the rod tip signals a walleye pick up, I gently remove the rod, set the hook and reel in my fish.”. We had estimated being about halfway to seeing the entire lake frozen over. We suggest experimentation and advise our guests to offer an array of lures that cover gambit from attracting, to enticing to triggering. Trim the Lindy Rig leader down to about 60 inches and tip it with ½ night crawler; right now, this presentation has produced a very reliable, some would say better bite than jigging. Yes, everyone who rents one of our Ice Castle sleepers or one of our day shelters receives transportation; if they need it. Most days our guides remain busy, fishing morning trips with customers before taking to the wooded trails in the afternoons. Lately, there have been more of them showing up in the mix of walleye, pike and smallmouth. But we’ve figured out that that downsizing our presentations have helped produce more reliable action, especially for walleyes. Breezy points, narrows between islands, feeder creeks; anyplace where small rock and current coincide. By the way, staying off the road and allowing those wet spots to freeze solid would be a great way to help speed the process. For many, gathering on the pier for “the evening run” is as important a part of the tradition as is fishing out on the lake. Recently, downsizing your lure and bait has been working well with the recent cold front. The answer is no, there isn’t a fee for using the road; that’s the good news. Looking back, the commitment to purchase it turns out to be one of the smartest decisions we’ve ever made. Small scale insect hatches are beginning to emerge around the lake. We’ll show you the gear and his favorite lures for catching pike and share some of the fine points of his presentations. Dock fishing has improved with evenings being best well past dark. A few casts into good looking shallow water structures using plastics or crankbaits can pay off. Don’t forget, you can always get your own firsthand information by booking a guide trip, there’s no better way to learn the lake than that. Follow these guidelines to maximize safety before heading out to ..."View Video to Learn More >> Ice Fishing Safety: Essential Gear and Knowledge. Spring runs of spawning spottails are in full swing and right now, we have an unlimited supply at KAB Outdoors. Life is good on Kabetogama, the weather is gorgeous, the shiners are running and the fish are active. Turbulent weather works against crappie spawning and emerging insect hatches attract perch to soft-bottom areas further out in the main lake. Fishing has been consistent for those that make it to their destination as the bite seems to be picking up some. At the store, we're getting the shelves stocked with everything you’ll need for early ice. Fishing patterns and presentations are like those we’ve reported recently. Under these conditions, the best presentation has been small, 1/16-ounce Live Bait Jigs tipped with ½ night crawlers. Overnight sleepers, guided ice fishing packages and even day rental shelters are all options that we offer. A 6 to 6-1/2 foot spinning outfit spooled with 4 to 6 pound test line is perfect. The bear season opened on September 1st and started off with a bang, pun intended! So be sure to stop in and pick up your fishing supplies and live bait. It feels good to have the season underway and we’re off to a good start. So, for the best dates, give us a ring soon and lets get together this winter. Key water depths could be anywhere from 2 to 8 feet of water, so fishing with light gear is ideal. Be sure to get in touch and inquire about rentals. Anglers without spot-lock equipped trolling motors could mimic the presentation by anchoring and vertical jigging. Stop in for a cone and a chat about where the fish are hiding and how to catch them." We’re here to help you have the most enjoyable fishing experience possible, so please do take advantage of it! " Jig and minnow by day, slip floats and live bait by night. Walleye location varies wildly right now, we have reports of good fishing in 3 feet of water and we also have reports of good fishing in water depths of 25 feet or more. We like the Lindy Glow Streak for calling fish into the area, it has a deep, loud rattle that has been doing a great job of getting walleye’s attention. "Water temperatures on Kabetogama got a jump start this week under flat and sunny conditions. Calm bays, away from current areas are fairly solid now and folks have been able to walk out on them. Preparing for the ice season, we picked up some new ice castles to add to the winter rental fleet and then got the ice fishing shacks all loaded up and ready. Those that are equipped with snow machines can use them to find fresh fishing territory if they choose. ", The shelves are stocked with everything you’ll need to convince those fish to bite; so be sure to stop in and let us help. While we wait for the first ice fishing trips to begin, it’s time to get back to work on the resort. Folks report catching a bit of everything, pike, walleye and some good smallmouth bass are all being caught using this casual approach. Smallmouth Bass, Walleye and perch are sharing the habitat and being caught at random intervals. Folks who have snow machines and prefer to strike out on their own are welcome to do so. When rigging, use a short, 36 inch leader and a #6 hook. But don’t rule out deeper shoreline related structures either, especially the outer edges of points that lay adjacent to wide and flat feeding shelves. Twitter Share . Glow/Blue and Glow/Pink combinations are good. Recently, quite a few anglers have called, many of them with the same few questions in common. 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