MNO Burntside Challenge!!

[DDSBYDAY]

    Ya caught that did ya?   

[greatoutdoors]

Can you post your address here?  I want to map it out.  I will be leaving from Pelican Lake that morning.  I was told it is roughly 45 minutes to Ely.

DDS,
It's longer than 45 minutes from Pelican Lake to Ely. 
Cook is about an hour away on winter roads, so figure travel time of an hour fifteen to an hour and a half from Orr to Ely, minimum.
However, with your legendary sense of direction, it could be as long as three days!
OH YEAH, BABEE!!!

[FireRanger]

SO


FREAKIN


JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


GL DDS, Make sure you post pics and try strumming while your out there.

[DDSBYDAY]

  There is quite a bit more snow up this way than I thought.  I was out on Pelican tonight and busted some drifts.  I will be at the Greatoudoors store in Ely at 8 am.   

[kenhuntin]

I wish you luck in the Burntside challenge. With all the competition it will be hard to place in the standings. Can you check out Leech on your way back? The only place I care about is the Agency Narrows. I will be there if I have to snoeshoe out. It is easy to find there is a Snowbear that drives by me on it's way to Camp Y and Camp Neverrest every year. I am pretty sure that the occupants ride The hammock of death as well. Trailer Trash should be out of the water this year and Camp Lepout Will also be hinging their locality on your report as well. There are quite a few people rooting for your success on your expedition.

[Lee Borgersen]

  There is quite a bit more snow up this way than I thought.  I was out on Pelican tonight and busted some drifts.  I will be at the Greatoudoors store in Ely at 8 am.   

Hey G.O.! What da heck are ya doin signed in on-line this morning. Your supposed to be out on Burntside showing DDS all da hot spots 

 :fishing2:
       

[greatoutdoors]

I had to stay at the store until noon so I don't get bitched at like the guy from Lake Geneva Guide service does all the time!!
Damned if I do, damned if I don't, sheeeeeesh!
I showed DDS a few places on a map to try since he only had a few hours to fish, don't know if he found them or how he did.
Took a ride this afternoon and didn't see any holes at one of the spots I pointed out, but with DDS's sense of direction wasn't surprised!

[DDSBYDAY]

Part 1:
    
       I took the Burntside challenge.  I will be going again next year.  I will allow more time.  Actually when I started out I had planned on staying in Orr at a goods friends place for a day or two depending on how the fishing went.  It's a little over an hour drive to Burntside as long as you don't get behind a local taking a lea surly drive.  (That is another story).  I fished a spot on Pelican Lake Sunday pm.  Way more    than we had at the lake of no fish.  I could have fished panfish but I was looking for a big pike or walleye.  Got neither.  Headed to Burntside Monday morning.  For the entire trip I listened to winter storm warnings   . Freezing rain followed Up by 7-10 inches of snow starting Monday afternoon.  Now I have a problem.  My friends driveway has a very steep driveway.  7" of snow and I am not getting out.  I barely made it with the snow they had.  I would have to leave by 10:30 to get most of the way back to the lake of no fish before the storm would be in full force.        The Greatoutdoors is right on the main drag.  Very easy to find. He shares a parking lot with a liquor store. ( --Could that be the reason Lee is so happy to go into town  when Borgie hits the laundromat )  I had hoped to get an elusive picture of GO's open sign lit up but I failed.   I Met up with Mr. Maki and got a lesson on Lakers.  I had the wrong concept on the Burntside lakers.  I am going back to the drawing board.  These Lakers live on stunted  smelt and are looking for smaller baits than I had envisioned.  I will be ready next year.  Greatoutdoors gave me directions on a map.  It was hard to believe but it really was a gorgeous morning.  It is a good thing I got GO up or he would have missed it.  So' armed with newly gained knowledge and directions I headed out to the Lake.  I would only have 2 hrs to fish because I had to get back to the lake of no fish which is 3.5 hrs away or risk being snowed in at my friends place in Orr.  To be continued.

[DDSBYDAY]

   Got on to the lake.  There was a plowed road most of the way.  Burntside is a lake you do not want to trailblaze unless you know the lake.  There are areas with open water and thin ice all winter long.  Even the locals will sink a vehicle once in while  .  I followed Greatoutdoors directions and drilled a couple of holes.  With my gps I could see why he sent me there.  It was a reef that dropped off to over a hundred feet of water rapidly.  In winter the trout can be anywhere.  I set up in 60 ft of water on the fastest break to 100 in the area GO sent me.  Unfortunately I did not have a lot of time.  If I would have I would have punched holes from 60'to 40 ft. along that steep break.  It was a gorgeous morning with no wind so I was able to fish outside.  I never got a laker mark on the vex.  I would have frequent bursts of smelt come through anywhere from 20-30 ft down.  They are not big enough to turn red on the vex at least in my limited experience.  I only fished one hole and did not move because trout are nomadic.  They will cruise through an area and then they are gone.  With the smelt coming through I thought it best to stay put with the small amount of time I had.  I am going back.  The Laker season goes into March and the ice conditions are about as good as you can get.  I reluctantly pulled the plug to head back to the lake of no fish.  I needed to get most of the way back before the freezing rain started.  I really want to thank Greatoutdoors for opening up early and the Burntside trout information.  Ely is truly beautiful country

[wildlifeminnesota]

I real wanted to go, But order I needed to get out that week But With that storm coming in and I would have had to be back Monday night, It just did not work this time,

It sound like DDS had fun, Maybe be next time, 

[greatoutdoors]

Willy and DDS,
The trout fishing still is very slow, and has been for the last ten days or so.
It will pick up a lot, and fishing will be much better.
Now if we can only avoid this predicted snowstorm and keep the lake passable, life will be good.
If you come up on a Tuesday or Wednesday, the shop is closed and I can meet you guys on the lake for 3-4 hours of fishing.  Early March should be good, both weather wise and fishing.
Mornings are normally best, say 8-8:30 am until noon.

[DDSBYDAY]

   I won't be able to do a middle of the week run this winter.  I will plan on it for sure next year.  I hope to get a chance at a weekend before this winter is over.  It all depend on snow accumulation.  It sure was nice to be able to drive out there.