Ely Area fishin Report

[Lee Borgersen]

        Ely Area fishin Report

  ......
As the thickness of the ice improves, more and more anglers are heading out on area lakes. Most lakes have at least ten inches of good, solid, clear ice, but some areas that have moving water can have as little as four inches. Some bays that are protected have as much as fourteen inches.
Walleye fishing has produced some decent numbers of fish, but most are on the small side, with few keepers being reported. Pike fishing on the other hand has been more productive and many anglers are targeting them these days. Suckers and shiners are proving to be the preferred bait.
Many anglers have been chomping at the bit to get in on the trout season which opens on the 14th of January this year. Hopes are high that conditions will be conducive to safe travel by then. The two lakes that will be seeing the most traffic are Burntside and Snowbank Lakes for lake trout. Due to the ciscoe shortage of late, perhaps more anglers will take a more pro-active approach to targeting this very desirable fish. Many will find just how productive active jigging with baits such as Jigging Raps, Chubby Darters and white soft bait tubes can be. Some jigging spoons such as Kastmasters, Little Cleos, and Buckshots by Northland tackle are favored my many folks too. Stream trout species such as rainbows, splake and brookies will provide action as well on lakes nearby like Miners, Tofte, Glacier Ponds and High and Dry. Small jigging spoons and ice flies tipped with wax worms will work there.
We cannot stress enough that it’s always a good idea to check ice thickness as you travel as it can vary widely.


10 pound 27 1/2 inch walleye caught on White Iron Lake. Fisherman pictured, L-R, Timon Iverson (St. Paul), Milo Iverson (holding fish, Paris, France), and Will Poppleton, St. Paul)

 

[greatoutdoors]

Trout fishing has been slow on Burntside and Snowbank. 
The lake conditions on Burntside are becoming terrible, slush popping up all over the place, with the worst being from Dollar Island to the end of the North Arm.  Slush is even beginning to pop up on the snowmobile trails on the lake. 
I don't think that Smitty's has been able to plow their road on Snowbank, and many reports of slush on the lake are being heard.
This warming spell has really made the conditions so bad that only tracked ATVs and snowmobile travel is recommended, but be very careful with a snowmobile as double layers of ice are also in many areas.  tut_tut-3315.gif
Hopefully this changes by next weekend. 

[Lee Borgersen]

Thanks for the update Greatoutdoors. Sounds like a  tut_tut-3315.gif tut_tut-3315.gif for most itching  to get out. How's the snowmobile trails holding up confused-3316.gif

[greatoutdoors]

Trails on the lakes getting slushy, in the woods should still be okay for a bit.