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Posts: 454
| I have an offer to go along on a trip from Aug. 16-23 to stay at the sand lake outpost on big sand lake and connecting systems. It is a relatively expensive trip and was hoping to hear from some of you who may have fished this body of water.
www.sandlakeoutpost.com
For those of you who fish/ed this body of waterAny info as to numbers, trophy potential, and overall fishing success during this Aug 16-23 time frame would be greatly appreciated.
You can pm me if this is private info. I personally know very little about it, but I know people who have been up to rough rock which is part of the system. I am far from a rich man so just looking to make the most of my money. Do I take this trip or do I save my money and make plans for other muskie locations, probably in MN or WI.
Thanks in advance for anyone in the know who can help me out. Much appreciated!
Tony | |
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Posts: 12
| What Sand Lake are you talking about? Almost every county in every state has a Sand Lake. | |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I fished that chain before the road in was paved, and it's probably even better now than it was then. Nice muskies, some really BIG muskies, great Pike action and some BIG Pike, tremendous smallmouth fishing, and a true wilderness feel. Quite a few of the regulars here have fished that water, including jdsplasher; the muskies quiver in apprehension when they hear he and his wife are on the way up...
Not a ton of pressure, and lots of water.
I'd go. | |
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Posts: 531
Location: Hugo, MN | I just fished there two weeks ago for the seventh time. Absolutely a great fishery, very little pressure, and like Steve said, a true wilderness feel.
If money is an issue, you could stay where I stay at $40 per night, Paradise Cove. We stay at Paradise Cove 2, which is the old side of the resort, but it has the best docking setup, and is off the main river channel out of the way of traffic and big wakes. Nothing fancy, no A/C in the old cabins, but we fish 15 hours a day so it's not really an issue. Especially in mid to late August.
If you need any info on the fishing up there, PM me. We've managed a few nice fish up there, both northerns and muskies over the years. My fishing partner saw one in the upper 50's this year. That's the second super tanker we've seen on that system. Keeps me coming back year after year. | |
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Posts: 1270
| I've fished that system a couple times and will be up there the week before you are there but I will be staying at a different resort.
I like to concentrate n rocks and you will find plenty of rock humps all over the system. Also try Gun and Pistol Lakes, they are a little more weedy than Big or Little Sand is though so be prepared. YOu can stop and fish just about every bouy you find and all the other humps you can find. Also try the areas with a lot of current flowing through them as these can hold some fish. Like Sworrall said this system holds some big pike and some big muskys.
THe thing I like to remember is that there are so many good looking spots that you wouldn't be able to hit them all in a week so don't dwell on a spot. Run in make some casts and then run to the next good looking spot. | |
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Posts: 584
| I've also spent some time on the Winnipeg River system and can echo the comments above. Great fishery. Decent numbers of muskie and some absolute hogs. I wouldn't say that the system is over-pressured at all, but many of the sweet spots on Little Sand and also in Rough Rock, do get hit pretty hard. But you shouldn't have much of any problem with crowds, especially on Big Sand. There is alot of great structure, and the muskies are well spread out throughout the system.
It is a very beautiful body of water. If I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to go. | |
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Posts: 597
Location: deephaven mn | I suggest going, lots of water lots of spots. Lots of rock and cabbage combo spots.
Great fisherie with good numbers and a shot at a absolute monster | |
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Posts: 454
| Thanks for the responses, I welcome any suggestions, info, advice.........
Is there a lakemaster chip for this body of water? | |
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Posts: 1270
| No LakeMaster chip for the area that I know of. I just bought a Navionics 14XG chip that includes the whole Winnepeg system along with all the Great Lakes and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. It's an expensive chip ($200) and I already have enough chips for the Great Lakes but I can't stand not having a chip for a big body of water when I'm fishing it. | |
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