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Posts: 1415
Location: Brighton CO. | Rowan has very big fish and it is very clear.
Whitefish Bay (part of Lake Of The Woods) has very big fish and is very clear.
The west arm of Eagle has very big fish and is very clear.
If you go to any of these places and the wrong front rolls thru it's going to be a very long week.
Read the chapter on Trout water in Dickp's "Muskie On The Shield".
When we book trips ahead of time it's a gamble.
Dark water systems are more forgiving.
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Posts: 227
| When both LOTW and Doug Johnson were in their prime, Doug believed on average he caught one out of every ten follows, and one out of every ten fish he put in the boat was a 50”. This was based on years of fishing and putting somewhere between 170 and 200 muskies in the boat each year. Lots of fish and a lot of big fish. However, Doug is a remarkable fisherman so his averages are far above what a one week visitor to LOTW should expect.
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Location: Brighton CO. | They used to say Lake Of The Woods was 20-1 for a 50". (I don't remember the year) |
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Posts: 1415
Location: Brighton CO. | Here's a story I almost forgot about. The only time I fished Lake Of The Woods was in 1993 for the Chapter Challege I didn't set the world on fire. (I caught a Muskie lost couple others) Late in the week I looked at my map and some one marked a bunch of good spots and found a bunch of good looking spots of my own. Well I fished this spot that was a named spot and also a travel route I had not fished this spot all week but drove thru it every day. We stopped and fished this spot and a boat come around the corner and saw us fishing there and looked at us (gave us a hard look) and took off. He did not like us on that spot. Dad goes he must have a fish spotted here. We didn't see a thing and moved on and never worked that spot again. At the end of the week when we were done fishing the fishermen who saw us fishing his asked us in the lodge why we fished that spot and did we see anything? He acted kinda weird about the whole thing. A couple weeks later back in Colorado a friend who was on the trip asked me if I fished this spot. Ya fished it once really picked it apart and saw nothing but so and so saw and asked a bunch of questions. As it turns out the guy was a guide and was working a record fish in that spot. |
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Posts: 112
| Thanks for the replies all! Tons of great info and discussion. Sounds like next fall I'll be swinging for the fences with a trip to Lac Seul. Fingers crossed! |
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Location: Bloomington, MN | I've seen pics of 4 more over 50" from Cedar since I posted. I will be booking for next year, if available. |
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Posts: 52
| Century Lodge, the only resort on the south end of Eagle is worth a mention. Stained water, too. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | nothing against Cedar per say but in all the shows MHunter has done on it have they EVER caught a 50"???
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Posts: 622
Location: Bloomington, MN | I think Saric got one many years ago and you may see one next season since Mr. Turgeon got one this year. I know the lake gets beat, but it seems to be quite a few reported 50"'s for such a small body of water. |
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Posts: 326
| Very surprised a couple others have not been mentioned but then,guess its sort of self explanatory as to why. |
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| dickP - 10/19/2022 5:58 AM
Very surprised a couple others have not been mentioned but then,guess its sort of self explanatory as to why.
Dryberry? |
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| dickP - 10/19/2022 5:58 AM
Very surprised a couple others have not been mentioned but then,guess its sort of self explanatory as to why.
Dick, coming from someone who's read (and re-read) your book to the point of being worn out, I'd LOVE to hear your answer to the original question!
(Seriously though, I've taken your book with me on every trip to LOTW...during tough times, and good times too(!), it seems like I've always been able to find something that has helped out...and so, I'm very grateful for all the knowledge shared).
Edited by Matt DeVos 10/19/2022 8:25 PM
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Location: Bloomington, MN | Is Dryberry even a possible day trip destination? Meaning passable road with basic 4X4's, and a usable launch with parking?
Edited by Clark A 10/19/2022 10:45 PM
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| Clark A - 10/19/2022 10:42 PM
Is Dryberry even a possible day trip destination? Meaning passable road with basic 4X4's, and a usable launch with parking?
Never been. Always wanted to go. Everything I have read is that the road is what keeps people off the lake. Launch itself is actually pretty solid.
Isn't the road only about a 1/2 an hours worth of driving...but its just a horrible half hour? |
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Posts: 326
| Dang knew better and wish I'd kept my big mouth shut.All i meant is there are other NW Ontario options.A couple I've had experience on afford decent odds of getting a '50'.Odds perhaps better than the lakes mentioned.Certainly IMO.These have less pressure but have other limiting factors that affect success.Factors such as time of year,water levels,etc.I hopefully have a few years left to hunt these wonderful fish and won't mention specific lakes as friends would likely be lost if I did.
Matt,AO,Chuckski and any others that mentioned my book,thanks.Appreciate the kind words a great deal.Means a lot coming from you guys.The book is certainly dated in many respects but glad some are still finding value in it.Certain things will never be 'dated' by tech or anything else.
In general statistics matter a great deal but are questionable as well.Certain lakes,for instance,draw more sophisticated anglers,have more good guides,or other factors that can skew them one way or another.IMO they may indicate options or a starting point but...well I'll quit.
Good fishing to all! |
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Location: Brighton CO. | When we think of Canada we all think of the big famous bodies of water, I've said it before talking to the old timers who used to see giant Muskies in Wisconsin in 1930s-40s in small bodies of water. Take Canada today with so many lakes you could have a smaller bodies of water hooked to big systems that have light fishing pressure and native fish this is a recipe for a giant. |
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Posts: 112
| Glad to have you chime in Dick! Last year I was finally able to get my hands on your book thanks to someone on this forum. Great material! I may have to plan a trip to some 'shot in the dark' lake rather than the big name ones too.. |
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Posts: 355
Location: Selkirk, Manitoba | dickP - 10/20/2022 7:59 AM
Dang knew better and wish I'd kept my big mouth shut.
Good fishing to all!
We're all being a little coy here with coded language, Dick, trying to be point in the right direction without giving away spots as it were. I think in an article you mentioned about balance of providing the knowledge of how-to with the concepts of the fragility of the resource - being big muskies (back in the day when we didn't have the limits there are now). I believe this was an In-Fisherman article.
Last chance for me yesterday fishing some spot I'm sure you've hit many times over the years given it meets all of your big fish spot criteria. Nothing to show for it other than a torn tail on the the lure from this low to mid-forties fatty after doing 6 laps (and then 6 more after). Her bigger 50+ sister on the same spot was less enthusiastic but did make a showing -- wish I could go back under better conditions but duck and deer for me now.
Edited by Angling Oracle 10/20/2022 2:24 PM
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Posts: 8785
| I suspect (like I've found in N/WI) that there are more than a few small lakes with just the right combination of forage, water chemistry, and either a connection to a larger system or a native population of fish that would offer some surprising opportunities for big fish. They're probably safe though due to limited access. Plus, I doubt many people who travel up from the states are going to put in the time chasing rainbows on a small unfamiliar lake when they're paying big bucks to stay on the lakes we've all heard of. I know I'd have a hard time taking time out of my annual week on Eagle where I know what I'm up against to go fish where there might not even be muskies.
Dickp - No need to apologize for your lack of disclosure. I'd question your sanity if you started naming lakes... |
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Location: Warroad, Mn | All I have to say is learn where big fish live! Look for areas that have big west facing areas, current helps, big areas equals big fish don't look for big fish in small spots! bigger is better, West facing is good in the evening! I've fished every lake listed at one rime or the the other and I still like good old LOTWs! |
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Location: Brighton CO. | dougj - 11/7/2022 7:32 PM
All I have to say is learn where big fish live! Look for areas that have big west facing areas, current helps, big areas equals big fish don't look for big fish in small spots! bigger is better, West facing is good in the evening! I've fished every lake listed at one rime or the the other and I still like good old LOTWs!
Great advice! The late MI President Perry Smith gave my dad the same tip.
Life is good when get tips Dougj and Dickp like watching In-Fisherman again!
Fishing hero's ! |
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Posts: 172
| I have Dick's book that I read many times. It is even signed by him, so, if I don't win the Powerball today(last night), I reckon I, or my kids, could sell it for almost the same amount..........someday, sorta like a Picasso or Rembrandt or somethin
Edited by oly67 11/8/2022 9:53 AM
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Location: Contrarian Island | I would add, don't overlook small spots for huge fish as my Canada PB a giant 53.5 came off a very small spot... timing is everything! |
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Posts: 31
| Thanks to everyone who shared stats. Very interesting. Numbers show Lac Seul puts the odds in your favor and I would agree. I've been to 3 systems / lakes in Ontario. Winnipeg, Eagle and Lac Seul.
Watched Mehsikomer boat a 53" in a figure 8 on Winnipeg while filming. From a distance. We managed a couple muskies for the week with largest being 43". Saw a few 4 footers though.
Had the chance to release / hold a 50" on Eagle. A guy in our party caught the fish off a rock wall and the fish was struggling to release. Swim bladder issues most likely as they rocket up from the depths on those walls sometimes. I was a young man at the time and the only one spry enough (or willing enough) to hobble onto the shoreline rocks to tend to the fish. It was a tough week of fishing so I was eager to touch one!
I have been to Lac Seul for a total of roughly 12 weeks in the last 20 years. By far my favorite body of water but after catching quite a few upper 40s to 49" over the years am still yet to catch a 50". I know many fisherman have had much more success than I with 50s there but I'm proof that putting yourself in the right situation many times doesn't always guarantee the success we are hoping for or would expect. In a way I'm thankful that Lac Seul 50 has not come for me yet. That's the only excuse I need to continue to go back. I'm kind of afraid to catch it now...
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Posts: 612
| I've only seen 1 50+", it was unbelievably caught on a Rapala walleye jig on 8 lb test. I'm not sure it really felt hooked or felt threatened as it just very slowly went in and out for ~ 8 - 10 minutes. I fish like crazy and have only caught 6 pures, ~ 50 tigers nothing nearly that big.
Good luck eastern Ontario has Georgin Bay
Edited by NPike 12/26/2022 2:12 AM
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| BNelson - 10/18/2022 11:03 AM
nothing against Cedar per say but in all the shows MHunter has done on it have they EVER caught a 50"???
We had three on two shows (five filming days) the 2022 season. It is a busy lake as others have mentioned. Prior years we ( Jim and I) got some very very nice ones up to 49 but no fifties. I like the lake but I certainly have seen an uptick in pressure the past few years...our fault IMO.
All the lakes mentioned will show you nice fish if your are doing the right things in the right spots at the right time. I remember a trip to film a few years back during a big cold front and bit by bit you could see things getting back to "normal" (whatever that is) all we saw/caught were smaller fish on both Cedar and then LOW and slowly the bigger fish got active again and finally we were able to get a few to go right at the end of our trip...Big fish IMO are the most affected by both positive and negative weather changes and you could really see that on this particular trip.
and yes Dicks book and the concepts within are gold....edges edges edges.
Edited by bturg 12/27/2022 9:17 PM
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Location: Contrarian Island | Bob...did you actually measure them?.lol. I see some tv show hosts are calling fish 51 and 52 without even measuring them
Sorry couldnt resist. |
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Posts: 75
| I haven't seen anyone mention the Manitou yet....I love that lake. My buddy lost a 50" class fish when we were there this past summer. Very low fishing pressure, but there are a ton of great spots. It is trout water so clear and can be tough, but it has some big fish.
On a side note my friend did land a 36" monster(for us) lake trout one day. It was a beast and biggest in camp for the year. |
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| ColdLabatts - 4/9/2023 2:57 AM
I haven't seen anyone mention the Manitou yet....I love that lake. My buddy lost a 50" class fish when we were there this past summer. Very low fishing pressure, but there are a ton of great spots. It is trout water so clear and can be tough, but it has some big fish.
On a side note my friend did land a 36" monster(for us) lake trout one day. It was a beast and biggest in camp for the year.
That is huge Laker anywhere |
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Location: Brighton CO. | The Manitou's have giant thick fish and I think they are fly in only? |
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