Darter Domination

Conditions continue to be great for late season ice fishing in Sioux Lookout and the bite has been hot.  It's a certainty that we'll finish out the walleye season (April 15th) on the ice.  Quite a contrast to 2010 when we were already finished on the big lakes by now. 

A pattern we found this week was great action for walleye in deeper water(24-32').  It wasn't difficult to collect limits of under 18" fish.  One morning I put on a clinic fishing a Lindy Darter.  Hands down it out-fished live bait that day.  When walleye want the darter they don't just hit it... they crush it! 

The walleye season in Rice River closes on March 31st to protect spawning fish.  We snuck in there on the last evening for a few hours and weren't disappointed.  The best part was the average size of the walleye, with most fish in the 3-6lb range. 

Jeff Schellenberg with a Rice River beauty. 

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I spent a few hours one afternoon doing some running-and-gunning for trout.  The strategy paid off on the 3rd spot when I pretty much landed on top of this guy.  Great tussle with a Minnitaki blackie!