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Mountain Lake


bobowski

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Hey guys. I have a boys trip planned to go to Mountain Lake in a week for 4 days. I have never fished the lake before. I know that there are Lakers and a few Walleye to be had. For anyone that has fished this lake before do you have any advice on how to get into some fish? Should we use tip ups for the Lakers? Unfortunately this lake is restricted to only one one line in the water per angler so just using a tip up would be kind of boring. Please let me know if you have any tips for me and my crew. It would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to PM me if you like. Thanks so much.

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If its the Mountain Lake up near Minden , then do not go anywhere near the current by the bridge over Hwy 35 ... although I see guys setup huts close to the open water all season... not sure how far down that lake the current makes the ice sketchy ....I have never fished on the north end only the south end of the lake for that reason ... its been a hit and miss , we traveled by foot and covered a lot of area a few years ago , no luck with the white tubes did ok with minnows

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1 hour ago, bobowski said:

Hey guys. I have a boys trip planned to go to Mountain Lake in a week for 4 days. I have never fished the lake before. I know that there are Lakers and a few Walleye to be had. For anyone that has fished this lake before do you have any advice on how to get into some fish? Should we use tip ups for the Lakers? Unfortunately this lake is restricted to only one one line in the water per angler so just using a tip up would be kind of boring. Please let me know if you have any tips for me and my crew. It would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to PM me if you like. Thanks so much.

The dreaded one line approach, I never really fully understand the reasoning to be honest with you.  Have two guys jigging with small spoons to attract and go with a simple tiny hook and split shot with a minnow for the other two lines.  Electronics really help on a lake like that to let you know what level the fish are hanging at.

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26 minutes ago, singingdog said:

The folks at Ogopogo resort are a great resource for ice conditions. They keep several huts all season, and keep a good eye on the ice. The folks at Minden Bait and tackle don't know the difference between a pike and a whitefish.

LOL. Thats good to know as that is where we are staying.

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1 hour ago, singingdog said:

The folks at Ogopogo resort are a great resource for ice conditions. They keep several huts all season, and keep a good eye on the ice. The folks at Minden Bait and tackle don't know the difference between a pike and a whitefish.

yup ... not sure what the story is at Minden Bait but its kind of creepy ....

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I like the owners of Minden Bait. Nice people, good conversation, my dozen minnows is more like 2 dozen.

I don't want my local bait shop giving out information and blowing up lakes. They must hear lots of stuff, but being tight lipped is good IMO. The previous owner Jack knew quite a bit but he was also tight lipped.

 

 

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20 hours ago, big guy said:

Pickerel in Mountain Lake? I know they're in Gull, are they all through the Hwy 35 lakes now?

Yep. Folks I know started catching through the ice with regularity about 4 years ago. I caught them downstream of there all fall, in spots where I have never seen pickerel before.

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2 hours ago, singingdog said:

Yep. Folks I know started catching through the ice with regularity about 4 years ago. I caught them downstream of there all fall, in spots where I have never seen pickerel before.

Interesting, will have to add it to my summer time bucket list. Always liked Mountain, easy access, a friend of mine (friend of a friend actually), that I got to know, donated the bottom end of my ice auger to the lake one day. Not sure how he did it, but when he brought it back up, all he had was the handle.

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On 1/15/2019 at 12:32 AM, chris.brock said:

I don't want my local bait shop giving out information and blowing up lakes. They must hear lots of stuff, but being tight lipped is good IMO. 

lol try and chat with Dennis at Pointe Au Baril bait and tackle, youll be lucky to get a "yup"

 

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...as a fisherman I agree I don't want him giving out info on my favorite lake...but as a guy trying to make a living I would expect him to try and make some more sales to make a living. A bait shop owner not willing to help is like a guide hoping you catch nothing with him...doesn't make sense for someone trying to make a living from the sport

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2 hours ago, Rizzo said:

I find it odd that bait shop owners would not want to help. If I succeed I come back and I buy more bait.  I go out and have a crappy day I don't come back.  

I never thought of it that way, what you say makes sense.

It's a small town though, if they were giving out too much information that would piss some people off and be bad for business too.

 

 

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13 hours ago, Rizzo said:

I find it odd that bait shop owners would not want to help. If I succeed I come back and I buy more bait.  I go out and have a crappy day I don't come back.  

They aren't holding back info....they don't have it. I have overheard some of the discussions they have had with customers while trying to be helpful and it's quite entertaining. I once listened to the husband tell someone that lake X, which is probably the best multi-species lake in the area, "probably doesn't have any fish in it, except where the river comes in." 

Running any kind of retail shop is about serving customers and creating new customers. If all you have to offer is a tankful of minnows and the same lures/tackle as the CTire around the corner, you better have some other way to turn people on to fishing. Local knowledge is one of those things. 

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12 hours ago, singingdog said:
12 hours ago, singingdog said:

They aren't holding back info....they don't have it.

 

I believe that. They bought the shop and then moved to town from somewhere else. I don't think the husband gets out and fishes that much either.

One Saturday morning in the shop he said to me "holy crap, did you see how busy Lake Z is?" 

I said "yeah, some dummy posted a glowing report on OOD from Lake Z last Tuesday, hence everybody from Toronto who fishes is now there".

Although this post might be better for business, the husband seemed to be really ticked off at this guy posting stuff like that.

 

What did you think of the previous owner Jack, singingdog? That guy was homegrown, fished a lot, knew a lot, had a circle of friends who fished a lot, but was very tight lipped.

The owner before was John. Nice guy, more sociable, knowledgeable, but he still knew not to give out too much information. 

 

 

Edited by chris.brock
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It's still very important to engage people chat them up, find there interest.

I've worked sportsman shows for 40 years and your products are just so so

important. Hi how's your show going , Where do fish, What's your interest.

I see rep's every show that would be fired in my booth and most at BPS/Cabelas,

Sail would make minimum wages the knowledge people that get it would be paid more.   

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