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Location: Rhinelander | I am looking out my window at about 2" of snow this morning, and forecast highs through Sunday in the low 40's. I guess I am going to have to tough it out and fish, because bow hunting is 'out' in rainy conditions. How long do you keep the rig de-iced? |
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Member
Posts: 3899
| Fished eyes at LBDN last year on Nov 17-20. Breaking ice at the launch in the morning. Had to use plenty of salt and sand to get up and down the ramp. Then I deer hunted opening day, Sunday Muskie fished. Also Muskie fished the last 3 days of November. Dec 1 is the day I winterize, clean, and store the boat. |
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Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | We fished LBDN over Thanksgiving last year. This is always an annual trip and we have been able to fish every year so far. The latest we have fished up there was the first weekend in December. Shep is right, we usually take sand/salt along. As a side note. its eerie and funny to have your boards hitting forming ice while night fishing. It sounds like you're in the middle of a mixed drink w/ ice cubes and you're the stir stick 
We have started to fish the Red Wing area the last couple of years and have great memories of fishing there on New Years day two years ago.
Once the lakes freeze up I hit the rivers until the ramps freeze. Sometimes I head south with the boat in the middle of winter. Southern Il. rarely freezes and if it does not for long. "Have boat will travel"
If you've never been to Red Wing in the winter give it a try. The Nuke plant keeps the river open and the resort there keeps the ramps open and they break ice away from shore dailey. |
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| I'm with Sunshine, have only been kept off of open water 2 months in the last 4 - 5 years otherwise I have fished open water somewhere in Wisconsin every month of the year. The Dells, Red Wing, Genoa, below the Petenwell dan, ANYWHERE that I can find a ramp open and temperatures in the upper 30's is enough. Fished one December night in a snow storm at DePere, broke ice at the ramp, was told we were certifiable by a passer-by who drove up to the ramp then went out and caught (and released) 30+ walleye throwing crankbaits up by the dam and over by the power plant. |
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Member
Posts: 194
Location: Northern Illinois | Typically, No later than second week of December, then the boat gets winterized. But by mid-feb, I am back on the rivers. Giving up 3 months or so is a small price to pay for keeping my wife happy with honey do's. This year, I get to paint 2 rooms and a entry way. Hopefully, but probably not all before Christmas. WM |
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Member
Posts: 2567
Location: Manitowoc, WI | Two years ago our fall was very warm and I was able to fish LBDN on December 23-24. Otherwise, I usually winterize the boat the first or second week of December. BTW.....we were the only boat out there and the fishing was great. Ice was forming on Center Reef, but the Narrows were loaded with fish. Also, the structure off Escanaba had a good suspended bite going. We launched in Escanaba Harbor. |
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Posts: 30
Location: Lake Vermilion Tower,MN | Hi all,
The walleye action is so hot on the Big V this time of year, that it's hard to give it up. 
I'll have my boat in until the guy at the marina makes me pull it.
If the lake stays open in December I'll be out there with my boat. I like to go fishing on my birthday which is on the 5th of December.
Get out there and fish!
Just remember to wear them long johns....:) |
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Member
Posts: 1188
Location: Chicago IL. | I have not winterized my boat in 10 years. Last year i was stuck off the water for 1 month[river froze over] and got the shakes. I work outside so fishing in it dont bother me.you have a couple of special things to do to the boat in cold weather,but with the great seasons the bears have there is no better way to to spend a sunday. John Mannerino |
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John, what are the special things you do to your boat? |
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Member
Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Rick,
That's a real good question and may require a seperate thread. I make sure that all water is drained from lower unit. I lower the motor as soon as I pull uot of water to let it drain and then I turn over engine for a very short period (2-3 seconds). I also try to drain all water out of live wells asap. I also keep batteries fully charged as much as possibe. Make sure that everything is working before leaving the ramp. Don't find out that the bilge doesn't work after you're on the water. They can malfunction because of freezing water.
As a side note, I keep jumper cables in boat in case starting battery drains down from too much electronics use. I had to use it once on LBDN at 2am w/ temps in the teens. Sure glad I had it along.
It's also nice to have the peace of mind knowing that you have a kicker that can get you home in case the big one won't start
It seems like anything that can go wrong with gear does when its below freezing.
As mentioned above, we always carry salt and sand to make sure that we can get off the ramp. |
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Golly, thats alot to think about.
Better to go with an experienced hand the first couple times out! |
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Member
Posts: 1188
Location: Chicago IL. | I plug off livewell openings. [Unless in a tourney of course] Its either c&r or they go into a cooler. Also I drain out water from lower unit asap when you pull it out of the water. When out of the water bump main and kicker motors and bump BILGE pump to make sure no water in there. This all takes a couple of minutes and you can enjoy fishing all year. I have fished in my boat with a high of 13degs for the day with a wind chill of 0..There was also a tourney that day. Keep stabil in the gas in the winter,you never know how long in between trips. John Mannerino |
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Member
Posts: 1656
| Being fortunate of having a heated garage that my boat is stored in. I wouldn't say "I hang it up". I perform what most people call winterizing usually around early December (regular maintanence). But the boat is always ready to go. Except this year will be a little different.
I've been on open water in wisconsin every month other than January. Local to the Fox Valley. |
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Location: Rhinelander | Well, it snowed heavily again last night, then sleet and a bit of freezing rain. Winds from the west tomorrow at 20 plus, so my planned trip is out. Looks like time here is getting short; soon I will be launching my Frabill Solo instead. |
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Location: Rhinelander | Well, that's that for me. I am winterizing the 1690 and the 2050,too. The forecast says lows in the teens and highs in the 20's to 30's for the next ten days. If things somehow through a miracle thaw, I can put the 1690 back out on the water easily, but I'm betting I will be walking on the hard water here in two weeks or less. We are looking at 7 degrees Friday night. |
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Location: Rhinelander | Yup, we are iced in here. May get a bit of a break this week, but it won't be long lived. Oh well...
Today it is 26 degrees at 10:45 AM. |
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