Hotspotoutdoors

So fishing has been pretty good as of late. I was able to get out by myself on friday and fish an area off the beaten path. I actually fished this area immediately after ice-out last spring and had great success. I thought that it may be a little early for the fish to be there but to my surprise.......there were fish everywhere! lots of unpressured fish and they were biting. caught many fish, with the bigger fish nearly 12inches. Saturday I was able to bring the kids out and this time I tried yet another area that was good to me early spring of last year. And sure enough, the fish were there too! again lots of unpressured fish willing to bite! fish were caught in 14 fow and had both these areas all to myself. Im sure onlookers were wondering what the heck I was doing over there. All in all, a great few days of fishing the last week. Im sure this pattern will only be getting better as the fish really stack up in prep for spawn

Good fishing report.. Seems like you had a blast.

slabber, great report and pics. Would you be willing to share any info about the presentation you found to work for you such as type of lure, bait, jigging/set line, etc.?

I'm headed to Cross for the day on Sat. and any tips would be appreciated.

Also how thick was the ice? I only have a hand auger and I'm a little worried it may not be long enough.

Thanks for the help.

Looks like the boys had a good time.

Yeah, that's the experience I've had with cross lake in the past. Go fish in an area, where nobody fishes.

I've had some really good days up there fishing where nobody else is but have also had those days when I have been prospecting and haven't caught much. I seem to do better on Pokey but I have only fished that at early ice and haven't for a few years. There are definately fish worthwhile chasing in either basin!
Tunrevir~

Pokegama has been ssslllooooowwww! Not really surprised considering that for the past three years it was combarded by fisherman. For a while last year I thought I was on rush lake with all the houses! Pokegama was exceptional early ice was has since fizzled out big time! i know some big bluegills were caught up n down the west shore a few weeks ago but since have pulled a disappering act. As for cross I would recommend drilling as many holes as youd like, the more the better, no such thing as too many holes. Waxies and a glow red or blue horizontal Jig. also had success with year larva. Pounding the Jig was the key for the less aggressive fish. headed out tomorrow, will post results.

Welcome to HSO Slabber ! Nice report !

well yesterday was terrible! high pressure and higher winds really shut things down. we marked many fish but couldnt buy a bite! I was told by dave at figure 8 bait(pine city) that thursday was good fishing towards the north end of cross. several people did well, but that group drilled 50-75 holes and worked hard. Nevertheless the fish were there and biting. I get more enjoyment outta workin a lil harder to catch more fish than the next guy. its my fishing dna. fishing today again, will post report later. BTW pokegama has gone from bad to worse im told.

Fished cross early this morning, did very well, other than the little wind and single digit throughout the morning still came out with our limit and threw some back. Couldnt believe that the fish were only biting on rubber bait...HARD!! couldnt get my line down fast enough but the bite seemed sporadic! good luck

HOLEHOPPER, we had similar results. we fished a steep breaking shoreline midway up the lake and had good success. strangely tho we caught most our fish on minnows n a bobber????? I didnt break out any plastics today deciding to stick with the year larva and minnow combo. our best luck was from noon -2. 20 fow and a glow blue frostee. back at it again tomorrow, gonna try the pokegama as i need a change of scenery

Are you in portables? Ha thats strange we whonestly caught only two fish on bobbers one on a waxie and one on a minnow put the plastic down the crappies couldnt resist it. We were fish a steep drop off 2 drilled 15 holes set up my eskimo and just moved around. We actually left a little after noon fish just shut off where we were and all we caught were small ones....Good luck on pokeg was out there friday during the day did very well required lots of moving.

Made it out to the north end of Cross Sat. afternoon. Caught 30-40 perch, not exactly the species I was looking for but it was lots of action. Three were over 9" and fat plus a couple of 8" blue gills mixed in as well. All were caught on a yellow bluegill Jig with waxworm in 8' to 14' along a breakline.

The highlight of the day was hooking a 27" pike with 4lb line and panfish rod/reel. He was hooked in the front tip of the mouth so couldn't cut the line. Took 4 runs before I landed him, took some photos and sent him back down the hole. Great battle! I just can't figure out why a pike would go after a waxworm with all the perch around.

just got done cleaning fish, we pounded em

What's the easiest and closest access from the westside. Thanks

Went out on cross today from 8 to 130 got are limit for seven ppl for the crappies... Required lots of moving and changing presentations. Caught a few sunnies at well probably gonna have a fish fry here soon lol! Anyone else been doing good?

now that my fight is done, i will be fishin it up!have some friends comin up next weekend for an introductory lesson on crappie fishing. Should be interesting! Then its off to upper red thurs the 17th!

Went out on Cross Saturday Morning. The fished turned on at 8:00-8:30am. Was off the lake by 12:30pm. Caught all my fish in 14ft nowhere near anyone.
Hole Hopper, what kind of plastics and color worked for you?

I ran out of waxies and didnt catch a single sunnie/crappie on a minnow.

Drilled alot of holes,caught the majority out of one.

Just got back from cross this morning SLOW caught 20 craps and a ton of dink sunnies and perch. Ron the only color that seemed to worked for me was a green ratfinkee tried pink yellow and white did not produce at all. We also have still not caught one on a minnow yet cept today had a big pike on the crappie minnow. Great fight wish it would have came up the hole though!!

I fished this am and was able to sort thru and keep 9 bluegills and 7 crappies. Lots of small fish today????? huh? usually when you get a crappie its a keeper, but not today. Many small bluegills too for some reason?? fish are moving, transition areas is my guess. Be back out on thurs.

We need to lose 6-8" of ice out there and then it really gets good. I will be back out there Friday or Saturday. I have ratsos and shrimpos. I will have to give them a try.
Also want to put down a tip-up for a catfish.

fishin this am post later. very windy, bummer

Slabber Im having the same problem with the fish size?? We sorted through a lot of fish to keep some decent ones... Hopped throughout the entire lake it seemed like and still coudnt catch good numbers of the big ones? Well ill be back up there tommarrow hopefully itll be good. Good luck

HOLEHOPPER, I have been fishing a different patten as of lately, main basin, and open water. its a lot of work, lots of holes but have had some of the best fishing all year! I noticed that I am marking lots of minnows up high in the water column and of course crappies are right below them. 22 fow and deeper. once the shorelines deteriorate, ill start walkin out to the cribs again, early ice was lights out on two sets of cribs, so hopefully late winter will be the same?

Heading up there Saturday morning. Accesses still in good shape or should I bring ATV?