This past weekend 12 members from my fishing club headed up to Upper Red Lake for our monthly Outing. I have not been on Red for two years, and I was looking forward to getting back to the Great Crappies RED has been famous for. Three of us arrived on Thursday, and the rest of the group arrived on Friday. In total we had 3- four man houses. Ours was out of Agazzi'a road and about 8 miles out and in 14 feet of water, the other 2 houses were out of West Wind's road and was only out about 2 1/2 miles, and in 9 feet of water.
Jeff with his 2 Crappies
Fishing I thought was overall fairly slow, but we still caught some good fish. For Walleyes vertical jigging spoons with a minnow head, or a slipbobber and large fathead or golden shiner also worked well. For the Crappies, the vertical spoon also worked for me, along with larger sizes of glow Demon jigs with whole medium size fatheads. On Thursday night thru Friday morning most of the fish were just lookers, and would not take what we were offering. After midday Friday, we could get some of those lookers to take our offering. What I tried for awhile, was to do some very aggressive vertical jigging, with about 2 foot rapid movements, with an occasional 2 or 3 second pause every 3 or 4 jerks. When I saw a fish move in to take a closer look, I'd hold the vert spoon very still and they would whack it more often than not.
The four of us in our house each had portable shelters, which allowed us to spread out and not all have to be in the same cramped quarters of our rental permanate house.
Myself with my 3 Crappies
Jeff and I also brought up with us his 2 snowmobiles, which allowed us to be more mobile. We towed each of our fishing portables, and we spent all of Saturday up near the north shore over a rock boulder area. We caught some Walleyes and one Crappie up there, but not the numbers we were looking for.
Roger with a 14 3/8 inch Crappie
This last picture is Roger with his 14 3/8 inch Crappie he caught out of our permanate house Saturday night. He tied me for biggest Crappie of the weekend for the club.
The other 2 houses in shallower water and eight members, had good to at times consistent Walleye fishing, but did not catch any Crappies.
The Crappie size ranged from 13 1/2 to 14 3/8 inches, they are an awesome sight coming up through an eight inch hole. The week before our trip, it was hard to hear of any Crappies being caught at all, so we have to feel fortunate to catch the seven that we did. Walleyes ranged from 14 to 20 inches, and most were in the protected slot of 17 inches or over.
I know the fishing can be much better in late February into early March, and Jeff and I are already talking about returning to Upper Red for another trip.
Yesterday afternoon, I already mounted 2 of my 3 Crappies for myself, and hope to have them done in a couple of weeks.
Jack..
Great report Jack. I hope to make it up there this winter yet. I know there isn't many cappies left in that lake from that monstorous year class, but the ones that are left are sure monsters! Nice catch.
Great fishing report, best one for the slabs I have seen thus far. Headed up to Winnie on the 25th, maybe go up to Red for a daytime run, those slabs are hard to replicate on any other lake!!
Jack, We re headed up tonight to hit the big Red. How are the conditions of the lake, can I get around with pickup and wheel house of the beaten path? I have chains so I imagine I should be able to get around pretty well? Were the eyes biting during the day in that 9 ft you spoke about? Thanks
Shaun, if you have chains on you truck, you should for the most part, be able to get around pulling your house off the roads. there are some areas that are drifted up higher, probably due to rought ice, and those area might be difficult, you just have to be careful. I saw a few trucks pulling off roads that were having a real hard time of it.
the 2 houses that were in the 9 foot of water, said that the walleyes seemed to be running in schools and would come and go, but they were getting bites during the day also. mornings seemed better than afternoons. there is not really any fish holding stucture, it seems, so the fish are free roaming, they come and go.
Of the eight guys in the shallower water, only 1 person reported of losing a crappie in the hole, and no other crappies were caught in that area. let us know how your trip goes for you...
hi Jim, I have already mounted 2 of my 3, and Roger gave me his 14 3/8" Crappie Thursday evening, and I mounted his on Friday. His IS looking fantastic, NOT EVEN a missing scale. Jack..
Well Jack we made er up to Red and managed one slab and some eyes! Fished about 5 miles out of WWinds and then tried a crib with minimal luck there. Murphy was out this weekend, we had heater problems, vex ducer was cut, had to go to town and drop 120 bucks for a new one, auger froze in then after we got it out it wouldnt cut just about everything that could of went wrong did! All in all we made the best of it and had a great time. Overall fishin could have been better. I will be back up to URL and LOTW end of Feb!!
Upper Red Lake- 1/12/08
Re: Upper Red Lake- 1/12/08
That would have been a great trip. Jack are you going to mount any of those crappies?
just about everything that could of went wrong did! All in all we made the best of it and had a great time. Overall fishin could have been better. I will be back up to URL and LOTW end of Feb!! 
