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Posted by: shooter29
gillfisher, I live in New Ulm, 25miles from Mankato. One great lake by kato is Lake Washington, about 10 minutes from Mankato. Nice crappie and Sunnys. Great time ice fishing there!
Catterman, is your 35 acres wooded? any chance of getting in there to do a little bowhunting???
2003 500 Auto Red.
ice fish
deer hunt
bear hunt
does it all!
Posted by: shooter29
Weez, I would usually not reply to such an immature reply, and I won't drop to your level by making an attack on someone, except obviously you are a young and green! If you are indeed on the same page as everyone else, Lake Washington by Mankato is in southern Minnesota in Le Suer county. It is indeed a "Panfish" lake with some walleye. The DNR survey mape is right here! http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=40011700
take the time to educate yourself before you reply to something you don't know. In addition to this I have personally fished this lake for 25years.
Posted by: hammer4
I caught my first catfish ever this summer when me and my friend were fishing for sunfish with nightcrawlers. It was a channel cat around 22" which would probably put it at around 3-4 lbs. I put it back though. Now I think I might try fishing exclusively for those along with maybe trying for a Flathead also.
Posted by: WhoDatInDaMud
Gill, We use the Arctic Cat TRV two up machines as its great for hauling a friend with and the MRP rack system is fabulous for everything from minnow buckets to ice augers. The TRV has a little more weight, and a smoother ride - and its the easiest to steer quad that I've driven.
I had to put a tank heater on the polaris to get it started when real cold - and it works really good - but the Arctic Cat has the carb primer lever and that makes all the difference. Seems to start on the first power stroke and that can make a difference between riding or walking off the cold lake where theres nothing to plug the heater into.
I had to make my own rear TRV rack as AC doesn't provide one but its not much effort to have some square tube welded up. There are tons of accessories for quads and I recommend Ryans ATV accessories. I've met Ryan - he's a ice fisherman also and he wants his products to work for the other ice fisherman. Check out this site for the Ryan products.
http://www.ryansatvracks.com
Good luck
Posted by: WhoDatInDaMud
whoooooosh...... (fish house behind 650 doing 50mph) lol... not.
Posted by: WhoDatInDaMud
Mankato is in Blue Earth County. Review the MN DNR website for specific lakes and their most recent fish inventories. A google search on Minnesota Lake Finder will get you there.
Bluegill sunfish are possibly the most popular fish in most Minnesota lakes (even in the Badger area). I have heard stories of the iron range pitt lakes having monster dinner plate sized bluegills, I'm planning to go fish for them soon myself.
Also - with chains on the quad I help move several ice houses off the lake by my house each year. Some are 12x12 in size. Only a idiot would spin the tires over a few mph as thats how you throw off a chain and remove the fenders from your quad.
Good luck
Posted by: WhoDatInDaMud
Quote
Originally posted by: weez440
once again who you are shooting your mouth off there are NO bluegills right in this immediate area and walleye is the most popular fish up here i have fished bluegills before and they are fun to catch but i never hear of ANYONE going fishing just for them cause they aren't here
Well son, before you get your froot-of-the-looms overly twisted up in a knot you may want to check out the DNR lake inventory for bluegill sunfish in Hayes lake, Roseau County. Badger is still in Roseau County isn't it?
"If you don't have a boat, you can use the fishing pier or pick a place on the bank near one of the picnic areas or campground. Largemouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch, and bluegill sunfish have all become reestablished since fish were stocked following a winterkill in 1989-90. Stocking and the addition of a pipe that draws off water in the lake at a depth where it typically lacks oxygen, has lead to sustainable populations of these species. "
If blowing up and being a hot head isn't working out for you, I can offer a little advise - Its always a safe bet to say nothing, then to open your mouth and prove you don't know what your talking about.
Good luck
Posted by: WhoDatInDaMud
Quote
Originally posted by: weez440
ok i would like to appologize to you who for blowing up........ comment you made about gong 50 mph with a fishouse but ok i made my peace
Hey Weez - no problem. Its a better man who makes good on mistakes rather then run away from them.
just so you know - fish house thing was meant to be funny.
Posted by: rickwalley
Gillfisher:
I built my own ice shack 2 years ago, and it ended up weighing a little more than I wanted. Not sure on the weight, but I'm guessing at 750#. I've got a 600cc machine currently, and quite a few times, I struggle to get it moving across the lake without a little help from someone else to break it loose or push it forward a little to get me going. It does get frustrating quite often. Mine uses wood runners that I've skinned with plastic, so I've got a pretty good surface to work with. I've been thinking of setting mine up with a wheel/ski combo situation where the wheels would be located just barely below the ski line profile. This would also allow you to do shortterm trips around the yard at other times of the year, go up on to the parking lots at boat landing parking lots, etc. If I were you, I'd give it a serious thought. It's nice to save your ambition and energy for what you really want to be working at........Ice fishing, not struggling to get yourself around a lake. My experience has been that with weights like you mentioned is really better served with a car or truck. Good luck this winter.
Rickwalley
Posted by: Catterman
Hey Gillfisher, I used to live in Manakato, and still own about 35 acres of land just south of there. It is not really a very good fishing spot, but an hour or two north by Willmar and you will be in a great area. Mankato is a great little town though, they have great running trails, snowmobiling trails, and I think they are getting some ATV trails too last I heard. Good luck!
Posted by: Catterman
Quote
Originally posted by: shooter29
Catterman, is your 35 acres wooded? any chance of getting in there to do a little bowhunting???
Sorry shooter29, my old man lives in Fairmont and he bowhunts there. Yes about half of it is wooded, you can see two pictures of the land in my photos area. I have got a nice 9-pointer out of there and my dad has gotten three 8-pointers. All within the last 5 years. Nothing big enough to mount, but they sure taste good!
Posted by: weez440
i would say for your use the 500 with the mrp system would be the best setup for ice fishing you got good low end power and with the 650 the darn belt becomes an issue (damn kawasaki) ok so i am a lil upset with kawasaki right now but the 650 might be the best bet for you to cause you can run up to 45 to 50 mph in low range therefore if you get in alot of snow you won't be over reving the motor cause low end is geared higher and for 2005 the 400 500 and 650's all having a locking front diff which has bailed my butt out more then once
Posted by: weez440
hey who no need to be a smartass i was mearly letting him know that it has the capability to go up to 50 mph before it over rev's therefore if he gets in deep snow he doesn't have to worry bout over reving the motor if you would have read what i wrote a lil more carefully you might have read that
Posted by: weez440
never fished near manakato but where i live there is great walleye fishing on lake of the woods and i also have a couple holes where it is fun to catch northern pike i guess we got all kinds but i don't believe we have bluegills up here
Posted by: weez440
once again who you are shooting your mouth off there are NO bluegills right in this immediate area and walleye is the most popular fish up here i have fished bluegills before and they are fun to catch but i never hear of ANYONE going fishing just for them cause they aren't here
Posted by: weez440
ok i would like to appologize to you who for blowing up that was immature and i did some asking around and there are some bluegills in this area like in hays lake lake of the woods and lake bronson but hardly anyone ever fishes for them and that is why i didn't think we even had them around here but you were right and i was wrong i was having a bad day yesterday well nm i won't make excuses i was still a lil sore for that comment you made about gong 50 mph with a fishouse but ok i made my peace
Posted by: weez440
hey blue thanx for the compliment actually in a bad situation yes i was wrong and i am man enough to admit it i did have a bad day at work but like i said that still is no excuse i should have waited to reply and i did fly off the deep end and if you do get that job there wait till next summer i can take ya cat fishing or northern fishing up here which is very fun like i always thought everyone on here is like one big happy family and it is always just fun to try fishing for something differnt like me i never fished catfish in my life but a couple years ago my buddy took me and i gotta admit i am hooked on that you get a 15 pound catfish in the red river hooked on with that strong current and 50 pound test line i do believe anyone can be hooked but don't get me wrong i have fished for bluegills in erskine and they are alot of fun to fish with light tackle
Posted by: weez440
it's all good who i was wrong you were right so lets let it be and hammer once you latch on to at least an 8 pounder you will be hooked out of all the fishing i done catfishing is the funest cause i can start a fire and drink a few beers until i hear a bell ring and it is so exciting and fun that i know anyone that trys it will love it
Posted by: vrz500tbx
I would get a 500 TBX and chain it up....that's what I use for ice fishing and it works great.
The box on back allows you to throw some x-tra stuff in and go.....no need to tie it down. Fits the tacks box nicely along with a five gallon pail and some rods, and you don't need to buy the additional expensive MRP accessories.
And my house is a 6.5 x 16 foot aluminum house I built and weighs around 1000-1200 lbs. depending on what's in it so I'm sure it should pull your house fine. I guess mine is on wheels though.......
Good luck with your purchase......make sure to look at the TBX though. I think you'll like it.
Posted by: Rem
we went with the 500 LE .. its got ok power i guess... but not enough speed for me..................... its really torque-y though, my dad likes it
Go-Pack-Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Posted by: CATSKINNER
I would suggest the 500 or the 650. The 4,5 and 650 have the same chasis, it just depends on how much power you can afford.
Posted by: Gillfisher
I am planning on buying an ATV this fall for use ice fishing, I like the AC's and intend on purchasing one, I just am not sure which would be best for running on the lake with a foot or better of snow. I also have a large ice shack that I take out on one of the local lakes and I need to be able to pull it around ( weighs around 800 lbs ) and is not on wheels, just wooden runners ( not ski's ). I would also like to be able to go out during the late ice melt down which usually has the shoreline ice gone for 5 or 10 feet then back into solid ice again, the shorelines are not very deep at all where I go so it shouldnt be a problem climbing back up on the good ice. I am pretty sure I would need to put chains on and that does not bother me. I also am out of the go fast stage in my life and want pulling power and ride comfort over speed and handling at speed. I will also do a little trail riding in northern Wisconsin but not a lot to start with anyway.
Any help you can give would be apriciated.
Posted by: Gillfisher
Glad to see there are ice fishermen on this site, thanks for your input.
You guys in Minn, I may be coming over to work in Mannkato, are there any good bluegill lakes near there?
Posted by: Gillfisher
Glad that there are Blue gills in the Mankato area, not a better tasting fish in my book. They also can be a challenge to catch - the decent sized ones any way ( 8" + ), and on light takle put up a tremendous fight.
Still have not heard if the company I work for got the project over there or not, I am going to wait on my purchase until I find out where I am going to be working.
Weez, glad you apologized ( men are not affraid to admit they are wrong )
Thanks for all the good tips, some good points I hadnt thought of.
