Snowmobile Build

Just a quick follow-up to yesterday’s post. If you have any questions about the accessories, don’t hesitate to reach out to Jeff, an experienced fishing guide on Lake Winnie, at 218-259-8893.

The sled is a Skidoo Tundra 600 Ace, and it’s an absolute beast. The low-end torque on this thing is perfect for getting out of a tough spot when you need it most.

Now, let’s talk accessories. Starting at the front, you’ll find a Digger auger mount on the front bumper, and a Helix 10 mounted to the handlebar riser with a RAM mount. There's also a custom battery box on the opposite side of the risers, keeping everything powered up. The Helix 10 is Mega Live ready, which is a huge bonus for fishing.

As we move toward the back, the sled is equipped with a dry box to haul your gear and tackle, plus it holds the pole system for Mega Live. Another great addition is the scratchers mounted under the track.

This sled will be up for sale starting in March. If you’ve got any questions, feel free to reach out!

Gearing Up For Winter

Having the right gear and accessories is a must when heading out on the lakes in Northern Minnesota. Jeff Johnson, an experienced fishing guide on Lake Winnie, has spent years fine-tuning his setup to handle the harsh winters and the challenge of sometimes elusive fish. With fish behavior and movements changing rapidly, staying mobile on the ice has never been more important.

Jeff has honed his skills guiding anglers on Lake Winnie, targeting both perch and walleye. A well-equipped machine can turn a tough day on the ice into a successful one. Fishing guides on Lake Winnie need to stay mobile and constantly find fish for their customers, and Jeff’s setup is designed with that in mind.

Below, you'll get a glimpse of Jeff’s rig for the 2024-25 winter ice fishing season. Stay tuned for more details on the specifics of this build tomorrow.

Lake Winnie and Cutfoot Sioux

The Northern Drift Outfitters crew has been targeting jumbo perch on Lake Winnibigoshish and Cutfoot Sioux over the past few days. Both lakes are holding large schools of perch, and staying mobile has been key to success. Don’t give up on a hole just because you've caught a few small ones—the bigger fish are still out there. The target depth range has been between 8 and 12 feet. Starting this weekend, the focus will shift to walleyes.

If you're looking for a high-quality guided fishing trip on Lake Winnibigoshish (aka Lake Winnie), contact Jeff Johnson of Northern Drift Outfitters. Experience the best of guided fishing trips on Lake Winnie and make your next fishing adventure unforgettable! If you want an update on current ice conditions, please reach out to Captain Jeff at 218-259-8893.

Lake Winnie Fishing Report

Lake Winnie’s ice conditions are shaping up nicely for a great ice fishing season. Today’s report comes from the Tamarack Bay area, where large schools of perch are being found in depths of 8-12 feet. There’s plenty of action, with a good number of larger perch in the 10-12 inch range. Fourwheelers, Atvs, and snowmobiles were operating all around the bay. Ice conditions due vary, so make sure you check ice conditions as you go. . Photo courtesy of Lake Winnie ice fishing guide, Captain Jeff Johnson.

Fly Fish Minnesota

Our fly fishing guide, Tanner Stofferahn, was the featured angler in the Smallmouth Bass segment of “Fly Fish Minnesota” by Bluff Line Media.

Enjoy this incredibly well-done feature on the fly fishing opportunities Minnesota has to offer. If you are interested in spending a day chasing smallmouth bass on the fly, please contact Tanner.

Fall Harvest

Fall fishing and hunting has been a tradition for many in Northern, MN. Nature is offering up her bounty before the cold, crisp December days creep in. The Lake Winnibigoshish area has been offering up it’s bounty, and it has been plentiful.

Crappies are traditionally a focus for many anglers this time of year. Cutfoot Sioux and it’s connecting arms and bays have been producing great crappie fishing for those who are targeting them more traditionally with trolling techniques and vertical jigging. Anglers who have implemented forward facing sonar into their arsenal are capitalizing on schools of fish using both bobber techniques and other forms of casting with soft plastics or 1/16 ounce jigs and minnows. A noticing that I made over the weekend was the amount of crappies finding shelter underneath my boat that weren’t there when spot lock was activated. There are obviously many reasons as to why this was taking place so frequently, but one large takeaway was, the boat doesn’t always need to be positioned on top of the school right away. Crappies like other species move and move often. Putting yourself in a prime location and waiting it out for that cycle of fish to push through can be an effective method. Think fishing in an ice house. When they show up, you are ready! A few other lakes in the area have been heating up, and ones not to forget about it. Sand Lake near Squaw Lake and Bowstring have been kicking out nice numbers of crappies as well.

My fall guide season is a wrap, and it’s time to start preparing for this winter along with enjoying some hunting opportunities with my family. Grouse numbers are up and hunters all over the north woods are experiencing large numbers of birds.

If you are looking to book a guide trip for this winter you can reach me on my cell at 218-259-8893. It will be here before we know it. As of right now the initial plan for this winter season will be guiding on Upper Red Lake Mid November through early December. My operation will then make it’s way back to the Lake Winnibigoshish area focusing on perch. As spring begins to creep in most of my winter guide season finishes up in the Grand Rapids area with a focus on crappies and bluegills. Take care and tight lines everyone!

Captain Jeff Johnson