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#1614297 - 11/29/08 04:01 PM Best resort for ice fishing
walleyeking19 Offline
Sr FishingMN Family

Registered: 06/02/07
Posts: 510
Loc: Buffalo, MN
What is the best resort to go ice fishing this winter? my dad and i want to come up but we don't know anything about the different resorts. Any help is appreciated
_________________________
If you don't know where you are going you will probably end up somewhere else. -Yogi Berra

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#1614429 - 11/29/08 06:10 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: walleyeking19]
mnhunter 3815 Offline
Sr FishingMN Family

Registered: 11/04/07
Posts: 982
Loc: chisholm,mn / zipple bay
every 1 has there fav resort.i always went to zipple bay resort.nick and the gang take great care of ppl.
_________________________
lord give to us.DNR take it away

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#1614438 - 11/29/08 06:16 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: walleyeking19]
heartattack22 Offline
Sr FishingMN Family

Registered: 03/31/05
Posts: 405
Loc: Hibbing, MN
I will throw my two cents in. Some of the locals up there may have better reccomendations. Some of the resorts use track vehicles to get you out to your house. Sportsmans and Arnesans are two that come to mind. Places such as Morris Point and Adrians plow roads out onto the lake. This allows you to drive out to your house. You aren't sitting on the lake until the track vehicle comes to pick you up. Sportsmans has a pool. All of the resorts are good at what they do. There are slow days on the big pond, but one good day makes up for a slow one. And afterall...it still beats working!!!

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#1614455 - 11/29/08 06:25 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: heartattack22]
mnhunter 3815 Offline
Sr FishingMN Family

Registered: 11/04/07
Posts: 982
Loc: chisholm,mn / zipple bay
ya i guess it all depends on if you want to drive your truck or have them bring you out.i would suggest drive your own truck.that way you can keep moving around if ya need to to stay on fish.
_________________________
lord give to us.DNR take it away

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#1614822 - 11/29/08 11:25 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: mnhunter 3815]
SD Fisher Offline
FishingMN Family

Registered: 01/17/03
Posts: 17
Loc: Sioux Falls, SD, USA
We went to Arnesens-Rocky Point in 99, 00, 01. Went to Borderview-Baudette in 02, 03, 04. Skipped 05, 06, 07. Went back to Arnesens in 08 and going again in Jan 09. We think that Arnesens has a slight edge in food, accomodations and friendliness. They're both OK and I wouldn't have any problem going back to Borderview but the collective opinion is that Arnesens is slightly better. Just my 0.02.

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#1614992 - 11/30/08 08:09 AM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: SD Fisher]
curt quesnell Moderator Offline
HotSpotOutdoors Pro Staff

Registered: 03/07/01
Posts: 1938
Loc: thief river falls, minn. usa
I recommend River Bend and Zippel Bay resort to anyone fishing
LOW for the first time. Both places do a great job. At Zippel you
drive out to your house, at River Bend you can drive out or they
can haul you out. I am guessing you will want to rent a fish
house? If you are on your own it is not as important where you
stay.

BUT!!!!you need to call well in advance or face disappointment
when they tell you they are booked up.

Have fun, see you up there
_________________________
Curt Quesnell
NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

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#1615029 - 11/30/08 08:55 AM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: curt quesnell]
hibanks1 Offline
Hello I'm New

Registered: 01/03/06
Posts: 12
Ballards....

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#1615898 - 11/30/08 08:01 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: hibanks1]
Dave O Offline
FishingMN Family

Registered: 11/30/05
Posts: 24
Loc: Glyndon MN
I have been to the Wigwam, Shusters, and Cyrus twice in the Baudette area. All have been good to deal with. My favorite guides on the southside have been Cyrus. I have also been to the Northwest Angle Resort on the north side twice. 50/50 on those two trips. This year we are going to Sportsmans on Oak Island. Make sure the guides are willing to move you if the fishing is slow. This has been the make or break for us a few times. If the guide isn't willing to move you during the first day let the lodge owner/mananger know, they will usually take care of business.

I like to support the resort restaurants. None of them have very fast service. The food has always been good. The breakfast buffet at Cyrus is great.

Check with your cell phone provider for map coverage. It has gotten a lot better in the last three years but it is still spotty.

Last piece of advice is to use a flasher and set your bait 6-8 inches above the bottom.

Good Luck

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#1617116 - 12/01/08 01:48 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: Dave O]
Tripleplay Offline
Sr FishingMN Family

Registered: 02/04/04
Posts: 398
Loc: Andover, MN
I fished Borderview for three years running probably 2001 or so and on with a really large group and they had the lodges/cabins that supported a group that size. Fishing was decent but that had more to do with the nature of the group and the early January dates and most important to me the location just over Pine. Good food and bar.

Switched and fished Arneson's with another group and had very good if not excellent fishing on this area of the late. Loved the structure of this area. Excellent bar and food as well.

Have now fished with River Bend the last two winters and can't say enough good things about them. I like to go later in the season so that we make the trek out to the islands as the fishing is always good if not excellent. We have been doing the food ourselves now but the lodge food looks great and certainly is spoken highly about real often on here. Bar is fun and certainly a way to tell many a fish story. We are already booked again for this winter and I don't honestly see myself leaving Charlie and the gang at River Bend anytime soon as they are that good.

There are other resorts that are highly recommended out there and I have some summer experience with Adrian's from my youth and they do it the right way as well.

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#1617169 - 12/01/08 02:19 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: Tripleplay]
vanwalleye Online   content
HotSpotOutdoors Family

Registered: 12/20/07
Posts: 37
It all depends what you are looking for,if you are not concerned about the price try Ballards they have cabins/day house or sleepers great people and they will have you on some fish, I have also stayed in sleepers at Wheelers Point also very nice people and probally the cleanest house I have had up there, and a little bit less $$$ hope it helps

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#1620038 - 12/02/08 07:41 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: vanwalleye]
bige1909 Offline
Hello I'm New

Registered: 01/23/04
Posts: 5
Loc: Shakopee/Mankato, MN 56001
Which resorts will allow you to bring your portables out and venture from their day houses?
_________________________
Life's a garden...Dig it!

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#1620064 - 12/02/08 07:53 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: bige1909]
mnhunter 3815 Offline
Sr FishingMN Family

Registered: 11/04/07
Posts: 982
Loc: chisholm,mn / zipple bay
zipple bay has plowed roads and you can drive your own truck.you can take your portable and venture out.
_________________________
lord give to us.DNR take it away

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#1621350 - 12/03/08 12:40 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: mnhunter 3815]
oboyoboyoboy Online   content
FishingMN Family

Registered: 07/28/08
Posts: 18
Loc: MN
I don't think any resort minds if you rent their house but yet want to go off on your own and try a different spot. If you have a truck, then you will most likely need a plowed road so Arnesens wouldn't work, but if you have a snowmobile, then no one can stop you. You could ask them when you book it, but I think they'll all say go for it.

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#1621471 - 12/03/08 01:38 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: oboyoboyoboy]
hoy18 Offline
FishingMN Family

Registered: 12/08/03
Posts: 16
Loc: Minneapolis, MN U.S.A.
Went to Cyrus Resort last year with a group of 8 and had a blast. We all did the full meal plan and thought it was well worth it.

The guides came out and check on us multiple times and every stop offered to re-load on bait and move us if needed.

Doing the same trip again Super Bowl weekend, but this time with a groupd of 14.

Hoy18

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#1622188 - 12/03/08 07:42 PM Re: Best resort for ice fishing [Re: hoy18]
Dave O Offline
FishingMN Family

Registered: 11/30/05
Posts: 24
Loc: Glyndon MN
We have gone out of Long Point a few times in early March. Nice plowed roads. Lots of space between neighbors. Fishing has been a little spotty but at least you have the option to move. If you go in March bring the auger extension. Last March we barely broke through.

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