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bassNspear

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Hey All,

I just purchaced a new home in Chann by HWY5, and looking for great lakes to go to this winter. I know the summer is getting close to the end, but looking for spearing lakes in the Chann area, along with nice pan fish.

Anyhelp would be great. Thanks

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Bavaria and Piersons. Bavaria has really high catches of pike and Piersons you'll have to be careful on since it has tiger muskies. I know a guy that saw the same tiger musky every day he went for about two weeks. But we have faith in you more than anyone to not spear one of those.

Steiger has good size structure, but is C&R only so no spearing. Riley is another little lake with really high #s. There is one good point I've done well on tip ups for them.

Good luck. Maybe we can join up some time.

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In the neighborhood now grin.gifMinnewashta especially the south bay. Need a snowmobile or ATV to get there most winters so not many bother. Very nice pike. Hard to beat Tonka once you get to know it. Give me shout when ice time is finally here and I can help you out.

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Hey Bassnspear--heck we're probably neighbors--I live off of 5 in Chan. Lot of good lakes around here. Other than Minnetonka or Waconia, I think Riley may be a real sleeper. I've had some very decent action out there before--pike and panfish. You might want to look into Minnewashta--I've never fished it, but I've heard its jam packed full of pike and panfish.

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Thanks Mark. Ill do that forsure.

Carp, i will be living on the north of five. By Prince's Land.

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What about these lakes?

Ann----Lucy----Lotus-----Riley-----Susan------Christmas----Rice Marsh------Mitchell Lake-----Silver Lake

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Quote:

What about these lakes?

Ann----Lucy----Lotus-----Riley-----Susan------Christmas----Rice Marsh------Mitchell Lake-----Silver Lake


Ann- This is a much overlooked Pike fishery. Not only are they numerous, but pretty decent year classes from snakes to bigger fish. It's got easy weedlines too.

Lucy- Haven't fished it =(

Lotus- Not much of a pike lake, decent walters though.

Riley- I agree with whats been said by others, it can be pretty decent for pike in shallow weeds, and a sleeper eye lake.

Susan- I spent one day out there, got skunked.

Christmas- IMO the most fun lake to spear on, many spearshacks are out there each year. You can see 20' down and some pike grow large from eating trout. But their numbers are low.

Rice Marsh/Silver- No experience

Mitchell- Haven't been out there this year since the winterkill- but I think it suffered a bit from what I've heard.

Others not listed worth mentioning are

Bavaria- good crappie lake and pikers.

Hydes - same as Bavaria

Parley - good panfish/pike.

Zumbra - great bass lake -- shhhh.

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So i take it that Christmas Lake is the clearest of them all. Are there others that are clear as well, or mostly dirty?

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Are there any restrictions on which lakes you can spear on in the metro area? (other than the catch and release lake mentioned)

Thanks.

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that was going to be my next question.

I sent a email to the DNR to check if there is anything new coming out, along with lakes that you can not spear on.

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Christmas is by far the clearest, The rest are about 10ft in the winter. For spearing pike you really are looking at Riley, Bavaria, Christmas,Minnewashta, Tonka and Ann. The rest of your list are no fish at all (Rice Marsh and Silver) or very small pike populations size and numbers. Waconia is also a possibility.

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I don't know how the winterkill affected the pike population in Mitchell Lake. It did have some big fat pike in there.

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Ill check them both out this winter. I want to get the boat out this fall to check out the lakes on how clear they are before i cut holes through the ice.

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I second Little Long, hard to beat the clarity, some good size panfish if you can find them, and good numbers of pike, including a few monsters due to the amazing depth of the lake and trout to feed on.

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  • 4 weeks later...

if you dont mind a 3 hour drive go up to Woman Lake in Cass County one of teh clearest lakes in the state, and many many pike(lots of people spear in the winter here)

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Some years more than others. The last year with great ice, what five years ago, trucks were driving across the lake. That don't normally happen. Both Xmas and lil long are deep lakes that don't freeze all that well most years. The limited vehicle access will limit spearers/fishers.

Most the spearhouses will set up straight out from the landing early season.

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do alot of people spear on this little long.


I went out there last spring before ice out and there wasn't much evidence of anybody icefishing out there. I would have to agree with others about the clarity of this lake though as I have a cheap-o underwater camera that if the water is even a little bit cloudy, I can't see a thing. I dropped the camera down last winter and could see for what looked like 100 yards. It was pretty cool also, I saw a dock under the water straight out from the launch in 15 ft of water and there was a toilet sitting upright on it.

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Quote:

if you dont mind a 3 hour drive go up to Woman Lake in Cass County one of teh clearest lakes in the state, and many many pike(lots of people spear in the winter here)


Bass N Spear and Myself will be up spearing in the Cass Lake area some time after x-mas. We will have to go an check that lake out. Thanks for the Info 12345

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I've got a good spot for us to try on Minnetonka. I've cleaned up out there on tip ups. It's a great spot for a hooky day or when you take 1/2 day off. Not a far walk or anything. Can't spear it (Minnetonka's banned), but can do well on tip ups or could sight fish them.

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dude, this time of year, in the boat business, i can take any day off i want.

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  • 1 month later...

100 yards out from the access on Xmas, where everybody else sets up there spear houses. There is portable drag marks out to the area already. The ice ain't safe if you go out to deep, so take it slow and check the ice!

Good Luck.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • jparrucci
      Very low, probably 2 feet lower than last year at ice out.
    • mbeyer
      what do they look like this spring?
    • SkunkedAgain
      I might have missed a guess, but here are the ones that I noted:   JerkinLips – March 27th, then April 7th Brianf. – March 28th Bobberwatcher – April…. MikeG3Boat – April 10th SkunkedAgain – early April, then April 21st   Definitely a tough year for guesses, as it seemed to be a no-brainer early ice out. Then it got cold and snowed again.
    • mbeyer
      MN DNR posted April 13 as Ice out date for Vermilion
    • Brianf.
      ^^^45 in the morning and 47 in the evening
    • CigarGuy
      👍. What was the water temp in Black Bay? Thanks....
    • Brianf.
      No, that wasn't me.  I drive a 621 Ranger. 
    • CigarGuy
      So, that was you in the camo lund? I'm bummed, I have to head back to the cities tomorrow for a few days, then back up for at least a few weeks. Got the dock in and fired up to get out chasing some crappies till opener!
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Lots of ice on the main basin, but it is definitely deteriorating.  Some anglers have been fishing the open water at the mouth of the Rainy River in front of the Lighthouse Gap.  The rest of the basin is still iced over. Pike enthusiasts caught some big pike earlier last week tip up fishing in pre-spawn areas adjacent to traditional spawning areas.  8 - 14' of water using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring has been the ticket.  Ice fishing for all practical purposes is done for the year. The focus for the basin moving forward will be pike transitioning into back bays to spawn,  This is open water fishing and an opportunity available as the pike season is open year round on Lake of the Woods. The limit is 3 pike per day with one being able to be more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. With both the ice fishing and spring fishing on the Rainy River being so good, many are looking forward to the MN Fishing Opener on Saturday, May 11th.  It should be epic. On the Rainy River...  An absolutely incredible week of walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rain Rainy River.     Walleye anglers, as a rule, caught good numbers of fish and lots of big fish.  This spring was one for the books.   To follow that up, the sturgeon season is currently underway and although every day can be different, many boats have caught 30 - 40 sturgeon in a day!  We have heard of fish measuring into the low 70 inch range.  Lots in the 60 - 70 inch range as well.   The sturgeon season continues through May 15th and resumes again July 1st.   Oct 1 - April 23, Catch and Release April 24 - May 7, Harvest Season May 8 - May 15, Catch and Release May 16 - June 30, Sturgeon Fishing Closed July 1 - Sep 30, Harvest Season If you fish during the sturgeon harvest season and you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5 prior to fishing.    One sturgeon per calendar year (45 - 50" inclusive, or over 75"). Most sturgeon anglers are either a glob of crawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen emerald shiners on a sturgeon rig, which is an 18" leader with a 4/0 circle hook combined with a no roll sinker.  Local bait shops have all of the gear and bait. Up at the NW Angle...  Open water is continuing to expand in areas with current.  The sight of open water simply is wetting the pallet of those eager for the MN Fishing Opener on May 11th.   A few locals were on the ice this week, targeting pike.  Some big slimers were iced along with some muskies as well.  If you like fishing for predators, LOW is healthy!  
    • Brianf.
      Early bird gets the worm some say...   I have it on good authority that this very special angler caught no walleyes or muskies and that any panfish caught were released unharmed.        
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