Hanska this weekend

[icecold]

Whos going to Hanska lake this weekend? with the hot walleye bite this fall the lake should be on fire during early ice, By Sunday there should be at least 4 inches to plop a few holes through. cant wait

[delta hunter]

me and a couple of buddies are planing to hit the lake Sat. afternoon!!! Planing on just setting tipups and sitting in the truck, but plans can change!

[fishingguy]

I am thinking about it, but may just wait a couple more days. Have not gotten wet for a several years now and really want to keep it that way! hehe!

I may have to work so that may just be the excuse I need to wait.

[delta hunter]

I was a little worried about taking the portable out this weekend, but after looking at the forcast and with the temps we had this moring and today, I'm not to worried about it anymore!! I'm pretty sure hanska will have close to 4"-6" by this weekend, if you go to the right places.

[Browning83]

I was thinking about heading over to Hanska this weekend and trying the lake out for the first time. I was wondering if anyone wanted to meet up and try fishing it sometime. I have all the gear and am itching to use it. I am a college student over at Mankato. If not any tips on the lake would be appreciated. Want to concentrate on walleyes.

[Phill Aldahl]

Browning I am a student over at Mankato as well. I want to try to get out this weekend as well. I have never fished Hanska as well so maybe we can learn together. Shoot me an email at phillburg at hotmail (Contact Us Please) com.

[delta hunter]

For the two college students, if you guys want some pointers about the lake look for me Saturday afternoon! I drive a Dark Green Dodge Durango and use a fish trap yukon. I'm not trying to brag, but from all other reports that I heard last year. Me and my small group of fishing buddies a lot better than most people! You can look back at some of my post late last Dec. thru Feb.. The only point that I will give you about out there on here, is to get away from eveyone else and be as quiet as possible!

[Phill Aldahl]

I might have to look for ya. I just want to get out, and it looks like it is a smaller lake, hence freezing a little quicker. My main lake is Washington, so if you help me out a little I could give you some pointers on Washington sometime if you want. I suppose I should get out my stuff and make sure the batteries are charged and the reels are re spooled.

[fishingguy]

I ditto the away from the crowd delta. After reading and exchanging with you on some of your posts last year, I had much better luck than I had right after the big thaw. I do have to work sat. so I more than likely will not get out there. But do look forward to meeting/seeing you out there sometime.

As far as hanska being a smaller lake, I disagree. I believe it is around 7 miles long form east to west. The deepest on the east end I found is 16', and the west around 21'. Granted a majority of it is 6' or less, but there are some deep spots and it covers alot of acres.

[Phill Aldahl]

I was wondering if anyone has been out there to check on the ice? I would but the drive from Mankato to there is more than I'd like to do to find out I wouldn't be able to even get out.

[Browning83]

Thanks for the info guys....I get that the crowds are things to avoid...but just wondering what type of depths you have best luck during early ice. Also are there any spots to avoid....like springholes or areas with current? Well I will be driving a dark blue silverado and probably will be hitting the lake sometime late afternoon. See ya if I see ya.

[delta hunter]

the last time I checked hanska was late sunday morning and the shorelines had 2.5 to 3 inches but was froze all the way from shore to shore on the long stretch of the lake! At that time the only open water was by the county park, which is usually the last place to freeze anyways! but from there all the way up to gieger land was froze tight. I know it was warmer on sunday but the 40 degrees we had on saturday didn't even touch the ice!!! I wouldn't be to worried about the ice not being there if you drive all the way from kato, which really isn't that far! Lets just say that if by chance the ice is up to par, I'm sorry about that!!! But something drastic would had to happen!!!!

[delta hunter]

I'm going to say this once and only once!!! Look to go shallow!!!!! I don't care if it is early season or late season, hanksa has a lot of deep basin flats in 12-14 fow. I have spent a lot of time fishing deeper structure with little to no results! There are some fingers and points that a person can focus in on, but if you a nice basin or along the shoreline in about 4-6 fow you should have success. The eyes in this lake from my point of view are more a romers than anything else, they don't tend to stick to anyone piece of structure!

[Browning83]

Thanks for all the helpful tips...I suppose I will be popping a lot of holes this weekend. I think I might head over that direction to check out the ice today and I will let you guys know.

[Jim43]

Looks like a snowstorm could make a mess of the ice this weekend. Hope not, but the forecast does not look good. At least they are predicting it to be a windy storm hopefully blowing most of the snow off the ice. I wanted to get out with my son but will more then likely be working on snow removal most the weekend the way it looks now.

[Browning83]

I checked the lake this afternoon and there was a good 3 inches by the access. But about 400 yards out there is still a small pocket of open water. I traveled out about 200 yards and had consistent 3 inches or so. Hopefully the snow doesnt mess things up now.

[lindylittlejim]

was that from the south landing?

[icecold]

If that snow comes that they are predicting it is going to make conditions real ugly, its always nice at first ice to be able to see how thick cracks are and being able to see if your walking on 3 inches or 1 inch of ice

[Browning83]

Yeah I was at the south landing. I have no idea about this lake. Is it even worth going out by the landing on the south end. I am not going to be venturing all over a lake I dont know about and with the ice that can vary so much. I am not talking about any secret spots....but a general area would be appreciated.

[lindylittlejim]

You could go out about 50 yards from the South landing and catch walleyes in 6-8 feet...and some bullheads too!

[delta hunter]

The south landing is going to be on the lesser amounts on the ice because that took acouple of more days to freeze because of the geese using the south bay! I would have to say that godahl and gieger landing would have more ice! I am planning on either hitting either one of those landings knowing that those landings have been iced up for 3-4 days longer than the SE section of the lake! If anyone else hits those landings sat. afternoon I'll be out there, even with the storm coming, just look for the Trap yukon that is near the shorelines!!!

[Team Otter]

Please move the ice reports for Lake Hanska into the post at the top of the page; Daily Updates of Ice Conditions. Thank you.

[delta hunter]

Went out to Gieger landing sat. afternoon and was pretty slow going. It was just nice to be able to get out! The ice for the most part was around 5-6 inches, there are some open water pockets north of gieger and by godahl landing too. So I wouldn't venture out there at night without know were everything is at.

[delta hunter]

hit hanska again this afternoon and night for a couple of hours. The eyes were a little more active tonight, caught a couple of keepers tonight compared to only one with a bunch of cigars on sat.. Planning on trying a couple of different areas next saturday, with gieger starting to get a little bit of pressure already. Even with the little bit of the warmer temps last night, still added close to a 1/4 of inch of new ice! Just might be able to pull my buddies light wieght perm out by wheeler next weekend if the forcast holds up. But were not going to push it of course.

[lindylittlejim]

Delta- My buddy and I got out and for the first time this afternoon/evening. We fished off the main south landing. It was pretty slow. 1 15"er and a cigar..Marked a few others on the graph, but were not interested at all. 4.5" of ice where we were. Good to get out anyways!

[fishingguy]

delta hunter, I had to work all weekend so I never got out on any scouting trips. How was the snow? Alot on the ice? Did you fish gieger or gohdall?

If I remember right, you got a new flasher last year. Hows it working out for you?

I got myself a perm this summer. Bought a shell and finished the inside myself. It is a 6.5 x 10 plus the V. Wanted something fairly small and mobile. Once I get it out on the ice, you'll have to stop by and check it out. Keep us posted on how the ice is doing. Plan to get out there later this week, or for sure the weekend.

[delta hunter]

All and all it wasn't the best fishing weekend that I have had! But if you would've told me a month ago I would be ice fishing the first weekend in December, I would called you crazy. To be honest, I caught a lot more cigars than keepers. I know there are alot of keepers in the lake, but it is really nice to see the little ones around. Now we know we should have good eyefishing for years to come!

I have a feeling that the fishing is going to be on the slow side for a little while, considering no more than a month ago the eyes had there fed bags on. From what I heard you couldn't keep them off the line! I'm no expert, so anything can happen. So I'm going to do what I always do and that is just to put the time in and hopefully it pays off sooner or later!! About the flasher, yeah I did pick up the FL12 and love it! To be honest I use it more for just finding structure and midday deeper water fishing. I really don't care to use it that much during the power hour and in shallow water that much while fishing for eyes. Now this is just my opinion but all that clicking from the transducer might affect the eyes when in shallow water. Don't get me wrong I have caught eyes in shallow water use it and when I'm not using it. Well I'm just blabing on and on. I wish everyone good luck if they hit the lakes during the week. Let me know how you do, but I'm leaving it until next weekend. Oh yeah, one last thing. Just cause you catch them doesn't mean you have to keep them..