Waconia Fish & Ice Conditions

[Waylon&Willy]

After the deep freeze of the last 36 hours I am wondering if we made for some better ice? I have been out a couple of times catching some decent panfish, but the crowds have finally arrived and I know it will hurt the bite. I want to get out to some areas of the lake that are not fished as much. (a.k.a. The North Side.) This is a heck of a walk in the snow from the access and would really like to drive my Jeep Cherokee out there. Is this a stupid idea or can it be done? If it is not recommended, has the snow hardened up with the below zero temps? That would make pulling the house out not such a big deal. That snow and slush would be a killer to pull my gear out a mile!

[gracie61]

I'm out to the left of Nancy's Landing. There have been vehicle tracks there for a while. I watched a full size Chevy king cab 4x4 drive by me as I walked. He went all the way to the east side of the island, then made a circle and drove all the way to the west side. I popped a hole for a tip-up on Monday - News Eve Day - in deep(ish) snow and had 13 inches of ice. I'm driving out tonight. Not sure why - there aren't any fish where I'm at. Moving soon.

[saloonsoftball76]

north side had a wheeler go through last wed. up to its fenders

[PiKeGuY101]

Ya, I wouldn't be driving to the north side quite yet... Most of the lake is good though! Try getting away from the villages on the reefs and you shouldn't have much problem finding some fish! Try to the north east of the waconia bay village closer to coney island. Good luck!

[Coach Dog]

Last Sunday where I was on Anderson's there was only 6, maybe 7 inches of good ice. Just wheelers and snowmobiles out there.

[Moose-Hunter]

Any reports from over at the clay banks?

[KOTTKE]

Where are the fish this year??? Its been tough I have spent several nights on the lake and am still fishless (eyes). I have seen only one caught. Whats up with this??

Anyone else finding any eyes out there, I'm not looking for a spot just worried abot the fishery.

[scalescratcher]

I was wondering the same thing! I've been out 4x this year and have had little or no action. I've been out between the marinas and Coney and in spots that I thought would have some activity. Deep up to the weedline with the same results! Thinking of going into the weeds this weekend. So far a pretty slow year to say the least!

[KOTTKE]

moved again yesterday out north of center, deep weed edge 17' loaded with fish on the camera, sunfish,crappie,bass even saw 3 skies, but not a single eye bite, stayed the night again, one more move then headed to a different lake. This is crazy this year. Where are the eyes, usually you will get a couple of smaller fish here and there, not this year.

[basmastermatt]

You guys are not alone. It has been the toughest year for Eyes on waconia that I can ever remember. I have fished the lake for 20 years and guided there for 10 and I have struggled all year long out there. Back before x-mas we pulled all our houses to Minnetonka and have been rewarded with many walleyes. I have just recently moved one house back to Waconia and it continues to be the same story, tough! Not really sure how to explain it. Is it a forage thing, they have plenty to eat? Or has the pressure of many good summers and winters finally caught up with this lake. I do believe that all fisheries go in cycles but this one usually stayed on the upward swing. It seems as though it has finally felt the impact. I am fortuanate to get to fish with many great anglers from the west metro, and all of the guys that I fish with have been struggling. I understand there are going to be some guys that catch one here and there, but it just isn't what we are used to. Keep on, Keep'n on!

[Kodiak]

i think i am going to move to tonka also..

i heard fishing deep and then going shallow towards the weedlines after the turn is working.

[scalescratcher]

I won't be switching lakes but will definately be trying something new! I have to agree with Matt that maybe there is just an abundance of forage this year. There's usually a good number of perch around but it seems that when I'm seeing them this year there are major schools of smaller fish. Gonna just keep pluggin away and see what happens!

[Moose-Hunter]

Oh, let me assure you Walter has not left Wacky! Although not as fast and furious as previous years. It will take a MAJOR change up in tactics to get bit, that's for sure!!

Have the crappies been moving at all? I've decided to take a break from "runnin' and gunnin'" and would like to just plant myself and get a few for the pan... Any suggestions?

[Sarpy Creek Boy]

Hey Dan, Hey Dino.

Finally found the time to log back on and see how the fishing on Waconia has been. I haven't had the time to pay attention let alone getting out to fish. I was suppose to go out to Oak last weekend but things just didn't happen the way they were suppose to..

Dan,

Dino knows about this already, but I have accepted a job out in Montana. I will be leaving sometime in March, so we will have to plan a get together on Waconia before I leave. And the Big Green Monster has been sold so I just have the voyager left to fish in.

[scalescratcher]

Hey Sarpy! How's it going? I'd love to get together. I won't be out this weekend and will be out of town the w/e of 2/1 but otherwise I'll be poking holes each Sat. Haven't seen Dan for a few years so sharing a Premium would be a blast. Unless things change I can't offer much yet on where the fish are hangin out but I'm far from giving up. Let me know how the schedule looks and we'll plan something before you're off to Big Sky!

[saloonsoftball76]

kottke i have had great success this year my pics are at the marina. my father inlaw though did not get a bite the last time he was out....may have to move back to spot #1 for awhile

[Chaska Fisherman]

Hey Sarpy good to see you online again. I have had a tough year this year as well. Had a few eyes early in the year but the past week hasnt produced a fish. Been on Cemetary over to Andersons and now heading to the north side. I havent seen many craptiles coming out either? Anyone doing well on them?

Lane

[Scott26]

Not too good this year. Early yes, but it has slowed a ton. Hopfully I can get out there today, and move around a bit, be out there sunday for sure.

[saloonsoftball76]

Here are some of the fish that have been caught at, in , around, and near my house this year.. have more pics later

[Big Dave2]

Has anyone been having any success getting Crappies to bite? I have fish on my Vex all day and all evening but can not seem to get them to bite. You can coax one here and there but thats about it. I'm in about 21 FOW. Have tried every lure in the box without much success. Even the tiny perch and sunnies don't want to bite.

[Kodiak]

saloon-

nice fish!

[CARVER_COUNTRY]

Is it just me or does it seem like more and more people fish waconia every year??? You cant find a spot on the lake that you can be by yourself and catch fish without some one else moving in on you.

[Kodiak]

 Originally Posted By: CARVER_COUNTRY

Is it just me or does it seem like more and more people fish waconia every year??? You cant find a spot on the lake that you can be by yourself and catch fish without someelse moving in on you.

well i am one less person, i gave wac. up for the winter

[Moose-Hunter]

Hey Danny & Dino...

For sure let's get together before Danny flys the coop. The big house is up north, but I may be able to get my lil' green house put together and yanked out to my old faithful crappie hole. It ain't huge, just a 4 holer, but it will be heated!

Drop me an email when you guys have a date in mind... dn55419 at yahhoooo

[CARVER_COUNTRY]

Everyone has been complaining about the bite out on waconia this year but i have found pretty good luck this season. I put the big house out along with a buddies and we ended up catching over 60 walleyes in first 10 days combined. About two dozen of these 60 fish were over twenty inches and were RELEASED back into the lake. The biggest fish we ended up with was a 27 incher. One thing that we noticed was alot of the smaller fish that we had to release were around 15 1/2 to 15 3/4. Cant complain about this season.

Now realizing with all the houses and the pressure the fishing has slowed dowm but still picking up a eyes or two a night.

[Kodiak]

 Originally Posted By: CARVER_COUNTRY

Everyone has been complaining about the bite out on waconia this year but i have found pretty good luck this season. I put the big house out along with a buddies and we ended up catching over 60 walleyes in first 10 days combined. About two dozen of these 60 fish were over twenty inches and were RELEASED back into the lake. The biggest fish we ended up with was a 27 incher. One thing that we noticed was alot of the smaller fish that we had to release were around 15 1/2 to 15 3/4. Cant complain about this season.

Now realizing with all the houses and the pressure the fishing has slowed dowm but still picking up a eyes or two a night.

sure....pictures???

[gracie61]

I had a guy drop his house right by me on Saturday morning. Then he fired up his 'meet the neighbors' generator - ran it all day. I don't know how he could even have heard his TV. There's one guy I hope caught nothing and moved on.

[KOTTKE]

60+ fish, thats great, I would make sure no one knows who you are or your spot will look like a city. Glad to hear someone is finding consistent eye's action, that means theres still hope for me. Gonna head to spot #8 and see if the fish are back in there this year.

[CARVER_COUNTRY]

Yea thats why i wont post pictures of my face on here

It took over three hundred holes to find the spot.

Kottke, Keep putting your time in and you will find fish.

[Ice-King]

I should know I was the guy with the other house. Putting up pictures would be the last thing we would want to do even if I did crop the picture you would still be able to see the back ground and thats just to much for someone to recognize. We put alot of time and effort on Waconia and we dont need people following us around or marking our spots on their GPS. As CARVER COUNTRY stated the walleyes have slowed down with the amount of houses and traffic. The walleyes are out there you just have to find the right location.