New Waconia Ice Report.... Its Growing Fast

[danny berg]

Lane,

I was just going to send you an E-mail to see how the fishing was this week.

I am going to move this weekend also, I was thinking Harms Point or Pillsbury. I can honestly say I have never heard any good reports about Red's on ice. Late fall is another story. I might go just south of you at the point on Friday with the portable,just to see what is happening in the deeper water over there. I'll let you know next week what I find out.

Danny

[Chaska Fisherman]

That would be great danny. I dont know what is going on. I am leaving in the morning for milwaukee for the weekend and back on sunday. Keep me posted as to how things are going

Fish On ~!!!!

Lane

[Moose-Hunter]

Hey Dino...

It was great to meet you this afternoon!! How did ya do?

On my way around the west side of the island, I saw a blue suburban sporting an FM sticker so I stopped my to say howdy. Guys... if you read this... I'm really sorry but I forgot your names. My bad. Good to see fellow FMer's none the less. Hope you fared well with all the traffic. and good luck at Medicine this saturday! If we get this snow, I'll be plowing but I'm still going to try to make it out before final weigh in...

For me...

I went over to "base camp one". Got the heat started and ran to a couple other spots I've been wanting ot hit. I set a shiner out on a tip up. I didn't even have my second hole drilled when the flag popped. Turned out to be a nice pike in the 8 to 10 range. Two kids saw the action and zoomed right up and started drilling. I left them to their fun, hit the second spot and got blanked. Retired myself back to the green house for the duration and went home with a few crappies for breakfast. Not a stellar night, but the pike was a gas. First flag for me this year. Met a few FM folks AND I'll be having a wonderful breakfast... So I guess it wasn't all bad....

[Kodiak]

i moved off the dead zone cemetary last saturday! That reef really lived up to its name this year so far.

[danny berg]

Kodiak,

What are your thoughts, on why this year is so much deader than the last few years out there? As posted earlier I might move to Harms or Pillsbury, are you out in that area now or did you move to Tonka?

[Kodiak]

I was going to go to tonka, but i moved it down to cedar near new prague for 3 days or so but took it off due to the breakin rate on cedar(didnt want to take a chance) now it is sitting in the driveway and i have been fishing with my portable trying to find a good spot...it is fustrating this year so far. But my thought is the sporatic weather and the late freeze, but with this low pressure and warmer temps they should be biting very aggressively especially the panfish and crappies. I have heard from Lane that the bite is good up on mille lacs for walleyes but i havent been up there yet. So hopefully i can find a good spot to put it on, i was thinking minnetonka or prior but the reports are not good at either....so i am scouting now. I will let you all know, just post me on waconia if you all find something, i have givin up on waconia for awhile this year. spent too much time out there catching 1 or 2 walleyes a night.

[scalescratcher]

Hey Moose-Hunter!

It was great meeting you on Thursday.Your attitude and plan of attack are awesome!! I didn't fare too well on Thursday. Those perch were everywhere but as soon as it got dark things got real quiet. I ended up with 1 small walter about 12". I'm not sure what my next step wiil be. Either pound that area a little harder or look for another spot. I'll have to see how the weather looks next Sat.. I thought about you yesterday when the snow was really coming down. I guess you probably didn't make it to Medicine huh? Well at least you'll have some dough for bait!! Great talking to ya! Have a good week.

Dino

[Moose-Hunter]

Hey Dino...

After close to 20 hours behind the wheel, I'm finally home. And what's the first thing I do? Log on to FM... Man, I got it bad. I think that means I AM an FMer.

If I were you... I'd stick with your approach, but maybe move east. Sort of close to where we saw that blue truck heading. I've done well in the general area in the late fall. Watch the weed line over there. There's a small area with a nice break, 3 sided with weeds. VERY close to where Mr. Blue Truck turned around. Might be worth a shot.

Good luck out there....

[scalescratcher]

Hi Dan,

Appreciate the advice. I don't think I'm ready to give up on that area yet! I'll be doing some more scouting on Sat. Congrats on the Northern! Sounds like a nice fat fish. I figured you'd be pretty busy on Saturday. Yes my friend you do have it bad!! Good thing is there are much worse things to have it bad for!! Good luck this week. Let me know if you'll be out on Saturday.

Dino

[danny berg]

Chaska Fisherman,

Friday afternoon the crappies were biting on Cemetary,but nothing over 7 1/2 to 8". I had solid fish marked from 13 feet all the way down, after sundown the crappies moved on and was catching potato chip sized sunnies untill 10:30 that night, with one small 8" eye

Sat at noon I moved to Pillsbury, caught small sunnies and perch until sundown then the crappies turned on, don't remember how many I actually caught, but took home my limit for the first time this year, and a couple of nice sunnies. Crappie bite was good until about 8:00 then the sunfish started biting again. Fished until 10:30.

[scalescratcher]

Hi Danny,

Good to hear the move is paying off for you! Any tips on structure/depth you're finding the crappies on? I'm planning on getting out again Saturday. Plan on working the same area I've been in but if I get out early enough and you'll be around I'll try to stop and say hi!

[danny berg]

I just drove out there and drove until I thought I was in a good spot, and set it up. I left the vex, camera, and GPS at home. Since I figured I was entering all my waypoints wrong, there was no use in trying to go to the pillsbury waypoints. I am in the deepest part in that area, about 23-24 feet. I plan on being out there around 3:00-3:30 on Saturday, Stop on in if you have the time. I will bring the Camera on Sat to see what type of structure is below me.

Danny

[Big Dave2]

Danny,

I was out on tuesday evening and I must have been in about

the same area that you were in because I was just off of pillsbury in about 24 ft of water. Caught 6 decent crappies right away from 4:30 till 5:00 then it took me untill 7;20 to catch the next 4. Lots of sunnies that are just on the fringe of being solid keepers. I only kept 2.

Also another side note; I had to switch from crap minnows to wax worms after the sun went down to catch anything.

I also heard of a couple of 8 to 10 lb northerns being caught on andersons about a week or 2 ago.

Dave

[danny berg]

Wax worms didn't give me any more action than the minnows did, but I picked up a small jar of Berkley crappie nibblers, the pink ones, and thought I would give them a try, action was alot better than the wax worms, Crappies and Sunfish both liked them. I also downsized the minnows I was using to the smallest in the bucket. The bigger minnows just got a look and then the fish would shoot back down.

[arcticcatman7]

anyone know where the eyes are bitting on waconia ive caught some nice keepers this year and released them but right now its dead for me

[scalescratcher]

Can't help ya on this one! If you've had some keepers through the hole you're doin better than I. Danny, what do you know of the snowmobile gig this weekend?

[arcticcatman7]

i dunno i just found out about it today I thought that was later in the season but i guess not

[scalescratcher]

I'm pretty sure this is the one held over by the beach which is where I've been huntin! Too bad, now the search continues. I've had a number of eyes this year but all less than 15". Haven't heard of any area consistently putting out bigger fish.

[Moose-Hunter]

The snowmobile gig is gonna be a big one. If it's like years past, the lake will be buzzing with sleds from all over. My advice... forget that day (and night) for fishing. Last year the "bite" came back a day or two later.

Made it out yesterday... First stop was over at my lil' green house for a look-see. Found out some ding-dong had drilled a hole not more than three feet from the side of my perm. If I had not have blocked it up, I would have had one huge iceberg to bust. I ended up moving my house and it took quite a few whacks with the ax to free the blocks.

Not having my map or GPS with, I just yanked my house out to a "level" spot between the drifts and set up shop. Fishing was down right lousy. A couple small perch and a single potatoe chip of a crappie. As soon as my back feels better, it's time for yet another move. Maybe out to a main basin spot... Who knows, but it ain't staying where it's at. That much I'm certain of.

[scalescratcher]

Sorry to hear that Dan. You know it's just a matter of time before some goof does something like that. I was afraid of what you are saying about the sled gig but I don't have much choice but to go Sat or not at all. I'll tough it out and hopefully outlast the noisemakers! Good luck on the search for the new spot!

Dino

[danny berg]

You know, if I remember last year, most of the snowmobiles stayed to the east side of the lake away from the fishhouses, I was on North Reef last year and I don't really remember any difference in the traffic than a normal Sat night.

M-H,

Last year on North I had a guy drill a hole less than 3 feet from my front door, I asked him what the heck he was thinking and he said it was the only spot that didn't have a ton of snow. I just looked at him and said "You don't see my G$#^&#m house right there"", he packed up and left, but he was nice enough to fill the hole.

Scalescratcher,

You more than welcome to fish panfish out at my place on Sat. As far as I know I am the only one fishing.

You too M-H.

[TMan]

Went out with my 5 year old daughter last night for crappies. C&R 15 or so in an hour and a half of fishing, none over 10", most 8-9". This all after 20 minutes of hand to paw combat with a muskrat that made my house his home since Tuesday when we were out... As I went in the house and pulled open the hole covers I found a huge pile of milfoil all nested up, then a nose poked out from the hole to see what was up. Muskrat. Now, if my daughter saw this, she'd never go with me again, so I had to think fast, so I put her back in the truck and waited for the little bugger to come out. It didn't take long, as I was drilling holes he popped half way out (He was pretty big, about 3-4 pounds and 24" nose to tail, I've seen a few bigger in my trapping years) and I then reminded him who's house it was with the ice scoop. He flew back down the hole and I went after him, I got his body hooked with the curved end of the handle and pulled him out, then got his neck pinned against the ice and pulled out the Gerber universal tool on my belt and..., well I'll save the details, but we caught fish undisturbed the rest of the night.

[scalescratcher]

Hi Danny,

Thanks for the invite. I'm supposed to meet a couple guys out there tomorrow so I'm not sure I'll be able to take you up on the offer. I'll certainly try to swing by and say hello and see what you've caught for dinner! With this snowmobile deal going I'm not sure where I'll end up. Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow.

Dino

[Stinger]

Went out Wednesday night with some buds West of Center.

14" crappie on a tip with a small shiner. That was fun. :^)

Another 14" in the house, couple more 8-9".

Out Saturday for a b-day, if you see about a dozen guys standing by a Brown house West of Center say Hi to Roger.

That be me.

Later

Stinger

[Big Dave2]

I was out again in 25 ft by pillsbury on thurs night. Caught 7 decent crappies and a couple of fat 9 inch perch.

Went out there again on fri during the day with my 4 yr old boy and caught a bunch of sunnies, kept about 20 of them but all of them were too small. But my boy likes to keep a few, makes him feel important to catch a meal for the family.

Dave

[Chaska Fisherman]

Report from the north end. We moved the house up to the north side of the lake into 12' of water and have been seeing hundred of sunnies on the aqua vu during the day with most of them on the smaller side. Fri and Sat nights the crappies moved in just before sundown and would go until about 6:30 then it was all quiet on the battlefield. on Friday night we had about 8 keepers and only 1 last night but the traffic on the lake was incredible and the amount of houses that popped up during the day was incredible too !!! How are you doiung over on pillsbury danny? did anyone see the guys fishing out on the "Dead Zone" also known as cemetary? i wonder if they got skunked as well. Anyhow I need to get a few things done and then back to the fishhouse...take care and please feel free to give me an email if you dont want to post

Lane

[crappiefisherman]

Hello to all It has been awhile since I have used this board. I have a 7 year old son who likes fishing action. i have fished waconia before but it has been awhile. Where on waconia during the weekend are the fish biting. No one has to give out their honey spot but if I could get close to your honey hole for the sake of my son I might buy you dinner or a beer or a pop. my e-mail is [email protected]. Also what is better on waconia minnows or wax worms. I suppose normal biting time is after dark ha. i would like to get some day time action in also. Thank you for your help ahead of time.

Brad Duenow

[Big Dave2]

Hey crappiefisherman,

We have been catching all the sunnies you could want during the day in the deep hole out by pillsbury. 25 ft of water. They are small but gives a kid plenty of action. They are light biters though so kind of hard for a kid to catch by himself but still worth trying. Use a small lure like a genz worm or similar and a wax worm for bait. No need to stay after dark if you don't want to. You should be able to catch plenty of the little buggers all day long and even the crappies seem to turn off by about 6 or 6:30. Let me know if you are coming out this weekend, I might even be able to set you up in a permanent to fish out of.

Dave

[scalescratcher]

Hey Danny,

Sorry I didn't get a chance to stop by on Sat.. How was fishing in your neck of the woods? I got 1 small (13") eye and missed another better fish but the crappies were very cooperative. Kept 6 nice ones for dinner and released/missed or lost another 15 or so. All running 8"+ up to about 10.5". They were thick from dusk until about 8 when the action from the eyes I saw began. 12' on the weedline.

M-H, I know what you're saying! I was surprised I didn't get run over in the "little clam"!! Now that the ruckus is over hopefully the fishing will continue to improve.

[danny berg]

Started fishing around 3:30 Sat afternoon, Walleyenutz and I caught a bunch of 8" and smaller Crappies that all got released, we kept 10 crappies the biggest was 11 1/4" Most in the 9" range and a couple of nice sunnies. Nothing to report on the overnight bite, thought a eye might cruise by but not so. I woke up around 5 AM and turned on the vex and I had solid fish from 18 feet all the way down. Started catching small crappies no larger than 7 1/2". Around 6 am the fish moved on, at 6:15 I must have had a school of baitfish move through, cause the Vex was lit up from top to bottom, stayed that way for about 15 minutes then nothing again. Put the rattle reel back down the hole and took another snooze, at 8 am the potatoe chip sunnies were on fire, I bet I caught over 50 in an hour, then a dead sea again. Around 9:30 the sunnies atarted biting again and it was intermitent until I had to go around noon.

Hey Lane,

My boss moved my house out by yours Sat. He hoped you didn't mind....