South Lindstrom Chisago verses North and South Center

[Harp]

I have had my boat on South Lindstrom /Chisago lakes at a marina for the last three years. I have learned the lakes and enjoy the lakes and the fishing. The marina has went up a hundred bucks a year from $900 to $1200 which I don't like and caused me to look around at going rates I couldn't find much else on South Lindstrom / Chisago but can get on South Center / North Center for $600 or $900 but I have never been on either they look beautiful and now open by channel? Is the fishing compareable? better? high traffic?more fishing pressure? Swimming for the kids? deadheads or major barriers to learn?The Two things I didn't like in South Lindstrom / Chisago were the high number of dead end hazards made me nervus not many are marked and the public parking it my slip ever time I returned in. I fish a little walleye a lot of panfish with the kids and anything else we can get into.We are rec swimmers. Where ever I go I am in it for the year I like to really learn the lake for consistant fishing, safety and good swimming and any thoughts about the two would be helpful.

HARP

[eurolarva]

Not many obsticles on South Center and the two I can think of are marked by bouy. Panfish and walleye are plentiful and there is unlimited structure where S Center goes to about 109 feet. It is pretty easy to limit out on Sunfish any given day on these lakes and Crappie are plentiful and getting to be nice size on South Center. I have caught some nice walleye and Northern that are around 35 to 36 inch in size. There is some fishing pressure but mostly on Sat and Sun.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Harp- As Euro stated, not as much underwater stuff to worry about on N/S Center, North Center does have a few shallow spots, but again, They are well marked.

Both the Chisago Chain and the Center chain have their positives as far as fishing goes. I think Chisago is a better Bass/Bluegill lake, and N/S Center a better Crappie/Northern/Walleye lake. I think if you put your boat on N/S Center for a year, you would have a good time.

As far as swimming fo the kids goes.. Both lakes get a pretty mean algae bloom, and N/S Center does not have a swimming beach.

[Harp]

Thanks for the info. that is what I wanted to hear. I was not looking forward to the change/move but It sounds like it might be for the good.

HARP

[Deitz Dittrich]

Not a problem Harp, I live across the street from South Center Boat access, Its a fun lake to fish, and having the channel to North Center so nice now, you have quite a few acres to fish. The 2 lakes fish very different for sure. With South Center having a lot of deep water(100 foot deep hole) and most of North Center lake less than 15 feeet deep. Enjoy, and maybe I'll see you on the water some time next summer.

[rodmaker]

Could you give me a few spots to try ice fishing for Walleyes on South Centre

[Deitz Dittrich]

there are a few places... The do well off a few of the sand flats. Needle point would be one place to try for sure. Nailing down the right depth can be hard at times.. The point just to the north of Sunset point can hold fish as well. These are both fairly well known spots and do get some pressure. Keep in mind any area on the lake that has decent structure at the right depth can and will hold fish.

[rodmaker]

Is needle point half way up the lake on the West side?? It heads out almost half way. You always see a ton of boats fishing there in Summer. Tops off around 8 feet or so??

[Deitz Dittrich]

yup

[rodmaker]

Thanks!!! Any suggestions on depths early Ice (say before Jan1 and all the traffic starts) during the day and then in the eve?? Would you try the tip, North Side or South Side.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Depth is really hard to say. The earlier in the evening the deeper I start at... 25 feet or so, sometiems shallower, sometimes deeper.. after the sun is down, move up.. 8-14 feet, depending on where you are.

As for where to try? Just going to have to do some searching. I dont fish the needle point area much as I like to track out on my own. I would look for some of the steeper drop areas and punch a lot of holes and see if you cant jig something up on the eletronics.

FYI- north center has some walleye too. But neither are outstanding walleye lakes. You need to work for the fish! I have had limmit days out there, but not a lot of them, and the size tends to be small at times. Most of the time I am chasing the Crappies and bluegills around.

Good luck!

[rodmaker]

Thanks!!!! I'll give it a try. I'm off Christmas week. Any suggestions on where to go for Sunnies and Crappies during the day. I have a spot for night time Crappies.

[Dan Brelje]

Pancake island.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Quote:

---

Pancake island.

---

yup, danny b knows his crappies.. you can also catch them in Hazelton bay too.

[rodmaker]

Thanks!!!! Any particular depths???.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Too many variables rod-dude... that will change day to day, from early ice to end of the ice... and from spot to spot. The entire Pancake isld area is fairly shallow.. .IE less than 12 feet. So, its usually a matter of drilling a bunch of holes and doing some searching. Early season you can get away with trying some shallow water if you can find green weeds.. however, green weeds may be tough to find this year as the lake was fairly dark this year and much of the weeds died off.

[rodmaker]

Thanks for all your info. I'll post results once I get out there. If you and Dan B. want some company, give me an e-mail sometime. [email protected]

[Paul Waldowski]

rodmaker,

Shoot me an e-mail. Looks like I have an open seat for ML if the weather holds

[Harp]

Deitz or other locals What do ya know about Whispering bay or Center Inn Marinas for boat slip rental heard anything positive or negative? Center Inn is $900 Whispering bay $600 both look okay form the outside look. Other than all were pulled Oct. 1st @ Whispering bay I was still fishing until the 15th not a huge deal. Anybody ever used either??

See ya on the Water.

HARP

[Deitz Dittrich]

I trailer.. so dont know much!... The nice thing about wispering, its seems very protected from weather. They are tucked back in the corner pretty good.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Deitz -

You fish S. Center much in the winter??

I never even got a chance to get the equipment out last winter, too busy cutting wood I guess. Plus, if I remember right, it wasn't much for ice, much like this year is shaping up to be.

We didn't even plow until Feb 1 last year with the snow, just 7 times all year.

Anyways, we're always off of Sunset point (I think that's the point?). Anyways, the one where there's the rock pile that everyone sets ontop of for the bass in the summer.

Anyways, we're always right there, so if you see a Dodge 2500 Quadcab with a clam 1080, pull up, haven't talked to ya since last time I saw ya when we were mowing at the school.

Harp - A follow up as to my opinion on the lake, from someone that gets out about 7 times / year, since grass season is my busy season, in case you can't tell by the screen name.

Anyways, IMO, South Center is the best lake to be on in this area. Now, with that said, I'll give you the reasons for and against.

Basically, against, is that there's ALOT of boat traffic on the weekends. But then again, there's alot pretty much everywhere on the lakes within 30 miles of the cities.

Also, I know guys say S. and N. Center are good bass lakes, but I would prefer to fish bass on Chisago / S. Lindstrom.

Any other species, I'll take S. Center. It's nice to take your 4-5 lb line, throw a gold hook / fathead combo out, and troll back and forth from 5' to 50' and never know what you're going to pull in when you set the hook.

From the same hole over the last 4 years, we've had numerous fish of each species, including the first time my wife ever went out with us, a 9 lb northern to last year I pulled an 8.5 lb walleye out.

Now I realize that'll happen with any lake, but I guess I'm partial to S. Center.

I agree, with the tree stumps and such in Chisago / S. Center, it can be a little "interesting" sometimes, and it's always nice to be able to get on a lake and 'go', not worry about if you're running into something.

Put your boat in on S. Center, you'll learn to love it.

I have to drive past the access to Chisago to get to S. Center. If Chisago was that great, I would never see Dairy Queen!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

LWN- yeppers, I ice fish it. Maybe not one of my go to lakes, but when I get out of school I do head down for an evening walleye/crappie bite more than a few times throughout the year.

I'll keep an eye for the truck!