Father Hennepin State Park Sept 21-23

[Shawnny B]

Hey yall Hovermn and myself are planning on coming up and putting our boat to the test on the pond. Anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking cove or Spirt Island, we will have a GPS unit, and a 14' boat with a 25 hp on it.

Thanks

Shawn

[picksbigwagon]

don't look past all of the rock piles and humps within 4 minutes of the state park. Spider reef, Hennepin Island( further than 4 minutes) but that whole southeast corner is full of structure.

[Shawnny B]

Thanks for the info.

ShawnnyB

[Shack]

Ya, you are in one of the best areas of the lake.

Locate fish, then fish! See fish, then fish!

I would not sit on one spot for a long period of time. If they are not biting, move.

There is too much structure on that end of lake to pin point one spot. Start right out of park by islands (east side) and work your way out into lake and wrap around to west side. If they do not bite, head to henny island. Another good area to try (great with kids) is Malone Island area. Under bridge or around Island. Mark fish and then fish.

Bobber/cranks/vertical jigging with chartreuse lead head and plastic body. Bobber rig, I would use leech (sounds like it should work) and barrel swivel with snell to chartreuse colored hook.

[tfsh4bass]

I just reserved a campsite at Father Hennepin for my buddy and I to make our annual trip up to Minnesota. Last year we fished around the South/Central MN and this year we decided to try our luck on Mille Lacs. We will focus on smallmouth/largemouth but will take a pike or muskie if they choose to bite. Is the SE part of the lake good for bass also? Thanks in advance for any info!

[GoggleEye]

If it is calm and no wind, you may want to troll cranks across deep structure. This usually results in some real nice fish, plus jigging and slip bobbing sucks on ML with no wind!

[Shack]

It depends!

A little chop is nice to move bait up and down when using floats.

Ver. jigging I like calmer chop to help keep my presentation steady.

[GoggleEye]

ya, it does depend you are right, but I was thinking strictly in means of light penetration. when it is dead calm during the day, I go to trolling cranks down deep on structure or "dead" areas.

[Shack]

Dead calm does suck!

[tfsh4bass]

Can anyone tell me if you can launch a boat right now at either ramp in Father Hennepin Park. I have read about how low the lake is right now so I was curious where we could launch next weekend. Thank you!

[hovermn]

Huh,

ShawnnyB told me he posted this, but forgot about it and just stumbled across it.

Great info, guys! I imagine we'll be casting for most of the day, maybe jigging in the early evening, trolling at night? This worked well on Leech a few years back, but I've never been on this pond.

In the little boat, a funny quote comes to mind, "I feel like a little worm on a big [email protected]#$ hook!" Should be a good time.

Man am I looking forward to this trip! Heck, it's about time I got a AV with a fish!

[HeIsLegend]

Tried to launch at FH today with my buddy's 21ft warrior on a bunk trailor. We new the launch would be low so we brought a pair of waders. We managed to get the boat .5 ft in water but didn't even managed to push it of the trailor. We could walk a distance of 30 or so yards in depths up to are ankles. We ended up packing it up and headed to a public launch a few minutes East. Which was a lot more manageable.

It is incredible how low this huge pond can get in a matter of months or weeks in that matter.

[tfsh4bass]

Thank you for your reply!

I have pretty much figured out the Ranger isn't getting launched in that area so I am just going to try and figure out how many different launches I can use. So far I have been told Twin Bays, Wharf, and Red Door...any other options would be appreciated because I would like to fish various parts of the lake on my first visit there plus want some options in case the wind isn't good.

[Matt C]

Twin Bay is excellent. Wharf is good. I was up there as they dredged. Got a large deep vee through with no issues. If you do wharf, follow the new channel, not the one straight out from the launch. You will get beached.

[Shawnny B]

Thanks for all the info guys, it was a great time, only think I could of changed was that the wind would of stayed out of the south, for us it seamed to stop working when it shifted to the north. We caught several Small mouths a few large mouths a few northerns lots of perch two killer crappies and 1 nice walleye. ALl this was done casting in Isle bay with no knowledge of the lake other than what I read/saw on here.

Thanks again guys

ShawnnyB