Opening day ideas

[dragongnr]

I am looking for some ideas as to where I should go on Opener. I live in Aplle Valley and do not have a boat. I am new to fishing in the Metro and I am looking to do a lot of fishing this year. I would prefer to fish for something other than Blue gills. Thanks for all the help.

[kslipsinker]

I live in the same area, and there are a lot of lakes in the south metro that have reasonable fishing. If you are a shore fisherman, the rivers are your best bet for more large fish. The fishing piers on Marion and Crystal have produced for friends of mine.

[Eds]

Alimagnet down in the valley, there is a park on the south end. Hit it up a few times and you have to walk from down from the park but two of us in about hour caught few bass, couple northern, all from shore. Good journey.

[Dragon Fish ll]

Like last year for me i decided to go for trout for opener. and am going to do the same this year. Cenaiko in coon rapids dam was really good on opener last year. only this year I wont take a canoe and live bait like last year because u cant use either there.because I didnt have the right size lures I only caught a few. but almost caught a 7 pound brown trout which the kid next to me caught 30 seconds later. you need Meps spinners,rooster tails, and my choice kast masters. O r try courthouse pond in Chaska. But as for Cenaiko wwhen you have your limit the mississippi is 100 feet over from the lake. Well just an idea for others and a must for me. Keep Dragonem in.

[Pherris]

You could try Lake Harriet. We used to do real well on Walleyes casting floating rapalas at night. You can work the shoreline from about 1/4 mile south of the Bandstand to about 1/4 north of it. The only problem is that the parking is not allowed after 10:00pm but you can park on a street a couple of block away and walk to the lake. There are some real nice fish walleye in Harriet. Good Luck

[Guest]

Dragon, You stated that you just missed catching a 7 pound brown out of cenako? I have never fished for trout. Do in need a special liscence or stamp to fish from shore for them on lakes? According to the DNR website there were only two adult brown trout stocked in the lake in 2001 all the other trout have been brooks according to stocking and netting reports. Do you know if the brown was released or is there only one brown left in the lake?

[Doonbuggy]

Thinking about Eagle in Maple Grove, Medicine, Minnewashta, or Lotus for opener.
(Minnetonka's launches will be full by 3am so am not gonna bother).

Looking for pike n eyes w/ crappies as plan B, realizing that 'washta doesn't have any and medicine has very few eyes.

What are people's thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Tonka Boy]

Doonbuggy,

Lotus would be my choice from the list. It has quality walleyes, not many northerns, but good crappies. The walleyes can be hard to catch at times because of the high perch population, but they can be caught. If nothing else, the crappie bite is usually pretty good in the back bay out from the park.

Not to mention parking is limited so the crowds shouldn't be too hard to deal with. Good luck!

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Tonka Boy