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Prior vs. Spring Lake Ice fishing


PikePatroller

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I worked at an area bait shop and have heard both sides of this arguement and just curious to hear some more. If i want to catch a couple walleyes which one should i venture out on?

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spring if you can find them cus they are big fish, i caught numerous walleyes over 18 inches in that lake this summer.. and have recently caugt 2 over 18 this winter. and none one prior.... way to much angling pressure on prior its a joke... on spring the lake is yours right now.

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One evening on Spring got 8 eye's between 2-4 lbs then the next three nights couldn't catch one to save our life fishing the exact same holes. This was 4 Winters ago and haven't fished it much since.

3 Winters ago on Prior slammed the eye's until the vehicles started driving out. First three nights got 10 eye's per night. Same spot next two years not much.

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Prior carries a better habitat for walleyes than pea soup Spring. Your best bet is to laugh at the people trying to catch them on either of these lakes and go to a real walleye lake. Just my opinion though.

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I don't think anyone was claiming that either spring or prior were "walleye" lakes. I'm not sure any lake in the metro would classify as that type of lake. But the DNR stocks them, so we may as well go out and catch the fish that we have already paid for. smirk.gif

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Fished both through the ice quite a few times. My target is crappies but have "accidently" hooked a few eyes on each. Certainly more "accidents" on Spring than Prior. Especially as the season wears on. . .

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I've caught just as may walleyes out of spring as I have out off Prior. I remember opener of 2005 I caught so may walleyes on Spring 14"-25" then I could handle. Thought I was in canada for a while. I have also had the the same fishing on Prior spring, summer, fall and winter. I did get a 9 1/2 lbs walleye out of Prior last winter. You just have to know were to look for them. I've had times on the big pond were the only thing you could catch was a buzz (Mille Lacs). They both are quality lakes, just on guys opinion. Good Fishin!!!!

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I'm a little disappointed in all of your guys' grammar. A. both lakes are fished like the twin cities needs a suburb. B. Have you seen the boats out there? Or should I ask been on the water in the summer? You may as well drink from the toilet. A buddy of mine calls that "his" lake, of course, he has herpes. just my fyi.

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that has nothing to do with what fish are in the lake, or hpw they are biting krawdad...as for walleye bites the two points on spring are the best. the creek isnt so good. and also there is a nice trench in the middle of the lake that runs about 100 yards that is fun trolling over. as for prior how cares because once someone sees your catching fish, you have 30 guys lightin up there 40 year old eardrum shattering augers so everythings gone.... the best way to fish out there is to fine your own water and structure, that lake was made for walleyes, there is way to much structure and deep breaks and flats to think that prior is anythign less than a walleye lake, the reason its so bad is because you get the guys who get so eager to catch a walleye that they keep the 12 to 13 inch walleyes and think its a once in a lifetime fish out there. people have yet to realize that we live in minnneeeesoootaaah THE WALLEYE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!!!! the dnr doesnt just stock walleyes for there health boys.

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listen to joe, you might learn something. Although I wouldn't consider prior a "walleye lake" they are in there. But throwing the same stuff at for the last 15 years isn't going to catch them anymore. i find prior a good testing ground lake for new tactics that are a little, shall we say, out of the box. And yes, please don't keep twiggy walleyes from prior. Those things are so jacked full of pcbs, mercury, and other contaminants by the time they get to about 13 inches, in just aint worth it.

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So your advice is to not keep any walleye on prior due to contamination? The DNR report would suggest otherwise.

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look at all the crap people leave on it in the winter?

i have seen a lot of stuff down there with my aqua view, and its nasty. beer bottles... trash.... propane tank.... i mean its a grimy lake. they all are around the metro...

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I cooked up some crappies from prior last year and I'm still kickin! I noticed that you know a lot about catching unedible walleyes in that grimy lake, so you must be strictly catch and release.

I tend to think that most of the trash you described comes from the hardwater season.....which is too bad. I can't believe the shanty towns that pop up on that lake. It only takes a few seconds to do a quick sweep when you pack up to make sure you didn't leave crap laying around.

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Shooter, I'm saying what joe was saying about people taking 12-13 inchers that are needed to maintain a good population. And, seeing as the walleye is a top predator in prior, it would be full of contaminants. Levels of contaimination get multiplied at each level in the food chain. Also, the last DNR report of Prior was in 2004. 4 years is a pretty long time for contaiminents to build up. Especially since pcbs, mercury, etc can jump in a week or two.

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Crappies aren't as big of a deal considering they are a low level predator. I've had my fair share of prior lake crappies, dont get me wrong. I rarely target walleyes in prior, it's just logical thinking in my opinion. You'd be fine eating crappie all day as long as you avoid the belly fat.

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I'm all about selective harvest; I threw back a couple of 12-13" walleyes on prior this winter already. In fact I've been out a few times and kept just a few crappies once; enough for dinner. So I do agree with you there. I just think you're overstating the contamination of the lake by calling the walleyes inedible.

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I'm not saying they're totally inediable, I'd just rather not eat them. I know tons of people eat them from there all the time. Its kinda like one cigarette isnt going to kill you, but 2 packs a day might. I agree with your ethics shooter, just trying to explain my opinion.

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Just sharing my opinion as well.....

Back to the topic at hand. I'm starting to lean towards Prior as the lake of choice for fishing, considering the horrible bite I've experienced on Spring lately. If only it wasn't everyone elses' favorite lake...... crazy.gif

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Two years ago spring was the ticket, last year it was no good (for me), and this year has yet to tell. I think prior is more consistent as far as pannies go. It's just such a convenient lake that people just flock!

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people flock this lake because the the ice is always good where the fishing is good in the begninning of the year and just keeps continuing throughout the winter. the ice gets stronger and is usually the first lake around here to get cars and trucks onit which makes it an even bigger city... prior is an excellent panfish lake, but by looking at the DNR reports today online, i think there is deffinitely some species in that lake that havent been tapped hard enough...like..... pike... i guess their are some gators in there. and yes that was a true statement i am very much so a catch and release guy because i think it helps... alot..... they sell fish at the grocery stor..... fishing isnt for living anymore.... fishing is a sport... and recreation....not a hunt... but lately i have been seeing worse than garbage out there.. people have the guts to catch fish and leave them on the ice..... what is this? that burns me everytime i see that... and its always an 8 inch panfish that they probably only caught one of and left.. that ticks me off... we pay big bucks to harvest the lakes and the dnr work hard to keep these regs consistent.. people just think that they are out to get the world. they are professionals, and college degreed fishery bilogists.. i think they know a lot more than we do when they say to throw fish back and re harvest the lake... i think a lot of people dont take a step back and see the future.. im young and here many times my dad telling me he could go out to any lake and catch his limit of walleyes.... and then it turns into what we have today where they are few far and between... whats it going to be like in 30 years..... has anyone ever thought about that? with all of the mercury popping up in lakes and mississippi pools drainging into lakes..... and people illegally harvesting fish year round... is it that important to ruin something for people down the road just so we can have it now.... thats all i have to say about keeping fish, but there is a limit and some of the fish that some of those people keep.... they should be slapped around a bit for that... people like that dont understand because they were never taught the right way growing up how to enjoy the sport of fishing. when you catch a trophy walleye do you keep it to gut it and hang it up on your wall.... or do you pop the hook out take a picture and throw it back and watch it grin at you while its eying up its next lure....

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
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