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Finally got the perm out Monday morning. Fished from 10-4 in 13ft. A couple of small perch and one almost keeper perch. Back out for a while after Christmas Dinner yesterday, and I'm sad to say I was skunked for the first time in a long time. I think the snow had a hand in it. I was out from 2:30-7. I'll have try that block of time again when there's no weather instability. I'm going to try and cover the whole 24 hrs in blocks to see if there is any consistant frenzy's. I figure I'll know in a week if it's time to move. It's so awesome to have the house out this early!!!

TB2

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You will know in a WEEK if it's time to move? I would think the "almost a keeper" would be the sign. LOL.

Perms have to be fun though. At Christmas Eve service, I talked to some families who were going to spend the rest of the night and Christmas morning out in the big house on the lake. Sounded like a lot of fun.

Good luck on Washington!

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I was out there also on Christmas evening, we caught a few crappies, mostly keepers. Found 14 inches of ice. Lots of people flying across the lake in there full sized trucks at 40 mph.

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Mongo, I say a week due to fact that I only have so many kitchen passes allowanced from the Mrs, since she doesn't have the patience for Ice Fishing, and already is getting the fishing widow feeling. LOL. Also I have an abundance of patience, and being a tech geek like to fully test an application. I however am discovering that I'm much better at finding where the fish aren't. There's several Skull and Crossbones markers on my GPS. HaHa! I'll get it someday. Call me the Blind Squirrel.

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just wondering what washington's got for ice. I am looking to get out there this weekend for the first time this year and looking for some ice thickness if anyone can help. thanks

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I have been driving out all week, not too many driving past squirrels nest point tward bakers bay and the county park. BE SAFE ...BT

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I measured 14" where I'm at, on Monday. I go in on the North Shore. I'd still stick to the well traveled paths as much as possible though.

TB2

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It's always a little spooky by the narrows and Squirrels nest point. I always avoid these two spots for the whole winter as they can and could be trouble throughout the ice season.

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I fished washington today and the ice looked good everywhere I drilled a hole. Trucks and houses everywhere. I have never seen so many houses on this lake. I really hope that all are very careful and practice selective harvest. With this many people fishing Washington, it could really hurt this lake.

As far as the fishing goes, yes we caught a few nicer sunfish and all of the crappies were sub par. Not 1 good sized crappies out of the whole lot.

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Same findings here.... very nice sized sunfish, lousy crappies.

BroInLaw has been out a few times and found some really nice Walleye, but only one keeper crappie too, threw back tons so far. Weird, always seemed to get decent crappies out there before.

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Weird? I don't think so. For 3+ years, we have all wondered how this lake can handle the amount of pressure it receives. Perhaps we are now finding out that it couldn't.

Unless there is an event or a request on a guide trip to fish Washington, I won't fish it, just because of the fishing pressure and/or recreational traffic.

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I agree with you TO. Myself and the guy I was fishing with today decided to not go back to Washington as its getting hit to hard. I have watched the last few years the decline in the size of the crappies and also the amount of sunfish in this lake.

I said 3 or so years ago in this forum that the lake cannot sustain this kind of pressure year round. I will be checking out some other lakes in the area and giving Washington a rest.

From summer to winter this lake takes a harder hit than any other lake in the area I believe just from the traffic one always sees there.

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How does the fact that they spray for weeds every year (the last seven, I heard) factor in?

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this is the most house's i have seen on the ice the last few years. i live on the lake,going on 10 years and the last couple have been bad for crappies. it is nice to see a few being caught. they say the spraying is bad, but i also think that crappie contest they have in the spring does more harm, 100 boats, alot pre fish for a week then after the contest they all know where they are and go hammer them, all of this while they are usually on there spawning beds

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The recent crappie decline has coincided with the recent bass decline. I'm inclined to think this has more of a relationship with the lack of weeds due to recent spraying than to fishing pressure. This lake has always (well for at least the 21 years since I moved to Mankato for college) received tremendous pressure. The "Take a Kid Fishing" contest has been going on for quite a while, too. Some years it does hit during the spawn, though.

I think the lake would come right back around in a few years if the spraying would be stopped.

I haven't caught a legit keeper crappie out there this year. It is sad seeing all those 8-9"ers being taken out when not too long ago 11-12" crappies were more of the norm. At least the ears are doing well there, as are the eyes (due to substantial stocking, of course).

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I hope you are correct katoguy. Seems every year the amount of pressure is greater and the size and amount of fish is slowly going downhill.

I know what I use to catch in Washington years ago and if we keep taking fish at the rate we are, it has to have an effect. I can really see the decline this year even this spring, the numbers and size were lacking. If I only fished this lake 2-4 times a year I may not be able to make a statenent like this, but I fish Washington many times throughout the year and from what I have seen this year, I am really concerned. I have seen other lakes go by the wayside from overharvesting and really don't care to see this happen to Washington. Myself, I'm going elsewhere but that really wont have much effect as, I usually dont keep many fish anyways.

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I'm thinking of hitting up Washington tommorow morning pretty early. Where would you guys reccomend going. It is just in my portable not my perm. Best depth of water to fish in, points to fish off of, acceses to use, etc...

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I was out the last two days in a row hitting my favorite spots for crappies and 'eyes. Found tremendous amounts of hungry crappies and not a one of them was over 8". Kept me busy though. I did find a couple of eye's wandering around last night. Both are swimming again. Pretty nice sized fish also. Noticed yesterday that 3rd point is being over-run. Of all the areas I have fished and found crappies in the last two weeks, I have only pulled out 2 fish over 10". Kind of disturbing.

On the weed issue, the DNR keeps saying that they are trying to keep the Curly Pond Weed in check. Now, I had a friend of mine bring up a good point about a year ago about the spraying. He says that the only reason they are spraying is not to create habitat or even restore habitat, but to satisfy the wealthier folk that are complaining about the weeds along their shoreline and the fact that it is so much work to rake them out so they can have a swimming beach. Now whether he is right or not I don't know. He did say that the Curly Pond Weed was just the particular species that was picked be be the "real" reason to spray. The Coontail in Washington have suffered dramatically due to the spraying. Loosing that habitat is critical to the survival of a bunch different species of fish. I live on the south side of the lake, and when I moved out there, we had awesome fishing from the dock for bass, crappie, sunnies, perch, walleyes, and northerns depending on the time of year. Now the fish are about gone, the lilly pad beds are dying, the coontail is in bad shape, but we still have curly pond weed. I have only lived out here for 5 years. I have some serious concerns about the intelligence of keeping up with the spring spraying. I myself believe that spraying is to blame for the size and population issue of fish in Washington, not the pressure. Yes over-fishing will hurt the population, but not nearly as bad as killing their habitat. Just my opinion.

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I agree with you Darren. My whole concern is the decreasing population of the nicer fish. I hope something changes and fairly soon as I love to fish this lake and have for the past 10 years.

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Please excuse my ignorance because I should know but who ultimately decides on whether or not the lake is to be sprayed. I'd like to put together a letter when the moment strikes me but I want to make sure I'm sending it to the right person. grin.gif

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I don't want to start an aurgument here, but the last few years I have gotten some really nice crappies. Some pushing 14", and lots of them. Just to let you know I don't keep many of these big fish as I like to eat the smaller ones. I remember fishing one day getting lots of nice crappies going over and talking to a guy 30 feet away that couldn't catch one bigger than 6". If you find them they are in there. On the weeds. I agree that taking critical habitat away from these fish is hurting the fishery and will continue to hurt the fishery if something doesn't change.

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The situations you describe, Phil, are much more isolated than in year's past. What you have and are experiencing used to "the norm" for just about everyone punching holes out there. Good for you though!

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I agree that they are some dandies left Phil. I just believe that the overall population is not what is was for a long time. I always move alot and have for years had very good fishing there, but not so anymore.

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It wasn't a few years back that a nice 3 or 4 pounder would be caught. When was the last time that happened? You are correct though, 11-13" was the norm off the point.

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Quote:

I'd like to put together a letter when the moment strikes me but I want to make sure I'm sending it to the right person.


You may even want to consider sending a copy to the DNR depending on the contents and context of your letter.

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After a meeting with the lake association, then I will have more information to write a letter to the DNR.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

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