Lake Calhoun

[Wallmaster]

Any reports on Lake Calhoun? This lake has plenty of structure. I was thinking of trying it out this weekend. I have caught some nice size Crappies and Walleyes in the past. One thing that sucks is you can't drive on the lake with anything.

[randyfaas]

No fish in that lake. Not even worth trying.

[Chode2235]

There is almost too much structure in the lake, it is tough to find a good spot that the fish stack up on. I have had to work really hard for the fish I have caught out of there.

I do hear that the fish populations are healthy and that they are in there, but I haven't been able to find them consistently.

Give it a whirl though, you will have a lot of fun exploring and may even hook into a tiger.

[randyfaas]

I agree with you that you must work pretty hard to find the fish, but once you do, they usually are there for a while. I've had luck moving around until I find a school of perch, and then set up and wait for dusk. I haven't really had much luck with the crappies here, but, I never really target them here either. I think there's better crappie action at Harriet. I've seen a few nice tigers come through the ice there too, and I have seen huge tigers in there in the summer.

I wouldn't eat anything out of that lake, though. Its full of 3M chemicals and urban pollution. Let 'em go and let 'em grow!

[shooter_mcgavin]

I was out there for first time about a week ago. set up in about 20 fow along the northeast shoreline and caught a few crappies.....nothin that big.

I was only out in the dark, but when I shined my headlamp down the hole, i noticed large particles floating in the water. The water also had a dirty tint to it. Is this normal for Calhoun? It made me wonder if the fish are safe for eating.......

[joeyquicksand*]

no way, the fish are NOT safe to eat... or at least, I would never eat anything out of those lakes.

[WallyGator12000]

Oh C'mon they're fine to eat in moderation, I wouldn't eat them every night, but check the DNR statistics...

[SkunkedAgain]

I'm with WallyGator. Saying that you can't eat a fish out of a metro lake is like the media telling you that your skin will freeze if you're out in -10 temps for more than ten minutes. It's all hype. Now I wouldn't eat them very often if I wanted to live into my 90s, but I suspect that eating a bag of Cheetos and drinking a diet Coke are about just as bad (brain cancer, etc.).

Besides, those folks fishing the shores eat a lot of fish out of those lakes. I don't see them keeling over at 50.

(All views expressed in this email are non-scientific and should not be relied upon for medical advice! ;-)

[Wallmaster]

Thanks for the help I will consider all of your views. I did slam the Walleyes at night on the east side this summer off of the fishing dock by the cemetary but most of them were only 12" or less, still was alot of fun though.

[HeIsLegend]

Alot of people under estimate the fish population and size in these downtown lakes. I know for fact there are huge wallys that are witing to be pulled up. But the hardest things, exactly what you guys were saying, is the vast amounts of structure in this lake. 20ft flats, to 70ft holes, to 5 ft in the middle of the lake. From what I learned its best to run and gun in the day. At night you can do best sleeping till you hear your rattle reel blast off. The Beach area has been pretty good to me this year. I would suggest trying fishing near the channel(bridge) there are a few good humps out there that hold some nice size pike. when choosing your lure or bait think small! Good fishing

[Duffman]

I'd just stay away from consuming some of the larger predator fish. Or at least consume them in moderation. I kept a 15" and 19" eye for the table my first time out there this winter. I figured that was enough 3M chemical intake for me for the year, if they are finding that stuff in smaller pannies, who knows what the content is in bigger fish. I'm sure it's no worse than consuming farm lake 'eyes, or mercury laden 'eyes from up north, or river 'eyes with who knows what in them. Just remember, the bigger the fish, the more concentrated the toxins.

There are plenty of villages up in Canada that rely on fish for the majority of their diet, and their health has suffered because of it. Heavy metals and the nervous system do not get along together. It's not a scare tactic, it's reality.

There seems to be four nice classes of walleyes out there on Calhoun - 12", 15"-16", 19", 21"-22". And for the first time ever, I'm catching more of the bigger class than the smaller class, although I've been skunked the last couple times out. Good luck. The only other tip you are going to get out of me is that glow red has been the hot color.

[Wallmaster]

I do remember seeing a segment on tv about heavy metals doing alot of damage to the nervous system to the village people. I'm not going to eat any anyways out of their just have fun C&R them. I am going to try and get a nice M-ski out of their this summer I have seen them prowling around the docks.