Grindstone Lake Fishing Reports

[leech~~]

Rein's thanks for the report. It was nice seeing you again up on the Grind. I think with the Full Moon, Solar Flare up, Jupiter about to line up with Venus and that it was just to nice of a sunny day (got sun burned) the fish were just not biting!

It had to be one of those as I am just to good of a fisherman to end up with the results that I did!

Thanks for meat! The Kielbasa will be on the grill tonight!

[reinhard1]

this is a challenging lake for sure. we both seen fish all day. that smelt line was lit up constantly. i know you tried many different tactics and walked a good walk. i got burned some also by the way.

this lake has the fish and plenty of forage for them. seems it was slow for everyone out there. maby it picked up after dark for smelt, but the day bite didn't happen. cant wait for open water and trout opener on the grind. good luck.

[Mnfisher]

rinehart or anyone....Any gueses on what the ice will be like on Saturday (3/17) on Grindstone. I would like to get out there on that day but all this warm weather worries me some. Sure like to get a few smelt to smoke. I have no plans to drive or even use 4 wheeler but would walk. People fishing on Pokegama this early afternoon, walking and ATV. Thanks

[reinhard1]

Jim, if i were to go out [i got the grandkids this weekend] i would park at the boat landing and walk out from there. if you walk out facing the lake and angle a little to the left strait out you will probably see a few holes near where the guy plowed the road to the smelt hole [and a big thank you from everyone who fished the lake there]. my holes should be there and they were at 50 feet deep. i maked smelt and other fish there all day long. there was at least 16 to 18 inches of ice at the time [last saturday]. i would think you could still walk out there saturday. walk out to the first holes [old ones] you see and drop your flasher in there and see how deep it is and drill a test hole. if you still have safe ice go from there. hopefully someone can chime in and update more than me. good luck.

[JBMasterAngler]

I was originally going to go down to red wing on the 31st to take my boat out, but I no reason to believe grindstone won't be 100% ice free then. How great would it be to close the winter season out trolling for trout in the boat has that ever happened before?

[Nathan6]

Any ideas on the ice conditions? haven't seen a new report on ice for a while. Thanks

[reinhard1]

i was trolling on the grind in march once before when the lake was still in the experimental status. my brother got a laker that day on a silver loco spoon.it went over 10 pounds. also lost a big pike as well. it was at the end of march. good luck.

[JBMasterAngler]

In theory, the trout should be shallow, chasing after the smelt as they gear up for the spawn.

[reinhard1]

ya, if the lake was open i would be trolling in front of the landing where it drops off and over on the east side where the creek comes in just north of the audobon point. the water at the landing i think is very shallow now and needs some rain to put a boat in. that's what i noticed the last time up there. as i was leaving the lake [walking back up the boat landing] i saw the dirt under the snow that melted. so we need some rain for sure and some is comming. if the lake opens up before the close of the season i may sneak up there with my 12 footer and electric motor. good luck.

[MuntzAngling]

I may troll it as well. Anyone seen the ice there lately? I would think it could be off there by the weekend...a unique opportunity indeed.

[reinhard1]

i talked to someone up there today that will check on the lake tommorow so i will give a report tommorow as soon as i find out. Sturgeon lake up the road is still 90 percent covered. the grind is [as you know] a deep lake which maintains a colder temp and usualy is the last one to freeze and the last one to thaw. so i will know tommorow on the ice conditions there unless someone gives a report sooner. if there is open water before the season ends i WILL be there. it is a unique opertunity as you said and worth trying out. good luck.

[reinhard1]

well as of today the lake is still locked in. there may be a few inches here and there near shore and a small area by the boat landing that is open a little. there were some people still ice fishing as of last weekend also. so doesn't look like open water fishing will happen before the season closes. see you on the grind on opener week. good luck.

[SpecialK]

Drove by it yesterday and it is ice free as far as I saw. I will be out there this upcoming weekend if the creek is deep enough.

[reinhard1]

thanks for the update!!!!! i think i will bring my banged up 12 footer and work the north end. now to see if i can change some appointments. good luck.

[bucky10]

Hey everyone! Im a first timer on this site but I see there is some great info. I have been fishing Grindstone for a few years now and my family has a cabin on the south east side of the lake. I was wondering the status of the boat landing right now? I might head over this weekend from college to try and get some trout.

[reinhard1]

the lake is open right now, but i dont know if there was enough rain in that area to bring the landing level up. when i was there last it was a warm day and i noticed sand and no water a 1/4 way toward the middle of the channel [i was ice fishing at the time]. a canoe or small 12 footer i would feel safe bringing up there. if anything you could walk them out on the side of the channel. hopefully someone has been there and give you a better report. Welcome to HSO!!!! good luck.

[bucky10]

Thanks for the update! Anybody know how the bite was last weekend? My parents were at the lake saturday and saw people out trolling.

[MuntzAngling]

Friday I might be up for trolling around 3pm. I could hop in with someone with an open spot or could bring a 12 ft jon. Have trolling and ultralight gear, electronics and lake knowledge if you are interested let me know!

[Barbelboy]

The lake was open on Thursday. The landing is OK, about mid July water levels.

I trolled Saturday for 4 hours. Man what a beautiful day. It was glass calm and I saw MAYBE 2-3 fish surface the whole time. Which is unusual, on calm spring days the lake is usually alive. I threw everything I could at 'em. Downriggers, dipsey divers, planer boards, long lines, crank baits, small spoons, spinners, ect. I even jigged over bait balls and various structure that was covered with fish marks. I didn't catch a single fish. Not even a hit. So good luck out there if you do go.

[reinhard1]

thanks for the report. appreciate it very much. i have had days like that also. it was a beautiful day on Saturday. glad you had a chance to get out and enjoy it. maby the wind we had the last two days stirred up the lake a little. i would think the fish are feeding on the smelt as they are bunched up more now getting ready to spawn also.

i have seen days when it was calm as glass and fish surfacing and it was hard to get a bite. thanks again for the report. good luck.

[fsnrod]

Are the smelt running yet?

[sage]

Fished four hours on grindstone monday in the wind and sleet . My friend and I managed 2 browns and 1 bow all on small spoons casting in 5 to 10 ft. on the windy side.The surface water temp was 38 air temp 31.Not sure about smelt run no fish in creek.

[bucky10]

Thanks for the update! I'll be there tomorrow.

[reinhard1]

thanks for the report sage. in general smelt run when the temp reaches 40 or above. if anyone does try for smelt below the culvert, make sure you stay on the landing side of the creek and below the culvert. above the culvert and the opposite side of the creek is private property. please respect that so the little smelting that goes on there stays. thanks again sage, and i'm glad you got some results on a brisk day. good luck.

[reinhard1]

i hope you have a great day out there. let us know how you do. thanks. good luck.

[Mnfisher]

Fished Grind for about 4 hours mid morning to 2 or so. I caught my 1st Brown...in fact, caught 4 of them in about 1 1/2 hours!! (12 - 15"). Trolled for Lake trout but no luck with them, but I was very, very pleased with my catch of Browns. I caught them looking for crappies with a plain hook and minnow just north of the red barn.

A lot of fishing is being in the right spot at the right time and I guess I hit it right this time....for a change!! Two guys leaving when I got there had no luck. I'll try and post a pic.

[reinhard1]

realy nice fish Jim!!!glad you had a chance to get those tasty browns. more to come this year. good luck.

[EpicIceTrips]

New comer to trout when does the season end, and whats the best way to catch them on grindstone?

[RiverDewey]

Awesome catch, MNfisher! Nice to see. Thanks for sharing.

[bucky10]

The last day to fish trout on lakes is this Saturday. Im not quite sure about rivers and streams though.