Grindstone Lake Fishing Reports

[JBMasterAngler]

This doesn't surprise me in the least. I never believed for one second, that the access was going to be dredged this spring...I don't think it will be dredged this year, period!

[reinhard1]

I talked to the guy last year in July sometime about this.  He told me that Grindstone was the No. 1 priority in landing repair.  That they had the study done [that costs money], the environmental approval,  the contractor approved and price set, in other words everything was approved.  Except they didn't have the money yet and now we are in the second year of "we don't have the money yet".  So we are not spending any money on any landing this year in that area?  They have dredged this landing before so why do they even need a study?  It's been done before and nothing has changed there except the build up leading out to the lake and in the landing area itself.  I'm going to call this guy again and ask some questions regarding where this money is supposed to come from.  Lot of waste in spending in my opinion and I can't believe $16,000 can't be found for this.  good luck.

[DrJuice1980]

Launches are going to turn into pay parking lots monitored by camera, just you watch.

[maxpower117]

10 hours ago, DrJuice1980 said:

Launches are going to turn into pay parking lots monitored by camera, just you watch.

I'm not sure I follow this. 

So they'll turn this landing into a pay parking lot with cameras? After they spend $16k on dredging it? And another $40k for the new lot, cameras and hiring people to watch them and empty the pay boxes?

[reinhard1]

This landing has been dredged before, it's just way overdue this time around, and that was many years ago.  Don't know anything about paying at this landing or any other landing.  We are already paying for this upkeep with various fees and taxes.  This landing was priority no.1 as of last year.  This is just typical government slow walk doing the exact opposite in my opinion.  Get the funds and then get the various ok's and contractor and get it done instead of getting all the ok's, contractor and then waiting for the funds.  good luck.

[brrrr]

anybody have any updates on the launch? 

[SpecialK]

They were dredging there today. Not sure if they are done or if it will take longer.

[JBMasterAngler]

Drove all the way up to grindstone this morning from Forest Lake. As I'm driving along the shoreline, I can't stop admiring how beautiful of a day it is, and how great it will be to be on the water. Was totally amped up to fish for some trout! Then I pull up to the boat launch...and it's closed down!  This dredging project has been pushed back for years, then they finally decide to do it on a beautiful sunny day, that I picked to come here...on the last day of the lake trout season nonetheless! Needless to say, I was very upset! 

[leech~~]

2 hours ago, JBMasterAngler said:

Drove all the way up to grindstone this morning from Forest Lake. As I'm driving along the shoreline, I can't stop admiring how beautiful of a day it is, and how great it will be to be on the water. Was totally amped up to fish for some trout! Then I pull up to the boat launch...and it's closed down!  This dredging project has been pushed back for years, then they finally decide to do it on a beautiful sunny day, that I picked to come here...on the last day of the lake trout season nonetheless! Needless to say, I was very upset! 

Could have throw a line off the south shore since you were all the way up there.

[SpecialK]

It's been dredged to 4'. The lake still has a sandbar. He did not dredge past the creek mouth

[JBMasterAngler]

It's going to be filled back in with sand by next spring. I probably should have stopped and fished along the south shore, but I was in a hurry to make it to plan B. Had to go all the way to plan E before I finally found a place to fish 

Edited October 2, 2016 by JBMasterAngler

[SpecialK]

I doubt it will be filled back in next spring. It will hopefully be a 3 or 4 years until it happens.  Not much they can really do except keep pulling the muck out of it.

[JBMasterAngler]

Gave grindstone a try yesterday. I guess the dredging made a difference, but had I not known it happened, I wouldn't have noticed. Was a bad day for my outboard to have carburetor issues, as the wind was blowing much harder than the predicted 7 MPH. Battery got drained pretty quick trying to troll with the electric motor in that wind. Regardless, was still a nice day. Caught 1 little smallie, a 28 inch pike (which was a blast to catch on ultra light tackle), and a nice 17 inch rainbow trout.

[MarkMN]

I fished Grindstone Lake on Friday. I was fly fishing out of my kickboat. It was my second time fishing there and landed a real fat 20" smallmouth, and a fat 12" crappie. The wind was a blowing quite a bit more than was forecast so I tucked in behind a point. I'm going to have to fish this lake more often, some interesting structure and nice sized fish.

 

[Jari]

How's the ice?  

[SpecialK]

The lake is covered and there are some small shacks out on the south west end of the lake.  No idea as far as thickness goes though.  Hoping there is enough for opener though.

[ZachD]

I am planning on heading up for Monday morning anybody have any ice reports?

[Jari]

My buddy went yesterday for opener. Got some rainbows. Had a couple hits out deep mid day for lakers, no takers.  He said 12" ice, but its probably spotty because of the lake.

[DLD24]

This topic being boycotted?? Usually there's a bunch of reports...I plan on heading down Saturday morning...My brother was there Sunday saw a lot but only got a couple...

[ZachD]

I never made it out Monday was too tired from fishing Friday - sunday didn't feel like getting up early

[JBMasterAngler]

Was a very late start, but got up there today. Was surprised that there weren't that many people out. But then again, most of them had probably already left  talked to a guy who was coming in, he had a very nice lake trout, a brown trout that looked to be about 16 inches, and also a rainbow trout. Red barn access was still in pretty good shape. I walked across lake to fish, measured 10 inches of ice. Caught 1 little rainbow. Marked some fish that I assume were perch. Got a couple nibbles from them, but they weren't too active. Went deep for lakers late in the day. A few schools of smelt moved through, and even got a few nibbles from them. My dad stayed by the access and didn't catch anything. I'm hoping to get back up there next week at sun up.

[DLD24]

I fished out there in 5' from 645-9:30am saw probably 15 rainbows caught 1...Most wouldn't even acknowledge my lures

[Jari]

I was up last weekend, 15" of ice, and i caught two rainbows in 8ft, one in the am, and one in the afternoon... got toyed with with no takers,  but marked big fish in 75 ft of water during the day. 

[JBMasterAngler]

How is the ice holding up? Hoping for one last outing on Saturday.

[JBMasterAngler]

Well, got out there this morning. Wind really made things miserable. Ice was about 12 inches. Was still in pretty good shape along the shorelines, although the top few inches were "milky". Ice was really popping and cracking the whole time. Everyone was traveling by foot (which I recommend). Tried for rainbows in the shallows, but couldn't avoid the perch, so I went deep for lakers. Marked one right off the bottom in 115 ft, but other than that, just a couple pods of smelt moved through. Pretty disappointing end to a very forgettable ice season 

[JBMasterAngler]

Went to Grindstone on a whim today. First time I've ever been here in the spring. I hoped there would be lots of rainbows to catch, but there was none to be found.

 

Did have some excitement though...as I was trolling across a shallow flat (only about 5 ft), using a small rebel craw with ultra light rod/reel. Something hammers my bait! Obviously I think it's a northern pike at first. But once it took a nonstop run towards the depths, I knew what I had. Between coaching my 6 year old to net the fish, fighting the wind, and trying to keep my 3 year from falling overboard, this guy provided a very exciting 10 minutes 

 

[Mnfisher]

Beautiful fish! An interesting and fun lake to fish!

 

[JBMasterAngler]

Went out for 1 last crack at a lake trout today. Wind blowing from the south made for tough fishing. No lakers or streamers. Didn't even mark any smelt! Caught 3 little smallies, a largemouth, and a little pike. 

 

On a totally unrelated note, does anyone know what was going on on highway 35 in the NE metro this morning? Police/sheriff had the northbound on ramps closed off in Wyoming, Stacy, county 17, etc. I had to take 61 all the way to Rush City to finally get on the highway. The bridge crossings had a ton of people standing and waving at the northbound traffic also. They didn't appear to be protesters, as they didn't have any signs, or flags. 

[leech~~]

11 hours ago, JBMasterAngler said:

Went out for 1 last crack at a lake trout today. Wind blowing from the south made for tough fishing. No lakers or streamers. Didn't even mark any smelt! Caught 3 little smallies, a largemouth, and a little pike. 

 

On a totally unrelated note, does anyone know what was going on on highway 35 in the NE metro this morning? Police/sheriff had the northbound on ramps closed off in Wyoming, Stacy, county 17, etc. I had to take 61 all the way to Rush City to finally get on the highway. The bridge crossings had a ton of people standing and waving at the northbound traffic also. They didn't appear to be protesters, as they didn't have any signs, or flags. 

Sounds like you disappointed a bunch of JBMasterAngler fans but not catching any fish that day!  

[JBMasterAngler]

Anyone go out on the opener? I usually wait a week before heading up there, so curious to hear some ice/fishing reports.