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Grindstone Lake Fishing Reports


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Seeing as how this post about this very lake has been going on for almost three years I don't think this lake will get more pressure because of our GTG. For the most part most of us have been fishing this lake, also their will be some newbies that will be fishing this lake. I am happy to show people this so called secret lake, even though it has been discussed on this for for almost three years. Sorry if we have intruded onto your secret lake that no one knows about. Maybe the DNR should take it off the lake finder also.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

I'd hate to see this lake get to crowded cause of an internet posting... Good luck tomorrow guys and if you have success be responsible and do what you would want others to do and dont advertise it all over just want things to last even if it is put and take lake. They can only put so much in and eventually the pressure will catch up

minnwinni, none of us ever posted anything about a Hot bite going on at this lake. Actually, Grindstone, can be pretty tough fishing and I have gone home empty handed more then with fish most of the time. For me because it has some Trout and it is a challenge to catch them along with a chance at the odd Smelt is the reason I go. None of the guys that have posted as wanting to meet even know each other and we just thought since we all wanted the challenge of catching a trout we would meet up there and say hi. We did post that it was open to anyone that wanted to go so if anyone does, bring some dogs to grill and we will see you at noon by the red barn landing. I will say this, if you want numbers of fish to catch and eat then I would go to another lake because I have never felt this lake kicks out many fish in one day. I just like trying for Trout once or twice a year. wink Thanks for the good luck wish! smile

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Leech I agree with you! I think someone is looking to cause some trouble or just jealous they cant go that day! If they want to see alot of people fishing trout they should try cenaiko on opening morning that is a great show and I am part of it every year. I may have to hit grindstone one of these days for lakers. I got hooked on lakers in ely while I was in college and grindstone is the closest laker lake I know of. Good luck to all Saturday! Please post how ya did.

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Ya I appreciate the fact that you guys all want to get together and fish and help each other out but man maybe e-mail or something I se there are only a few of you going but this is the Internet and who knows how many people are looking at this... Thanks guys... Another one bites the dust

wow...way to get your panties in a twist over nothing. you can rest a little easier knowing i can't go, asi have sick kids at home. that will reduce the impact on the lake by...well, by nothing, since i wasn't going to keep any fish anyway.

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The trout fishing on Grindstone is tough enough, that I've given up on it and made it the smelt fishing spot for me.

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Thanks for ruining the lake guys!!! I'm planning on hitting the lake next saturday, but am now changing my plans since I know it's going to be a circus tomorrow and you'll all catch all the trout out of the lake and ruin it forever!!! NOTE THE SARCASM wink

Have fun out there. I'll still be there next week. So I'm waiting for a good report...I'll also need to know what jigs, colors, presentations, bait, depth, location, and GPS coordinates worked out grin

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we will let you know jb. too bad you cant make it today. reading the one post that worries about fishing the lake out is dissapointing. evidently he does not know this lake. i have spoken in front of the lake association there and even some of them didn't know some of the history of the lake or that there were even cribs in there nor do some fish it because of there being no walleys in there. here is the deal with put and take trout, if you dont take them the dnr dont put them in. i'm for a challenge and this lake is that challeng for me. that's why i fish it. good luck.

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was looking forward to have you join us. sorry you cant make it, and take care of those kids, for they are more important than anything. i will be at the grind more this winter and hopefully i will see you out there then. good luck.

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we had a great time but the fishing was slow. got enough smelt for a meal. i think leech will post later. met some great guys today and shared some venison kielbasa on the grill. my son in law's friend had never ice fished before and realy enjoyed himself. he cought a laker late in the day and released it [ 16 inches]. seen a couple of rainbows swim by the holes just under the ice, so did my brother and my son in law. i had two tip ups with small rainbow chubs 3 feet under the ice but no takers. we were in about 45 feet of water. i think leech released a laker also. great people and good eats with smelt to fry tommorow. good luck.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Well the Grindstone fishery is still intact! The most damage done by us was the killing of about 8 lbs of exellent home made Kielbasa out of reinhard1 stash! smile Thanks again Reinhard that was some of the best I have ever had! wink Total for the day was 1 small Laker and 3 Smelt! So you can rest easy that the Grindstone Grinder gang didn't kill the lake! We did have a ton of lookers that would run up to the bait but just would not take it. I did put one of the smelt on a tip up down about 70' feet and some thing took if for a little ride but I just couldn't close the deal. Anyway I had a great time meeting everyone and maybe we can make it a annual GTG. full-27051-5366-picture108.jpg

full-27051-5368-picture111.jpg

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good pics there leech. yes an anual event. we had a great day. we stayed till 5:30 and my son in laws friend cought a 16 in laker but wanted to realease it so he did. talk about high fives and all that. i dont think i've seen anyone so excited. we were just talking about leaving and it hit just off bottom on a slender spoon and minnow head. i had just bought the slender spoon friday at vados. good luck.

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bob, we were fishing in a area where i have cought rainbows, browns, lakers, and crappies. i was in 45 ft. and the smelt started mid depth and then later stayed right on the bottom the rest of the day. kg243 said he has cought smelt of that size but not lately. the best place to fish for smelt is the "smelt hole" where i seen about 8 trucks yesterday. we fish there in anywhere from 60 to 80 ft and they come through in schools that light up the vexilar usualy in a wide ban usualy 25 to 30 ft down and thats were you can get a chance for a bigger smelt because of the higher consentration of smelt there in my opinion. but the bigger ones are better for smoking and i like the ones leech proudly displays in his photo for frying. nothing better that a smelt fry with fresh cought smelt. that might be an idea also for a future grindstone grind on the ice. good luck.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

I had a great time with all out there yesterday. It was good to meet everyone.

It was nice meeting you Kevin as well. To bad we couldn't snag a Laker for you! frown I think we were in the right spot there, just not the right day? wink

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i'll be going up there again a few more times. maby we [you or kevin or both] will meet up there one of those times. next time i will start shallow. i need some rainbows for the pan. i have a spot picked out where i can do this and be close enough to put a tip up out for a laker. good luck.

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all i can say for rainbows is stay shallow. i dont move around much when i choose my spot for i have got them before and they roam around all day long. anytime you want to call me email me at [email protected] and i will give you my number. i know you know yourself around there but sometimes we can share ideas and that may be helpfull. good luck.

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I tried catching some rainbows today. Two of them swam up my ice hole on separate occassions, stared at me briefly, then turn tail and went back down the hole. Okay, that just means I should stick to trying to catch smelt instead.

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we seen some swim by our holes as well. bob dont give up. start early in the morning shallow, 6 ft. , and have a tip up with a small fat head just a foot or two under the ice. and jig with a pimple or small jigging spoon with a minnow head or waxie or a few eurolarva on it half way between the hole and the bottom. they move around all day. sometimes i have cought more on the tip up than the other way and sometimes the otherway around. if nothing by noon go for smelt and then go back again for bows. good luck.

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Last time i was out we had a dead stick minnow down and they wouldn't even give it a second look. The jiggin spoons with a waxie on the other had were money, but the thing is if they swim right by what your using just keep switchin till you find what they like.

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that's pretty much what i do. there are days tip ups or dead sticks work best and then the other way around, like your example for instance. there is no one best thing per given day and you have to experiment. when they are aggresive the jiggin spoon and minnow head or waxie is the ticket. when it's slow just a minnow and hook can do it. good luck.

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Whats the deal on using smelt for bait? I thought they had to be from a licensed bait dealer?

I think that was only for some lakes like Burntside?

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I've never heard of that out there since it's not a designated trout lake i dont believe there are any restrictions. Smelt would be a good idea though with the high northern population

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What is with the lack of water clarity in Grindstone? First time on the lake ever yesterday. Drove over acorss from the red barn banged some holes ( 8tf - 60ft) and was bummed out to find the lure dissapeared from vision at about 6-ft. Is this lake always this skanky? Or did I just pick a bad year?

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Whats the deal on using smelt for bait? I thought they had to be from a licensed bait dealer?

Pretty sure it is now ILLEGAL to catch smelt and put it back out on a line. Even if is from the same body of water. Everything used needs to be properly preserved and you need to have the packaging for identification. This has been discussed already in great detail on previous posts.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
    • Wanderer
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    • 11-87
      Looking for recommendations on scope or red dot    I basically hunt turkey and whitetail, live in southern MN. So it’s all deer/ shotgun    looking to add a scope/ red dot as my eyes don’t work like they used to to with the open sights.    my gun options are 11/87 12. Browning BPS 12    not looking for the most expensive or the cheapest    pros and cons of one over the other
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