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It's our time on 'Tonka!


united jigsticker

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Another week or two and the weather should cool down and the watersport related recreational activity should come to a stand still.

I am looking very forward to fall fishing on 'Tonka, for a variety of species, slab Crappies and Walleyes being the main bulls-eye on my target.

Anyone else planning some fall fishing on Tonka?

------------------
Good fishing,
UJ
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 09-10-2003).]

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  • CALVINIST

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Heck ya,

Bass: "Hey look at that little topwater frog" (gulp)

EBass: Rip (setting the hook), "Hey this is another nice one." grin.gif

I'm twisting Tonka Boy's arm into taking me for waldogs too.

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if ebass takes me :+)) or if the lake is calm ( yeah right) since boat is really small. Fall is the BEST time of the year

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I'm getting geared up too. Just started fishing Tonka this summer, looking forward to this legendary fishing you boys keep talking about! My boat is a 16ft and can hold three fairly comfortably and I don't mind a full boat. I'll let you fellahs know when theres an extra seat, I'm especially willing to trade for information on "secret holes!"

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Moby,
Count yourself in. We just need to set a date then go. But my boat may not be big enough if Tonka turns rough. However there are plenty of places to get outa the wind. Its just getting to those places. LOL

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I've been out the last couple days and haven't had to deal with hardly any rec. boaters. Soon the fall bite will be in full swing.

It doesn't get any better! tongue.gif

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Tonka Boy

[This message has been edited by Tonka Boy (edited 09-11-2003).]

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Glad to hear the rec boats are slowing down. I will be taking out someone fairly new to fishing and would like to get a couple of northerns for her. I figure that's a good start and they always put up a good fight.

Any defined pike pattern to speak of or just work the weedlines with cranks/spinnerbaits, etc?

Will be launching from Gray's. Thanks.

DB

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I hit the Tonka last nite. Didn't have to worry about boat wakes flipping me over much, but the wind gave me a whoopin. Caught four bass, 16in. being the largest and 2 cigars. I fished Gibson's Point and appropriatly named Breezy Point. The fish are starting to really stack up after dark, At some points my graph was full, top to bottom, with decent-sized fish. Tryed to get them to bite for 25min then the wind started gettin to me. Had to go.

------------------
God Bless America
Please Practice Catch and Release

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!!!!!!QUIETEST DAY ON TONKA EVER!!!!!!!

Had the day off of work on Monday so I drove up from Rochester to fish Tonka muskies. Got to the Maxwell Landing a little after 6. First rig there. By time I launched my boat only 2 other rigs showed up and when I left around noon only half the slots were used in the parking ramp. It was a rather calm day and the water was like glass, or as close to it as you can get. NEVER have seen Tonka like this. Very Few boats on the water. It was awesome, and to top it off I put a C&R'ed a 36" ski and a 2 1/2 Largemouth.

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Good to hear. Do you care to share what you caught your muskie on? I've been having good success with surface baits (i.e. Jackpots, Tally Wackers, Awakers).

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Way cool, plan on seeing more and more days like this. Give me some 50-60 degrees and little wind and I'll be all grin.gif

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I agree. I hit Tonka last night for muskies as well. Only saw a handfull of boats. The 'skies were there! Raised 2, missed 3!!! on topwaters. One that I saw last night is going to haunt me for quite awhile... she was upper 40's, low 50's. Man......

------------------
-FNC

"get on the natch"

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Musky was caught on a orange Shumway Funky Chicken SpinnerBait. I have boated a musky each of the last 2 Septembers on this lure on Minnetonka and is quickly becoming a favorite when I fish on Tonka.

ANdy

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Fished Tonka today from 7:30 - 3. Very slow. Boated 3 eyes and two bass. Surface temp was 72. About ten degrees cooler from last week from what I hear. Things should start to pick up soon. Graphed lots of fish and lots of light bites, exept two pike that bite off a couple lines.

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Mixed bag on tonka today. Casually fished and cuaght three small pike, one largie and one 15" smallie (my first on tonka).

Also had a low 30" muskie follow and hang around the boat.

Boat traffic is down significantly. Gorgeous day and there were far more fishing boats then rec boats. Gray's launch was only 1/3 full at 4pm.

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Yep, things are in full swing now. Saturday I boated a 45-47" ski, and lost many others. I almost forgot how much work it is to land one of those pigs by myself!

Topwaters were still the ticket, though I had action on just about everything I threw out. I was sight fishing (looking for swirls) and usually could find active fish that way.

It's only going to get better in the next month or so. grin.gif

------------------
Tonka Boy

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Just started fishing Tonka this year (well just started being able to get past the boat launch without getting swamped within the past couple of weeks) Was wondering, besides grays bay, what other public launches (no fee) are there.
Have been hunting 'skis on the east end, any opinion on which side/bays are better. Missed a 40+" on a figure 8 last night, doh!!!!!! Any hints for trolling this fall (color pattern, depths)

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I was out on Tonka last night for a couple of hours. Fished only in Excelsior Bay along the weedlines. Pulled in a mixed bag, about ten bass (biggest was 4lb 15oz), a couple small northerns, a walleye, and a crappie. Everything seemed to be hittin the jig and minnow I was dragging.

Can't wait to get out there again this weekend!

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I was out on Tonka this afternoon with my dad. Fishing was pretty slow, we had a half dozen bass and a few northerns. The off and on rain didn't add much to the experience either. We did manage to boat a 19 and 22 inch walleye after it got dark, so that made the outing worth it. We also had a lot of missed fish, so I can't wait to get out there try it again.
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Had a great day on tonka yesterday with my boy and Mister Mom...

3 guys 3.5 hours...

5 or so walleyes (3 keepers), 5 ro so crappies (all nice keepers), and a few small bass and numerous northern bite offs witht the occasional catch...

Water 63 degrees, windy and cold... minnow and jig. Crapps came on plastic...

Also had a HUGE musky follow my boys 9 inch crappie to the boat trying to eat it... lol then again if he had wanted it, he would have had it....

Wally

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Hey Wally!
That was fun! It was 4 keeper walleyes, however. You want to see a kid get excited have a muskie almost as big as him chase a fish the kid has on! I bet he is still talking about it! Must go again soon!

mm

Actually Wally and I got pretty excited too. And I didn't even see it!

[This message has been edited by mistermom (edited 09-22-2003).]

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I just started fishing Tonka this summer, and would like some info on the fishing in November on that lake. (Brrrrrr.)I fish for walleyes mainly, and this summer I started fishing for muskies, (boated a 38" ski on east Rush thursday the 18th, on a 10" black Suick, my very first ski! smile.gif) I launch out of Gray's Bay, but I am willing to launch wherever the fish are. Basically, I want to know, is the walleye fishing good at that time of year? What kind of structure and depth can these eyes be located? What is the best presentation? Do late fall Walleyes bite at night? Also, is muskie fishing any good in the late fall? What presentations work for late fall muskies? Thanks.

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Managed to make it out to TOnka today(before the wind blew me back to WBL). Got there about noon, and went to do a little dock pitching. Caught one nice bass right of the bat, and then caught two walleyes under the docks as well. after that I only managed on more bass. To much wind to waste a day off on. Dropped the boat off and went to Peltier. Caught a nice limmit of crappies.

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CALVINIST - Walleye fishing is good on Tonka all of the time, and at almost any time of year. The trick is finding the fish. I have had the best luck right at dusk, when the fish move up along the weedlines, or even shallower. The fall seems to be the best time to take advantage of this movement. The fish are hungry and follow predictable patterns. The difficulty is in finding the fish. When they feed, they are constantly moving. This is why it is very common to get fast action followed by long intervals of nothing. If you know where the fish are moving to, then you can follow them and keep the action going.

When I go, I tend to fish the spots where I know the fish will move through. Even though the bite may only last 15 minutes, I almost always come home with a nice fish or two.

Shore fishing, right up until ice up, can be very productive in the fall. I tend to stick to the boat docks in Carson's Bay, but there are other areas as well. Large shiners or suckers 4-5 feet below a bobber will often produce. And if the walleyes aren't biting, northerns almost certainly will be.

One more thing, don't be afraid to use large bait. A 6 inch sucker is exactly what hungry walleyes are looking for before winter sets in.

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Calvinist,

schr0563 gave you some good information. The only thing I would add would be to throw large cranks (i.e. #24-14 husy jerks, floating raps, etc...) into shallow rock piles. Just after dark until about 11 PM is always a productive time.

For muskies, look to just about any point, sunken island, or weed flat marked by bouys. I like to work the outside edge while casting in and over. Many times you'll find them in small pockets amongst the weed edge. Orange, black, red, or natural colors seem to work the best.

Your best bet is to learn one bay or section of the lake. Then move on as the rest of the lake is similar in structure.

------------------
Tonka Boy

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Heading out to Tonka this weekend for one last bass attack. Then it's huntin time. Any suggestions on what pattern I should start with if I make on the water at sunrise? Thanks for any info or leads.

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Last night was a bust for me also. Must have been the night I guess. It was nice to be on the water none the less.

I was really surprised to see how busy the lake was. And they were mostly fisherman which is different.

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Hey waterfowler, Better hang on to that pooch. Last week when I was fishing Rush I had a 12-14" pike hit my 10" DOC; I mean it jumped clear out of the water! I am sure some ol' ski would love to snack on her. I have a red 16" Lowe with a 35 horse Johnson. Maybe I'll see ya, happy fishin.
The CALVINIST

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