Ready, Set, Go, Open Water where will you start?

[ice-man/vexilar-king]

It's right around the corner. I think this week will be the last of the ice fishing. we may get one or two more ventures out. I have the 60' extension ladder laying on the ground ready to give it one or two more tries. The reel question is where will everyone go after ice out. I usually can't hammer fish for at least a week after the ice goes out unless i go deep and jig verticle. Any idea's or suggestions. Where will you go?

[CrappiesNCats]

i'm meeting a buddy in rochester this weekend to hit some reservoirs and maybe the Zum. i can hardly wait

[PDOGG]

Pool 4, been there twice already eyes are definitly on the chomp there.

[Team Otter]

I'll probably start fishing for pan fish just prior to the "Spring Cleaning" and then it'll be all 'eyes for me from opener 'til ice-up '08.

[gerty]

Hey PDOGG - did you go back after the time I seen you there? Did you fish the same spots or try something new. How did you do?

As far as what to do, I agree with PDOGG and T.O. - pan fish here, piggies on the river.

[katoguy]

 Originally Posted By: Team Otter

I'll probably start fishing for pan fish just prior to the "Spring Cleaning" and then it'll be all 'eyes for me from opener 'til ice-up '08.

Really? Why give up on panfish entirely? Don't you have clients that request panfish?

[riverrat56]

They confuse him to much in summer, so he just fishes for those dirty bottom feeders

I will most likely hit St. James Lake as soon as the ice is off, I have had some great panfishing out there in the past.

[Muddog]

Start? This Q, is two weeks late.

My biggest fish so far this open water season is a Carp a little over 20lbs. Who said you can't catch big fish this time of year?

[Team Otter]

Perhaps I should clarify. Pan fish are not given up on. If a client, friend or family member requests a day of 'gills and crappies, so be it. In fact, last year, I had some clients in late July and mid-August request pan fish trips and we had a blast.

I was just so darn excited about walleye fishing that I got distracted.

[PDOGG]

We where there yesterday till about 4:30. The fish where much shallower in a current seam just south of where we fished earlier. They fish we caught where much larger this time, we had 4 over 20 with a 27 as our best and alot of them right at the 19" mark. It wasn't as fast and furious as before but definitly alot more quality. There's a couple pics on the walleye forum.

[Team Otter]

Be careful PDOGG; it's very easy to get sucked into being a river rat. Before you know it, you'll think carp, sheephead, long-nose gar and sturgeon are game fish. Ha!

Keep up the good work over there. I love the photos, etc.

[Jesse Drummer]

ice-man,

You know where i will be . Ill be your boat re-fillin the beer cooler and showing you how to catch fish ! lol. ( fyi , i got some decent braid line today now i just gotta work on getting that longer pole.

[Jesse Drummer]

ice-man,

thanks for spending some quality time with me tonight! jk, call me before you plan on going ice fishing again. last night me and john walked on madison for 100 ft or so . got the life jacket out of the garage yesterday. I haven't ate anything for 3 days. trying to cut that weight so if we do go out again i won't feel so heavy on that bad ice! jk about the not eating part iv'e been to the buffet 3 times this week lol.

[PDOGG]

T.O.,

To late I was born and raised on the banks of the Le Sueur river and that was the only place I fished till I bought a boat. There where plenty of walleyes to chase there also so I still don't consider carp and such game fish but I do like to tangle with a big cat every once and awhile.

[Scott K]

 Originally Posted By: Team Otter

Be careful PDOGG; it's very easy to get sucked into being a river rat. Before you know it, you'll think carp, sheephead, long-nose gar and sturgeon are game fish. Ha!

Keep up the good work over there. I love the photos, etc.

For me Carp and sheephead are game fish, atleast for another month! Then my focus goes to Walleye, then to cats! But you wont here me complain much when I have to fight a few 15lb carp in between the Walleyes and Cats!

[eyepatrol]

The only time I fish for carp is when I'm at the folk's house fishing out their back yard. Bullheads and carp are about all that lake has, so it's fun early on while waiting for the opener and on those days I can't take the boat out (which aren't many).

As for opener, I'll be on Tetonka as mentioned in another thread. It'll be nice just to get after the 'eyes again and hopefully we'll get a few to tug on our lines. Rigging some snells w/ floats and a leech will be our starting point, but I'm sure a jig and leech or minnow will work its way into the arsenal at some point throughout the day.

[Reid G]

Tetonka is a great choice. Anyone heard if there's open water on Gorman, Clear (Lexington), or Lura? Thought the aerator lakes might be open for going after some gills or crapps from the boat sunday.

[eyepatrol]

Reid - welcome to FM!

Although I can't answer your questions, I'm sure somebody will be able to.

By the way....is that a Skeeter you got?

[Reid G]

ZX 180 with a 150 VMAX HPDI.

I'm just getting a tired of staring at a hole all day. Want to stretch the casting arm out a bit.

[kato wall guy]

crystal and loon i heard was more than half open

[eyepatrol]

That's what I thought Reid. Pretty sure I saw your rig pull out of German one day last summer. You always wipe it down after pulling out of the water? If so, then that probably was you.

Nice rig!

[Reid G]

Yep, that's me. Thanks for the compliment.

I'm really itching to get it wet this weekend. Put in on the river in Wabasha weekend before last but would really like to stay around here this weekend.

By the way, moved here from California (Bay Area) last year. Starting to learn the Mankato area lakes but could use some more help this summer. I'm sure we'll be talking some more.

[Willy]

Reid, Cordova was half open Sunday, probably more by now. Lexington has about a third to a half open water. Some kids were out there (lex) in a rowboat yesterday fishing on my way home from work.

[Team Otter]

Welcome to FM Reid! I look forward to your contributions here in the South Central forum and beyond!

[Reid G]

Thnaks for the welcomes and help.

Willie: Where exactly is Cordova?

Anyone think it's worth fishing for the crappie - reaction bite? Or too early? I'd sure like to fish some 1/8 ounce chatterbaits, roadrunners, countdowns. What do you think?

[Team Otter]

Reid,

From Kasota, you can take Highway 99 East to Le Center. In Le Center, you would go South on County Road 11 and then East on County Road 2. The lake can almost immediately be seen on the North side of County Road 2.

Or, from Kasota, you can take Highway 99 East to County Road 15 South and then travel East on County Road 13. County Road 13 then becomes County Road 12 and you would then go North on County Road 11 until you met up with County Road 2, which is then where you would go East and be in the same spot as the directions above.

[Willy]

Reid, Cordova = Gorman. Otter gave you good directions. Us yocals call it Cordova or Dovi for short. Cordova is actually a small town that is on the lake. Well, I don't know that you can really call it a town, if you blink, you will miss it.

[Reid G]

Sounds good. Thanks guys. Not sure about sunday now. Looks like the weather has taken a turn for the worse.

[Team Otter]

Don't drive off County Road 2 to the North either; steep drop!

[Bigeye30"]

I don't think you'll be getting a boat in Gorman for a few days yet, just came from there this afternoon and all the ice is still there on the south side, which is where the access is.

Where i'm going to actually start is in IOWA, I get a kick out of it every time I say that. Just the standard border thing thats all. Probably hit up a lake or two as soon as ice is out just to make sure everything works once in the actual water. Plus the boats gonna be loaded up with a new locator, so I want to figure that out as much as possible, not definate on which one yet, but it looks like some form of color/gps combo.