Southwest Lakes report

[Chaska Fisherman]

Just wanting to start a thread on reports here in the southwest part of the cities.....Post on

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Chaska Fisherman
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Fish on !!!

[Fergus Mor McErc]

I fished Steiger for the first time this morning. No luck. Didn't even show anything on my FL-5. Met the warden on the lake as I was getting ready to leave. He told me I was in the wrong spot. Wish I'd have met him on the way out.

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Fergus Mor McErc
O Tempora! O Mores!

[Chaska Fisherman]

I feel your pain....it really stinks when you set up and than someone tells you you are in the wrong spot.LOL.....Well I set up yesterday out on Minnnewashta out at mid reef just off the point adn caught a 10 inch northern and a 14" northern shortly after. A guy that lives on the lake stopped by and said " Wow I have never seen anyone set up a house here before. Do you have a map of the lake?" Leave it up to me to find the dead sea. Well moved the house last night out to Waconia and off by itself so Lets hope that something picks up out there.

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Chaska Fisherman
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Fish on !!!

[Gess were to fish]

Lane have tried anything in Victoria..
I am thinkin about PLuckers. Heard slow reports in 20-25. Not sure if there on a weed line. Just wondering

[Chaska Fisherman]

I have not fished plochers for years or otherwise known as Wasserman. A couple of years ago I had a buddy that fished it quite often and did fairly well on the crappies but he had to move around quite a bit. I moved our house out to Waconia and caught 2 eyes abotu 8 and 11 inches in 18'of water by the island

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Chaska Fisherman
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Fish on !!!

[Dan Wood]

Did well on panfish last weekend on prior. We were targeting gills up until dusk and then eyes. We ended up with 60+ gills, some very nice in the 1/2 pound category. We kept a few for a meal and released the rest.

The gills were plentiful, but very cautious about feeding. I worked many of these on my LX-3 for quite awhile before they bit. Without a good flasher, I can honestly tell you I wouldn't have caught 1/5 of those fish. They really took a lot of coaxing and if you weren't aware they were right on your bait at the right time, you would miss the very subtle strike when they finally did come up and take it. My best advice is to have a good flasher unit and get away from the crowds a bit. The fish are plentful and hungry, I think the crowds just keep those fish a bit on edge.

Eyes didn't cooperate as well, but we did have one that was nice come off at the hole and another smaller that we landed.

[EBass]

Are there any nice eyes in Waconia? I only here and caught small ones. Just curious.

[Chaska Fisherman]

All I have caought this year have been 7-10 inches long...small little dinks.

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Chaska Fisherman
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Fish on !!!

[SWMuskeye]

Been catching a few crappies at Reitz lake, but I am giving up on it, it is very slow compared to last year. How has the bite been on Wasserman? I have seen a few portables out there lately on the eastern side.

I've also seen a few portables on Virginia, anyone tried that lake out yet this year?

[Ozzy169]

Fella's !! Parley lake just off the east side of Waconia Is giving up some Sunfish-not alot but nice sized - Crappies are also doing alright, I don't know the depth and area were they are fish just know they are biting

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Puff-Puff-Pass

[Big Dave2]

Anyone fish Bavaria in the winter?

I was out there this summer and found some real nice sunnies almost straight across the lake from the access but have never fished it in the winter.

A guy I work with goes by it every day and told me that he never sees anyone out there. He thinks there is something wrong with the ice?
Dave

[Gess were to fish]

Dave
I grew up in the area and we fished it alot 5 years ago. Theres alot of of milfoil I was told, but you see people sitting on buckets on weekends.. Check with Cabin Fever in Victoria they can tell you for sure.

[Gess were to fish]

SW muskeye, I know one of the portables out there and they said its been slow. There in 20 to 25 ft. There not in a weed line or nothing. I was thinkin of trying and finding a weed line.. Not a lot of action for people going out there ever. Mostly see people waterskin all summer and thats it. Let me know how you do if you try.

[This message has been edited by Gess were to fish (edited 01-07-2004).]

[Gess were to fish]

Dave
Drive by Bavaria today 1-8 and there was a minivan to the west of the access out about 400 yard. Going to guess thats were the weed line is. Was in the heavy work truck so i didnt stop.. Curious to see how he did..

[SWMuskeye]

I caught a good amount of crappies on the Eastern side of the lake this summer, they probably averaged around 10" or so, but I only kept a couple for a small meal.

I know they're out there, my guess would be find the most defined milfoil and sit there as the sun goes down, other than that, its a bowl.

[Gess were to fish]

Lane, How it going on Waconia.. Have you figured who this is yet.. Think back to browns..

[Fergus Mor McErc]

Fished Parley last night. Caught some Crappies, most were small but there was a few nice ones in the mix. 14'of water, red glow jig and a crappie minnow. Saw lots of fish on the flasher. Lots of people driving on the lake. Didn't measure the ice but it was almost as thick as my ice scoop is long. I walked out last night but I think I'll start driving out now.

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Fergus Mor McErc
O Tempora! O Mores!

[PerchJerker]

Three of us fished Parley this morning. Didn't get there quite as early as we wanted. We were going to head to the north side but there was a crowd there so we headed over to the east by the smaller group of houses. Fished about 15 feet of water, lots of marks on the vex but not a lot of biters. Got a few craps and a few gills, and 1 largemouth, but all in all it was pretty slow. The fish were big enough to clean but that was about it.

[Big Dave2]

Thanks for the info guys. I might have to put Bavaria and maybe Auburn on my to do list.

I was out on Spring lake 3 times in the past week and each time was about the same thing. A few crappies, mostly smaller. Not many sunnies(thats what I am looking for) and one small walleye.

I fish west of the north access and some friends of mine were fishing straight out in the cluster of houses sat afternoon. They were catching more crappies than we were so another friend went over on his wheeler to get the scoop. The guy catching the fish didnt know how to read his new vex and told my friend that he was in 12 ft of water when he was in 24 ft. Well needless to say I moved in the wrong direction so I dont know now if there is a deep bite or not.
Dave

[Chaska Fisherman]

Gess, Oh my could this be Dave? If so give me an email at [email protected] or [email protected]

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Chaska Fisherman
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Fish on !!!

[Chaska Fisherman]

I was out on Waconia last night and went up to kegs reef... Fished 15' water and saw a few fish on vex but not many takers at all. iced 4 crappies that were all about 6" and paper thin. 1 eye that went about 6" tops !!!! the houses have sure moved around on waconia over the weekend wow i was surprised

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Chaska Fisherman
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Fish on !!!

[Chaska Fisherman]

Hit up Waconia again last night and had my fill of 6-7 inch crpapies all night but was getting bored because they did not get any bigger as the night went on. I was fishing over south of pillsbury and could not get a bigger one if my life depended on it. any clues to getting those 10-12 inchers?>

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Chaska Fisherman
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Fish on !!!

[SWMuskeye]

I'm not going to give out any spots of mine, because that'd be death on here. But as dumb as it sounds, get away from all of the usual structure - Pillsbury, Cemetary, Kegs, Waconia Bay, and the rest of the areas that hold the majority of the houses and get pounded.

Find the most distinct weedline on a shoreline, and set up around 12-15 feet, and wait until after the sun has set, you should be able to find crappies, and they will be bigger.

The worst thing you can do is get to the access, look at the lake and say "well gee it sure looks like I should hit the bay, there are plenty of houses there"

WRONG!

I've been out a few times this year and haven't been near other houses and always pounded em.

Get away from the crowd, you're on the right track if you can barely hear anything by you such as power augers, etc.

[walleyeking]

I assume you can drive out on the lake by now???Wacconia

[SWMuskeye]

I have an S-10, and I was fine, I have seen half-ton diesals out there, and the ice is 15 in many spots.

You wouldn't see me cutting across the north side of the island over the biggest area of the lake though, stick near the shorelines or shallower bays if driving just to be sure.

But I have seen big trucks all over.

[danny berg]

I moved my house to cemetary last Fri afternoon and the ice was just a little over 16" where I dropped the house. But remember no ice is safe..

[carverfshrmn]

Guy's, I found that 13-14' is doing pretty well for all fish, do not want to get to specific, but have been doin pretty good last couple of times, most of my bigger fish have been hittin at 10'. I see em on my vex at 2' off bottom and raise my bait to 10' and get hit. Smaller one seem to hit at lower depths. Some big eye's too!

[Fergus Mor McErc]

Fished Parley again for a couple hours (10-12) this morning. Didn't get any bites. The flasher started showing fish about the time we were leaving. My buddies daughter was with. We suspected it could be a short trip when we decided to take her with, to stop her pestering her dad about it. It wasn't her cup of tea after all. Maybe when she gets a bit older, she's 11 or 12 now. With no bite she was bored silly after the excitement of the drive out and the setup was over, and the hole watching started.

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Fergus Mor McErc
O Tempora! O Mores!

[Big Dave2]

I was out on Auburn on Fri. Caught nothing but small perch as fast as you want to pull them up. A friend who was there also caught 2 small northerns.

Fished Waconia on Sat. Only got to stay about 1 1/2 hours and left by 5:30 but I caught 3 small walleyes but no crappies. Maybe wasn't late enough yet.

I fished all by myself in 14 ft of water.

Dave