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Some small perch and small crappies. I was by a group of perms in 11 fow. Just fished plastic, had no bait along. Some nice marks on the vex @ 5-6 ft right @ dark. Was out from 4-6:30 pm. There were several trucks out by the perms. Always makes me a little nervous w/ less than 10" of ice. Take care, and good luck.

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  • tunrevir

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8-12' along weedlines with sand flats nearby or a sharp dropoff, 15-17' outside weedlines near a break or transition from sand to mud, deep edges of the deepest holes right on the transition where it bottoms out can all produce fish. The shallow water bite is shortlived and can be affected by traffic on the lake like sleds and wheelers zooming around. Hope this helps, welcome to the board!

Tunrevir~

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Thanks tunrevir. I've actually been reading the Forest Lake thread and fishing out there for the last 5 years. Have moved between all 3 lakes, mostly for crappies, but looking for the occasional walleye.

Good locations you mentioned. So the areas where the deep holes bottom out would be productive? Bobber or jigging the best bet?

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When it comes to the deeper holes, look for the areas with the hardest breaks and nestle along the edge. I will often run a rattle reel in one hole and jig in the other. Bobber line set 8-12" off the bottom and work the jig with your electronics. Oftentimes, walleyes will come in to the jig and go for the easy meal on the setline. When I have the little people with then I run a few tipups up into the shallower water which tend to produce later in the evening. You can find pike in the deeper holes as well, just suspend your bait up about halfway or down put on a large lively minnow and wait. Some big pike around the deep water. I think they cruise the ice and look for those small crappies that are floundering around after being released. Again, welcome to FM and good luck fishing!

Tunrevir~

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Haven't posted yet this season, but I sorted out all my [PoorWordUsage], and walked out on 1st lake this afternoon to drill a few holes. Saw 13" consistent off the landing heading towards the group to the left. Didn't take any fishin gear, just wanted to measure ice, start the auger, play with the Vex, and check out the battery in the 'flashlight' (LX1, awesome toy!). Not ready to take the brown truck out yet, but soon!

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Just wondering about vandals on forest lake, anyone ever had any problems with there shacks being broken into????

I was fishing out there a couple of years ago and my buddy and his friend came out and set up a clam not too far from us. They ended up coming over to our shack and fishing for a couple hours, and when they went back my buddy's portable was gone and so were the beers in the hole that he'd left. Her drove out on the lake during light the next day to look on the shore for it and found his portable in somebody's yard. He took it back, and we know some one took it, it didn't just blow away, because he always builds a little wall around his house if there's snow. And the beers were gone...bastages!!!

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We caught some nice pike 24-28"'s and were set up for walleyes towards dark and the darned crappies started eating our shiners! 5 crappies in the 12" range all on small shiners on the rattle reels. Didn't specifically fish for the crappies and didn't have the vexilar on so I can't say what the numbers were like but we were getting runs about every 10-15 minutes. I was fishing a weedline in 8' of water. Sadly, no walleyes showed up and my 6 y.o. wanted to head in so we got off the lake about 630. I'm hoping to get out tonight and see what happens but its gonna be pretty chilly out there!

Tunrevir~

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tunrevir- what kind of rig do you have (truck/icehouse)? and what lakes do u normally fish? I live on the lake...currently have our shack on the south west end of second. always want to find some areas where walleyes and northern are both a consistent option

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I tend to move around alot throughout the winter, usually I am out with a green eskimo shack and a polaris fourwheeler but it has been difficult to get around out there with all of the snow. Nick, look in the 17' range over on the southwest corner, the15-18' flat next to the deep hole on the southeast side of second. Alot of the shallower weedlines on second are muddybottom and not real good walleye areas IMO. First and third lakes tend to have more sand to mud transitions and better structure with sandy bottoms. Typically your weedlines that start in 7-8 feet and end in the 15' range are on sandy bottoms, The weedlines that run into 4-6 feet are more of a muddy bottom and a lower percentage spot for walleyes. If you can find green weeds, cabbage, coontail stands will hold a variety of types of fish. Sandgrass usually grows over harder sandy bottoms and if you can find a spot where the sandgrass meets the cabbage or coontail your in a higher percentage spot this usually occurs in the 7-9' range on the shallow side with the deeper weedline petering out in about 12-15' transitioning to the basin. Pike and walleyes will cruise these areas for easy meals and sometimes you can even get bonus panfish mixed in as well. Hope this helps! Matty, you get that auger running yet?

Tunrevir~

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ive benn in alex slaynnn eyes, back now i guessing everybody driving out there, and i was wondering if there biting with this cold front plrase let me know thanx

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thanks for all the info. now all i have to do is find that green eskimo with the polaris and follow that all around the lake! hah, yea i do like the structure on third much better, but we usually stick to the same spot because it is convinient (not a very good reason). where is all the cabbage out there? always tried to find some while muskie fishin but the stuff I always found was less than 5'. I have heard of a few eyes coming from the deep crappie whole on the south east side of second this year. We did start the year with our shack in 15 fow, but with no luck went back to the shallows where we know we can get the northerns.

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Fished Lake2 today in 26 feet - crappies, crappies, crappies (all were 8 inchers). Ice was 13-14" 'Mike's bait on 8' plowed a road from Willow Access to the two deep holes on Lake2.

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Hey tunrevir,

How ya been? We'll have to meet up on FL or join me on the St. Croix sometime soon...

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Howdy FFAL, We should try to get out right after new years. I wouldn't mind trying the Croix with you. Hopefully by then I'll have Flake dialed in and we can hit that for some eyes and crappies.

Tunrevir~

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I'm planning on taking my 8 year old daughter out in a portable this weekend on one of the area lakes (Forest Lake/Chisago/etc.) for a few hours. Anyone have any pointers for me on where to go to have the best chance of catching something? Panfish would be fine.

Even a hint on how deep to fish would be great.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

David

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The south bay of Chisago is usually filled with Sunfish and some Crappies also. Good luck!!

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Hello FFAL,

Thanks for that tip. I'm not very familiar with the lakes. A quick look at google maps shows Maxwell Road meeting up with Chisago Blvd on the south west tip of Chisago Lake. Is the access/parking to the east or west of there? And do you mean the little bay/inlet hanging off the eastern tip?

The board rules state that you can't post links, otherwise I'd post a link to the google map, but it can be accessed by just typing in Chisago Lake map into google.

Thanks again!

David

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Green lake has a nice population of pannies but has a 9" minimum for crappies and 17" min for walleyes. The deep hole straight out from the access is one of the crappie holes but if your after bluegills, crappies and largemouth swing left off the landing and head over to all the shacks near highway eight. Find a spot anywhere along that stretch in 6-10' of water pop a couple holes and the panfishing will be nonstop with a legit shot at icing a largemouth or two on your pannie rigs. There are also some nicer pike that prowl through the area if you are interested in tipup fishing. Towards evening the bite will switch from sunfish to crappies with an occassional walleye filtering in. Great spot for youngsters but it will keep you busy taking fish off! Goodluck and tightlines smile Okay, my Flake report from the 23rd. Found a few panfish in 7' along a weedline with a mucky bottom, had alot of tipup action through the course of the day, iced 8 pike with the largest going 30"s, a 28" and the rest hammerhandles. Caught a 14" largemouth as well. The panfish were around with sunfish, crappie and perch being caught using both waxies and crappie minnows but the smaller pike would cruise through and the panfish would scatter for awhile. Fished from 830-3pm, didn't get to stay out for the evening bite. Didn't fish yesterday but hope to get out tonight for a bit. Merry Christmas to you all!

Tunrevir~

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tunrevier,

Thanks so much for taking the time to send that information. I really appreciate it.

Looks like you had some good luck on Tuesday!

I found an online map through the DNR website showing the lake access points. Is it true that Green and Chisago only have one access point each?

Will be heading out soon. Do you use suckers on the tip-ups for the northern?

Thanks again,

David

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davidd,

You will pick up northern on both sucker minnows and shiners. So far this year I have had better luck with shiners on forest but both will get you fish.

My forest report: Moved the shack in 13ft of water close to deep water. Got out around noon yesterday dropped the camera down and there were clouds of small perch and shiners schooling together. Caught a bunch of perch but no shiners. Would have been nice to catch a few for the rattle reels and tip ups. I think that is legal isn't it? Saw a musky come through a couple times which is fun to see on the camera. My bro picked up a 12" walter at sundown. After dark nothing. Good luck everyone.

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Hey Tun... its been awhile. Sounds like you are pounding like crazy as usual. With the weather today, what is the ice doing? Can we drive a 4x4 around? Thanks bud...I still owe you that cafe royale' from last year.

Steve

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