Loeb Lake

[nofishfisherman]

Does anyone have any info about Loeb Lake in St. Paul? It is located in Marydale park at the corner of Maryland and Dale.

Its only a few blocks from my place so I thought it might be worth checking out. I have looked at the DNR info and its a deep little lake. Only 9 acres but max depth of 28 feet. It is also a stocked lake although it had a winter kill a few years ago.

It also says it has an aerator on the lake. Does anyone know where on the lake it is located and when do they normally turn it on? I thought perhaps they may not turn it on until later in the winter so early ice might be alright.

If anyone knows what kind of ice conditions I might be able to expect please let me know. I'd like to give it a shot in the next couple weeks after we get a little more cold weather.

[theiceman12]

I do not know much about the fishing, however I used to go to school around those parts. Rumor has it that a school bus went into that lake haha. What do you want to fish for?

[nofishfisherman]

I'm guessing getting a bus through the tree lined shore would have been pretty tricky. I would guess thats more rumor then truth.

I'm just looking for a place close to home where I can pull a few fish through the ice. Doesn't really matter what kind.

[theiceman12]

ok for some reason it will not let me. One lake in the area I would try is como. I Ice fish there and have had some ok fishing. mostly small northerns on tip ups. The fish are small, but it is ok action. Just be sure not to eat anything outa there. Nasty nasty lake. Have caught a pike with a a growth on him in the summer.

[CrappieFshr651]

F.Y.I. if anyone ventures out, be cautious, this lake has a history of very sketchy ice. Know when they turn that aerator on.

[Maximum12]

nofish, I used to live close to Loeb & fished it a few times. Note the "few" & I lived only blocks away.

There are close to 1 billion three inch sunnies in the lake. Every summer there was rumor that someone caught a 23" walleye in the lake & I suspect there are two or three left from stocking, but I've never seen one. One time on the ice my buddy hooked a good-sized pike that he lost at the hole, but that's the only fish over 8" I've ever seen out of Loeb.

They'll mark the aerator when they turn it on, if it hasn't moved in the past few years it's on the north side of the deep hole.

And be cautious. The north end, near the railroad bridge, has a culvert where runoff from Maryland runs into Loeb. The ice on the northeastern side is often sketchy, even in January/February. There's another bad spot just north of the fishing pier, over one of the humps. We were out several years ago on 18" of ice & somebody put their foot through the ice; no more than an inch right there. Don't know what that's about; spring, I'd guess?

It's worth a try to kill an hour or two, but go in with low expectations. And go with a buddy & be careful.

[nofishfisherman]

Thanks for the info. That exactly what I was looking for.

I suspected it was mostly small sunnies but they have done some stocking in the last few years so you never know. I assume it gets pretty low pressure as the shoreline looks tough to fish from so I'm sure there are some bigger fish in there but due to its size I'm sure they are few and far between.

Due to the sketchy ice and low odds of anything worth noting I will probably skip the lake. Maybe I'll drop a canoe an it someday to check it out but I'll leave it alone for now.

[Blainebob]

I also used to live near this lake,but never tried in the winter. I once was on the dock and saw a few decent size crappies swimming around. I have seen the occasional lone portable out there in winter. I used to work with a guy that claimed his buddies pulled buckets of 2-3# eyes out of there in the summer, but question it cause bucketfuls would be a tad over the limit.He got quite angry when I said he was full of it.

[theiceman12]

I would not eat an eye from that lake if I was payed. yuck. All the lakes in that area are pretty nasty

[Maximum12]

Blainbob, I tried it in the summer as well a few times with the same results. Not sure what happens to the fish they stock in there, it ought to be like shooting fish in a barrel in that little pond. Maybe die-offs, or the presence of so much forage.

And you're correct, it gets very little pressure. A few shore fishermen in the summer, but the questionable ice keeps most people off of it in the winter.

I'd still try it once in a while if it were out the backdoor.

[Zaraspooks]

I'm probably one of the guys that have been seen with a portable on the lake. I've tried it twice a year for the past two winters. It is very close to my office. Only caught small panfish. Talked to one guy who claimed to have caught and released a walleye but judging by the pile of beer cans outside his portable, not sure if I believed him.

I agree that there must be a spring off the hump just north of the pier. Was there in February and thought it was a hole someone had punched but as I looked closer, I could tell it was just open water. I've avoided that area ever since.

[Blainebob]

I dont doubt there is fish in there.I cant see the DNR spending the money to stock lakes someplace fish wouldnt survive. I would have to say that lakes right in the cities are underestimated. Some lakes people turn their nose up to because they think its just a swamp, I have done particularly good at. Small Bennett Lake in Rosevillle is stocked with almost everything,and I pulled a few 5# bass out of there.I agree,some of them I would not eat fish out of,but nothing wrong with a little C&R.

[Maximum12]

Spooks, so that was you, huh. Probably more dangerous to leave your truck around there than at Como. I've seen some pretty bad behavior in the near vicinity, though mostly in the summer. Be wary.

Blainbob, I thought the same thing. It looks like it could be a hidden gem. But the ice alarmed me, the fishing underwhelmed me, & there are a lot of lesser known lakes in St. Paul that actually have fish in them. But I still kept trying once in a while. There ought to be fish to be caught in Loeb. Just not by me. Or anyone I know!

[sparcebag]

When I lived on the Eastside in 1996-2000 that was my fav. catfish lake not big, 2-5 lbers but at times I caught alot. It was hard to fish from shore with all the cattails .

[nofishfisherman]

Never thought I would get so much info about such a tiny little lake. Seems some of you have had the same thoughts I did.

From some of my research on the DNR website they actually claim the water quality is pretty good. Not in the same category as Como which looks like you can walk across it in the summer with all the gunk in it. Loeb has a very small water shed so there is actually very little run off and the shore line has a better buffer zone then como has had in years past althought they are trying to fix that at Como these days.

I do have a feeling that there are some good fish in there, the question is how many and how catchable are they.

[AnglerX]

There's a fair amount of catfish in there....and yes decent sized walleyes. Last year we caught some ranging from 12"-29". As most said it's not worth keeping anything out of there as theres street runoff etc. coming into that puddle.

[theiceman12]

The DNR webpage also states that You can each unrestricted Bluegill

and bullhead from como, and one meal a week of Crappies, Eye's and Northerns. I do not trust the DNR on these matters.

[FishOn!]

Two years ago, in late february, i fell through the ice on this lake. yep, late february. I had researched it a little on dnr page, and just HAD to give it a shot. was aware of the aerator, but wasnt too worried about it because it was on the opposite side of the lake. I met a few buddies out there and was first on ice. drilled a few holes to be sure, and there was 8 or 9 inches. a lot thinner than other lakes at this time of year. anyway, just finished punching a hole and took a step back and went right through to my crotch! I guess i dont really need to say anymore on the results of how the fishing was!!