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Lake Harriet results


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I was out on Lake Harriet last night for a couple hours. It was beautiful with calm, to no wind. I fished the north shore from the bandstand to other side of the beach. The milfoil is starting to break the surface in a few spots, but don't let that fool you, it's thick - everywhere! I caught 4 walleyes using curly tail grubs on the inside weedlines. No real size to them, most were cigars, but I did get one 16 incher. I was hoping to hit some bass but to no avail. I saw a bunch of smaller males (10-14inch) cruising real shallow, but they wouldn't even take. I think the post-spawn slump is here for Harriet (at least for the next week or so).

If you're into carp, they are everywhere and very active. Two teenage guys were down there catching 10lbers left and right on doh balls.

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Big Mike....I want to go and get some of those carp....where is a good spot?

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If you are looking for carp, basically anywhere on the lake you'll find them... just look for the swirls! But they definitely cruise by the bandshell and were everywhere on the north shore last night.

Good luck... the more you catch, the less I have to deal with them wink.gif

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Hey BigMike,
Those two teenage guys were me and my buddy Jkfisherman (he posts here too). We fish Harriet alot, not always for carp though. We usually are catching monster bass (biggest was 22 inches last year). We are now into the walleye seen on harriet though. Thanks for the report and good luck.

[This message has been edited by Metroguy99 (edited 06-16-2004).]

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BigMike, I can't believe I'm reading this. Walleyes??? Your smallie magnetism is in serious jeopardy!

How fast can you get to Monti this evening?

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Hawgtide... tell me about it! I'm starting to feel smallie sluggish! Definitely the initial stages of Bass Shakes! I wish I could get up to Monti tonight but I've got some meetings going all evening frown.gif I need to hit monti SOON!!! We should set a day (sooner, later, evenings??) to get out again and chase some big smallies!

Metroguy & JK, nice seeing you guys out there. If I see you guys again, we can talk about fishing Harriet a little more. I used to fish Harriet all the time and nail the bass & 'eyes, mostly small stuff but I did manage to catch some BIG bass last spring about this time last year when the bass were in cruising the shallows. I only get out to Harriet every once in a great while now because thanks to Ebass, Hawgtide, Dan Wood & Daze Off...I'm now officially addicted to fishing river smallies!

Good luck chasing eyes on Harriet. Here is a tip from a couple years of fishing Harriet, live fathead on a plain hook or jig under a float will pull 'eyes & bass from all along where you guys were fishing on Monday (especially at dusk). Should be a lot of fun on those ultra light rods you guys have.

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BigMike, During the week it's hard to plan too far ahead since I have to make sure the wife is going to be home in time to watch my son. There's usually a couple of nights a week where I can get out there. I'll keep you posted if I find out any in advance. Otherwise, it might be short notice like today. I have some Sunday's open, but I know that's not a good day for you.

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Hawgtide,

That's totally cool. I know how that goes! How about this, if you ever get a free seat on a weeknight last minute, drop me an email at work: [email protected] and if I can make it, sweet, if not - nothing lost. The best nights for me are usually Mon, Tues, Thurs (and maybe Fridays if I'm lucky). I'd be happy to join you last minute if I have the night off (and get it ok'd by the lady of course wink.gif).

With the long nights we've been having, I may try to get up there wading on a night after work sometime too. How high is the water right now?

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Well I got out to Harriet this weekend instead of the Monticello stretch of the 'sippi on Saturday. I was kinda bummed because I was itching to get up there but my wife wanted to get out and catch some sun at Lake Harriet. It actually turned out to be a lot fun because she never gets out with me while I'm fishing.

Saturday turned out to be an alright day for fishing, not a ton of action, but some. I caught 5 bass and one cigar 'eye. All the bass were 13-14 with one nice 16.5'' fat boy. The problem actually wasn't the weeds this weekend! They were out harvesting the milfoil ALL MORNING on the north shore where I was fishing and chopped everything down to 4 feet below the surface! The fish were REALLY scattered and when you found weeds, you found a fish. I caught 3 on a jr. zara spook along the west shore and 2 on a spinnerbait on the north shore.

I did get out on the 'sippi to my favorite downtown mpls spot to feed my need smallie addiction for a couple hours and landed a bunch of pocket bass - largest 13inch. Smallmouth rock, all the 12inchers I caught put up more of a fight & pull than the 16.5'' largemouth I caught at Harriet the day before.

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FisherMommy...People fish for carp because they are one of the most powerfull fish we have in our waters and they really fight!

They grow to be huge, I think the tackle record here in Minnesota is something like 52 pounds out of Clearwater lake. Bow fishermen probably get bigger ones then that!

The older they get the smarter they get and if you have the ability to catch and land a really big carp, say something in the 20 pound or better range, you are a fisherman!

Being a new fisherman (Person) you probably hav'nt addressed this angle of sport fishing yet....( I seen your post on CR Dam). They are indeed tackle busters!

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I don't fish for 'skies, but from the few times I've been out to harriet this year, things seem to be off to a slow start. Usually you can at least spot a handful, get a couple to follow, etc... but I've only heard of guys seeing a couple and maybe getting one to follow.

Good luck.

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I went to harriet a couple days ago looking for some Bass possibly more carp. As i searched the shore, i spotted one muskie around 30 inches crusing the milfoil.

The next day i went back with a bow for bow fishing the carp. I ended up in the little swamp area on the southwest side of the lake. My friend with his polarized sunglasses smile.gif, immedietly spotted a muskie laying in the shallows. I cast to it several times but to no avail.

The muskies are slow and lathargic this time of year because the water is still cool and we havent had a string of hot days yet. Just wait the bite will turn on.
-Best of Luck to You-

-Metro Guy

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  • 2 weeks later...

MetroFishing Guy:

Any advice on how to fish for carp. I live very near harriet and have seen lots of large carp while running around the lake. Took my nephews fishing but we only caught crappies.

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Last night on a phantom jerkbait i had a muskie hit right off of the rocks near the bandshell but due to my crappy hookset it got away. those skies are there just waitin to be caught. people who bowfish on lake harriet with their friend seth are dorky. just kiddin.

good fishing to all.

JK

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