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Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions


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Most people coming in are still after the big sunnies. Many are not having a problem catching their limit but most just get a few for a meal or two. The south side in 10 to 14 fow using panfish leaches is producing the 8 to 10 ounce gills. There are also several spots along the north side along the pencil reads that are good as well.

A few walleye fisherman but not much for reports. I am going to try to get out tonight if I can...nice moon and should be clear. I will give a report if I get out.

Should be a good weekend...little breezy but not bad.

Fish On!

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I'm coming up Thur. Any reports from the weekend. Never fished the lake, me and my friend are bringing the boys up for some fishing and thought we'd hit Minnewaska. Thanks for any reports.

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Sorry I missed the post DCF...busy week and packed weekend...might get some time off today. smile

I took the boys out on Sunday for about 2 hours in front of Peter's...we worked that structure in and out with Reef Runners. We got some pike with the largest being 32.5" and 29"...the rest smaller. Caught a few smallies with the biggest being about 17"...and some small large mouth as well. Several big bull sunfish and two walleyes both 16".

Pretty good for 2 hours and the lines were constantly snapping with several doubles. Kids were having a blast as well and did not want to go home...but...

Pretty nice day today with winds forcasted at only up to 7 mph...nice day on the big pond and will try to get out again.

Still most people going after the big sunfish...8 to 10 ouncers in 10 to 14 feet of water using the panfish leaches. There have been some good reports of walleyes south and west of the beach landing...I might try that today as well if I get out.

Fish On!

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Got out last night for some night fishing. It was clouded over to start and only caught one walleye from 9:30 to 11 pm.

When the clouds cleared, it was a clear moon light night...and the bite picked up. I was getting 2 to 3 eyes a pass mixes with some smallies and a big pike as well. I ended up catching 8 walleyes (kept 4 in the 15 to 16 inch range), a bunch of smallies and one big pike at 31 inches. At 1 pm a front moved in, 100% clouded over and it started to rain lightly so I headed in. Fun two hours when the moon was out and the fish were aggressive. I missed a half dozen good strikes as well.

Several boats out during the day after walleyes but they are keeping pretty quite. Most are still going after the big sunnies in 10 to 14 fow...panfish leeches, waxies, crawlers and angle worms with a slip bobber. Really nice fish!

Might get out again tonight and the moon is on its way out and the weather looks good for the next two or three nights.

Fish On!

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Gravel mostly but some of the shorelines are more rocky. There are some edges just out deeper which I am sure they come up off in the evening.

Fish On!

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Last night I was fishing in 5 fow. During the day they might be out in 12 to 16 fow. I pick them up occassionally pulling Reef Runners in 12 to 14 feet and also have picked them up off School Point even a little deeper.

Fish On!

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fished all over the glenwood end must have caught close to 200 or so sunnies w/ leeches/waxies just jigging over the side of the boat w/ ultralite gear mostly 12-16FOW kept around 30 for a meal--lots of sorting but a fun day withthe kiddies

good luck all

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Good report firefish...great to get the kids out. I am taking my two boys out later today after work...but they want to go after walleyes.

Mom and Dad got into some 3/4 pound sunnies and one pushing a pound on Sunday. I think they said they were around Priest's Point somewhere drifting from 6 to 10 feet and then back again. That is not the norm but they really got into some dandys.

Fish On!

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one of these days I'll have top make it off the glenwood side and go exploring with my little 14 footer--maybe this fall I'll have to try for some walleyes out there with all the big boats

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There are many 14 to 16 footers on the lake so you will have plenty of company.

Got out again last night...perfect conditions with the moon still bright on a clear sky and a slight chop. We only picked up two small walleyes however. Just can't figure that one out...that's fishing. We did pick up a bunch of smallies...they were pretty aggressive. We also got one big bucket mouth that measure 18 inches. I am sure the bass tournament guys would have liked a few of those!

Fish On!

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I'm going to Winnewaska this weekend to try to get some nice panfish, any tips on where to go ,I've never been on the lake before.

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Landdr,

Coming to town on sunday to get in on the panfish action and try our luck on a few walleyes. Where is your store located? What are your hours on Sunday? Any tips/locations would be appreciated for either species.

Thanks

UNIT

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landdr, also what are your store hours on saturday. i was up and visited you this winter, grandma got a place on the starbuck end, but will probably swing thru and pick up bait, as well as any info you are willing to share. we are looking at gettign up there early saturday morning.

thanks

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Fetterer's bait on 28 across from the airport coming into town. Gauranteed best best you will find, straight from the guy that traps it! hes open 24 hours a day and the money from the 24 hour bait goes to his kids college fund! Doyle is a heck of a guy, anyone that knows him can attest to that!!

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I will be at my sisters wedding Friday and Saturday...plan to be back sometime on Sunday and hit the lake if I can. Weather looks fantastic for the weekend!!

Panfish...10 to 16 feet just about anywhere along the south side of the lake. Some good spots along the north side as well. Panfish leaches, waxies, crawlers, etc are all working well. You should have a good time and have some nice fish to take come.

Picking up a few walleyes along weed lines and edges. A lot of pike!!

Fish On!

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Landdr,

We stopped into your store for some bait and info about the lake because we had never been on the lake before. A young man named Zack was working and was probably the most helpful and friendly person I've ever run into at any kind of store. You've got a good one there, give him an atta boy for me, and we did catch some nice panfish. We definitly will be back to fish again and we now know where to go for bait and advice.

Thanks,

Pat

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I was up and fished Saturday on the starbuck end. Did really well on bluegills. Took some home for dinner and released quite a few as well. Also caught an eye and a handful of bass and pike. It seems like the panfish are everywhere, need to move around and locate the active fish if you sit for awhile and no bites.

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Seems like the northern pike are on a terror right now. Was out for a while on Saturday and caught numerous pike pulling cranks in 20-21 ft. Couple walleyes, bass and sunnies in the mix as well on cranks. Water clarity appears to be really dirty with all the rain lately, which makes me think those walleyes could be really shallow at times when least expected. Didn't have a lot of time to experiment and didn't even bring any live bait along. Next time out will be looking shallow first if the wind is pounding just for the sake of checking.

With multiple species slamming those cranks its a good indication the fish are biting and aggressive, just a matter of finding the walleyes in an area where the sunnies can't beat them to the bait. Seems like there's always a shallow and a deep bite somewhere on the lake if you can find it. It's a big lake and there's a lot of featureless open water out there that rarely gets fished.

One of the keys to catching walleyes at this time of year is to pay close attention to your electronics while looking for areas that are full of bait, and particularly those areas where you notice clouds of bait dispersed over an area. You may or may not see fish linked directly to those clouds of bait, but what you will most likely find is that at some point the walleyes are in close proximity to those multiple bait sources.

Regardless of whether or not I catch fish during an outing, the one thing I'm always paying close attention to at this time of year is the amount of forage present in any given area. Keep a close eye on those areas that are consistently holding a lot of baitfish over consecutive days if you are struggling to catch fish or the right specie. Sometimes a radical change in presentation can be the key, while searching for those fish that are nearby, but off to the sides of those big pods of bait, can sometimes be the jackpot.

Problem is, most anglers are only reading a narrow diameter cone (sonar) below their boat, and when you see those pods of bait you see what is directly below the pod or what's correlating in or above those balls of bait, and you don't see what's in the vicinity or the wide perimeter. Sometimes you see pods of bait dispersed over an area and you aren't seeing fish relating to them, when in fact they are oftentimes close by or a very swimmable distance away. At this time of year they are virtual eating machines, and when you are marking pods of bait you can be almost rest-assured there's fish in the general area.

Here's where side-imaging sonar offers some real advantages because it allows you to decipher information from a much broader area, and to process information throughout a continous swath that spans nearly 500 ft vs. what's only below the boat. I first used side-imaging sonar over 10 years ago with my first Fishing Buddy side-finder ice fishing and it worked really well, and with the recent introduction of side-imaging with today's mainstream sonar/gps, it's really remarkable how you can essentially gain a wide angle view of the area you are working.

While I'm still somewhat in the experimental stages with side-imaging, I can tell you first hand that once you understand what you are seeing and you learn how to process the information, it really is remarkable technology.

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I agree...I have caught walleyes shallow and deep right now. I hear a lot of people saying "the walleyes are deep deep deep"...but I have also caught them in 6 to 10 fow as well. As Corey stated, that pretty much means the entire lake can hold walleyes and is fishable. When they find the bait...they slam it! Very agressive bites.

Most are still after the panfish bite. Still really nice 8 to 10 ouncers.

Yes, pike everywhere and they are agressive as well. Some really nice sized fish in the bunch as well.

I will pass on the ata boy to Zac...he will like to hear that. He is a very sociable kid! Thanks for the report.

Fish On!

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would anyone be willing to share any helpful hints on trolling rapalas for walleyes in the dark--I believ there is a full moon labor day weekend and thougth this might be a good time to try.

I've never tried minnewaska for walleyes b4 or really did the nighttime trolling thing any general areas, depths, color patterns or helpful hints would be great

Thanks

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At night go on the shallow side of the weedline, there are many areas in the lake that are genrally weed free from 5-9' of water

Troll a #5 shad rap. also fish the windy side of the lake

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My ultimate favorite is to fish the full moon on Minnewaska! I have caight many of the biggest walleyes during those times and the best I ever did was 27 walleyes one night last year on the July full moon.

I use the F11 Vampire in 4 to 6 feet of water. I like to use braided line so I can really feel every nick, weed or bite...have to run at 5 to 6 fow if I use braid.

There are many good spots on the north and south sides of the lake...even the Glenwood Beach is great. Look for the closest drop offs to shore and troughs that come up from those edges...the walleyes will come up from those and are usually feeding very agressively.

I have been watching the moon coming in as well! My wife knows I am watching it as well and often catches me staring up at it just before going to bed. smile It is a sickness! But night fishing has been one of the best fishing experiences on Waska that I have had.

Try to pick a night with at least a ripple on the water. Calm nights have usually been less effective...just really hard to move a boat quietly in 5 to 6 fow water on a calm night. Still get some fish but usually not as good as a night with a good chop.

Fish On!

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firefish_12...have you gotten out for some night fishing yet? I was going to go out last night but fell asleep on the couch. Fell asleep eating walleye though...that isn't all bad...still had one fillet let for breakfest!

Panfish are still the main draw on Waska...just a continous bite with the 8 to 10 ouncers. I seen several boats out yesterday having a good bite and most appeared to be in that 10 to 16 foot range.

Several bass and pike still active. Got into a few walleyes.

Fish On!

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Landdr,

We're thinking about coming out there on Sunday, how has the fishing been lately or would it be a waste of time on a holiday weekend.

Pat

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lander--nope hopeing for sunday night maybe my plan was too take the kiddies out one last time ot catch some sunnies and then troll around when it starts getting dark

is the glenwood side still productive for pannies??

thanks for all the tips and help guys

Aaron

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It is a big lake...there should be room. smile

Sunnies...to the south of Glenwood Beach, out from Lakeside, out from Halvorson Point, Peter's, Baycrest, Monte Beach, Swenson Point, etc., etc. Pretty much all around the lake along the weed lines you should find them. Some places that hardly anyone goes to are all of the weedlines out in the middle of the lake...there are weedlines all over out there with great sunfish bites and mostly untouched. Just get out to 10 to 16 fow.

I don't think anyone would be disappointed with the sunfish bite and the sizes...really some nice fish.

Still a lot of bass and pike to get into as well if you are looking for some heavier action.

Walleyes are there but they are spread out. I pick up a few here and there but definately can pick up a limit if you put your time in and do your homework.

The night fishing with the full moon is always my favorite and definately worth going out to. Like I have mentioned, last year I got 27 walleyes and over 10 smallies on last year's July moon. I really have not had a chance to get out at night this year due to weather and work. Tonight is overcast so not much moon and I need to sleep to go out tomorrow morning. Maybe Friday or Saturday night if we can get some clear skies.

I am going to try using some crawdads tomorrow...anyone very try those for walleyes? Nastly little critters but walleyes are supposed to love them.

Looks like one of our best weekends of the summer...nice temps and low winds. See ya on the big pond!

Fish On!

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