Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions

[Marlonb]

The roads are fine on Minnewaska. Put the house out on crappie town today with no issues. Seen a 1/2 ton truck pulling a 14+' house off the trails with no plroblem. Thanks for the update yesterday Landdr. PFishing was slow for us today also.

[Genofish]

Roads were fine today. fished from 9am-5pm spring bobber saved the day.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Northerns and perch were aggressive on saturday. didn't matter if we were in 9 fow or 20 fow. it was fun to mess with the new electronics by serving up some minnow heads to 6" perch, and we actually kept a few 10 and 11" football shaped perch. A first for me on that lake. Lots of 20-24" pike coming through as well. jigging small chartreuse swedish pimples with full minnows or minnow heads was the ticket for the northerns. I enjoy catching those 24" northerns on light tackle. Saw a few 30"+ mamas come through on the camera, as well as a few small mouth bass as well.

[BigRock]

Someone parked on my friends clam. Actually on the snow flap of the clam. How rude.

Did you guys call the sheriff's dept., or the DNR CO? That kind of stuff makes my blood boil. Dangerous for everyone if knuckleheads pull that kind of [PoorWordUsage]. I better shutup now to stay within forum policy.

[crothmeier]

Well they were "his holes from wednesday" so it was ok... Managed a few gills and crappies this afternoon.[size:11pt]

[LandDr]

"his holes from Wednesday"...I just don't understand how someone can lay claim to holes they drilled last week, yesterday or even earlier that day. It's a public lake and the expectation has to be that someone else could be fishing in those holes if you leave them. That's just the way it is. He just should have drilled some other holes instead of taking it to that level.

I think sometimes we just need to take a breath and understand that it is a public lake and the ice is public as well. I don't agree with the DNR's 10ft rule on how close houses can be to each other and really think it should be 30ft at least...and I think most people feel really uncomfortable being even as close at 30ft even with the rule being less...I said "most" people, not all. But I hear of people clearing snow off a big area and claiming it as their own (I mean 50 ft. or more) or plowing a road and claiming it as their own. Reality is people can use any of the roads and any of the ice within the setbacks. Sometimes we just need to take a deep breath. Minnewaska is blessed with many many many people that put down a blade to clear roads on their way out or in. Many of these people go unnoticed or recognized but I know the many people that enjoy fishing Minnewaska really appreciate it. I hear some nasty stories from some other lakes...it is nice there is some Minnesota Nice on Minnewaska Ice. (That has a nice ring...maybe there's a t-shirt in that?)

To add a story to the above story...I made my way out to my house yesterday and a fella parked his truck in the road...yes, right in the road. So I had to drive around it. No one was around and there was a portable on the right side (his) so I took the left side. When I got to my house, the guy following me informed me that I drove over his fishing rod...to my surprise and unknowing. On the way back out, the guy stopped me. Right away I asked if he was the guy whos fishing rod I ran over. He said yes and looked pretty p#ssed. I calmly expressed that he should not park in the road because that makes people drive around...but instead he should pull of the road so people can keep using the road. I explained that I did not see his fishing rod laying in the snow because I had to drive around his truck in the road. I further explained that vehicles will keep driving around his truck unless he moves it...and I pointed to several spots off the road he could have parked. I didn't have to...but I went back to the store and got him a new rod but advised him to park off the road so that doesn't happen again. He also wasn't in a very good fishing spot and had not caught anything yet...so I pointed him in the direction of a better spot.

A little later I seen a guy drill a hole and put a tip-up right in the middle of the road everyone was using. I went over and had a nice conversation with him about what was probably going to happen. He moved his tip-up. No sense in getting mad...I understand and appreciate that not everyone knows how to fish or what's going on on the lake...so just a deep breather and help a brother out with understanding a few things. We all had a little laugh about it however.

Crothmeier...I appreciate you taking the high road and being patient with others that are not quite so patient or understanding. Compliments to you for that.

Just take it easy out there and have some fun. The more people we have hunting and fishing, the more people we potentially have voting the right way. I would hate to see the opposite of that!

Fish On!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

It always makes me laugh to see a lake that is X amount of miles long get 200 vehicles and houses all crammed into one area of the lake. we drilled 28 holes before dropping a line, but saw fish of multiple species on the camera on about every 3rd hole. Some guys are just afraid of exploring i guess.

[Crappie25]

crothmeier are you from southwest minnesota?

landdr - nice visit friday, my boys were alittle crazy when we were in but I appreciated the info. Walleye bite was slow infront of Glenwood beach but picked up a half dozen from Saturday afternoon till Sunday noon. Lots of fish coming thru on the camera. Plan on moving the house next weekend. I also agree with you that Minnewaska is an awesome lake to ice fish on because there are so many generous people willing to help with lake maintenance as well as free advice. It makes it much more fun for guys like myself taking his boys out to fish in the fish house. It is good bonding time. My ten year old caught his first walleye thru the ice saturday night, good stuff! Thanks to all those that help keep the Minnewaska ice, nice.

[LandDr]

C25...no problem...always good to see you guys. We gotta get the wives out fishing some night and have some cocktails. It would be fun. Kids can play outside.

It was good to show the kids all the different kinds of bait...they always enjoy that. Great he got his first eye!

You guys should get an Ice Gold team together for February 26th on Waska...it is a blast! One club and a tennis ball. 3 person teams and best ball.

Fish On!

[crothmeier]

Crappie25 I am from southwest Minnesota. Landdr my buddy didn't say anything to the guy, but the group of us had some fun with louder than normal talking between houses joking how he was so rich he had his new vehicle delivered out to him on the ice, and we asked when he had installed a drive-up window in his clam and what he served. I should have took a picture with my phone. it was comical. the guy was oblivious to what he was doing. no sense in blowing up, we weren't catching much Saturday anyway. We started out the day with no-one immediately close, but by early evening we could barely make our way back to the road.

Anywho, was a fun weekend with the father, cousin and some friends on the ice. Thanks kyle for the bait and advice, its still alive i brought it down this way with me.

[Ice camper]

Landdr,

Just wanted to say thanks for the great service you provided my son and I today at your shop. It was a home school field trip to remember. Lost count of how many 9-9.5" crappies we threw back. That year class has done well and should be a nice group of fish to catch next year. Didn't run into anything big out there but had plenty of action. We kept just enough to fill our frying pan tomorrow (Don't like freezing 'em). I'm sure we will be back again. Take care.

[LandDr]

Crothmeier...glad you had a good time even with that. Saturday was a really tough bite. We still caught fish but definately tougher. Someone mentioned the high pressure as the issue...seems to have some merrit since the last couple days have been pretty good bites from the reports...guess I gotta watch the barometer a little closer.

Ice Camper...great to get the kids out fishing and reconnect them with the outdoors. If he's like my kids...he wants to go fishing again! You are right...there is a really good year class and they are fun to catch. Should be a good fish fry!

Barometer is rising so we will have to see what it does.

Fish On!

[Wallsniffer]

How are the roads around the Priest Point area of the lake? I'm thinking about trying to fish that area this weekend as well as the south side of the lake around Swenson point and east of there. Will I be able to travel off of the roads with a full size 4WD?

[apb]

went to get a house off today from baycreast landing and found a big ice heave, does anybody know were the houses out at the hole are acsessing the lake?

[goose89]

apb, how far off shore was the heave?? was it the typical "shoreline" ice heave, or was it out a ways?? Thx in advance.

btw, that was my suggestion as how houses might be getting / going to the hole. Not sure now. I'm a "southsider", but I'm guessing there's paths / roads from the north side, or maybe Glenwood as well. Good luck.

[apb]

the heave is right at the baycrest landing,just wondering if there are any heaves across to like sheriffs landing,think thats the closes accses?

[LandDr]

I have heard there is a good road out from Sheriff's Landing...that is 3rd party information but heard it from several people that it went all the way out to School Bars and close to Hole. The snow has really packed down and gotten hard, almost like ice, so I would think you could get around off the roads a lot better. I have done that personally over by Crappie Town.

I have not heard of any other heaves on the lake but will post them if I hear of any. I am amazed the ice pushed up with how thick it is now and we really haven't had that high of winds. Odd.

Anyway...still really good reports coming in on sunfish. Best reports during the day are on shrimp with the more aggressive bite around 3pm for sunnies and 5pm from crappies. Sounds like small crappie minnows are working well for the crappies but some are using uros.

Still lots of pike but most are in the 2 to 3 lb range. Some walleyes being caught.

Ice is in really good shape and so are the accesses. Not too much trouble gettig around.

Fish On!

[apb]

thanks landr,just didnt want to take off across the lake without getting some info first.

[apb]

the heave at baycreast wasnt that big,but did get hung up on it trying to get off the lake.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

did anybody ever get that ford heavy duty with the plow off the lake that was sitting out infront of the minnewaska house? Drove by it saturday and it looked like it had been there for a few days? strange.

[SJS]

It was slushed in, the road opened up in front and behind it. You could see through the ice and the water looked like it was boiling it was coming up so fast, had to bail and empty everything out of the truck. Went back out and had to chisel it out as it was froze in up to the axle in front, but didnt have a vehicle that could help it out, it kept slipping of the block and landing back in the holes. I blocked it up above the ice level and had to fill the holes so they would freeze solid. Alot of work, but I got lucky. Take this as a reminder that the ice is never safe. Yes, I will chisel the blocks out of the ice.

[WallyGader]

That does not sound like fun.. Best of luck to ya!

[arcticfever]

ok newbie to this site and to minnawaska, never been on the lake except to race snowmobiles. can anybody point me in the right direction for northerns, and is there any kind of walleye or crappie bite at night, the easier to get to would be best, bringing the kids. iam not new to fishing and spearing, just this lake. will be coming from glenwood,thanks

[Chad Peterson]

Welcome to MF and you want to get on crappies, goes out on the DNR landing. You will see alot of houses and that is where you want to go for pannies. Walleyes, someone will chime in on that.

Sniffer

[IceHawk]

Was out today chaseing the gills and craps out there, and lost a few hooks to the toothy critters. I would think if you setup some tipups on some of the isolated humps that you would have some real good luck!

[glenn57]

icehawk, when we where out last sat anyone that had a tipup down didnt have any luck. most nords caught where on sunfish hooks. this was odd considering in my spearhhouse they where crazy attacking the decoys, both fake and live.

[LandDr]

Arcticfever...welcome to the site and the discussion. You will find Minnewaska as one of the best multispecies in the state...really a lot of fun. Very tasty fish as well!

I would highly recommend surfing back thru the posts...there is A LOT of great information in those posts and will answer many many of your questions. Stop in if you want to look over the map.

Panfish are still going really strong on Waska...still around 16 to 17 feet or even a little deeper in Bottle Bay. Most days are really good but there is the occassional day they get tight lipped...seems to be when the barometer goes above 30 and especially when it is a really sharp increase. We are above 30 right now but it has been steady...except in the last 2 hours where there has been a really sharp increase. Have to keep an eye on it and how the fishing is today to see if there is an correlation. But then again, maybe it all has to do with astrology! They changed my sign and I know that is going to affect my fishing!

Still a lot of pike roaming around. Many are fat with sunfish. A fella speared one the other day and he said it had 3 BIG sunfish in it. Several people spearing and really going thru the spear decoys. Haven't heard of anything really big but seems to be a very good number of average sized fish to keep them excited about spearing. Guess the pike are really reacting well to the big spear decoys.

Some eyes being caught but most people are after panfish. Walleye guys don't say much anyway.

Looks to be a good weekend on the lake.

Fish On!

[Chad Peterson]

Thanks for the information FishOn, and here's your sign........! It should be a good day on the ice. Tomorrow, will be tough after the front moves through.

Sniffer

[sweeper33]

Landdr, was hoping you could try to explain what part of the lake is BottleBay?

[LandDr]

Sweeper...Bottle Bay is the area between Eagle's Point (Torgy's Bar is on this point) and Foster's Point (Minnewaska House is on this point). It is not much of a "bay" as you would think a bay would look like...but that is what they call it. Sack's Landing and Sheriff's Landing both go out to this area where people are fishing panfish.

Saturday was a tough bite...once again the barameter went up at almost a 45 degree angle. Still good fish caught but it was a tougher bite. Yesterday the barameter went down and the bite picked up. Over night it really went down and then leveled up...it is slowly going up now but I would think today should be a pretty good bite yet.

Sunnies thru the day and pick up around 3pm or so...most keepers are in the 7 to 9 inch range. A few crappies during the day and pick up around 5pm or so...most are in the 10 inch range with a few bigger ones. Shrimp are still reported to be working the best during the day but larvae and waxies are also being used. Switch to small crappie minnows for the evening crappie bite but some stay with shrimp and/or larvae.

Still a few walleyes...many being seen on cameras. Lots of pike and they are hitting the large shinners best.

All accesses are still in very good condition and roads are good. Around 22 to 24 inches of ice...maybe a little more now but I haven't drilled a new hole in a week.

Fish On!