Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions

[Bluegill1510]

Hey its good to see this back up too Landdr...good to hear the bluegills are going...I think Im going to make my way over there later in March when the snow is alot less! Keep up the good reports!

[LandDr]

Thanks Bluegill...I will try to leave you a couple.

There really isn't that much snow to deal with and the roads are easily passable with 2wd. Will keep you posted.

Fish On!

[clayton08]

Went out today been fishing smaller area lake lately with mixed results. Did real good out here today got my limit of nice gills. It was pretty slow for awhile but once they came in they stuck around.

[fishinbum]

Sounds like a lot of great reports. Heading up tomorrow afternoon with the big house. Setting up for walleyes tomorrow night and moving sat am for some sunfish and a bit of spearing. Is it still best out of lakeside for some sunnies/spearing? Are there any good walleye spots just out deeper from there? Also curious about ability to drive with big house as far as snow and if there are any springs in that area?

Thanks for any responses. First time up there since December. Tried to make it last weekend but honey to do list quite long:)

[LandDr]

Fishbum...Most are still going out from Lakeside and the bite is still really strong and very nice fish. That would also be a great spot for you to set up for spearing.

I have seen a couple eyes go thru where we fish gills but not enough to call it a good spot. I am still seeing a lot of eyes out on the School Bars...but they are hard to catch.

Driving is just fine and you should not have any issues getting around. No springs except by the DNR hatchery but you won't be over there.

Fish On!

[Jack Peterson]

Landdr, is it worth coming down tomorrow? I live 50 miles from Minnewaska. Also, I was wondering how Lake Emily is doing.

[LandDr]

If you dont want to catch fish, I would go to another lake.

I have heard nothing from Emily.

Fish On!

[teach'n'fish]

I am headed out to Waska tomorrow, Landdr what time do you open? I need to get some scrumptious shrimp from you!!

[jackfishr]

I don't know the style of fishing everyone uses, but we were out on waska yesterday out off lakeside ballroom, and we did great on larvae, caught a few on the shrimp, but they come off way to easy. Had more hits on the larvae also, I am constantly jigging with a light rod and spring bobber using #14 firetiger diamond jig, or white with pink ring marmooskas. I don't bobber fish, how is everyone else fishing them out there???

[fishduck]

Fished Minnewaska last weekend(Sat.1:00pm-4:30pm) Bottle Bay 15 fow. 1 pike, 1 missed on tip-up(big shiner),1... 2 inch perch on shrimp. I should just fish in front of my house..tomorrow.

[spearman]

not a house on emily and too much snow to get on with a truck was out there today with the sled no fish to be seen or caught.

[Bluegill1510]

I am sure the snow is fine now Landdr...but I really enjoy fishing pannies when you can't drive out anymore and accessable by foot or sled/wheeler. Plus I have a few trips planned to go chase slabs on Rainy Lake (maybe walleyes too) and around Ely...then throw in Rainy River Eyes if the weather is consistant, and my usual late ice haunts & new spots to find! I probably will try to get over there mid-late march depend on weather, unless I talk my dad into going and making it over there for a day. I'll be a racing all over the place that I hope work just doesn't get in the way.

[LandDr]

Alright Fishduck...I am really feel'n your pain. You have been posting all over that where ever you go you don't catch fish. Either you are starving or realling eating well...I am going with starv'in. I will donate my fish house, my camera and anything else I need to to get you some panfish (no, you can't have the gills and walleye I cleaned the other day ) I will be ice golfing tomorrow so the house is open. You will need to bring an LP tank, your jig sticks and the mental awareness that you are going to catch fish. Repeat several times..."I can catch fish". If you can't make it...I will take you fishing on Sunday after 1 pm when I am off work. If that doesn't work...then maybe another time.

Jackfishr...the bite might be heating up a little more as we move into later ice season...fish will become more aggressive. I expect fish will get more and more aggressive as we move later into the season as they run out of natural forage. There are still places on Waska where you put a camera down and there are zooplankton everywhere on the camera and the gills look like me after Thanksgiving dinner...lethargic! I predict out from Lakeside the bite will get even better since that area looks really depleated of natural forage and I expect Bottle Bay will start heating up as gills start moving in to feel on the weed lines. Everything is about a month behind this year due to the cold August and Warm September. Also, Crappie Town and a few well now "draws" may heat up with slab crappies later on...the ones the fill the bottom of the pail. The "crappie pros" from Litchfield can tell you about all of that...but I don't think they are talk'in...just smile'in.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Bluegill...I envy you. BUT...March is my time to go to Mexico each year inbetween the Deer Classic and the NW Sport Show. I will wait for your photos and reports...sounds like a GREAT time. Maybe some day you can show me the ropes and I will venture out. Keep in mind that I a very Scandinavian and I can count on one hand the lakes I have fished on...just meat and potatoes for this guy...very simple...bust consistent.

PS...anyone coming up from the cities? I have an ice golf partner that needs to get here and his truck just broke down and can't be repaired until next week. Let me know.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

teach'n'fish...shrimp smoothies at 6 am!

Coffee will be one...I will need some cuz the wife thinks happy hour ends at midnight!

Fish On!

[tbone4]

Fished out front of Lakeside today and didn't do too good. Had one keeper sunnie and the rest were too small. A couple perch, small bass, and small crappie. We had larva and shrimp. Kinda disappointed, but that's fishing. Had a underwater camera and saw weird fog like stuff down by the weeds. What is that? Great day to be out on the ice though!

[fishduck]

Landrr, thanks for the offer. Is that bluebill painting in your shop for sale? Might try in front of my house today on Le' Homme Dieu.

[LandDr]

tbone4...if you get too far to the right (north) you will run into that "fog". I believe it is a developing thermocline. When I drill some holes to the north I seen it as well and there were no fish below it or in it...but a few above it, but they were not interested in bait. To the south more the fog was not present.

fishduck...just let me know when you might come down and will see what we can do for you. My plan is to get out after some gills today after 1 pm. I fished the chain last year for the crappie tournament...beautiful lakes. Sorry, the bluebill painting is not for sale. Great painting though and was given to me by one of my first PLM clients.

Anyone else have reports from Waska from yesterday?

Fish On!

[usmtsrocks]

We were out yesterday and was not good. Drilled holes in and around Lakeside(among the 500 other people) and caught nothing at all. Seen a few 6 inchers caught by people sitting outside and into their pails they went. We tried a few different areas out by ourselves and caught some dink perch and that was it.

[LandDr]

Wow! I got my limit of 8 to 10 inchers the other day in about 45 minutes...going to start frying some up for lunch.

Usmtsrocks...did you have a camera down as well? If you did, what did you see?

Fish On!

[usmtsrocks]

nope no camera, but the 2 of us marked one fish on the vex in the 2+ hours in and around lakeside. Never seen so many trucks/portables in one area. most would fish for 15 minutes then throw the house in the truck, move 100 ft and start over. We finally got sick of 20 augers running at once nonstop and moved on.

[LandDr]

The warm weather and nice day really brought the people out.

Anyone try over in Bottle Bay? I would expect that area to start hitting better as the food sources are depleated there as well. Might take a little searching to find spots. I have heard from many people to get away from the crowds they found good fish. I will head out after 1 today and give a report.

Thanks for the reports.

Fish On!

[teach'n'fish]

I was out all day Saturday, drilled around 50 holes or so and had 1 snake and a sun burnt face to show for it, but i will probably do it again next weekend!!! Thanks for the shrimp Landdr, they fry up real nice!!!

[crue86]

We were out yesterday, was going to try by lakeside, drove by and me and the kids looked out and decided to go where we usally go because of the large crowd out there. We went of the access you donate to and caught 15 nice gills. couple crappies but they were VERY picky. It was enough to keep the kids entertained as well as me. Found that wax worms worked better than the larva. didnt have any shrimp.

[fishduck]

Fished Le' Homme Dieu today and caught 4 walleyes, all 4-7 inches long!! One had 2 of my fatheads in it! Good way to end the walleye season, nice to see those small fish in the chain.

[Jack Peterson]

I'd have to agree. I fished lake Irene yesterday and caught a 9-10 inch walleye! I'm glad those fish are doing well. It was a good walleye season, and next year should be better. (knocks on wood)

[ibleedice]

Went out from lakeside this Saturday and came home with 7 8-10"gills. The camera was full of fish all day. Must have caught 40 that were to small to keep, and had several bass come through that wouldn't bite on anything. Also, had a few nice northern come through but didn't want anything to do with my shiners. The gills seemed to be pretty picky and got more aggressive as the day went on. Had our best luck on shrimp, but also a few bites on power bait waxies. Heard that there were several northerns caught on chubs to the north of lakeside and also at the beginning of all the houses.

Fishin ain't easy, but it sure is good.

[WallyGader]

I guess i was in the wrong spot, had the same thing as you with fish on the camera all day with an occasional pike or bass strolling through but i could only manage 3 8" fish which i released. I had to have caught 40 before I started playing keep away with my jig and hoping something worthwhile would swim through.. All fish were caught on red eurolarva.

[LandDr]

Very mixed reports over the weekend regarding the bite...very odd to have such extremes from not catching anything to doing really well. Can't explain that one. Some did well on larvae, others waxies and others shrimp...and then there were others that used all three and didn't get much at all. Even Chad from Ken's Bait was up the previous weekend and they went home with their limit pretty early...but not this weekend where they did not get their limit but he said the camera was full of fish that they just couldn't get to bite. I heard many express the same thing about a lot of fish on the camera...just not bitting.

Most reported a lot of pike around. Some could get a couple to bite but there were a lot of pike that just come and go.

I wanted to try some fishing on Sunday but spent most of the day getting the houses off the lake. So I personally have no report.

"Ice Golf" on Saturday was a blast as usually. Scotty from Lakeside Ballroom really did a nice job of hosting it...great appetizers between the front 7 and back 7. He said something about a DJ for next year...so it sounds like the event will just get bigger and better. Rob from Hunts did a great job on the fareways and hole placements. Just a great event and make sure you consider it for next year as it is just too much fun to miss.

Fish On!

[basssmasher*]

Landrr, hows it lookin 4 my secret bait?/ you still have any for me this weekend?