Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions

[LipRipper!!]

Landdr,

I will be up Saturday morning and am undecided between waska and a lake by Ashby. Any info on waska to help my decision?

Thanks,

Ripper!!

[LandDr]

Fish them both!

I can only speak for Waska but the ice is very good, accesses will probably be more towards ATV or walking by Saturday, sunfish bite has been really good especially around 4 til after dark with the bigger ones and some I am hearing more and more on crappies.

Which ever place you go...stay safe and have fun!

Fish On!

[walleyeman1]

I bet the spring rains are a reason why we have to have are fish houses off by the end of February. There are a couple of spots on Waska that have pretty good size holes in the ice with the water running into the holes. So if you are out there be careful! Big enough for a front end of a vehicle to fall in.

[LandDr]

Walleyeman...can you provide a little more information on where these holes are located? This is the first I have heard of it and no one else has mentioned it. So it would be good to know where these are at to help people out.

Thanks for the info

[DarthBaiter]

Waska and other area lakes have springs/holes poppin' through as well. Way to dangerous to risk for a fish imo. Ice seems good in one spot and not in another. I noticed small cracks and holes just sucking the warmer rain water in and I can about imagine how uneven under the ice and all over the lakes this is happening. Time to ready the boat, temps near 60 by mid next week!!

[LandDr]

Where are these "holes" at? The people fishing out from Lakeside have not seen anything like that.

About a dozen or so already fishing out from Lakeside this morning and a couple of vehicles too. Lake looks pretty good from what I can see...I am sure it is "wet" on the ice but I didn't see standing water out further from shore. I thought it looked pretty good but I will check with others as they come in.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Out from Lakeside guys have described water running into augered holes pretty good and some have gotten larger...about the size of beach balls. Nothing bigger however.

Fish On!

[walleyeman1]

The holes I seen were out from the lakeside and the DNR Access, they were big enough to put a vehicle tire all the way through. If there is water running in the holes I suspect they are getting larger than a beach ball. These 2 holes were way bigger than a beach ball.I seen the holes out there yesterday, Which I would imagine them to be bigger today. But I guess I must be imagining things if everybody says they are only as big as a beach ball.

[Jack Peterson]

Holes on the ice often appear larger than they are. We found one in December on a local lake that "appeared" to be the size of a garbage can lid, but it ended up being about the size of a tennis ball. Who knows how big they are, so make sure to stay away from suspicious looking holes!

JP!

[hhguide]

I would caution people from going to close to these holes. They cause the ice to be very weak around the edge of that hole regardless of how big. They are starting to pop up on other lakes, miltona, ida and carlos to name a few. The ice may only be a few inches thick around the edge of these holes.

[GRAVEY70]

Any word on ice conditions today? Thinking about heading up with the four wheeler and trying to find some pannies.

[wetaline1]

Anyone on here fishing out from Lakeside? Was anyone catching anything? It looked like it was really poor. There are bluegills elsewhere to be had.

[slabz]

three of us were out on waska today from about 2-6 and picked up 60 sunnies and 1 crappie. all the sunnies were between 8 and 9.5" and the crappie was about 12". nice mess of fish.

[clayton08]

sounds like you had a blast i usually do too. Ill be out there tommorow black and orange portable away from the group!!!

[lilFEET]

So whats ice the conditions like? Are people just walking out or is wheeler travel still ok? Any info would be great thanks!

[LandDr]

I am still down in Mexico on vacation but will be back in late Tuesday. I will check on ice conditions then and post an update. Looks like temps have been holding out.

Nice vacation but will be happy to be back.

Fish On!

[First Ice-Mike]

I was out there Saturday - the ice was good, but its going to get tricky getting on and off pretty soon. The fishing was really tough - lots of fish, but they were very spooky.

FI

[LandDr]

The Lakeside access still looked very good...maybe an ATV could pass over on some spots but easy enough for foot traffic. There were about a dozen out fishing the other day when I checked the landing. Temps are continueing to be in the high 40s and low 50s however which makes for day to day changes.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Getting a pretty good rim of open water around the lake now. Depending on which way the wind blows, it can be wider or ice right up to shore. Waska is a shallow lake so when it starts going, it goes fast. Some are expecting to see more boats in the Torgy's Bay this weekend but I would expect that will be dependant on where the ice shifts. Then the crappie bite will be on!

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Waska appears to be ice free. It is a big lake so maybe there might be a little some where, but it looks pretty ice free from the Glenwood end. Good chop on the lake today as well which should have broken everything up and pushed it up on shore.

A few starting to try to crappies in Torgy's Bay and I heard there are some in the Starbuck Marina as well. I heard one report of getting some but I am not sure how reliable that is. I might try to do some casting later today but have to see how I get thru my work load. I am sure there will be many out this weekend giving it a try.

Fish On!

[nate larson]

Time to put the dock in!

[waskawood]

Time to put the dock in!

Feel free to put mine in too

[ibleedice]

Thanks for all this info this winter Landdr. Much appreciated.

[Kym]

Was out on Minnewaska pretty much everyday for the past week (including yesterday) checking out the Starbuck Marina and the area around Torgy's. So far, nothing. Minnows seem to be faring well...nothing else to be had just yet. Still needs to warm up a bit I think.

[LandDr]

It has been really quite so far on Waska. I heard there might be a little action in the Starbuck Marina but no reports as of yet today. Must be a little cool yet for them to come in shallow at Torgy's Bay. Last year around these temps we went out around the weed line and did pretty well...but I just don't have the time to get the boat out yet to give it a try. Temps are still in the mid to high 50s thru the week and into low 60s this weekend. Maybe things will start picking up a bit.

Fish On!

[mamohr686]

Fished for about 3 hours yesterday and not a crappie to show for it. Water temps were 44 deg. Water was muddy by torgys near the culvert so it should heat up fast. We couldn't find them staging by the traditional milfoil clumps in the other areas of the lake either. We were the only boat at the ramp. Water is higher, so the fish might not be in traditional areas. My theory is with the temps at night below freezing, the fish are staying in the traditional wintering areas, or else they are already in the other lake through the culvert. We did pull out and catch a few smaller fish at another lake, but is slow right now.

[LandDr]

I heard a few crappies are being caught out deeper...so we are going to give that a try today. Gonna pull some tube jigs around and see what happens.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Nice to get the boat out this early in the year...weather is just incredible!

Ended up keeping 17 crappies yesterday and most were really nice fish in the 11 to 12 inch range. Might even have been a couple bigger than that and a couple smaller...and threw a few back that were not 10 inches.

The bite started slow but we were doing more searching than fishing. Ended up setting up in 5 to 7 fow pitching out tube jigs on bobbers...about 3 feet of line or so. Black and white was the best color but caught a few on red and white as well. Seemed they came in schools as we would catch several and then it would stop for awhile.

Had some friends over, grilled out and had a nice fish fry of fresh crappies. Not sure if we will get out today or not...lots of honey dos gett'n in the way of my fishing.

I would say the crappie bite should really heat up this week with the weather forcast.

Fish On!

[basssmasher*]

Nice Kyle!, I was at the marina yesterday, saw 4 fish caught, 1 crappie, 1 bass, my northers, (which was hella fun on my flyrod!) and a shiner minnow ona waxie!. I'd say 1 good week of decent temps yet before it really picks up

[LandDr]

Did get out yesterday but only for about an hour. I also forgot all my tackle in the truck and had only what was on the rods...that's spring trying to get everything together.

Managed to catch a couple but the water was so flat with no bobber action. I tried to pitch jigs and had a few hits but no takers. Nice to have a little chop at least to help with bobber action. Still nice to get out. A lot of people trying and I did see some fish caught but looked like it was mostly minnows. Heard there were a few limits caught closer to shore.

Here's a couple of pics from Saturday...this is Jonny B the Crappie Master

Fish On!