Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions

[gofishingtom]

heard a couple of stories now of guys catching tiger muskies on Lake Mary also..does anybody know if they were stocked in theses lakes or is someone catching and releasing them in the lakes

[HC Eye Hunter]

May be a Pickerel

[MNdreaMN]

Hey KT,

We just got back from this year's trip. We did decide on a Canada trip...headed to Nungesser Lake. How has the bite been for you? Our old spot was not too kind this year. Either they are gone or we aren't doing something right. I suspect the latter. Let me know how things are going.

MN

[LandDr]

Rain...rain...rain. Still a chance of rain today and Thursday but weekend is forcasted as dry.

Not many going out due to the weather so not a lot of reports. I have not been out since the good night bite I had as well. Busy in our native grass planting schedule so that takes up a lot of my time.

There have been really good reports on sunfish. My parents went out on Sunday and caught a mess of 1/2 to 3/4 pound sunnies near Priest's Point in 6 fow. Others have reported really nice sunfish off School Point. I have also heard good reports near School Bars, Torgys and Swenson Point.

Pike and bass are pretty much everywhere and a person can catch them all day long. Visitors and kids really like it because they can catch a lot of fish on Waska.

Walleyes are here and there. I think the weather has kept many off the lake but there are a few out. Best bite I had was at night in 5 to 6 fow with an F11 Vampire. Hopefully I can find some time to get back out soon.

Fish On!

[jackfishr]

Coming up to Waska this weekend and gonna be doing some Smallie Fishing, and little pike, eye and bluegill fishing, whats been the best baits and presentation for smaillies and pike? It will be my first time on waska so I don't know the lake, gonna be in glenwood

[LandDr]

Wind is finally going down. Crazy weather for the past few weeks...either raining or windy. Lake looks really good this morning already however and I expect Waska to be pretty busy this weekend.

Many have been going out after sunfish using panfish leaches. Good chance of picking up a walleye along the way with the leaches. Many of the sunnies have been reported as 1/2 to 3/4 pound. Weedlines and just out from weeds have been popular spots especially along the north side.

Pike and bass are still everywhere. Just troll with a crankbait or thow spinner baits and you should have a lot of action. Bobber and a bike leach will also get you some bass...or just try to fish walleyes and you should catch plenty of bass and pike.

Walleyes have been biting but not many out due to the weather. I haven't been out since my last great night bite but maybe this weekend with the nicer weather. People going out have been using a diverse amount of bait...crawlers, shiners, fatheads and leaches.

Fish On!

[fishduck]

Fished last Sat. afternoon and the bite was on! Just not for walleyes, got 1 17 incher and several pike,bass,perch and even 4 small crappies trolling for eyes!! Good time on the Big Pond! Lots of pike this year, all sizes.

[fishduck]

I'll try again tomorrow.

[fishduck]

Fished same spot as last weekend and it was slow. 1 pike,bass and perch, that's it. Only tried for 2 hours.

[LandDr]

Got out a few times over the holiday...lots and lots and lots of bass and pike! Plenty of action and kept the kids and wife entertained. Went out for a couple hours Sunday and she beat me 13 to 9...mostly pike but a few bass in there as well. We just pulled Reef Runners in 12 to 14 fow in some traditional spots just for fun and to spend some time on the lake...nothing serious. Did not pick up any walleyes this time...not sure if we need to go deeper water or change up the technique...just not enough time to check all the options. Night bite is still my preference for walleyes and that is where I have done the best.

Sunfish bite is the big attraction...still consistently nice big sunnies with many in the 1/2 lb or larger range. They are getting them anywhere from 6 fow out to 16 fow. We picked up some dandies trolling with Reef Runners as well. A lot of action, good sized and good eat'in!

Probably better lakes to catch walleyes in but hard to beat Waska for great sunfish and just numbers of fish the family can catch.

Fish On!

[Dwesener]

I was out with the Tweit family two days ago and had great luck. We trolled with crawlers and minnows and caught a few crappie, bass, and bluegill. I was casting cranks and caught a few 30" pike and a few 18" bass.

We caught most of the fish near the highschool in 15 FOW. Surface temps were 77 degrees. The last cast of the day was with a white spinnerbait, and I caught a 26" walleye. Could not be happier.

[LandDr]

That's the thing about Waska...you can catch a lot of fish and a lot of different kinds of fish. No one should be starving!

Wife and I usually catch 20 to 30 fish each time we go out so lots of action. If we targeted bass and sunfish we would obviously catch a lot more...but we like to try for bigger fish.

Nice thing about Waska also is the water is still pretty clear compared to a lot of other lakes that have really greened up. Fish taste good with good water.

Thanks for the post! Walleye on a spinner bait...isn't that a treat! Still reminds us that we are dealing with "weed walleyes" for many spots on Waska and techniques can often pay off for targeting those weeds.

Fish On!

[David Bloom]

Was out on Minnewaska last weekend, did pretty well on the eyes we boated 6 on saturday 15-19, and 4 on sunday, bottom bouncing with a crawler.Found them anywhere from 17 FOW to 9 FOW. They were on both the inside and outside weedline. The sunnies, bass, and pike were all biting. We actually boated a 7 pound pike on a spinner. School Point wasn't producing the eyes like we heard, but the Hole had a few. We fished right out in front of the resort and that is where we has the best luck.

Good Luck Guys

[shinde]

BUGS! Just curious - anyone know what the official name of the swarming, slimey, buzzing, bugs are that are so thick on Waska when trying to fish at night? Don't think they are mayflies, b/c the mayflies I've seen have bigger wings, but wondering what they are. Sure tough to fish when they're so thick it's hard to breath without swallowing one, god forbid you need to turn on a light to re-tie!

[LandDr]

BUGS...

There are a couple different kinds swarming around these days...especially on the calmer evenings/nights when they have a mass emergence for reproduction. Most of these species DO NOT feed in the adult form but only feed in the larvae form...so they won't bite you. If you get bit, then it was a mosquito and not these beneficial bugs.

Yes...beneficial. As much of a pest as they may seem to be, they are critical to the food chain within the lake. If Minnewaska did not have these BUGS, we might not enjoy the great panfish population on the lake as well as how fast the bluegills grow on Waska.

These bigs are packed with high protein and a primary diet of the bluegills as well as other fish. Just as pheasant and duck chicks feed on bigs for high protein and incredibly fast growth, so do the bluegills. They feast on these high protein bugs and grow very fast and get to the nice half pound or bigger size that Waska is know for.

So be good to the bugs and know they are a very important part of the food chain.

There are two more common order that I am seeing right now...Trichoptera (Caddis Fly) and Chironomidae (Lake Fly).

The caddis fly typically lives in rocks along the shores of Waska but there are species that prefer sand, gravel and vegetation as well. What is REALLY cool is that species of Caddis can actually be identified by the "case" they make around themselves in the larval stage...they are VERY specific to this just as one species of humans would live in brick houses, another out of pine, another out of oak, another out of specific leaves, etc. This is a really really neat characteristic of the Caddis Fly...some will cut and roll a specific leave or aquatic plat in a "cone" and live in that, some will paste little pebbles together to make their cone, others will paste little sticks together, and so on and so on. Do an internet "image" search on "caddis fly cases" to see the incredible diversity and uniqueness of the cases they make...it is really remarkable!

If you want to see some of the larvae and the cases that are present on Waska, roll over or pick up some large rocks along the shore and look closely...they will be there! If you have a butterfly net, scoop it through the vegetation or sand and you should be able to find different cases and species there.

Caddis Fly larvae will mass-emerge on calm evenings to reproduce. The adults have large long wings laid back with long antenna...very easy to seperate from the "Lake Fly" which looks almost exactly like a mosquito. Again, neigher bit...they just want to do their thing and then die.

The Chironomid larvae, also called a "blood worm", lives at the bottom of the lake (usually) and build a little hole they poke out of as they try to grab food as it floats by. They are usually a blood red color because they actually have hemoglobin just as our red blood does. Ever see a sunfish on your underwater camera looking at the bottom? Usually they are trying to pick off a blood worm sticking it's head out.

Chironomids also mass-emerge when the conditions are favorable in their reproductive effort. What is very interesting is that females are often matched up with just a few males...they have a specific resonance of their wing beat that each is looking for. The males form a "swarm" and the females go up and down thru the swarm looking for the resonance they are attracted too. When you see a swarm out in front of the cabin or out on the lake, look to see if you can see some of the females going up and down thru the swarm. Very interesting.

My boat was the only light on the south side of the lake where I was fishing the other night and it was so tough to fish that I finally moved to the Glenwood Beach where the lights were pulling most of the bugs away from me. But once the temps drop, the bugs start disappearing as well. I have had some great walleye bites during these emergences however as the walleyes like to feed on the bugs and feed on the other fish feeding on the bugs.

I have seen a couple of May Fly hatches as well this year and the walleyes really like the big ones. May Flies however do not pester you like the Lake Flies and Caddis Flies.

Great question!

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Got out yesterday for just a short while and hooked into a 22.5 and a 16.5 walleye...then the weather set in. Was using a firetiger reef runner in 12 to 14 fow. Got both of them in less than 10 minutes...but then tornados started forming and we got off the lake.

Here's the funnel cloud dropping...

[shinde]

Wow Landdr - Great answer, thanks! I too was the only boat in the area the other night I was out - what a bug magnet I was.

Really appreciate your detailed answer. I actually had suspected both the caddis and lake flys as most likely possibilities when researching online - but dismissed them when the pictures of them seemed bigger than what I thought I was seeing. Your description of the lake fly as almost a big mosquito though was right on, so that must have been what I was referring to.

Thanks again!

[LandDr]

You are welcome shinde and thank you again for the question. I spent several years studying reference wetlands in Minnesota for the MN Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and got to know all the bugs, plants, water chemistry and soils very personally. We were making a connection between species presence-absence and water quality. It is amazing to see how some species are present or absent in large numbers when different chemical, soil and water quality or impacts are present! These are called "biological indicators". Just as different types of humans live in different parts of the environment, humans can be biological indicators...when you think of Eskimo you think of cold temps...an idicator species!

Fish On!

[PM49]

Hi Kyle,

We're coming up Saturday morning between 7 - 8, are you going to be in the shop then, if not when are you going to open?

Pat

[LandDr]

I will open at 6am and in until 8am at least when Becky comes in.

Crazy weather again...very dark skies right now with light rain. Supposed to clear up late on however.

Rest of the week and weekend look good as per the forcast...winds picking up later Sunday but other than that it should be nice!

Fish On!

[rblakes09]

Out on waska last night, pour fishing probably due to the front that had just past. Caught a couple bass and a couple northerns in the shallow. Nothing to brag about.

[LandDr]

Anyone coming to Waska this week or weekend...

Panfish are still the most popular fish with many going out after the nice bluegills. Waxies, worms or crawlers but panfish leaches are still the most popular. They are finding them in along the pencil reeds in 6 to 8 fow as well as along the weedlines in 10 to 14 fow and even out deep in 16 to 18 fow. Many many places to try as most of the lake you can find sunfish.

Bass and pike are very aggressive as usuall. In shallow around the reeds to out deep in 14 to 20 plus feet. Live bait or cracks or plastics...pretty much hard not to catch them.

Walleyes can be found in shallow along weed lines...had a couple of reports of eyes hitting spinner baits this week while people were fishing bass. Eyes can also be found along the 10 to 12 ft weed lines...one of my favorite lines to run. People are finding some success jigging and jigging as well in 14 to 18 fow...bottom bounces with crawlers seem to be pretty popular. Many spots to try...stop in if you want to look over a map.

Have a good weekend! Don't forget Waterama coming up next weekend.

Fish On!

[rblakes09]

I will be out on waska fishing waterama weekend. Any tips on bass. i'm taking my cousin out who hasn't had much luck with the fish this year.

[fishduck]

I might try Waska Saturday, any word on Lake Emily this year?

[LandDr]

I have not heard anything on Emily. I would imagine the water temps would be really warm.

Bass...pretty much everywhere on the lake. You can fish them shallow along the cabage, milfoil and edges of shore...or...10 to 14 feet along the weedline...or...in 14 to 20+ feet. They are pretty much everywhere and you should not have any problem catching A LOT of bass on Waska.

I would probably start with spinner baits or surface lures along the south side hitting the cabage and milfoil. And then pull some crankbaits during the day along the 10 to 14 foot weed line...a lot of pike there as well and maybe a walleye or two!

Plastics in the weeds is also very popular on Waska...I just don't have the patience to fish that slow when I know I can hammer the weedlines and catch lots of fish.

The 1 to 2 lb. bass on Waska are excellent to eat...make sure you take your limit home with you.

Looks like a great morning to be on the lake!

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Been some nice days to be on the lake...finally. Forecast looks good also.

We got into some really nice pike...I should say the miss' did...she got a 27" and a 34" out from Peters on a Reef Runner. Really some good fighters and she had a great time. She even brought in the biggest walleye for the day and pretty much schooled me in the fish count that day!

Cousin Mike has been up a couple times over the last two weeks and really getting into some nice gills...many that are 10+ fish like the one in the photo. He has one on his camera laying on a ruler showing 10.5 inches. Catching them on panfish leaches and even small crankbaits like the one in the photo.

Really good reports from everyone regarding bluegills, bass and pike. Walleyes are there and some being caught but gotta work them more.

Went over to Torgy's for Cajun Fest on Sunday...that was a good time and the food was incredible...good stuff! Rib Fest is coming up so mark your calendars.

Fish On!

[whateverisbiting]

Hey Landdr,

Thanks for all the reports. They are fun to read during the weeks I can't get away!

I am bringing two transplants from Colorado up to the Glenwood area on Saturday. I took them out to a local twin cities lake for bass. We caught a bunch and then got into a few northerns. That created a stir and we had to start trolling for them...they are now hooked, especially on the northerns. The look on their faces when the fish slammed the rod while trolling was priceless. They were in heaven even though the biggest bass was 13" and biggest northern was 22". I kept reassuring them these were babies, but they did not care!

Anyway, I recently purchased some property on Reno and am starting to figure out the walleyes, so we are going there for the first half day on Saturday. In the afternoon I think it would be great to get them into some northerns and it sounds like Minnewaska could be fun for just plain action. I plan to stop by and pick up some nighcrawlers Saturday morning...are you going to be in the shop? It would be great if you could point out a starter spot on a map for some hammer handle action since I have never been on Waska.

[LandDr]

Thanks! Greatly appreciated.

I should be around in the morning but it will be a busy weekend with Waterama. Wife and I are the chairpeople of the parade this year so many many things to take care of...plus taking in all the other events.

Hope to see you but if we don't good luck...you will have fun! Make sure to work around Peter's Resort for some of the big pike and west around the milfoil. That is where I have found some of the bigger ones...not that you can't find them elsewhere on the lake as well.

I know what you mean...my wife just loves it...it's true "bigger the better"!

Fish On!

[firefish_12]

with waterrama this weekend how packed is minnewaska going to be was planning on coming up sunday to try and catch some sunnies?

thanks

[LandDr]

Waterama will bring more people to the lake...but it is a big lake. You should still not have a problem finding some good sunfish spots with less traffic. Priest's Point would be a good one to try as I don't see too much joy riding around that area due to the rocks, tight bay, etc. Walleyes, bass and pike could be located farther out where there is usually less traffic as well. I think the most boat traffic will be found out from Lakeside and the Beach as well as the south shore...especially out from Peter's and west.

The weather forcast is looking fantastic!

Fish On...and on...and on...and on!