Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions

[EyeChsr]

landr, i was talking about beach docks and towers, not the silver docks at the landing or the t-dock at the city park, it does not cost any more to leave those in a little longer

[goose89]

Any fishing reports??

Walleyes weren't in full swing (for me) last time there, but did get into some nice pickling pike. Out of 70+ pike caught, I'd dare say only 2 or 3 were over 24"s. Hope this is just a cycle 'waska is going through. Lots of little pike are not indicative of a healthy fishery. The LM's were a couple of ticks bigger than normal, so it aint all bad.

[GoingFishin]

Spent last Friday/Saturday fishing Waska with little results. Water temp down to 46F and the weather was decent. Lots of fish in 20-22 feet off of drop-offs but even redtails didn't help. Been a beautiful Fall though.

[LandDr]

Good amount of ice on the Glenwood end this morning. Temp reads 7 F so ice is being made. If this keeps up, the lake should be froze over in short time. A few calmer nights and she will really be making ice.

Fish On!

[goose89]

What's a good amount?? I was hoping it would stay open til after this storm. A blanket of snow might slow things down a bit. Stay safe all.

[LandDr]

Not referencing thickness...there is ice a hundred yards or so out and then water with heat escaping from it quickly. Waska is a shallow lake so it does not take long for it to go.

With the forcasted temps thru the week...I don't think there is much of a chance it will stay open. I think Thursday it is a high of 14F and a low of 2F...no way the open is going to make it thru that.

Fish On!

[goose89]

The forcasted winds might help. Even if it does cap over before / during the snow, the winds should help keep the "blanket" thin. An inch or two of ice with a "good" blanket of snow could make for slow going for a while. I hope that's doesn't come to fruition.

[goose89]

Thought this might be good Minnewaska thread info as well. Thanks for the forcast, Landdr.

Good amount of ice on the Glenwood end this morning. Temp is reading 7 F so making ice. My truck wasn't so happy this morning however.

Could be a great winter on Waska this year. Summer fishing was down due to the bad weather on the weekends...should be a lot of panfish to be caught. Spear and pike guys should have a hayday with the pike. Not a lot of walleye fishing this summer or not many caught so there should be a good population of eyes as well. Some of the best walleye fishing on Waska is early ice.

Fish On!

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Fish On Bait & Habitat Outlet Store

320-634-3667

201 Franklin Street South

Glenwood, MN

(two blocks south of stop lights)

[LandDr]

We have two threads going on the samething...just move into the Waska thread.

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Hey...thanks! City Commission should be interesting!

Truck is plugged in and will get the charger on it shortly. Was out with the oldest son delivering cub scout popcorn last night and I don't think he shut his door tight so it left some lights on. Just jumped in the other car so no biggy.

I just didn't see the usual fishing pressure this summer...there were very few Fridays and Saturdays with descent weather...windy or rainy or windy and rainy. There were several nice Sundays but then everyone was winding down for the week to start. We also had a late bite on Waska last year for ice fishing which allowed a lot of panfish to make it thru ice fishing...probably a large spawn and hatch?

Waska has an abundance of food due to the vegetation and water clarity, so I am expecting a large spawn/hatch with reduced summer harvest to turn into a well feed well sized panfish population. Plus, it looks like we had our normal August/September which should allow for an earlier algae bloom (last year it was late) which would allow for the zooplankton to be spike earlier which would allow for the panfish to start eating them down earlier...which means the panfish will be hungry in late December thru January...unlike last year where they did not run out of zooplankton food until mid-January which resulted in the late bite.

This is speculation but seems the direction the lake is going. I hope so cuz we don't need another HUGE sunfish population making it into spring spawn again or it may really be out of balance. Another huge number of little tiny sunfish forage will result in even more small pike and even less hungry walleyes.

Just my initial thought is that we need a lot of 7 to 9 inch sunfish put in the fry pan this year "if" the population is as high as I think it might be. Once we can get the cameras down to look around and see what the bite and size is like, we will know more then.

Fish On!

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Fish On Bait & Habitat Outlet Store

320-634-3667

201 Franklin Street South

Glenwood, MN

(two blocks south of stop lights)

[goose89]

I cautiously see where you are coming from. Lotta speculation though, IMO. Conservation from the bottom up (controlling the sunnies) seems tougher than from the top down.

I'd like to somehow help the northern size average increase. I've mentioned the possiblitly of getting size limits on pike Dean w/ the DNR there. Seems like too much opposition around the lake to make anything like that happen. The "voluntary" slot, like for waska's walleyes, might be our only option / suggestion for pike. Apex predators, in healthy fisheries, keep things in check much better than we do.

Please don't encourage us to bring the 15 pounders in to the shop this year. They are out there, but need to stay out there, IMO. I did keep a bunch of little pickling sized pike this fall, but threw back anything over 24"s, which weren't many. Kept some "smaller than I'd usually keep" sunnies as well, while throwing back the 9"ers, with hopes of having a few 10"ers in the future. Not sure how comfotable I am saying we need to thin out the healthy breading stock to keep them in check. Good luck.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

the best way to re-balance the average pike size in the lake would be to re-educate those that think only walleye and panfish are fit for a frying pan. There are many many many people that fish waska with the mentality that pike are no better than rough fish. many of those are the same ones that like to pound their chests over a bucket full of 12" walleyes.

[pushbutton]

not a lake biologist, but for the gills would say let the 8's and 9's go and pound the 5 1/2's to 6 1/2's....similarly with the pike....... keep your limits of low 20's fish, quit being nancy's about the slime, and clean some up....while you are not going to get a crazy amount of meat, they taste great and your helping the lake.

[goose89]

+1. I agree with Selectively Harvesting the sunnies & crappies "if" we need to thin them out. The bigger ones are big because of genetics and time. Ya, there might always be enough to successfully spawn, but why not give ourselves and kids a chance at some 10-11 sunnies and 14-15" crappies in years to come. Pipedream, I know....A guy can dream.......

Pickling pike is great as well. Search the recipes section here on FM (Pickled Northern - BD110's recipe). I used his recipe this fall nad it turned out great, IMO. Bones are dissolved in the process, and it was kinda fun. And yes, I'd bet most os us couldn't pick out a piece of fried pike (smaller ones with bones removed) out of a pile of walleyes. Thanks for adding the vid.

[LandDr]

Man can that guy clean fish! I thought I was pretty handy with a knife...but that is an art to watch him work that fish. Excellent video.

He's got a couple moves that I don't do...gonna give them a try next victim I can get out of Waska.

My fishing partner and I always pickle a bunch of pike year round...actually I catch most of them and he pickles them, and then we share the jars. Great out in the boat when we are fishing open water...went thru some during the Fall Walleye Classic in fact...and we always have some for the fish house. Can't beat it!

My wife and I always manage to catch some 36 to 40 inchers each year in Waska but those always go back. Can't beat the fight they put up and nice to have them back in the lake to catch another time. Too big to fry and not what I am looking for to pickle either...but a hoot to catch.

I also agree on the pike fillets versus other fish. I actually find walleye to be too tasteless...great texture...but just not a lot of the flavor I like. Sunnies are number one, small bass and pike are excellent too and then crappie and perch are great as well.

Wow...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it and watching that video...BRING ON THE ICE!!!

Fish On!

[Chad Peterson]

That was a great video, and that guy can really clean fish. I guess I better put the butter knifve back in the drawer!

[LandDr]

Ice as far as I can see across Waska this morning...I would expect it is froze over completely based on what I seen from top the hill yesterday.

There is on open spot out from Dairyland that has some coots or ducks in it keeping it open...not a big spot but that is something to watch for as it might be a problem thru early ice. This spot is about where a group of houses always form for early ice eyes. I would expec there will be some guys fishing this weekend...not me!...I like a good 8 inches before I drill a hole. Be careful!

Fish On!

[pushbutton]

yep, yah, ya know folks ya can't just use any knife out of the kitchen!

goose 89, i should not have said "pound" the smaller panfish...do not know "if' there is a problem with the size structure on waska...it was a weird year with many larger fertile lakes this year as far as baitfish outbreaks, most lakes i fished had a huge explosion of perch, sunnies, and forage in general. it made the fishing more difficult, and why some people are saying their lake is "shot". many people, including myself, fish off memories and what worked the last 4 years might not have this year.

landdr, just came across that vid yesterday. i have always went straight down in the "line" and made a u shape cut coming back towards it, pulling the strip out. you will most certainly catch a pike before me and if you could post your results that would be great. also completely agree with you as far as the walleye taste test, before everyone gets excited...yes they do taste good and their texture when traditional cooking is superior to a lot of other fish.....but hopefully people will not just limit themselves to just eating a few species of fish. smaller bass taken out of cooler water do taste good, same with pike, catfish, bullhead, and even sheepshead. in many cases, these "roughfish" do not harbor a lot of the toxins that that larger eyes do. chuckle if you want, but i guarantee if you would come to my annual "roughfish fry/smoke" you would hardly be able to tell what you are eating and enjoy everything being served. just some food for thought

[goose89]

pushbutton, I understand what you're saying, and I agree with you. Keeping / "pounding" the "middle of the road" fish makes much more sense, in more ways than one, than taking all the bigger ones we can. I'm with you, even though my "keepers" slot might be a "tick" bigger than yours.

Baitfish / panfish "explosions" are part of natures cycle. We can't control that, and we're gonna have up and down "catching" years. That's understood. I do believe these "explosions" are balanced out again more quickly / safely by a healthy apex predator population (which Minnewaska is without right now, IMO). I'd rather have them balance it out, than us. Is Minnewaska "shot"?? I don't think so. But I don't think we're helping the fishery out in any way with "promotions" to keep the largest of any species, whether pike or panfish.

[fishingalex]

Went by the Starbuck side of the lake today. The lake must have froze over, broke up, then blew towards Waters Edge. Lots of wicked points sticking up on that end. Out a ways, it was steaming pretty good.

[cvanderweyst]

was going to fish by the beach in glenwood today but ice was barely over 2" thick and seemed to vary. Then we went to reno, off the east access had roughly 3 1/2" also semmed to vary. We fished in 13FOW 3-6:30pm one nice crappie and lots of pesky perch.

[LandDr]

Waska looks pretty black this morning with the warmer temps and a little precipitation. Light sleet to snowing now. Looks like there might be some open water way out there but now sure.

There were a couple portables out from the beach this weekend but I have no report on ice conditions. Supposed to get really cold this week so I am sure things will firm up really fast and make a lot of ice...as long as we don't get a lot of snow.

Looks like a good day to go deer hunting!

[goose89]

Tonight and tomorrow's wind might make things interesting if, in fact, there's some open water out there. We don't need any wet, heavy snow either. Still hoping to be 4 wheeling this coming w/e. Fingers crossed.

[clayton08]

Yeah im with you kyle the ice dont look good at at all lotta water on top of the ice over by torgys when i drove by there this morning i saw one spear house bout 250 yards off shore not for me the fish can wait!!

[cvanderweyst]

I was very suprised to see an ATV on Waska west of the Meat-Hole on sunday night. I havent found over 4" of ice out there.

[LandDr]

Ya...I would say the ATV was taking a very big chance.

Got probably 4 to 6 inches of snow but still coming down. Waska looks really clean however with the wind moving the snow off the lake. Even though the wind is nasty, it is probably reducing any early heavy snow issues. Could be a saver. With the cold temps thru the week and Friday coming up close to 30F, it could really be a great weekend to try some early walleyes and panfish on Waska. Hope to have some ice reports later this week as we close in on the weekend.

Fish On!

[Jack Peterson]

Thanks landdr. Keep us informed on the status! Wouldn't mind getting out for some gills and eyes this weekend.

[LandDr]

Waska is looking really good. Most people I talk to think there's probably 4 inches out there now with the cold clear nights we have been having and little snow on the ice. Forcast is for low temps and lower winds so I expect there might be 5 or 6 inches by the weekend (not out in the middle of course)...but if I have any more updates I will post them.

Fish On!

[SJS]

Any report about how the ice is by the high school?

[LandDr]

I have not had any reports on ice by the school...but there were some portables and ATVs out in The Hole or just off School Point. I would guess there are 4 to 5 inches out there but maybe more with the cold temps overnight.

Several portables out from The Beach and a few other houses scattered around the lake. Most people think there is 5 to 6 inches closer in and I would expect to see ATVs and some permenants out this weekend with the continued colder weather.

My guess is that we have gotten 2 to 3 inches of very fluffy snow so far. With the ice we have, I don't think the snow is going to be an issue...in fact it might be what we needed to give a little banking on the houses.

No fishing reports yet...a lot of people in today but no one reporting back. Since most are after walleyes I wouldn't expect a whole lot of reports.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

5 to 6 inches of very fluffy snow.

A local fisherman reported 7 to 8 inches of ice on Waska around the perimeter.

Good luck fishing today!

Fish On!