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Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions


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If only anglers would throw those 9 inchers back. Just think how fun it would be if you had a good chance of hooking into a 10-11 incher out there. It just won't happen very often if everyone is keeping those bigger sunfish. I think the same goes for any lake in the state.

Jason Erlandson

The best fishing I've had for nice sunfish is one of the few experimental reg's lakes that has a 5 sunfish limit. I wish more lakes would go to this that way when people wont practice selective harvest the lake still has a chance to keep up. I can go out with my sons and we can bring home 20 sunnies. more than enough to feed my family plus a couple friends for a meal. I dont freeze any, that way I have an excuse to get back out again when someone in the house (usually me) wants fresh fish again grin

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I am surprised at how Minnewaska has kept up with the amount of pressure it receives from the masses that hit the lake each winter chasing those nice bluegills. It sure is a great multi species lake. I wish we had a lake like that up here.

Jason Erlandson

Me too Jason I don't know how waska keeps producing but in a way the houses are always situated in only a few areas on the lake and some of the lake recieves hardly if no pressure at all, during the winter. It helps that it has an active lake association that helps stock walleyes in the lake yearly I do believe and the DNR stocks it as well. I think waska like Osakis and a few other area lakes over there could really produce more consistant pound sunfish and 2 pound crappies if fishing pressure was limited or harvest limits went down. It's working on the experimental lakes all over the state except for maple lake near Forada. Thats just my opinion.

Landr just curious and want to hear your "professional" advice but doesn't it seem like Reno turned into Maple and Maple turned into Reno like they switched for known species in the last 3-5 years? I remember fishing Maple when I was younger and being known as a panfish lake and now it seems like its a good walleye lake, and Reno is now known for its panfish and not so much for the walleyes??? Just my thought on it, my family use (I had no say in selling it) to own the lake farm just off of 29 (eastside) thats surrounded by maple, now it looks like terrible with the cabins slowly going up.

Another note..Jason how can brainerd area not have a few lakes like Waska, there are many more lakes up there than around Glenwood. With sizeable lakes too, like pelican, edward, north long, gull to name a few, unless they are just over harvested (fished out)?

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I grew up on Maple...part of the "dead end gang" south of the resort and even south of where Chan had/has the elk. Great place to grow up...just grab the pole and head across the road to the lake. Every day. I look back and my poor father that had to clean all of those fish in the pails when he came home from a hard day of work! Now I feel gulity bring back those memories...I better call him and tell him how much I appreciated that.

Back then we caught everything in Maple. Fishing was great. When we moved to Glenwood I lost contact with Maple and have only fished it maybe twice since. I also don't fish Reno much because I have Minnewaska at my door step and have no problem catching any species on Waska pretty much any time.

Reno has really turned around. There are so many variables when it comes to aquatic systems. However there are two main things to think about...1) A lake is a byproduct of its watershed (you are what you eat), and 2) It is all about the food chain.

Good conservation on adjacent farm fiels to keep sediment and nutrients out will surely help a lake. Not applying too much or any fertilizer to yards and having septic systems in compliance also help. One very important aspect is water "quantity". People often do not think of water quantity or volume as a pollutant...but water levels and what water carries with it into the lake has a MAJOR impact in how a lake does. This directly relates to fish but also even more with waterfowl.

The food chain...when there is good water clarity and not excessive changes in water depths, you will have more sun light reaching the bottom. Sunlight reaching the bottom stimulates plant growth. Plant growth offers a surface area for algae to grow on and for macro inverts to exist. Algae and macros feed the bait fish...bait fish feed the game fish...and the game fish feed us.

I have heard of the perch on Reno. This is a direct result of more vegetation and invertebrates. Sunfish and crappie require the same or similar habitats and food sources. Reno is doing really well in those catagories and therefore the bait fish are present. This is fueling the walleye and pike as well. The great walleye bite on Reno is being over shadowed by the panfish bite right now...but no mistake about it, Reno is doing very well with walleye as well.

Minnewaska has gone through a very simlar transformation. With the increased conservation and the Glenwood septic now being land applied, the water clarity has improved excessively. I hear more complaints about "all the weeds" and how tough it is to fish now because of "the weeds". What is fantastic is the majority of the new weeds are "Sago Pondweed". This is a native plant that requires good water quality and lower water levels to germinate...AND it is an incredible waterfowl food source! These weeds are hosting the algae and macros to feed the tremendous panfish fishery...and the bait fish to feed the walleye and pike. This is all very exciting...especially since Minnewaska was "the dead sea" when I was in high school here.

Over fishing is certainly an issue...but managing and taking care of our watersheds is much much more important. One mistake can drastically change the sunlight penetration which then changes the entire forage system...and everything else is impacted right to the top.

A long post...but very interesting stuff and EXTREMLY important to understand.

The lake association and DNR have done a great job in working with the walleyes...but the panfish population is a direct result of how people in the watershed manage their land and what runs off to the lake.

Bring on the warm weather!

Fish On!

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Hey Landdr, maybe you should bring your dad some fresh fish fillets! My pa and I are coming your way Sun morning, what time do you open? Lookin forward to warm weather and a few fish with my dad...

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Ha...I have been getting him several pails of sunnies and crappies a few weeks ago. I dropped off the walleyes from two nights ago at my house, him and mom where watching the kids as we went out to eat for my b-day, and he really eyed up those walleyes. When I got home he had them cleaned and washed! That is his strategy...do a good dead, make me feel guilty...and now I have to give him some walleye! Old and wise!

I can't wait for this warm weather also! We have been marking a lot of fish so I am hoping this really triggers a hot bite. The 25 incher I released last night was a beautiful fish! I have three 28.5s off Minnewaska this past summer so I am still looking for the 30 incher. A fishing buddy of mine got a 31 out from Peters in 8 ft. of water this summer. Bled bad so he is getting it mounted.

Walleye on the brain!

Fish On!

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F - Sunday 6 am to 6 pm

M - Thursday 8 am to 5 pm

We are "on call" so give me a call if you need another time.

Got a new batch of shiners in as well...they are getting scarce.

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Landrr

Any thoughts of becoming an FM sponsor??? Getting to be more and more, repeated directions to Fish On over and over again on each topic related to waska. Website / FM sponsorship could minimize this and improve your advertising.

ps -check out Jason's (Dave's Sportland) Ehrlandson's posts and link. Great way to advertise without cluttering up topics.

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We have some great fisheries up here, but nothing quite like Minnewaska in a variety of ways. Our bass fishing and crappie fishing is awesome in the open water season and we get some nice walleye action. But the panfishing could use some improvement and we have a multitude of lake access troubles come wintertime. Everything is so developed with private land that getting onto some of the prime areas is nearly impossible. Plus some of the other real hotspots for winter fishing are locked up by thin ice channels and moving water. I really envy you guys that are able to fish for all those nice fish. I wish we had sunfish like that. We have a great area up here too but catching 12 inch walleyes and 5-6 inch sunfish can get old after a while. It might be a product of over fishing and lakes that do not have a strong fertile reproductive capability. Good luck out there guys!

Jason Erlandson

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Huh you must of majored in aquatic biology in college. Good major and useful if you want to become a better fisherman, as I had quite a few frineds major in that as well in college. Tough to get a full time job doing that in Minnesota but regardless its interesting. I haven't fished waska for years as I remember it in the late 90s and in 01-02 as being pretty dead. And maple never been back there for a few years too, your right as in a great area for a kid to grow up. Just curious though as to lake development if that has been a growing problem on Waska? Buffer zones and native weed species along the lake shore are critical I think. That is one thing I really don't understand with lakeshore owners that need to fertilize and have a nice green golf course lawn? You spend more time messing around with your lawn maintence wise than you are enjoying the lake or fishing, to me thats why you own a lakeshore property. That's whats ruining or has ruined some very good fishing lakes in Minnesota as well I think, but conservation practices seem to be coming back or are enforced as they are put into law. Glad to see Waska is rebounding, as well as other area lakes. Are Farming practices changing over there because with tiling and being that it is hilly country over there all the runs down hill and sits in one area it seems, (example Waska, emily, linka, reno, etc.) So just curious if that is part of the equation. Maybe its population change too, as those communities are very old or retirement villages as my cousins put it, and younger generation that graduate Waska seem to move away (cities, fargo, st. cloud, outstate, etc)? Less family farming going on as the kids move out? That could play a role I think too, even with fishing pressure wise...less locals in the area..less fisherman? The diehards though stay around there like Braatens, Stoens, Chans, Johnsons, Andersons, Zavadils, etc. they'll never leave haha.

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I noticed that Jason when my family vacationed in the brainerd lakes area. When I was younger the panfishing was very good, but we had trouble catching 1/2 lb sunfish consistantly on this last trip. Tried for walleyes one night but ended up catching more bass than anything. I think alot of those lakes in the brainerd area are very well suited for bass and panfish more than say walleye. But I agree the pressure is there as it is only 2 hours from the cities, and the big resorts in the area don't help to much either with lowering the fishing pressure on many of those lakes. Heck I think Edward itself has 5 resorts which in my opinion is kinda alot for a lake that size. I'm suprised more of the lakes around there don't have size restrictions besides northern or lower possession limits on panfish.

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Yeah, I'm all for some tighter restrictions in our area. As long as the restrictions are easy to understand for everyone, because there is no question that they are effective. More times than not, the product of special regulations is more or bigger fish. Sometimes both, who would want that?

Jason Erlandson

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Bluegill and Jason,

I echo your thoughts/beliefs on tighter restrictions. Selective Harvest, voluntary or imposed, is important to the future of our fisheries. IMO. Glad to hear this positively addressed here.

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Landdr you really confuse me. You are on here preaching about selective harvest and slot limits and then in the next statement you are taking a 20 incher home and your workers are taking a 23 incher, because you got to eat. If everybody was like you, I would hate to see what are lakes would be like. Also dad has got several pails of sunnies and crappies. You do not need several pails. I believe the possession limit is your daily limit.

Practice what you preach!

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Thoses comments heard loud and clear here too. Just didn't want to be negative. I see your knowledge, business and situation as a potential way to get Selective Harvest "out there" in a positive way. Getting kinda confusing messages though.

I appreciate your knowledge of auquatics and water quality, but believe harvest (over harvest) is more of an issue than you seem to. My opinion. Good luck.

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When I caught the 20 incher...I had a 15 in the pail and was close to the time I had to go home. Didn't really want to clean just a 15...but...if it would have been any bigger I would have certainly sent it back. It was also the FIRST time I have been out to fish this winter...yes, first time.

Since I have been working so much and not getting out of the store, a friend of mine brought me about 10 sunnies one time (not a pail full) and another 10 another time (again not a pail full). I was still pretty busy with work and my father walked in each time and said he would clean them up.

Over harvest?

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Hey landdr, quick question for ya.

4 of us are planning on stayin at hobo campground for 3-4 days in late july or early august. How is fishin that time of year for eyes, pike, crappies, bass, on waska, or any other surrounding lakes? Would you recommend reserving 2 tenting sites w/elec. or just hope they have 2 spots open w/no elec. when we get there, do the tenting sites fill up fast that time of year? Thank you.

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Some of the questions are better for the City of Starbuck or whoever handles the reservations. Check with them if they have any events going on during the time you want to be there as that would dictate how fast they would fill up. Either way I would reserve your site and not hope there is one when you get there...a little too risky and you will probably end up calling me to camp out at my farm! smile

Most people think fishing isn't very good during the hot months of July and August...but those are some of my favorite months to fish walleyes. I do very well along the south side pulling Reefrunners. I do even better at night! Try to schedule your trip around a full moon phase and pull floating rapalas in 4 to 6 fow. I had some amazing nights last year!

Check in when the time gets closer and maybe I will get the boat out at night at the same time and we can check some spots out.

Best time to fish is when the wife and kids are sleeping!

Fish On!

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When I caught the 20 incher...I had a 15 in the pail and was close to the time I had to go home. Didn't really want to clean just a 15...but...if it would have been any bigger I would have certainly sent it back. It was also the FIRST time I have been out to fish this winter...yes, first time.

Since I have been working so much and not getting out of the store, a friend of mine brought me about 10 sunnies one time (not a pail full) and another 10 another time (again not a pail full). I was still pretty busy with work and my father walked in each time and said he would clean them up.

Over harvest?

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Where exactly do you want this post to go?

I kept a 15 inch walleye and I kept a 20 inch walleye. Last night I threw back a 25 incher. Over the summer I threw too many to count 20 plus and three 28.5 inchers back.

There are several sizes for pails...there are 1 gallon pails and there are 5 gallons pails, etc., etc. "Several pails" with 60 sunfish in them or several pails with 10 sunnies in each. Again, where is this going?

The fella that kept the 23 incher is not "my worker" but an old guy that trades work with me occassionally. He is poor and he needs to eat. He said he felt bad about it but he was hungry. I rented his house out last weekend and gave him 50 bucks...he was thrilled to have 50 bucks in his pocket. We need to still respect and appreciate that some people still hunt and fish as part of their survival.

Fish On!

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goose, give it a rest man.

The guy kept or was given a few fish, and people are asking him directions to his bait shop - to which he replied. He's given out valuable information to many users, and in my opinion has done an admirable job of discussing selective harvest. Let the man have a few meals of fish without having to answer to the world wide web community.

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This is turning into the the "old Reno" thread where everyone started bashing Landr for giving out reports and talking fishing. If you don't like what is being said quit reading the posts. This is for Minnewaska panfish, not [PoorWordUsage]' and moanin'

Good Luck to all fishing Minnewaska, it is a fishery!

Report from Minnewaska 1/11/09

(2) 15" walleyes

(10) perch

(10) bluegills

(2) northerns

Kept the walleyes and 5 perch. Released the rest. Fished from 9 am to 2 pm. Others in my group had similar results. Fished out fromt the Minnewaska House, used Sheriffs landing, got away fromt he crowd and used the trust Lowrance H20 color and Lake Master chip.

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Landrr.........trust me, you will get no where with goose! Seems his purpose for being on any forum is to ruffle feathers!!! Best just to ignore!!! haha!

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No harm taken. Just wondering where the post was going and why. I probably needed to clarify my catch better as I think it was taken out of context.

Angry Irishman...not a bad catch! We ran into some nice perch about 12 inches long as well. Would be nice to find some more of those good eaters. I think if I fished where we are at during the day, might be able to find some more but hard enough to get out of the store in time to get the lines down for some walleyes.

Over the past few years, there would be some guys that would come in for small shiners and go out after big perch on Waska and sounds like they did pretty well.

Fish On!

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greatmind, I'm just poking you in the arm. haha.

Landrr, I'm not trying to ax-grind, steer this off course or anything else. Just yesterday we had some good back and forths regarding selective harvest and panfish/crappies. I didn't respond at first to "pails of sunfish" and shouldn't have after someone else did. First impression got the best of me. Should have assumed and ice cream pail, instead.

That said, I hear you say you support SH, and believe you do, but read things that make it seem not so important. Ya, know what, maybe it isn't as important as I think it is. Maybe the cold and snow's getting to me.

With all the business through your store and knowlegde of aquatics and ecosystems, who better to listen to than you when you speak of the importance of SH.

BUT, with all the business through your store and knowledge of aquatics and ecosystems who better to listen to than you make it out to be just good idea, but not really that important, say not as important as clean water and watersheds.

I apologize for picking words apart. Good luck.

To everyone else, thanks for slap in the face. I have, do , and probably will go overboard on my "rants" regarding selective harvest, overharvest, abusing our fisheries, the like. (not all being done here). I need to "real it in" sometimes, I admit. I'm get a bit too passionate about it at times, but don't believe sitting back and saying nothing you're passionate about is right either. Sometimes it comes across as "ruffling feathers." Not intended. GL.

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Weather Update...

Windy out here but already up to 19.6 degrees...is that a nice change to have some warmer temps. Really isn't bad out at all.

Roads are being plowed and blown out on the lake so there are no issues getting around.

Landings that are open...Beach (free), Lakeside (free), Hunts (pay couple dollars), Hwy29/54 (pay couple dollars), Sherif's Landing (free), and then there are some accesses down Starbuck way but I don't have any information on them.

I didn't get out last night for the walleye bite...out to eat with parents. I did get a call from a fella from LQP area that was up Thursday if I recall...he was up with his 4 year old daughter and wanted some panfish. I sent them out to Bottle Bay and he said it was one after another and they had a blast. Had to pick through them but had a few to take home. He also reported that he caught a 29 3/4 walleye! Nice fish!

Fish On!

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