Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions

[Hammertime0802]

What part of the lake where you fishing, bottle bay?

[IceHawk]

Out today in bottle bay and managed 10 nice gills a couple in the 9 inch range and a couple crappies. Look for the isolated weed clumps the gills are really relateing to them. Caught all the fish with small flirty girty's and euro larvae. Get out and cut alot of holes until you land on a pod and you will get a few. Also be prepaired to catch a few pike had some fun on the 2 lb test!

[Chad Peterson]

Out today in bottle bay and managed 10 nice gills a couple in the 9 inch range and a couple crappies. Look for the isolated weed clumps the gills are really relateing to them. Caught all the fish with small flirty girty's and euro larvae. Get out and cut alot of holes until you land on a pod and you will get a few. Also be prepaired to catch a few pike had some fun on the 2 lb test!

That is the key to getting on some fish, drill baby drill!

Sniffer

[Marlonb]

I was out on the lake today to check on the house. I heard rumors of people tearing up the access at Sac's Landing when they are leaving the lake and that the owner is pretty upset. I hope this is not the case as he is being more than generous to allow anyone and everyone to use his access. I would hope people would respect that, but I guess there is always someone who feels they don't need to respect others property. I just hope these few people do not ruin it for the majority of us that appreciate what he does. Sorry for the rant. Looking forward to getting the lines wet tomorrow.

[Chad Peterson]

I hope that is not happening.

Sniffer

[black dog]

planning on heading up sat...how is the ice/accesses holding up??

[Marlonb]

Lake access is in good condition. Was out on Sacs access tonight in bottle bay and was out about a mile. There was a car out a mile so access is good.

[Corey Bohn]

Most of the snow on the lake is gone, and slush from the big thaw the past week has froze solid following return to colder weather---at least where I went on the lake (Lakeside access---don't know about the rest). Had best day of fishing this winter yesterday (Friday). Had to sort through the sunnies but caught a lot of nice fish. Morning bite from 9 a.m. to 12 noon was really good, then they ran in spurts in the afternoon. Weather forecast models are calling for 15 to 20 inches of snow for this area beginning sometime Saturday through Sunday with winds of 20-30 mph. Predicting an inch of snow an hour on Sunday. Alexandria is dead center in the band of 15 to 20 inch snowfall.

[usmtsrocks]

How much snow in the Glenwood area after this storm? What is it going to do to travel conditions on the lake? I havent been up there all year and wanted to take the wife out in the permanent for one last weekend. Hoping lake travel will be ok yet. Would like to get into some panfish and perch and maybe a bonus eye or 2 through the night. Any areas/depths that have been best? Will have to stop in by 'Fish On' if we make it up there for bait, hopefully he can point me in the right direction. If anyone has any info they would be willing share hit me [email protected] if not i totally understand! Thanks guys!

[Corey Bohn]

The key is to drill holes until you find cabbage that is still standing upright. Be prepared to drill a lot of holes. With the heavy snow this year the vast majority of all weeds laid down flush to the bottom. If you can find standing weeds I guarantee you will find nice sunfish and numbers of them. Northerns will be on the prowl as well.

Morning bite from 9 to noon has been much better than the afternoon bite as of late. Details make all the difference in the world. Case in point.....I was with a group last Friday and tied on a chartreuse fat boy and tipped with waxies and the guy started pulling fish in one after another. Immediately tied the exact same lure on the other 3 rods and they caught fish, but not nearly the numbers or the size that the initial lure produced.

On Saturday I went out alone and grabbed the rod that I provided the first individual, and within minutes pulled up a 9 inch sunfish, and then an 8 inch sunfish. After reeling in the second sunfish I noticed that the eyes on that particular fat boy were red glow and were really luminating. After catching another sunfish I managed to break the line. As I looked at the other three rods rigged with the same lure I noticed the eyes were pained dark green and did not glow (red).

I proceeded to tip the lure rigged on the other rods (non-glow eyes) with waxies and put it down and they wouldn't touch it, whereas with the red glow eyes they literally freight-trained it. I dug around in my lure box and managed to find another chartruese fat boy with red glow eyes and they just started hammering it again.

How you hook your waxies makes a big difference as well. Hook two in the middle and a third waxie opposite the head at the very tip (end) and swim it and it gets a lot more attention. As the day goes on it seems like you have to pound the lure to get them to aggressively strike.

We got 9-10 inches in Sunday's storm with a lot of wind. Don't know what the lake looks like because I haven't made it out of the yard yet. Need to move a lot of snow. We got lucky as I talked to my mom on the phone and they got 19 inches down by Madison, MN. Sounds like they are at or near the 100 inch mark for the year.

[Chad Peterson]

Thanks for the report Corey and yes, we got more than I thought of the white stuff.

Sniffer

[usmtsrocks]

Thanks for the detailed report!

[basssmasher*]

I'd estimate a GOOD 15 + here in Benson... I love ice fishing and all but the snow has to go! lol

[wetaline1]

hows lake travel yesterday? anyone get roads plowed off lakeside or beach?

[Corey Bohn]

Was just out checking out the Glenwood end of the lake. There is a path out from Lakeside but it is not plowed at this point. There is a plowed path out from Hunt's Resort and that is the only plowed road I have seen to this point. Houses really thinned out this past weekend. Sure their will be plowed roads from all access points by the weekend as there are still some big wheel houses out in all areas.

There is more snow on the lake than I anticipated with all the wind we had. Deepest snow is the first 1/4 mile out on the north end, and once you get out it looks to be 8 to 12 inches on level with deeper drifts in spots. It's so white once you get out there it's really tough to see even with polarized sunglasses on.

I anticipate that if you have a 4x4 truck and good tires you can probably go anywhere you want. If you are intending to pull a wheel house behind the truck I suspect it could get dicey if you are looking to blaze an unplowed trail with fish house in tow.

[Hammertime0802]

What is the update on waska? I am thinking about coming up for the weekend and was wondering how bottle bay has been doing...has the bite picked up or should I give a different lake a try?

[Chad Peterson]

Sunfish are still going well and the roads should be plowed to get around.

Sniffer

[usmtsrocks]

Any updated reports from Waska? How has lake travel been the last day or two and how has the bite been?? Still debating on whether to bring the house up this weekend. Where's Landdr? Havent seen a report from him for awhile.

[LandDr]

Land Dr is on vacation..Orlando and then to Naples FL. In NC today hunting hogs. Back Saturday.

[greenhead4u]

I heard he was in the clink after the game warden saw a tub of EYE's outside his fish house!

[Corey Bohn]

Here's an update on lake conditions:

There's about 8 inches of snow on level. Shouldn't have much of a problem driving anywhere with 4x4 truck.

Access update on Glenwood end:

Lakeside-- road plowed

DNR--path out but not plowed

Hunt's Resort--road plowed

Sac's--path out but not plowed

Sheriff's Landing--road plowed but not to Bottle Bay. Road heads to the south toward School Pt. Not sure how far south it goes.

Talked to a couple guys this morning and the panfish bite for sunnies and crappies has been very good the past couple days. Sunnies in the morning and late afternoon with crappies biting right before and after dark (and into the evening).

Not much pressure on the lake during the week so the bite is typically pretty good. Once 200-300 vehicles get on the ice over the weekend it tends to scatter the fish. Guys I talked with said the sunnies were really nice with a lot of 8 inch fish. Crappies from 9-11 inches.

[Chad Peterson]

Thanks for the report Corey. Sounds like getting around will not be a problem.

Sniffer

[usmtsrocks]

Landdr- Since your on vacation will you be open on Saturday mid-morning or so? If I head to Waska I'm gonna need some bait from ya! thanks..

[Stcloudangler]

Im sure hes got someone manning the shop... wouldn't you be open?

[goose89]

Koep's will be open for sure. If you're after minnows, Fetterer's is open 24/7. Usually the best bait, IMO, in the waska area, esp. open water bait.

When it's open, someone else has been in Fish On the times I've stopped.

[Chad Peterson]

Really like the shop and always helps you with the lake.

Sniffer

[slabz]

section 5a wrestling tournament is in minnewaska tomorrow. looking to do a little fishing before. would i be able to take a car onto the lake?

[Chad Peterson]

You should, but I would follow a plowed road out unless you have all-wheel drive.

Sniffer

[ibleedice]

Just wanted to check on the conditions on to the lake at Lakeside and at the a-frame out to crappie town. Are there good roads going out still, and is the ice still in good driving condition. Will be heading up tomorrow and would like to know what I'm in for.. Thanks in advance.

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In the end everything merges together....And a river runs through it..

[Hammertime0802]

Has the panfish bite been good in bottle bay off sacs landing? Looking to bring a big house out sometime this week, will i be able to get it out.