Lake Minnewaska Fishing Reports - Ice Conditions

[usmtsrocks]

Anyone having any luck with bluegills up there? Havent been up there for a year or 2 just curious if theres any size or if theres any sunfish action on the Glenwood end.

[LandDr]

Head to the west end of Crappie Town...that is where we are seeing the most and biggest sunfish. You can also pick up some crappie, bass, walleye and pike there as well. 14ft. of water. I have a map in the bait store if you need one.

Fish On!

[honda4life]

He sent us out there... WE CAUGHT FISH!! Good size sunnies too. Driving from the metro to waska sunday again....same spot.....gonna catch fish.

[LandDr]

Similar reports from other people coming back in. Guys with cameras are also seeing some crappie and walleye down there as well...make sure to put a shiner down on a tip-up.

We caught 3 walleyes off the beach last night...two 15s and a 17. Fun time!

Fish On!!

[koonie]

Will I be able to get to crappie town without 4 wheel drive?

[stellarfisher]

Hey Landr.

Looking to drive that way early on Sunday morning. Is everyone driving on? Let me know and Ill be on my way. Thanks.

[Brfive]

Koonie I was there today, and if you use the resort access just past the DNR you should be fine. Brett and I fished from 1 to 5 pm and got 1 northern and 2 SMALL sunnies, but we don't have your expertise !!

[koonie]

A guy I work with took his son out and they brought home 39 nice sunfish. He's leaving me his gps for tomorrow. $50 and I'll take you with. : )

[Brfive]

You've taken enough of my money !! Going to in-laws tomorrow anyway. Let me know how you do.

[koonie]

Will do. Is the resort road you used from Hunts.

Going up monday and new years day if you are interested. Let me know.

[LandDr]

Koonie

You can use any access with an ATV. The Lakeside access heaved up a little so that one is not good for vehicles right now but ATVs would be just fine. DNR landing would also be ok for ATVs going off the south side...I have not looked at the DNR boat ramp lately. Hunts Resort has a nice access for vehicles and ATVs and costs $2. Glenwood Beach is good for vehicles and ATVs...it is a longer drive to Crappie Town from the beach but the snow has compacted down and hardened up so there should be no problems getting around now. A lot of roads and trails now as well.

Brfive...you were in the wrong spot! (smile) Almost 100% of the report backs have reported an intense sunfish bite with about 1 out of 4 or 5 being a really nice sunny with close to our a limit of crappies. I encourage everyone to try to stay with 10 inches or more with the crappies and throw anything smaller back. There are no slot limits on Waska but that is what I would like to encourage.

Fish On!!

[goose89]

I have a personal slot for crappies of 10-12"'s. I've heard other crappie fisherman suggest 9-11, esp. on heavily pressured lakes, like Waska. I'd encourage returning some of the mature breed stock if limits of them are being caught. Similar to the often mentioned and practiced 15-20" slot on walleys. "Slots" have a minimum and maximum, more in line with selective harvest theory. Just my opinion.

[Brfive]

We did use the Hunt's access. We were sseeing fish on the locator, just weren't getting bites. We'll see what's up this week Koonie, maybe I'l see you up there.

[goose89]

Br5,

Take that 30# dacron off your rod and use 2# mono!! lol. Just kidding!! You take your V's out on the ice?? I haven't yet, but would like to, just to cold and don't have enough room. Good luck.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

Man I love this site, usefull honest information. Thanks for the tips guys. I think I will stay and research some more, I am planning a winter weekend getaway with my dad and brothers. Thanks again for everyone's help. Kevin.

[Mellonhead]

Fished 7 hours 12/26. 1 x W19" 6 x SF

" 20 hours 12/27 2 x W15"&18" 4 x C10"-11" 4 x Small Pike

Lots of Sunfish biting on waxworms, but you have to sort. Most biters seem to be during daylight.

[basssmasher*]

Honda, every yr there are a LOT of perms on the Glenwood end most following a bar that runs east to west, and another seperate group to the south of there, I have managed to find my way away from the crowds and traffic, and still fish about the same depth of water and have done just fine catching almost everything Waska has to offer.. but the rule here for our future generations is selective harvest.. Go ahead and tell whoever you want about the lake, especially if it means getting kids involved with fishing.. we are all adults and to see that some places such as this find people being "greedy" by thinking "their lake" is subject to overharvest is kind if frighteneign as to our mentality.. i understand the thought process behind it all. but if we use simple COMMON SENSE, there is no reason to believe that waska will be fished out in the near future. Just my 2 cents worth

[LandDr]

The Beach...probably a few more houses than usual but that is where a lot of people start with the early ice walleye bite. I have not really reported on it so I doubt that MY fishing reports have anything to do with it. The bite was very good to start but has slowed to a steady catch of maybe 3 or 4 fish a night...that is very typical. I would expect those houses to start spreading out as they usually do.

Lakside...not nearly as many houses out in front of Lakeside as there usually are.

Crappie Town...even though you might think there are a lot of houses in Crappie Town, I would guess that it is only 50% of what it usually is.

Bottle Bay...a lot of houses in Bottle Bay and probably close to what it usually is or slightly less. I have not made any reports on Bottle Bay yet I would guess there are twice as many houses in Bottle Bay as there are in Crappie Town.

For the people that do not fish Minnewaska much or where out there a few days ago and came back again, this might put it in perspective.

Also, probably even more, weather has played a VERY BIG part. We had early ice and good ice which got some houses out. Then we got hit with a lot of snow and then again. That put a hold on a lot of houses being put out. With the roads and trails being developed more, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were the days to get their houses out. That is why some people seen such an increase in houses...finally could get out there, could start using vehicles to pull houses versus ATVs...AND...it is over a holiday.

Keep in mind that Minnewaska has around 600 to 700 houses on it each year.

My parents also did not get as many sunfish on Sunday as they did on Friday. However, they said they were all over the camera...just not biting. That is why it is called "fishing" and not "catching".

As Bassmasher said...there is a whole lake out there. No one is even touching all of the cabbage patches along the ENTIRE south side of the lake where there are HUGE sunfish and crappie. That is a 7 MILE long bed of great fishing...just hard to get to in the winter and no accesses.

Fish On!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

my observation from being on the lake friday and saturday:

not as many houses out as during a typical year. very few on the starbuck side compared to previous winters. less houses out infront of my buddies cabin in glenwood. more houses out near a place we call "the spot." we have an area marked on gps that we put 2-4 houses on from time to time depending on who's home. this year was the first time ever somebody else was ontop of that spot. too bad its only a starting point, and for them that meant sitting on a thick weed bed (lower water this year?) and for us moving around till we found what we were looking for in the area on the vex and camera. many of the guys we talked to were just aimlessly moving around their wheel houses, looking for areas they could travel without getting stuck, staying close to plowed roads and hoping to catch a walleye or two at sunset. most of these guys were leaving the lake before the fishing even got good. our group quietly had a great weekend; highlights were a 28 1/2" walleye caught, photo'd, released early friday am; my girlfriend catching her first walleye ever and it being a healthy 19", and a few pike, perch, and walleye for a new years day fish fry.

the best part of the weekend was a guy trying to tell me at the bar that large mouth bass are "actually classified as a rough fish" and that he didnt eat northerns because "no real fisherman has the time to try to clean one of those."

[EYEHUNTER10]

Best spot on the lake usually you wont see another fishouse for close to a mile away either direction except your own self, but its not a good place to get stranded. Thank god this lake has these safe havens, but with gps and all these tourneys now not many secret spots left, good luck out there to all!!

[LandDr]

Hey guys.

I really appreciate that everyone cares about Minnewaska. But I would really appreciate if this post could be used for fishing reports, ice updates, conditions on the lake, etc...information for the people that want to go fishing.

If you want to start another post to talk about how lakes get fished out or don't get fished out, how big fish used to be but are not anymore, how everyone is now on your lake, etc., etc., etc.,...please start another post to do so. Then the 10 or 20 of you can have a good dicussion about those topics.

As I look at other posts...lakes are being named, locations are being given, depths are being stated and even what they used and how they did it.

How about some fishing reports...or even a good joke?

Something pretty odd that happened on Waska the other day...a kid pulled up a 19" walleye on a wax worm in Crappie Town! A wax worm! Should be the hot walleye bait now.

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

[honda4life]

I had a good time fishig there. Next time imma try away from the crowds. Great lake.

[DarthBaiter]

I was up on Monday and we went to Reno for the day with not much luck and tried Waska, but it was getting dark and from what I've heard it has been even slower after sundown. I'll still blame the weather front for the slow bite. I shloul've kept driving and tried upper red, now that's a great lake, but that's a different forum!!

[goose89]

I was in the Alex area fishing the last 2 days. No panfish, cept one perch, but had good luck w/ the walleyes on Monday nite. 3 out of 7 were over 20"s (23,24, and 26 1/2".) One "cigar" early this morning, and not a bite tonite.

I'm out.

[Whoaru99]

Well, I for one REALLY appreciate anyones fishing spot tips and advice.

I could be considered a local since I live only ~20 miles from Waska. But, know what? I get out to fish only a few times per year. I don't have the time or wherewithall to keep up on all the "inside" information shared amongst the privledged few.

IMO, it's not the people traveling far and wide to get in a day's fishing you have to worry about. It's probably your neighbor, the professional weekend fisherman that makes two or three limit trips to the lake every day when the bite it on. Most likely, you know who these guys are.

There..now that I've got that off my chest....

Any hot tips for me and my cousin who will be trying to catch something on Waska this Saturday?

[LandDr]

(same report that I put up for another question/post)

18 plus inches of ice Minnewaska...the ice has been in good condition as of yet but we certainly don't need any more snow. If you have a bigger house, the water will probably come up through the holes to start with and best to block the house up and let it freeze good before setting it down. (Don't set up in a snow bank! Find an open area.) Roads and trails have been plowed and developed so there are not any problems getting around unless you venture in areas less traveled. The walleye bite has been pretty steady out from the beach...seems everyone catches a few eaters each evening. Walleye area out from Lakeside isn't being fished much as of yet...usually a lot of houses in that area. The most activity is Crappie Town and Bottle Bay with more people going after sunnies and crappies. The crappies have still been a little slow (see they on the camera but getting them to bite is another story), but the sunfish bite has been really good. My parents are getting 2 to a pound out of their house in Crappie Town and most others are reporting good bites and sizes as well. However, some days you can't get the bait down there fast enough...and then the next day they are slow. You can see them on the camera but just slow to bite so we think these weather patterns are the reason. Most have reported that if the bite is slow...keep moving around until you find some active fish and then you will get into some nice fish. Always fun to put a shiner down as well as you are jigging for panfish as there are plenty of pike moving around and the ocassional walleye.

Have fun!

Fish On!

[basssmasher*]

I had trouble finding the depth I was told to look for. found 17-20 feet and drilled extensively looking for that magic number.. Finally settled on 13 and caught a ton of 3 inch perch.. only 1 sunnie.. everyone I talked to said it was slow today..

[honda4life]

LOL. YEAH I FISHED THE BEACH LAST TIME I WAS OUT. WE WERE OUT 50 YARDS FROM LANDDR RENTAL AND SOUTH ABOUT 50 YARDS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERONE AND WERE IN 17 FOW AND DIDNT EVEN MARK A FISH ONCE ON THE FISH FINDER. ILL BE BACK UP THERE AGAIN ON A WEEKEND WHEN WE HAVE SOME LOW PRESSURE COMING THRU.

[LandDr]

You guys are obvioulsy not fishing in the write spot!!

The walleye bite out in front of the beach has been best from 5 to 7 approximately and in 14 to 16 feet. There has not been much report from the beach towards town but more out from the beach house. 17 ft. is pretty deep and I would have to think that you were quite a ways out.

Bassmacher...perch?...I am wondering if you got on the south side of the ridge rather than the north side. Not sure. Stop in again and we can discuss. I have had a few in recently with a great crappie bite...stop in and I will send you there to scout it.

Have a good weekend!

Fish On!!!

[Mellonhead]

FOW = from the top of ice or the bottom of the ice?(With Ice transducer)

When talking the difference of a foot or two, it maybe helpful to know. I mention this because my old vexilar sits just barely in the water, and my new one sits at the bottom of the whole, hence one reads 14.5'(old) and the other 13'(New). I think its common to forget to take into consideration transducer off set when talking depth. I go by the top of the ice.

Also, if you don't know it already, you can clear the snow from a small spot on the ice, pour a little water on the ice then put the transducer on the ice with your gain turned up, and often time get the depth.

We've been fishing crappie town and only picking up 3 or 4 crappies an afternoon. They are nice 10-12" but not going crazy. We've only picked up 3 eyes in about 6 trips. It's still nice to get out and fish, plus we keep a few of the bigger perch and sunnies.