metro area Metro Area Minnesota Fishing Reports & Ice Conditions

[me_fathead]

Me_Fathead-

I noticed you are from SLP; so am I. I usually fish Minnetonka. I tried Medicine earlier in the season but nothing but baby perch. Maybe we could meet sometime for a day of fishing. This is my first year of ice fishing and I have caught crappies, sunnies, perch, and my first northern today in Grays bay. I would be grateful going out one time with someone who has so many years under there belt, maybe even a few lessons to share? I am 31 and am unemployed, so my days are free. I have been fishing a lot to keep my mind clear from my dad passing in December of Leukemia. I have a portable however I have a manual auger and no electronics...

Let me know!

Thanks,

Mike

[email protected]

I might take you up on that.

I'm taking my five year old out this weekend, most likely to Minnetonka but I haven't decided where yet.

I should be available after this weekend though but I work full time and go to school full time so it might be a little tough.

[me_fathead]

You and I have probably shared a couple of the same holes over the years, only at different times....

You have just posted the #1 question of all time, and will get answers now... I have worked hard at times and done well, just weed thru them short ones and enjoy the time. I don't have an answer for you, but you are right, when my Dad got me interested in ice fishing he took me to Linstrom lake with a friend of his(I was 17) we sat next to the truck on buckets with jiggle sticks, nothing fancy like we have today, and caught some of the nicest crappies I had ever seen.... I have been hooked ever since.

P.S.

Hey maybe take the youngster from SLP and give a couple of lessons?

Youngster? Hey now, I'm only 42. Too young to call a 31 year old a youngster.

[Jameson]

...How do we get decent panfishing back? The numbers are there without question, but the size is shameful....

Ban the use of flashers (vexilars, marcums, hummingbirds, etc..).

[fishnowworknever]

Originally Posted By: me_fathead

...How do we get decent panfishing back? The numbers are there without question, but the size is shameful....

Ban the use of flashers (vexilars, marcums, hummingbirds, etc..).

Ban the use of hooks

[boilerup]

I catch as many fish without a flasher as I do with it... maybe we could ban looking down the hole to fish as well. Seems reasonable...

[archeral566]

Boilerup, the crappies dont show up till around 5:30 and they come more and more as the night goes on. still have to sort through the crappies some but not as much as the other lakes here in the metro, most fish caught big or small seem to be in good shape and plenty thick for their size. was out last night for two hours 6-8pm and managed 6 fish 3 of which were 10+".

[ItsaCrappieLife]

Has anyone ever been to a lake with a slot limit on panfish? It would be interesting to see how it affects a lake. The problem is that once a big year class went over the slot limit the lake would be packed with fish houses.

[Acemac]

still could make the slot something like 5 from 91/2 to 10 1/2 and two over 12

if the crappies are really good sized who needs more then 5? not like fishermen fish to feed their starving kids anymore.

[anprickette72]

I fished Dutch Lake with about 800 other people last Saturday spent the wholde day out there and moved around quite a bit and not one bite. I knows there are decent crappies out there but they definately were not biting last weekend? Anybody else having luck out there?

[MidCoast]

Has anyone ever been to a lake with a slot limit on panfish? It would be interesting to see how it affects a lake. The problem is that once a big year class went over the slot limit the lake would be packed with fish houses.

Green Lake in Chisago has a slot on Crappies.. Minimum of 9 inches or more. However, even with that slot limit, I think the crappie population has gone down on that lake and it also isnt that easy to catch one over 9 inches..

[mike11]

.people are not breaking any laws by keeping the small fish so if someone catches a 28 inch walleye on mille lacs and keeps it isuppose you would say thats ok imo 28 eye is not big enough to mount so why would you keep that i just think people get to hung up on what gets kept if its within the fish limits they can do what they want i think we all would like to see more c&r

[rosspj59]

[CrappieKilla]

1. Limits on metro lakes need to de changed.

2. there needs to be a slot on all fish on all these metro lakes.

3. people need to stop keeping small year class fish

I don't think the pan fish will ever grow in the metro until people stop taking limits of anything they catch. Just because you can clean it does not mean its worth keeping.

I completely agree!

[Feathers Rainin]

Yea fish are tiny down here. I'm originally from up north and don't keep crappies less than 10.5"...I learned quick that down here I need to be ok with the 9's if I want anything for the pan and that is tough to get. A slot would be nice but doesn't always work.

Guys brag about limits on Bald Eagle but unless they know some secret that means they are bringing home the 7-8's.

[fisherguy2010]

I was out on prior tonight and got skunked. I saw so many fish it was frustrating but they just were not hungry. I could see plenty of crappies perch and eyes, but they wouldn't bite for anything on waxies or minnows, I have never seen fish refuse to bite like this... crazy

[me_fathead]

I fished Dutch Lake with about 800 other people last Saturday spent the wholde day out there and moved around quite a bit and not one bite. I knows there are decent crappies out there but they definately were not biting last weekend? Anybody else having luck out there?

Huh. Never seen that many people out on Dutch. I know where the crappies normally are there but I haven't fished it for three years. They were averaging about a quarter pound then. Cool little lake even when they aren't biting.

[Supercrew]

I think all my baits have a miniture Mr. Yuk sticker on them only fish can see!!!!!!! Maybe saturday morning will be better and the wife will get a few, she deserves one trip in the house she got me for Xmas.....

Well, I think she may have outfished the old man, just glad to see her have a good time.

[Rhino32]

1. Limits on metro lakes need to de changed.

2. there needs to be a slot on all fish on all these metro lakes.

3. people need to stop keeping small year class fish

I don't think the pan fish will ever grow in the metro until people stop taking limits of anything they catch. Just because you can clean it does not mean its worth keeping.

I believe most of the fish on our metro lakes are stunted and don't have the genes to grow large. Over the years their genetics have changed for whatever reason. You could assume that the invasion of eurasion milfoil coupled with the lack of aggressive predators could be a reason. If the small fish have good places to hide (milfoil) and there also are not enough predators, the fish will get overpopulated, limiting the amount of quality food sources.

A few years ago in June I stopped by the boat landing on Crystal lake to take a few casts with my daughter. I happened to look to my left in the shallows and saw at least 100 bluegill beds about 8" in diameter with about 4" fish in them. I have never seen bluegills that small on beds. I am originally from northern, WI and only have seen "keeper" sized on beds. I don't claim to be a fish biologist by any means, it tells me those fish are fully mature, passing on the "small" genes.

[M22KLARS]

please read forum policy befroe posting again

[me_fathead]

Picked up a couple of nice pikers this evening on 'Tonka. I'm always impressed with the health and general good looks of Northerns in Minnetonka. These two were no exception, but the three pounder had a wound that looked like something gave her a taste.

[SFC]

Everyone wants to catch slab pannies! The problem is everyones keeping the fish that are within a couple of years of becoming a slab. Keep a few smaller ones for just one meal per outing. You can impose your own slot limits. take what you need leave the rest.

[Supercrew]

Everyone wants to catch slab pannies! The problem is everyones keeping the fish that are within a couple of years of becoming a slab. Keep a few smaller ones for just one meal per outing. You can impose your own slot limits. take what you need leave the rest.

Ditto, well said. I had a old boss tell me once "You can't make everybody happy" and I believe it. Police yourselves.

Genetics? ? Just saying ....IMO

[mnguy152]

I thought this thread was about were the hot bite or what we are useing to catch fish/ or how slowit is. Not what we should or should not be taking home or what the reg should be.

[mike11]

good stuff MNGUY152 was thinking about heading out to waconia tonight where has been good lately any help would be nice not looking for gps just general areas thanks

[Supercrew]

Wheres your report?

Heres mine....SLOW on Tonka.

[archeral566]

slow the other night on tonka as well fished from about 530-9pm for crappies with my dad and together only caught for keepers. much slower then earlier in the week. barometric pressure was pretty high yesterday though hopefully fishing picks up when it starts to drop again.

[boilerup]

Slow morning on Tonka...at least for me. If anyone else was doing better I'd be shocked. Crappies didn't want anything to do with anything I had.

[me_fathead]

Slow morning on Tonka...at least for me. If anyone else was doing better I'd be shocked. Crappies didn't want anything to do with anything I had.

I took my daughter back to the 'Tonka spot I caught the northerns at last night thinking that if I caught two in 45 minutes last night they'd be nuts this morning.

Not even a flag. The weather change definitely put them off.

I was really hoping to have her catch her first northern.

[Breu18061]

pike fished tonka today. got a 6lber first thing in the morning, then dead the rest of the day.. I stopped at the crappie hole on the way out for a few minutes, catching two really nice 11 or 12 inch crappies (didnt measure). Then they stopped as well

[CatholicConis]

Glad to hear from the Pike hunters. I had my first success Saturday: two smaller northerns. Not trophies, but tasted great. I caught them in Gray's bay in 10 FOW in the weeds.

Obviously, don't give away your honey holes, but any general areas of success for northerns?

This is my first post. Love the forum.