metro area Metro Area Minnesota Fishing Reports & Ice Conditions

[Troy Smutka]

Bass and Muskies are going good again on the reefs on Waconia. It was slow for a few days after the fourth, so I spent a lot of my time picking up garbage out of the lake. Who litters the lakes they boat in?! Anyway, look on shallow hard bottom areas near weeds on the reefs with spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, or even topwater for bass and muskies early in the morning, and then move off the deeper weed edge of the same reefs as the sun gets higher and cast crankbaits along the edge. Weekdays are definitely better if you can swing it, as the weekends are extremely busy and will continue to be through Labor Day. Good luck!

[chrisonice]

Went out to tonka this morning with some friends....did ok, caught around 15 bass between the three of us, fishes range from 4" to 16". Two of them were smallies, they were hitting on topwater and plastic worm

[Deitz Dittrich]

Also fished tonka today.. was decent.. biggest was about 4.5lbs.. boat probably caught 25 fish for the day. Jigs on the outside edge with hard bottom was key.

[bear05]

Anyone know what the water temps are on Tonka? Thanks

[KTroller]

I saw 78 on the west end on Sunday

[hart0670]

went out on tonka today - really slow, although I only fished the middle of the afternoon. Water is super green, and the air temp was about 90 degrees, so things were pretty slow. Boated a few bass, nothing over "15 or "16 - also had decent one northern follow to the boat but didn't strike

[keepitreal]

Anybody have any decent action at browns bay shore fishing recently?

[Lakeside_Nelson]

Was out on Waconia Thursday and did very well on bass in the shallows. Largest was 3.75 but lots of fish. Tough fishing anywhere else with the wind the way it was. If only we could have made it for the morning bite not just the mid day to evening.

[rattlem'up]

If you dont mind me asking, what were you using to catch the bass? I was out there a couple weeks ago and didn't have any luck. thanks

[Lakeside_Nelson]

No problem, we were using some senko style baits and some swim jigs.

[CatholicConis]

Went out on Tonka this morning for a few hours before it got too hot. LOTS of guys launching at 530AM on a weekday! Everyone is beating the heat or using vacation time!

It was slow for me, but still fun. I caught 2 pike, 19" and 25". I kept the 25. I wasn't targeting bass but caught a tiny largemouth and one healthy 13.5 incher.

I'd be interested in how other guys did.

[boilerup]

I wish I had time to get out in the mornings! Anyone been doing any good In the evenings on Tonka?

[RickyBobby]

How's Prior looking these days (water temp and clarity) and how's the bass bite been?

Thanks in advance

[kurtkwe]

Fishing has been good for small bass all summer. Its really been tough for me to catch one over 1 1/2 lbs. In past years its seemed much better for big bass. I was out last weekend and found them in the open pockets within weeds in shallow water. I was fishing flyrod with poppers and picked up a dozen or so in a couple hours of early morning fishing. I talked to guys working deeper weed edges that were having similar luck with mainly smaller bass. Traffic was pretty light. Water clarity on lower Prior is decent for this time of year. Not sure on the water temp.

[Matt Johnson]

The shallow bite on Tonka is on. Been catching a lot of bass up along shorelines on wacky-rigs and jigs. Sure was nice for mother nature to throw some cooler temps our way... heated things up on Tonka!

[CatholicConis]

I agree, I spent too much time in deep water on Wednesday only to find bass at the end of my day in the shallows. Good news though!

[scott b]

Fished Friday night from 10:00pm-3:30am. Cold front conditions with a northwest wind blowing at 9mph. Caught a few crappies off the weed edges on inside turns (cups) that were facing the wind. Fish were suspended over 20 ft biting on a 1/32oz. orange jighead tipped with a minnow. Not bad considering I was prepared to catch nothing at all.

[boilerup]

I took my buddy out there last night and this morning. We had lots of action from both pike and bass. 8- 15 foot of water. Only one shallow catch. Tons of wind took away the potential for an awesome top water bite. Overall solid fishin.

[scott b]

Went out on monday morning till about 2:30pm. One 14in. walleye and ten bass of which only one had some shoulders on it. Fished from 9-26 ft. I think I'll stick to the night bite.

[ogrejce]

I have been catching all my big fish shallow last two weeks. Seeing alot of follows shallow too.

[scott b]

Ahhh the Muskie. This is why I can't find anything shallow.

[River Rocket]

Any one hit Tonka today, how was the bite? Thinking I would go out Sunday Morning for a bit, has the bite been good in the morning hours?

Thanks

[CatholicConis]

I was out Friday morning early. Water temp was 64. I was fishing for Northerns, and I think it's starting to pick up again. I even got my first muskie hit! Only one bass hit and I missed him.

[ogrejce]

I try for it all, going back at six am tomorrow. Hope to get musky, pike and bass.

[Kodiak]

was out on sunday 6am trolling for eyes with bena rig with crawler...water temp was 64 degrees, all i managed were dink perch...picked up my buddy at the ramp at 730 to go muskie fishing and got shutout. again.....

[Matt Johnson]

I spent most of the day on Tonka yesterday. Hit the water at a blustery 6:30am... dark, cold and rainy! Needless to say the early morning bite was not good and we could have slept in a few more hours and caught just about as many fish However, we sucked it up and pursued the elusive largemouth bass.

It wasn't until about 9am when things started to pick up. The clouds began to clear and the rain stopped, giving way to very short periods of sun. We found ourselves in a battle in the shallows. The fish were there and we were on their heels... nabbing one here and there for some consistent action until we left the lake around 1pm. Managed a few fish in the 3 pound range and slightly larger, but nothing quite 4 pounds. The 1-2 pounders were in full force and we found those all over. Caught our fish throwing wacky-rigged Comidas (Senkos, YUM Dingers, etc) or on buzzbaits. Gotta love buzzbaits when they produce!

A few exciting moments of the day include the hook-up of about a 50-inch muskie under a dock... it must have thought it was a bass because it bit like one. Fought the fish for a couple minutes but it eventually broke me off. 20# braid, no leader and a little hook doesn't always work the best when tussling with a 30+ pound fish We also tied into two more muskies before the day was done. Broke off on one of them that was low 40's and the other one we got up to the boat but was only low 30's. All came on wacky-rigged Comidas... they wouldn't touch the buzzbait with a Tyger leader and 30# braid

Overall it was a fun day on the water. Got to fish with a good client of mine and shared a lot of fishing stories and had some good laughs. Looks like some warmer weather in the 70's is coming our way... go out there and get 'em!!!

[FishinCT]

Might be a little late but I'm looking to hit Tonka or Waconia tomorrow for some bass. Just wondering what depths you guys are finding them at right now.

[edvedd91]

Anyone have an up to date water temp for Tonka?

[CatholicConis]

61 yesterday (Wednesday 9/22)

[Kodiak]

61 and pea soup on tonka sat night.