metro area Metro Area Minnesota Fishing Reports & Ice Conditions

[trappingaddiction]

Any dead pike?

[TKOGWEE]

We didn't see any dead pike, but boy was it stinky on on the south shore.

[anprickette72]

Went out on Tonka last evening and looks like the Crappies are starting to come in shallow... it's about time. Caught 20-30 small to eater size Crappies that we safely released since I didn't want to clean fish on a work night. We didn't catch any monsters though - maybe the bigger ones are yet to come with the soon to be here warm weather... I hope.

[joedavis]

Was out on Tonka last night as well with my two boys, lots of numbers in the shallows, but pretty small size. Oh well, at least it was enough to keep my 4 year old interested. My six year old does pretty well even if the bite is poor, but my younger son gets bored fairly quickly.

Some day we'll find size and numbers!!!

I know that from a fisheries biology standpoint, it's best to let the fewer, larger fish go (better genetic stock, more spawning capability, helps size distribution, etc.) So when it comes to panfish, what do all of you generally consider "eater" size? We through back alot of 6-7" sunfish and 7-8" crappies last night...kept one 9" crappie for the kids bedtime snack.

[jwmiller33]

I hit Minnetonka yesterday and today. Yesterday, I left the boat at home and hit a shore spot with my buddy that he found a couple days ago. It was a shallow back bay, about 3-5 ft deep in the majority of the bay, with a ton of fallen trees and brush piles, perfect shallow panfish structure. We caught around 150 fish between us yesterday, with about a even mix of crappies to bluegills. Most of the fish were smaller, but we did manage a few nicer ones.

Today, we decided to leave the shore spot behind and search out some larger fish from the boat. Last weekend I did really well on the east end of the lake in Grays and Wayzata Bay. I decided to try the west side of the lake today and try some bays I have never been in before. The wind was nasty out there today and made boat control tricky, but the juice was definitely worth the squeeze. The first spot we fished was a weed edge in 4-8 fow. This spot was more of a "main lake spot", and with the wind rippin, we decided to search for calmer waters. We found a back bay with several docks in about 3-5 fow and did very well. We probably caught around 75 fish today between the 3 of us in the boat. Again, it was a pretty even mix of bluegills and crappies. 1/32 oz chartreuse jig tipped with a Mister Twister Exude Micro Shad has been the ticket. Chartreuse, Pearl White, Pumpkin Pepper, and Chartreuse/Black have all been great colors in the Micro Shad. I have also been using pearl white tubes and having just as much success with the tubes as the Micro Shad.

Tonka is one of those lakes with so much structure that you can fish a new piece of structure every time you are on the water and never run out of new spots to try. I strive to try something new everything I am on the water, and every time I go out on Tonka, it is a learning experience.

The panfish are moving into the shallows and are definitely biting! Get out there if you can and enjoy some really fun fishing! If you have kids, this is definitely the type of fishing that will keep them busy all day long

[Troy Smutka]

Crappies mixed with a few bluegills are biting on Waconia. Mostly small crappies (6 to 8") yet, with a few larger ones mixed in. As the water continues to warm, more big ones should show up in the shallows. Larger crappies, nice bluegills, and countless small bass are in the coves and bays on Prior and biting. Small jigs tipped with small Gulp! or Powerbait grubs, tubes, and minnows hung under a float are working on both lakes. As the fish get more agressive, try small jig spinners tipped with small plastics to cover water faster. When the big crappies come shallow and turn on at Waconia, try small crankbaits like a #4 Shad Rap or Jointed Shad Rap for some real fun. Enjoy the nice weather and the fast action, and take a kid out fishing. Stay safe and have fun.

[BronzeBrother]

If you get a chance to get out and fish today you better jump on it. The Bluegills are snapping like crazy. This hot day has pushed the bigger fish in super shallow. Like less then a foot of water. A plain white jighead tipped with Gulp minnows (One inch) or Gulp maggots have them chomping and fighting hard... Good luck

[mahannah]

What was the water temp on Tonka?

[jwmiller33]

around the mid 50s last Saturday depending on what bay you were in

[PerchJerker]

  jwmiller33 said:

around the mid 50s last Saturday depending on what bay you were in

I was out on Tuesday and Wednesday and found upper 50's to 65 in some spots. Fish were really going, this is a good time to be out there!

[catchem1986]

went out on opener did decent on the pannies cold and windy but found some crappie and gills in 3 to 4 fow with some veg on spring lake and also caught alot of 12 to 15in large mouth was using a small pink jig head and a white mister twister tail

[catchem1986]

was out on crystal last night for a couple of hours no crappies but caught 7 large mouth and a few gills but did watch a little girl fishing with her dad pull in about a 10 pound tiger!!!!!!

[ShoreGuy1984]

What was the water temp on Crystal? Did you see any bass on beds? Also, how is the water level?

Good job on the 7 bass! how big were they?

Ill be hitting up Crystal for bass opener

Thanks!

[catchem1986]

the graph aint working this year but i seen some big ol bucketmouths up in the beds in that back cove were it was shallow couldnt get the bigger ones to bite yet

[catchem1986]

just some smaller ones this was the biggest one abut 2 1/2 lbs not bad seeing how i was going for pannies

[ShoreGuy1984]

Nice!!! Im itchin for some fishin now =) Was it the big cove/bay that the lunch is kinda in, southwest cove?

[catchem1986]

yep thats the one there didnt even gander anywhere else on the lake

[Tator2k]

What are you targeting on the lake?

[catchem1986]

me pretty much anything that bites but i just fish it cause its close to the house but yeah crappie bass pike tigers

[ShoreGuy1984]

Cool! I fish that cove alot, I usually have more luck on the north shoreline though.

[Tator2k]

You can't target bass yet, is my point. It's pretty evident that's what you're doing. I've already seen COs on two south metro lakes this year.

[catchem1986]

i wasent targeting bass i said i saw them and i was out fishing for pannies and if they bite then so be it i was simply sayin i seen them and i was throwing a pink jig head with a mister twister tail for crappie and gills

[catchem1986]

and to top it off why would i target bass i only for pannies eyes and pike no bass

[cmalis27]

  catchem1986 said:

me pretty much anything that bites but i just fish it cause its close to the house but yeah crappie bass pike tigers

Doesn't sound like you are only targeting pannies. Just sayin.

[BassFisherman]

^+1

[Tator2k]

+2 That's what I was thinking.

[BassFisherman]

Yeah same here when i read it.

[trappingaddiction]

Went out today for about a half hour in the Anoka County area from shore and ended up with a 14 and 18.75 inch walleye. Also lost another fish that felt pretty decent. I caught both of the fish on a jig head with a green twister on it.

[mnvikes32]

Sounds like bass fishing Catchem......Wait a week why don't ya!

[ThunderLund78]

I have a friend who "Northern" fishes this time of year, too. I don't even go out with him before Memorial Day any more. Basically he's throwing spinners in the weeds and catching huge bass, sometimes on every other cast. when I ask him what he's gonna do when the DNR boats up, he says that he'll just tell him he's fishing for Pike. There's absolutely no challenge in fishing for bass that are defending their nests, plus it's not exactly good for the bass either. Lots of panfish would love to raid a nest as soon as the mother's pulled off it, plus it puts a stress on the spawning fish. Precisely why the season opens two weeks later.

Catchem, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since none of us were there and I've caught plenty of accidental bass on true panfish gear while specifically targeting crappies and sunnies. But when the list of fish you say you were "targeting" includes two species that legally are out-of-season than you should expect these types of responses.

Catching bass this time of year while panfishing is nearly inevitable. If you do get one, try as quick of a release as possible, don't even remove it from the water if you're able to get the hook out boat-side.

Please respect the resource for everyone's sake.