metro area Metro Area Minnesota Fishing Reports & Ice Conditions

[Choco Taco]

Hart0670,

I am not an experienced pike guy by any means but maybe try slowing down your presentation. I caught a really nice size pike just drop shotting the other week. I used a zoom fluke on the drop shot rig in about 15 fow. Pike nailed it on the first cast. Just a suggestion when the fast moving stuff doesn't work.

[fishuhalik]

Give Grey's Bay a try. It's basically a big weed flat, about 8-10 fow. Roll a spinnerbait in any variation of white along the tops, and you shouldn't have a problem tying into some pike or muskies. Also, I'd recommend getting rid of a leader if you are using one. These fish see a couple dozen baits a day and they're smart, especially the decent sized ones

[Twins 57 Fan]

I fished lake waconia for walleyes last night. Trolled raps for a while with no luck. Then switched gears and fished slip bobbers in 16 FOW off Kegs Reef. Caught one 14 incher and lost a big one.

Would haver made my night to catch him but thats why its called fishing and not catching.

[WALLEYENUTZ]

Fished a couple of Fridays ago and did pretty well on the bass. Wind made it difficult. all fish caught in less than 3 feet of water.

Twins57fan - you couldn't catch a fish if I put it on your hook.

[hart0670]

Thanks for the responses, went out last night on tonka and did alright, actually caught two pike, smaller but oh well, was happy just to catch some! Also did well on bass in the 8-12 fow

[Twins 57 Fan]

I will get another chance at that big walleye before the year is through.

[Troy Smutka]

Still lots of nice panfish along the inside weed edge and into the weeds a bit on Waconia. Took some clients out tonight (Father, son, grandson) and caught some nice gills mixed in with smaller ones while hiding from the wind. Found an area of cabbage near the inside weed edge and proceeded to catch nearly a hundred crappies, mostly 8 to 11 inchers, but a couple bigger and a couple smaller. They were taking soft plastics on a 1/16 oz. jig under a float, but a 1/16 oz jig with plastic and a jig spinner slow-rolled through the tops of the cabbage worked the best--fish almost every cast. Got chased off by rain showers, but not before we caught 130 to 150 fish in three hours. Only one small bass, but they didn't seem to care. I encountered a couple of interesting people at the landing last week, Moonie. Will hit Tonka on Monday and will get a report out about northerns, hart0670. Good luck and be safe out there.

[Moonie]

Smuts... Thanks for the report! I'll be heading out to waconia tomorrow morning... Hopefully the wind and rain will hold off. I'll be trying for bass and muskies but can't pass up some good panfish... I'll have to give that a try too. Any specific color or area for the crappies? or just anywhere along the inside weeds? moon100m at hotmail

Thanks! I'll update when I get back tomorrow.

[MedicineMan]

Got out on a west metro lake wensday. I ended up catching 8 Bass, 9 Pike, and 3 Walleye's.

[Moonie]

Went out to Waconia this morning... caught a bunch of bass, one at around 5-5.5 pounds... Had one Musky on around 45 inches that took me into the weeds after a 15 minute fight... Lost it HEARTBREAKING! I'll be thinking of that one for a while.

[B K'S DAD]

Me and buckkiller might go out tonight or in in the morning to waconia we have not been out on waconia in some time any tips.

[PostFrontal]

Hart, put your boat in 16 feet of water cast onto the weedline with a small bucktail or spinner and slow down when you are reeling in.

You can then go into the bay with a spinner and throw over the weed flats. Make sure to be in a bay that has holes and different edges to the weeds, not one big weed mat.

[B K'S DAD]

Thanks we got out on waconia and fish 2 hour, 1 musky 39 1/2" and 3 walleyes it was good.

[rippin_lips_09]

Anybody know any good spots on prior lake for bass fishing. going tho head out there later today and am looking for a little help.

[Jethro80]

Your options are limited on prior today.

It was a zoo yesterday so I could only assume it would be today.

Good sunburning weather but the fishing was slow.

[mrfish1991]

went to carls lake in Lakeville. Caught a bunch of crappies and 2 bass that were +2.5lbs. The hot set up was a slipbobber, plain hook, and a crappie minnow set about 6-7 feet down

[B K'S DAD]

Went out to waconia again on Saturday evening I had a muskie in the upper 40's had the boat 3 times but it manage to get off. And 1 pike 30" long

[Troy Smutka]

Hit Tonka today. No big bass today, but lots of them from 14 to 18 inches. Added three pike from 29 to 33 inches, and had a musky in the mid 40's follow. When the sun got high and the wind died, we switched to panfish and caught dozens of big bluegills mixed in with a lot of small ones, and on one spot found a large group of nice crappies up to 12 inches. Caught all of the fish on the outside weed edges--one shoreline weed edge and three offshore reefs. Bass and pike came on #7 Frenzy Flicker Shads, #7 Jointed Shad Raps, and DT 10's. Panfish were on 1/16 oz. jigheads with a jig spinner tipped with Gulp! 2.5 inch minnows trimmed shorter, and on tiny Glass Shad Raps. Good luck!

[OnAFly]

Small spinner jigs with trimmed GULP! minnows is one of my favorite methosd for catching panfish. They tend to produce bigger fish as well as good numbers and work well for deeper water.

[Troy Smutka]

That's for sure! They are versatile enough that you can run them right below the surface or let them fall several feet and then crawl them back to the boat. This way you can fish panfish suspended at almost any level. I catch a lot of pike, bass, and even walleyes on them as well, including some surprisingly large ones.

[MNfishtrapper]

That's for sure! They are versatile enough that you can run them right below the surface or let them fall several feet and then crawl them back to the boat. This way you can fish panfish suspended at almost any level. I catch a lot of pike, bass, and even walleyes on them as well, including some surprisingly large ones.

Smuts, thanks for all the great tips! Haven't had a chance to really try em yet because we've been up north chasing my ol' walleye's the last few weekends. In general, we've been having really good luck on Leech and Vermillion but now that the water is plenty hot and the mayflies have been in full effect the eye action is tapering off until the fall cool down. So, I'll be hitting the local lakes hard for daytime pike, muskies and bass this weekend. Minnetonka and Waconia are on the ajenda as they're close by incase I get called to work this week! Cant wait to try out some new raps Iv'e picked up on sale at the store! I'll post any success I have!

[Twins 57 Fan]

Waconia. Slow going tonight because of the cold weather. One Walleye 16 3/4 inches, a HUGE sheephead, and a few bluegills.

17 FOW just off the weed line of a main lake reef using a slip bobber and a blue jig with a leech.

[Twins 57 Fan]

Waconia again last night. Fished from 6-9:30. We caught 4 Walleyes, 4 sheephead, and a bluegill before the leeches ran out. Same story, 17 FOW off of a main lake reef using slip bobbers and jigs.

Kind of funny the guys that come and fish right next to you after you pull up a few fish.

[rippin_lips_09]

Has anyone on here fished spring lake by prior? I was out there and just couldn't get a pattern together for bass. I mixed up everything in the arsenal. any help would be appreciated

[Iceman73]

Nothing like hooking into what you think is a nice walleye and pulling it up and it's a sheepshead. Had a similar experience and it was a dogfish. Thanks for the info Twinsfan.

[Twins 57 Fan]

No kidding. Those sheephead put up quite a fight, even though they are ugly it helps pass the time and keeps you busy.

I will be going out again tomorrow night. I will post results.

[rangerforme]

Catch a 8lb sheephead when you are fishing for smallmouth bass, you'd swear even when you see it coming up you have the state record. They are shaped just like a smallie and look like them down in the water. Talk about a let down:)

[rippin_lips_09]

For all the years i've fished waconia i've never caught a sheephead.

[Twins 57 Fan]

Be careful what you wish for Rip

[rippin_lips_09]

Not wishing to catch one, but i guess after saying it now the next time i'm out thats all i will catch.