Albert Lea-Austin-Faribault-Mankato-Northfield-Waseca, Fishing Reports

[TruthWalleyes]

Fished a local lake yesterday from 2pm to when i realized the BCS game was starting...Fished in 24' close to the main basin. Lots of groups of houses around the basin, but none within 200yds of me... Red bars from the bottom to 8' below the ice. Crappies, Sunfish. Started using a medussa's head of wax worms on a jig and they'd scream up and grab it...Then i swithed to Euros...Same Story, then i ran out of each of those, so i put a minnow head on a jig and Bam...Fish continued to wack it. My bobber was going down consistently with a small to medium crappie minnow hooked in the side...After dark the bite was more selective, but if i had any more maggots i think i could've gottten more fish. Will be heading back out there tonight i think, trying to find some bigger fish out of this lake.

Colors were perch, green, yellow, orange, metallic...and the fish would climb over 10' at times to eat.

Sunfish towards the top, and crappies holding the lower portion of the water column.

[Jaspernuts]

My walleye spot continues to produce fish at sunrise and sunset in 18feet of water. Jiggin raps tipped with small shiners are working the best.

[MallardMut]

Fished a rice co lake tonight from 5-8, iced 1 small crappie and 2 nice slabs using a glow jig and euros. not the best bite but it could have been worse.

[caseih]

Was also out on a rice county lake yesterday from 8-10A.M. crappies were running good until the crowds came out, but did manage a good meal of nice sized fish. all in all it was a great norning

[TruthWalleyes]

Waseca county lake yesterday afternoon. Crappie bite was very consistent. 24 fow. Minnow heads only, really had to convince them to bite on a waxie. Only had 1 perch come in on a live minnow/deadstick. Picked up a bonus pike which was a lot of fun on a super ultralight rod with 4lb test...he came on a tear drop and minnow head.

[ted4887]

Nice fish Truth! Especially on an UL.

[no bait nate]

What a difference a couple days make....Fished one of my favorite local lakes today from 11:30-4:30. Excellent day to be on the ice with no wind and tolerable temps for no gloves. Hole hopping was key today and was quite nice with the sunshine. Started fishing 32' of water and had fish stacked from the bottom up the column about 10' off the bottom. Dropped down a firetiger size 12 Diamond jig tipped with spikes and fish would fire up and grab it as soon as it got within a few feet of them. Popped about 20 crappies within short order before I decided to move to another area in search of better quality. Found a school across the lake in 28'. I thought I had weeds on my flasher because they were so thick at the bottom. Same game, as soon as my jig got close they would shoot right up and nail it. This was a mix of crappies with lots of gills mixed in, but no real quality yet. After about an hour of that I moved to another area I had caught nice perch in a few years ago. Threw one tip up out in 13' and fished 21' where I was marking fish. Caught a few perch but nothing of great size. Not the hot action I had hoped for and didn't get anything on the tip up with shiner. Moved one final time at about 3 into 17' of water over some rocks. Got on a group of gills that were HUNGRY!!! Hit one after another constantly for the last hour and a half with many being quality size or bigger. Fished the Diamond Jig with scented plastics and couldn't keep them from chasing it before you got it down to the bottom. All in all it was the best day I've had on the ice this year, or maybe in a few years, with probably 75-100 fish making it through my ice hole, fishing one line all day, except for the tip up swing and miss. Fish are biting, get out there and find them!!

[Matt C]

Nice report Nate. Thanks! Have you dropped a camera down at all on these fish? Im wondering if its all craps n gills or if there are schools of bait fish with them?

[JosMN]

I had my camera down this past wkend and it was gills, crappies and shad. Most of the time it would be one group at a time. Did get a nice peek at a very very nice walleye roaming around! Had the camera set at about 26 FOW, could see clear as a bell with hardley any snow on the lake.

[no bait nate]

Nice report Nate. Thanks! Have you dropped a camera down at all on these fish? Im wondering if its all craps n gills or if there are schools of bait fish with them?

Hopefully a camera will be in the cards for next year! I did mark a large school of baitfish in one area, found out after jigging at them and pulling out a nice sized shiner

[Morneau132]

I did mark a large school of baitfish in one area, found out after jigging at them and pulling out a nice sized shiner

Sounds familiar

[HookEmHard84]

Dang Nate, nice work! A day like that, a guy could go through a LOT of doctor!! Hopefully I can get down there soon before we need waders to hit the ice in April again!

[catchnothing]

Wondering if there is a night bite on mazaska or any of the area lakes. Sucks to work 7 days week!!

I can only get out in the evenings.

Thank you

[Matt C]

I don't know about Mazska specifically for a 'night bite', But Circle Lake has always been rumored to be a very good night bite lake near the aerator.

[Grainbelter]

I made it out to mazaska a couple nights ago, made it out a little after 9 and popped a nice gill right off the bat and then 8 crappies in the next hour, but nothing after that. I mostly fish at night as well and never found anything really good.

[catchnothing]

Thanks fellas, I'll give it a try...

[CrappiesNCats]

got the skunk on fountain last night (AL) tried AL lake this morning and caught over 100 perch. seems about 19/20 of em are about pinky sized. Did the "well we aren't going to catch enough big ones to clean" so threw them back. ended up being a dozen or so. they were definitely not picky, but preferred red spikes over minnows a tad.

[catchnothing]

can anyone point me to the public access? thanks

[catchnothing]

ooops lake mazaska!!!! thanks

[Matt C]

Its right off of Hwy 21. Can't miss it. Where are you coming from and I can give you exact directions?

[catchnothing]

I'll be visiting a friend in fairbault after work friday. hope the weather don't turn the fish off. what would you recomend mazaska,francis or smaller lakes? thanks for the help..

[Matt C]

Well francis is a bit off from Farbo... But Mazaska and French have both been putting fish out. Roberds might be a good option as well. I have heard excellent reports from all 3 of those lakes recently.

[catchnothing]

sweet, thanks again. I'll be out there after i help him move in there house. I'll let you guys know how i do..

[missedoneagain]

Any word on Sheilds? I want to take our sleeper out with my family and try to get them on a decent catch tomorrow and sunday. Thanks

[mosquitoman]

was out on mazaska tonight form 3-7:30. set up in 12-17 fow on a break. saw a lot of perch and baitfish on the camera. got a few perch between 5"-8" and missed two big hits; one on a deadstick with pink frosty and had another hit on a chubby darter later in the night.

[shoecardbox]

have my wheel house on shields, they have been tight lipped as of late but if you do manage to get them to bite they seem to be decent sized that is of the crappie and eyes. Perch are abundant through out the day no real size though. Will be there tomorrow morning red house with white trim and I am up off the ice with boxes dropped through its a converted pop up camper. Stop bye if you see it.

[missedoneagain]

Thanks, Any spost I need to watch out for with the ice? How much you measure?

[mr marbles]

Whats going wrong down on fountain havent heard anyone hammering crappies lately, last winter was pretty good for me,i would put the vex down and always see and catch a few nice sized crappies and bluegills,but you had to jig them up constantly and watch the vex,no bobbers used!! this year i havent even got out! first time in 35 years,may be the dnr should throw in a few more eyes and a few northerns to thin them thumb sized perch {baitfish} out of Albert Lea lake then maybe it would produce a little better,it has been getting slower each year on AL lake last summer the weeds took over and slowed the boat fishing, im getting to think they should of not stocked northerns in fountain but they do also eat alot of small bluegills and sunnies i had a northern move in below my hole last year and sat there forever, that crushed my bite that nite! i hope it picks up soon ! good fishin to all!

[catchnothing]

got out last night and marked alot of fish but boy they were picky. had to use plastic! Alooot of window shoppers!!!!

[FishinCT]

Got out last night on french. In 32ft picked up 5 between 10-12" and about 10 others. Tough bite, had to do alot of coaxing. Glow jigs with minnows and waxies. All back in the lake..didn't really feel like cleaning fish.