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

[PDOGG]

I might take a dozen from ya on Saturday.

[Morneau132]

I fished with a college buddy on Madison and marked fish in 18 fow near or just east of the narrows and couldn't get a bite on a tinsel tail. Moved all the way down to Buckmasters and trolled hornets in hot perch and bluegill along the north east shore in 9 fow and didnt mark as fish or catch one. Tough bite for us.....

[Team Otter]

South Central MN Weekly Fishing Report, 5-5-09

Saturday, May 9, the start to the 2009 MN walleye fishing season is fast approaching and things are shaping up nicely on our area lakes for what should be a solid walleye bite. I hope you are able to take some time this weekend and enjoy it. Main lake water temperatures are between 50 - 56 degrees F, while some of the darker bottom bays are hanging in the high 50's and low 60's. This week's report continues to focus on panfish but next week, it'll include multi-species, of which many have been waiting all spring for. I wish you all the best of luck this weekend and through the open water season!

Back on task; the most active schools of pan fish continue to be found in 15 - 25' of water. They are definitely in a "holding" or staging pattern but thankfully, they are still willing to bite. One of the better locations is to be less than a stone's throw from their spawning grounds. So, if you know where the pan fish spawn, you have an advantage. It is worth mentioning, though, that some fish have started their migration to these spawning areas. If you know of any backwater-type areas that may have some warmer and/or moving water present, don't be afraid to give these types of areas a look. Some of the better presentations this past week have been Jiggin' Raps, tube jigs and hair jigs. Fish light, slow and vertical. If you're not getting bit, change colors until you do and then stick with it. This past week, live bait has not been necessary.

PLEASE READ: It remains important to handle these pre-spawn fish very carefully and only keep what you need if that's something you're out to do. Let the females go! Protecting our resource is of the utmost importance.

_________________________

[smnduck]

Pretty good action on a mankato area lake. 7'-15' edge of the spawning area like TO mentioned. Had to switch lures evry so often to keep the bite going. The milk run type of fishing worked well. It helps to know the spawning areas, study your lake maps and bottom composition and it will not take long.

[smalltownboi2008]

after fishing the first day of opener i found the walleyes on a local area lake near the mankato area. they are hitting live bait with jigs. look in shallow water near transition lines and rocks near by. look along the edge of weedlines as well.

[pikerliker]

I spent about 3& 1/2 hours on Lura yesterday morning with a buddy. We tried slip bobbering and jigging near shore, we also tried dragging some lindy rigs and drifting across the lake basin. Not one bite, or one fish. Hope your opener was better!

~piker

[Team Otter]

  pikerliker said:

I spent about 3& 1/2 hours on Lura yesterday morning with a buddy. We tried slip bobbering and jigging near shore, we also tried dragging some lindy rigs and drifting across the lake basin. Not one bite, or one fish. Hope your opener was better!

~piker

piker, we need to go for a boat ride this summer.

[stifler51]

  pikerliker said:

I spent about 3& 1/2 hours on Lura yesterday morning with a buddy. We tried slip bobbering and jigging near shore, we also tried dragging some lindy rigs and drifting across the lake basin. Not one bite, or one fish. Hope your opener was better!

~piker

sounds like u were in the same boat as us, went to cannon near fbo, wind was a little strong but kept the boat moving perfect to drift lindy rigs off a few points we've produced on in the past. didnt get anything off that. Moved over by the bridge where again we have produced in the past and didnt get anything there. there was about a dozen on shore and we only saw one fish pulled there. talked to 5 other boaters as they got off the lake at the same time and everyone said the same thing.

[Grainbelter]

We also tried cannon from 5am to 10am and only came up with a sucker........

I don't know that I'll ever figure out walleye fishing down here!!!

[BezD40]

You guys are a head of me. I didnt even get out this weekend.

[MNice]

Fished cody from 9 till noon on Sat. Zip. Still nice to be out though!

[luckycrank]

  Grainbelter said:

We also tried cannon from 5am to 10am and only came up with a sucker........

I don't know that I'll ever figure out walleye fishing down here!!!

THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER TASTY FISH TO FISH FOR !

[Muddog]

One on a Hot-N-Tot and one on a Crawler.

One for ma and pa and One for Ma inlaw.

There were others caught just two came home.

I found them in 10FOW with hard bottom at the base of a drop off.

Eric, you left to early!!!

[smalltownboi2008]

i fished madison lake from 9am till 415pm today and fishing was really slow. not many fish being caught and the ones that were it took some effort. i ended up bringing home 7 nice sized crappies. size ranged from 8 to 12 inches. all where black crappies. i trolled the narrows back and forth 3 times, and along all the points. some produced greater then others but no walleyes. ended up anchoring down in the middle of the narrows in 22 fow just on the outside edge and ended up catching 3 sheephead, few crappies, some big sunfish and believe it or not ended up catching a nice bullhead. crappies have moved location but are still in shallow water for the most part. bright colors seemed to be the trick today with crappie minnows. planning on heading out early tomorrow morning and giving it a try all day once again. ill post a report later in the evening.

[yamydude]

md looks the the bite picked up after we left mom and dad will be happy i wish i could have stayed longer but i had to go to work im going to try to get back out in the morning if i can find the time otherwise ill be there on wed.

[pikerliker]

TO I'd love to get out with you if our schedules work out. I would love to learn a few things from the neighborhood pro.

Thanks ~piker

[Team Otter]

South Central MN Weekly Fishing Report, 5-12-09

The much anticipated 2009 MN walleye fishing season has come and gone. The weather actually cooperated for the most part, especially considering what it's usually like. For some, the bite started slow but gathered speed as the weekend went along while others struggled all together. Location proved to be the key more than anything. Whether it is a shallow or deeper bite you're focusing on, think rocks, both on the shoreline and as the bottom content. When fishing shallow, draggin' 1/32 - 1/16 oz. jigs and minnows in 3 - 6' of water is working but if looking deeper, troll small profile crank baits between 1.5 - 2.0 mph. If trolling, change colors until making contact and then hone in on that color pattern as much as possible. Another thing to consider is that if the trolling bite slows but you still feel there are fish in the area, change to slip bobbers and leeches or minnows. Main lake water temperatures are between 55 - 60 degrees F, while some of the darker bottom bays are hanging in the high 50's and low 60's.

Very little to nothing has changed with the crappie and bluegill bite. Pan fish are still being found in 15 - 25' of water but more and more are making their way into shallow water and/or their spawning areas. One of the better locations continues to be less than a stone's throw from their spawning grounds. Again, too, if you know of any backwater-type areas that may have some warmer and/or moving water present, don't be afraid to give these types of areas a look. Some of the better presentations this past week have been Jiggin' Raps, tube jigs and hair jigs. Fish light, slow and vertical. If you're not getting bit, change colors until you do and then stick with it. This past week, live bait has not been necessary.

[PDOGG]

Nice fish Muddog! Hope to see something like that on Saturday!

[Muddog]

Quote:

Nice fish Muddog! Hope to see something like that on Saturday!

We should me able to boat a few if we are willing to do the work.

[Team Otter]

  Muddog said:

Quote:

Nice fish Muddog! Hope to see something like that on Saturday!

We should me able to boat a few if we are willing to do the work.

Forewarning to ALL who are fishing in South Central MN this Saturday:

Looks like PDOGG and Muddog will be in the same boat.

[Matt C]

  Team Otter said:

Originally Posted By: Muddog

Quote:

Nice fish Muddog! Hope to see something like that on Saturday!

We should me able to boat a few if we are willing to do the work.

Forewarning to ALL who are fishing in South Central MN this Saturday:

Looks like PDOGG and Muddog will be in the same boat.

haha! yeah, glad I am 'working' at that time

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

  bunt2k said:

Originally Posted By: Team Otter

Originally Posted By: Muddog

Quote:

Nice fish Muddog! Hope to see something like that on Saturday!

We should me able to boat a few if we are willing to do the work.

Forewarning to ALL who are fishing in South Central MN this Saturday:

Looks like PDOGG and Muddog will be in the same boat.

haha! yeah, glad I am 'working' at that time

And the word 'working' is used very losely!!

[Matt C]

Yes sir.

[PDOGG]

  Team Otter said:

Forewarning to ALL who are fishing in South Central MN this Saturday:

Looks like PDOGG and Muddog will be in the same boat.

We will try to stay incognito!

[Muddog]

Quote:

Forewarning to ALL who are fishing in South Central MN this Saturday:

Looks like PDOGG and Muddog will be in the same boat.

No need to worry, unless you feel the need to hurry up and get in front of me when I'm trolling. I may be to busy watching the depth finder and GPS to see you!

Who let the dogs out????????????????

[Morneau132]

  Muddog said:

Who let the dogs out????????????????

That's funny right there!

[Team Otter]

MD, show that crazy sturgeon fishermen a thing or two about trolling.

[Grainbelter]

Took the kids out to the sunfish factory that is Kelly/Dudley last night. Found the little rascals out in 17' of water still, was kinda hopeing they had moved a little shallower by now but oh well. Kids caught a couple then found my plastic worms so they played "worms" while I fished. Ice jig with gulp maggot anywhere from 4' down to the bottom. Flasher hepled get the bigger ones (relative to kelly/dudley!!) that were suspended, just like ice fishing from the boat. Was nice to catch fish in calm water without the wind for a change!!!

A little blurry but managed one a hair over 8" compared to the million little ones

[Morneau132]

Congratulations Grainbelter for getting your kids hooked on fishing! That had to be a fun evening and will be one of countless memories you'll cherish forever! Nice sunnie for KD

[Matt C]

Very nice fish for KD.