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

[isudoc03]

Trolled a jig and minnow today and caught few decent crappies and a nice 22" walleye all in 7-12 ft of water. Lot of boats on Madison.

[sheepheadslayer]

I also found the smallies this weekend. Sure was fun wish I had some pics but went out alone both sat and sun. Maybe tonite.

[PDOGG]

This weekend found me fishing alot with the young ones and friends so our main target's where panfish and let me tell you the bite is ON! I found them in every stage of the spawn and at all differant depths depending on the body of water and time of day. Number one presentation was a tube jig under a float with jigging raps a close second. Get them kids out there cuz for them it doesn't get much more enjoyable then now.

[zepman]

Had mine out all weekend PDOGG and it was a blast. We switched back and forth between crappies and bass and today we really found a thick stretch of bass. Probably landed between 30-40 bass between 12"-19". Kids absolutely loved it...but not as much as their dad! Great weekend of fishing!!

[Team Otter]

South Central MN Weekly Fishing Report, 5-27-09

The spring weather (wind included) continues to put a hamper from time to time on our open water fishing here in southern MN. But if you were able to get out this past week, you know as much as I that the fish are biting regardless of the species you're after. If it's walleye, the bite did slow a touch from last week but it's only because they really seem to be on the move right now. So, keeping up with their changes has not been the easiest but who doesn't love a challenge. The deeper bite that was on a tear last week remained fairly consistent but the fish pushed themselves in a touch shallower, nudging along the outside edges of submergent vegetation that is now starting to show itself on nearly every area lake. Also, if there are deep rocks available, give a spot like that some of your time too. 18 - 24' is a good depth range to focus on now. If you're wanting to fish slow, use as light a jig as possible and tip with a leech or night crawler but be prepared to catch more than just walleyes (i.e. pan fish and rough fish). If you'd like to sort through these other species, pick up your speed a little and fish with a bottom-bouncer (or 3-way) and spinner/night crawler combination. The shallow bite is taking shape more and more each day but the obstacle has been declining water levels on area lakes. Many spots that have held fish in previous years are now dry land, so it's going to take some adjustments to remain successful throughout the summer. For now, though, continue draggin' 1/32 - 1/16 oz. jigs and minnows or trolling small profile crank baits between 1.5 - 2.0 mph in either 3 - 6' of water or 7 - 11' of water. 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 slowly working their way into the mid-60's but it's not happening overnight.

Walleye fishing not your thing? Don't fret; the pan fish bite was on fire last week and that bite has continued! The time is now for targeting crappies and 'gills and what's even nicer is that most fish are starting to move shallower and shallower by the day. They are being found in 10 - 18' of water and in their spawning areas. One of the better locations continues to be less than a stone's throw from their spawning grounds in and around some deeper transition areas that move from gravel to mud. However, there have been some darn nice catches coming from 1 - 7' of water too. Some of the better presentations this past week have been Jiggin' Raps, tube jigs and hair jigs. Fish light, slow and vertical.

[Reid G]

Anyone hear anything about a musky caught on Tetonka over the weekend?

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

I heard about it second hand that there was a nice one caught but that is all the info I got on it. I don't know the size.

[NTW]

I caught wind of a 54 incher third hand. Gas station attendant told a coworker...

[eyepatrol]

Tried fishing 2 different lakes today. By far, this is the worst season I've ever had. Got blanked on both lakes and didn't see any panfish in the shallows either.

[love2fish4ever]

Sorry to hear that, but I've experienced the same scenerio, other than on one lake & I've done fairly well, but nothing noteworthy. So Far by reading most posts on here I'm in the wrong areas at the wrong times. It'll all come around though, just takes persistence. L2f

[Team Otter]

Tried fishing 2 different lakes today. By far, this is the worst season I've ever had. Got blanked on both lakes and didn't see any panfish in the shallows either.

Eric,

What's your plans for this Monday, June 1?

[MinnesotaMongo]

My son and I just got off a local lake - and they were definitely deeper - 24 feet for some schools. We got another mixed bag of Crappie (biggest almost hit 11 inches) nice sunnies and a bonus decent sized perch.

Has anybody else noticed that they are definitely holding on transitions gravel/mud in the deep? It was cool to see my son start putting all this stuff together with the locator. He's getting pretty good at following the schools.

Gulp was the ticket again. Even when I switched to tubes - they still bit, but bit a lot better when I sweetened it with some Gulp waxies.

Lots of boat traffic - although it seemed that everybody was hunkered down, working harder than before.

Beautiful night...

[PDOGG]

Has anybody else noticed that they are definitely holding on transitions gravel/mud in the deep?

Yes, I haved preached this a couple times. Has no one listened? I have also found the schools much tighter on bright calm days like tonight!!

[PDOGG]

Tried fishing 2 different lakes today. By far, this is the worst season I've ever had. Got blanked on both lakes and didn't see any panfish in the shallows either.

Panfishing has definitly been better deep 16-30fow then shallow so far this year. Almost unbelievable at times!! Did have a couple good days shallower this past weekend in 8-10fow but the ultra shallow stuff has yet to pick up for me but then again haven't had to risk the bass factor and fish shallow that much either?

[MinnesotaMongo]

Originally Posted By: MinnesotaMongo

Has anybody else noticed that they are definitely holding on transitions gravel/mud in the deep?

Yes, I haved preached this a couple times. Has no one listened? I have also found the schools much tighter on bright calm days like tonight!!

THAT'S WHERE I HEARD IT. I don't have original thoughts - so I must have got it from you - and WA LA - it's all true - we saw it first hand, time and time again - my son actually started looking for transitions and then hunting from there. It was an educational night!!

I did notice that the school were very tight, sometimes they looked like a tornado from "The WIzard of Oz" - tight on the bottom then fanning out sideways and bigger. Interesting...

Thanks PDOGG!

[CrappiesNCats]

Originally Posted By: eyepatrol

Tried fishing 2 different lakes today. By far, this is the worst season I've ever had. Got blanked on both lakes and didn't see any panfish in the shallows either.

Panfishing has definitly been better deep 16-30fow then shallow so far this year. Almost unbelievable at times!! Did have a couple good days shallower this past weekend in 8-10fow but the ultra shallow stuff has yet to pick up for me but then again haven't had to risk the bass factor and fish shallow that much either?

transition zones? like the rocks to sand to grass to mature tree ones on Madison?

[PDOGG]

Mongo I think you have more original thought's then I have hair on my head. But those schools are unbelievable!! I've been meaning to take a pic of the Lowrance when I find them but for some reason I rather just catch the fish!

[PDOGG]

That was a good transition wasn't it Dave?

[Matt C]

Hit Mazaska tonight from 7pm till 9:45pm.

Right off the bat nailed a piggy 8" sunny. He was FAT. Weedline 10FOW. (plastics) Hit a few more in the 6" range.

Made a move to 1.5 to 2.5 FOW. Demolished the crappies with leeches. They hit aggressive! Mostly male in the 8-10" range. Also a boat load of sunny's that were smallish.

Had a 3~ 4 lb green carp. I will admit was fun on my ultra light and 4lb mono.

Lost a very large fish (northern) in the shallows also. It took a good 50 yards of my line before it broke off.

I will be back out there Monday all day, and have room for 2 or 3 ( i am flying solo) if anyone cares to catch dinner for their family!

[riverrat56]

Matt, gimme a call, if I don't head to Green for the day I'll be there!

[Matt C]

Will do.

[Muddog]

I went out to a local lake yesterday around 5PM with my wife. We did a little trolling (big news there) along the weed lines and had a few strikes but no fish. So we changed things up and drifed along the weed line and threw our lures to them. This was a perfect time to try out some of my newer big stuff. So I started throwing a Big Game Woodchopper/"Amazon Ripper" (a top water lure). I guess it's a hybrid of the two. Well it was getting late so there wasn't alot of time. After a few cast I had a Northern Pike strike the lure from below, blowing the lure and the fish 2 feet out of the water. I didn't get a hook into it. A few cast later I had a much larger one come in from behind, making a wake and over taking the lure. After a short fight it throw the lure.

Now that is fun fishing! I have replaced the hooks with ones with a wider gap and I am now waiting to go back out to do it again. It's fun stuff.

[love2fish4ever]

Went to a favorite Rice Co. lake last night looking for bass mainly or action in general.We found more pike than bass all of them were in the weeds that were about 6"-12" under the surface in 4-6 ft. of water. They were in pretty concentrated areas as most of the areas we tried produced nothing & had us scratching our heads, but when we were on them, we were on them, all between 23"-25". Tried a variety of baits & presentations, but ended up getting most on tandem black spinnerbait lift & dropped & a B minus cranked & paused.Couldn't get a bass to touch plastics.?? This was in the last two hours of daylight.Went to Shields this a.m., I couldn't get anything going, too much wind & clear skies for my liking, but saw quite a few people out. L2f

[Reid G]

White bass were active, topwater, on tetonka this morning.

[KTapper]

White bass were active, topwater, on tetonka this morning.

I love fishing for whites! Sounds like fun with topwater.

[Reid G]

Originally Posted By: Reid G

White bass were active, topwater, on tetonka this morning.

I love fishing for whites! Sounds like fun with topwater.

Schooling near the surface in 20+ foot of water, small poppers and wtd baits. Make sure the trolling batteries are charged, gotta keep chasing em.

[riverrat56]

Reid, How do you go about locating them suspended like that? Can you see them on the electronics or is it just a cast and hope type of thing?

[Reid G]

It was calm this morning and you could see ripples and occasionally a dorsal fin on the surface as the school was swimming. Cast in front of the school and start twiching the skitter pop/pop-r/spook jr.

[David L]

Hit Mazaska tonight from 7pm till 9:45pm.

Right off the bat nailed a piggy 8" sunny. He was FAT. Weedline 10FOW. (plastics) Hit a few more in the 6" range.

Made a move to 1.5 to 2.5 FOW. Demolished the crappies with leeches. They hit aggressive! Mostly male in the 8-10" range. Also a boat load of sunny's that were smallish.

Had a 3~ 4 lb green carp. I will admit was fun on my ultra light and 4lb mono.

Lost a very large fish (northern) in the shallows also. It took a good 50 yards of my line before it broke off.

I will be back out there Monday all day, and have room for 2 or 3 ( i am flying solo) if anyone cares to catch dinner for their family!

where on Mazaska were you? I fished for 6 hours in the shallows and couldnt get a crappie off a jig minnow combo.

[Muddog]

Quote:

How do you go about locating them suspended like that? Can you see them on the electronics or is it just a cast and hope type of thing?

White Bass will chase bait fish the the surface for easier feeding. As Reid, said when the water is calm you can see the activity and keeping up with them can be a bigger challenge then catching them!