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

[KyleM.]

we boated a 22, a 19, and a 15. Lot of fishing, not much catching but was nice day to get the kids out.

[Team Otter]

What are you guys seeing for water temps in your area?

52 - 56.

[fishingguy]

I went out alone on sat. had 2 nice crappies and an 18" walleye. Me and the gf sunday had 1 17"er. Not a bad weekend. got enough for a fresh meal of fish.

Great weather, and great boaters fishing the same area! It was a joy to fish around fellow anglers that were polite and had good manners. Had nice conversations with many in passing. At least a half dozen boats saw me catch and net the walleye I caught sat. I assumed I would have gotten swarmed in short order, but was wrong. No one pushed in on me and made I several passes over the same spot before anyone came within 100 yds. Even when a couple moved into the area I was, we all kept a good distance and no one cut each other off, ect... Made for an enjoyable, stress free weekend!! Even thou the fish didn't cooperate very well.

[KyleM.]

I went out alone on sat. had 2 nice crappies and an 18" walleye. Me and the gf sunday had 1 17"er. Not a bad weekend. got enough for a fresh meal of fish.

Great weather, and great boaters fishing the same area! It was a joy to fish around fellow anglers that were polite and had good manners. Had nice conversations with many in passing. At least a half dozen boats saw me catch and net the walleye I caught sat. I assumed I would have gotten swarmed in short order, but was wrong. No one pushed in on me and made I several passes over the same spot before anyone came within 100 yds. Even when a couple moved into the area I was, we all kept a good distance and no one cut each other off, ect... Made for an enjoyable, stress free weekend!! Even thou the fish didn't cooperate very well.

Same here with people, they saw me hook and land 22 incher was about 35 boats on the lake and everyone stayed way back they were quite well mannered suprised me. I guess common decency is still common thank god for that

[therat]

Went out Sunday evening looking for eyes with my waders and stumbled across the biggest school of white bass I've seen in years. They kept me busy for an hour or so with the help of a few (brownish) sheephead. No eyes! Beautiful evening!

[MrCrappie]

therat, what area/body of water were you at, if I may ask?

[love2fish4ever]

Today I found 56-58 degrees on Tetonka & 60-66 on Cedar (Rice Co.)

What I didn't find was fish Life without a trolling motor blows.

L2f

[Matt C]

Today I found 56-58 degrees on Tetonka & 60-66 on Cedar (Rice Co.)

What I didn't find was fish Life without a trolling motor blows.

L2f

Same here. Nadda, nothing, and with trolling motor. Every inch of lake mazaska.

[therat]

MrCrappie,

I was in the waterville area...one of the cannon ponds.

[walleyehunter80]

I have fished 2 different lakes this opener, went 1 for 1, a 16" walleye on saturday morning, Saturday night we went 10 for 11, 2-16" 1-19.5" 1-20.5" 4-8"to12" and 2-12" crappies water temps were 51-57 deg.

Josh

[ThunderLund78]

Most memorable opener I EVER had. Only two 'eyes between three of us, but we did get some pike in the process which was fun. when we needed a break from trolling and casting, we anchored in a shallow bay and got into some serious bull bluegills with a few 1-pounders in the mix. Few crappie still up in the shallows as well. Also got a few accidental but fun Largemouth when throwing shallow cranks for eyes and pike. Even a jumbo perch in the mix!!!

But what made it memorable was throwing a small rat'l trap over a wind-blown rocky point, 8lb test, no leader, and thinking I snagged a log. Motored up to where the line was seemingly snagged and pulled a HUGE Muskie to the surface. It sat there for about three seconds, enough for me and my two buddies to positively ID it as a muskie. Then it had enough of us, coiled it's body and exploded into a run, breaking me off on the log that I thought I had snagged in the process. Now I know where he lives. I will be back in three weeks with heavier tackle when I can legally target him!

[LMITOUT]

52 - 56.

Thanks. That's about what it is in the Hutchinson area, upper 50's. A month ago it was in the lower 60's.

[smnduck]

sat I had 57-54, shallow bite on the inside weed line was decent but not great.

[riverrat56]

I had temps up to 63 tonight.

[mr_jman]

Was out on the lake right at about 12 AM and ended up catching several crappies and 2 small eyes (those went back). Fished till 8:30AM and all night no more than about 4 boats on the lake. About 4am - 6am it was down to 1 other boat. The flood came out between 5 - 6:30AM and the lake was PACKED but like others have said, everyone was really nice and kept there distance and slowed down when passing or stayed far enough away! Fishing was also TERRIBLY SLOW in the daylight! Came back after fishing another lake from 4 - 7pm with no luck. By 7:30pm I was back on the lake and fished till 11:30pm and caught 2 nice perch, 4 small walleyes (all went back) and 2 very nice Crappies. Ended with 6 crappies and 2 perch to fillet up for my 15 hours of fishing on Saturday.

Eventually I'll get on some nicer walleyes, but at least I know where they hang out! Had what I'm sure was a nice one to the edge of the boat before it decided not to flop in there with me!

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER THOUGH!

[zepman]

I fished the majority of Monday on a local lake with not much to report other than the fish were NOT where we were. Fished lindys and jigs from about 8ft. to 35 ft. at several different locations with little to show for our efforts. Minnows (shiners, fatheads and crappie), leeches, and crawlers...didn't really seem to matter...it was just plain S-L-O-W!

[Jaspernuts]

I have been getting a few walleyes from 5:30 to 8am - After that they shut off. I will hopfully get out for a evening bite sometime this week. The daytime bite is non-existant for me.

[Matt C]

chirp, chirp chirp.

[ThunderLund78]

I'm guessing most are not catching much and those that are are keeping quiet

[stifler51]

yep havent heard to much word on the street lately, either ppl are being tight lipped or not much getting hooked.

[KyleM.]

yep havent heard to much word on the street lately, either ppl are being tight lipped or not much getting hooked.

picked up 5 eyes so far... that's with a lot of work and finesse tactics, 4lb tst and 8 ft leader w/ small split shot back trolling and drifting in 10-14 fow.

With East wind and such a large drop in Barometer, I'm thinking they have lockjaw.

[BlindSqrl]

I just got off the lake myself. I haven't been out for a morning fish this year, but the night fish is the way to go. I have been getting out 3-4 nights a week for the last couple of months (which is AWESOME) I have never been out this much this early, but back to the point. Getting out around 5:30 nothing much happens right away. 8-10 is where its at.

Salmo hornet #4 is the trick for me, I read about this lure on here last year and haven't had a fishless night on the lake since I listened and bought one. Trolling 7-12 fow has been working.

Good luck all!

[wplatehunter]

I've been up north. I hope to get out around here a few times next week.

[Comit 2]

Nick I like the pics of the Walleyes you and T,O cought. The wind blown shoreline in the pics looked like you had a real White Bass chop going.

Good job!

[walleyehunter80]

where are the pictures your talking bout?

[Rick]

Here are the pics of the nice fish again. More of the same last night, pitching shallow cranks to the windblown shorelines. Look for the shorelines with the steepest breaklines and focus on those areas. Keeper sized fish were oddly absent last night with alot of little guys put in the boat and a handful of fish in the 22-24" range.

Team Otter with a fat 24"er that smacked a Floating Rapala

Me with a 25" from the morning that fell to a Shallow Shad Rap

[Matt C]

I agree with the east wind....partially. I just don't think the fish like me anymore. I just wanna pet em! hehe

[harvey lee]

Nick

Did you get my e-mail?

[Matt C]

HL - He's up on Leech right now.

[Reid G]

The northern bite is really picking up on area lakes. Big spinnerbaits, hard swim baits, soft swim baits, over the cabbage weed.