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

[riverrat56]

TO already summed up the area we were fishing in, but I will add a little too it. What I was looking for was any type of out of the way area that had a few differnt types of structure in close proximity and also was a "pinch point" I struck out a few of the more obvious ones on the lake so I headed into an area that had deep water adjacent to it but also a nice slow break that formed an inside turn and led into shallower water. The area had a mud bottow but we were not too far from a hard bottom area. Fish were roaming through there, I do not think they were activly feeding in the area but rather moving to and from feeding areas and becoming opportunistic feeders when given a chance.

We could not park on top of a school but it wasn't uncommon to catch 3 or 4 fish from a single hole only to have it go dead in a matter of seconds.

What I can take from fishing today is that finding the fish is the biggest challenge right now, once located they can be caught but most fish are tighly schooled and roaming.

[harvey lee]

I don't know if I could even find what you are describing Nick.

[riverrat56]

I had to find it first, then figure out what it was....

[blue_healer_guy]

If your fishing deep water lakes, focus on the mud, anywhere.

[Team Otter]

I don't know if I could even find what you are describing Nick.

That's funny TH. Deep water troughs, trenches and saddles with other stuff nearby works too.

[harvey lee]

For panfish, I always concentrate on a large mud flap for the roaming crappies.

[Team Otter]

Yosemite Sam mud flaps are especially good this time of year. Ha!

[BK19]

yeah im totally lost now! i guess that is why i dont go out much cause i dont really know where to go maybe ill never get it

[Cold_blood]

after a while you'll figure out a pattern that the fish are i just pop holes til i find them

[Scott K]

Nick, TO what were you using for bait, and lures?

[mrwalleyee]

Struck out last night. Hit second point in 23'. I got real lazy and didn't move at all. Only had 4 fish from 5-7 on the locator. Sniffed but never took the offering. Aggressive jigging brought them in, and not even a bait and switch would work. Man, am I sick of the wind this year!

[riverrat56]

Fiskas, Diamond Jigs, and Marmooska's were the top choices, tipped with a waxie or eurolarva.

[Scott K]

Thanks Nick!

[Team Otter]

Nick, TO what were you using for bait, and lures?

Yup, like Nick said, I'm a Fiska kind of guy. Today, I went with the same thing but added plastics to the mix. The afternoon started very well but then the crowds formed, the fish scattered and then it was time for lots of foot traffic. This evening, though, things quieted down and the fish moved right back in just not in the numbers like yesterday.

[Cold_blood]

fish were there today but didn't wanna bite on the waxie switched to a slug bug and got a couple but not very active

[7outof10]

like cold blood said i was on the same lake took some work but i came home with 12 nice keepers but the spring bober was a must to day

[eyepatrol]

I've caught more pannies on a black marmooska over the years than I can shake a stick at. Definitely my go-to jig, but alas I'm out of them and couldn't find them, so I went with black Fiskas and Diamond jigs which I'm sure will do just fine.

Nice little horiz. profile and I'm a big, big fan of using black.

[bdafisher]

I went out on French Sunday afternoon, tons of people out there and it was a beautiful day. Put five holes in the ice, marked fish right away. Threw everything I had at them, minnows(heads and wholes) spikes, waxies, plastics. Tons of lookers and ZERO bites in 2+ hours. Anyone else have any luck?

[KTapper]

I was out on Sunday 7-11am and marked tons of fish. I also seriously used every lure I had in my tackle box. They would come up so fast take a look and leave just as fast as they got there. I was fishing White Bass, and Walleyes.

[2 DA GILLS]

Made it out Sunday afternoon for a few hours to target panfish. Gills were my primary target during this trip. I decided I would start by fishing memories. I headed to an area where I had found them last year and it just so happened this spot was away from the groups of people. I ended up not hitting the exact spot and after drilling about 10 holes, I found I was in 30 fow. After fishing 2 unproductive holes, I was thinking more holes may be required. I decided to simply jump holes with the Vexilar before firing up the auger again. Three holes into hole jumping I marked fish. Dropped a line and started getting bites immediately.

I did find the bite to be very light for the most part and detected less than 25% of the bites by feel. The majority of the bites were detected by watching the line. I also found a dead drop to work well. No jigging with a slow drop of the bait triggered the biggest gills. When the line goes slack there is a taker on the end of the line. The fish were mainly 3 to 5 feet off the bottom, but at the peak of activity had fish up to 10 feet off the bottom. I was using a red tungsten Fiskas (tungsten needed for the depth) tipped with a waxie. At about 4:30 pm, the screen went clear and they were gone. I am guessing they made a move to slightly shallower water, but I did not go looking for them. I decided to call it a day.

[Scott K]

I went out to Washington today, fished out of 22 feet, the water was swirling down the hole like when you flush the toilet. I didnt fish very long but the fish were very active, I was deadsticking with a wax worm, and they would slam it! The little bit of time I was there fishing my hole grew a foot. I wish I had more time, it was fun.

[Team Otter]

South Central MN Weekly Fishing Report, 2-11-09

In terms of ice conditions, quite a bit has changed on our area lakes since last week. This week, heavy rain and strong winds have really made a mess of things. Hopefully it's temporary. Vehicle use remains an option but proceed with the utmost caution. I would err on the side of caution with either an ATV or snowmobile and even foot traffic. The hardwater walleye season is winding down, so now is the time to get after ol' marble eyes. There are a lot of spots out there that have yet to been touched by an angler this winter, so key on those locations for more active, less pressured fish. Your best opportunities to catch fish are still during the last few hours of sunlight or when the sun is highest in the sky. Most walleyes are being caught in 20+' of water adjacent to main-lake points or secondary basins. Right now, walleyes are moving around with multiple species of fish, so if you're catching "something else", don't get frustrated and hang in there. Standard jigging spoons like JB Lure's Rattlin' Varmint, Lindy's Rattlin' Flyer Spoon and Northland Buckshot Spoons tipped with a small fathead minnow continue to produce but #5 and #7 jiggin' Rapalas also tipped with a small fathead minnow should be a part of your arsenal. Much like the walleye bite, it is important, more than ever, to get away from the crowds when targeting pannies. The snow cover that we did have on the lakes has since been reduced, so now you should be concentrating on leaving slush in your holes. Affects on light penetration this time of year, especially during the day, are paramount. Solid action remains for crappies, 'gills and perch in 22 - 28' of water in funnel areas that are adjacent to main-lake points and mid-lake structure. Stay mobile! Pan fish are responding well to plastics and hair jigs tipped with spikes but Flutter Jigs from Fishing Minnesota's own Outdoor Pro Store and Fiska Jigs are also producing.

[Walterw]

very well said T.O.

[Team Otter]

South Central MN Weekly Fishing Report, 2-18-09

Ice conditions on our area lakes continue to be anything but solid. There are quite a few open areas (most are marked but not all) and the accesses going on to any given lake have seen better days. The heavy rain and strong winds from last week took it's toll, at least for now. Vehicle use remains an option but proceed with the utmost caution. I would continue to err on the side of caution with either an ATV or snowmobile and even foot traffic. This weekend is the last weekend of the hardwater walleye season, so be sure to get out and give it one last crack. Your best opportunities to catch fish are during the last few hours of sunlight or when the sun is highest in the sky. With most snow cover gone on the lakes and some cases of fresh water running back into a lake, we have seen a shallow water bite emerge again. However, these fish are spooked easily, so your best presentation for these fish are tip-ups and plain hooks with a fathead minnow. There are still some fish being caught over the deeper water too but the bite is less consistent. Standard jigging spoons like JB Lure's Rattlin' Varmint, Lindy's Rattlin' Flyer Spoon and Northland Buckshot Spoons tipped with a small fathead minnow continue to produce but #5 and #7 jiggin' Rapalas also tipped with a small fathead minnow should be a part of your arsenal. This weekend, try jigging less but when you do, make it very erratic and aggressive and then when finished jigging, let your presentation lay on or very close to the bottom. The pan fish bite really seems to "come and go". Again, much of the snow cover that we did have on the lakes has since been reduced, so now you should be concentrating on leaving slush in your holes. Affects on light penetration this time of year, especially during the day, are paramount. If the fish aren't where you left 'em over deep water or seem to be spooked easy, look shallow very near where you had solid action. Often times, pan fish will cruise, especially this time of year, feeding wherever they find an opportunity. Pannies continue to respond well to plastics and hair jigs tipped with spikes but Flutter Jigs from Fishing Minnesota's own Outdoor Pro Store and Fiska Jigs are also producing.

[threerivers]

Anybody have any reports about French Lake near Faribault.

[blue_healer_guy]

By the looks of the reports, T.O has been fishing Tetonka.

[Phill Aldahl]

I was out there last week and was getting some crappies. Just wondering if anyone has been out there recently and how the fishing was?

[Phill Aldahl]

Either nobody is fishing or they are biting and nobody is willing to share I guess, might just have to give it a go and find out for myself tomorrow.

[1lkstage]

I'll be at the DNR landing alittle after 8. Have not been there all winter, so I can't give you a report. But I will find out tomorrow.

Lonnie

[heating guy]

dose madison have some decent size gills cuz I've bean on German the last two day and a ton of small gills and a couple nice crappies but I'm looking for a place with nice gills or big perch.