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

[TruthWalleyes]

Scorcher yesterday!

These Salmo's will catch anything!

Big ones,

HUGE ones,

I was very happy when i pulled in that 12 3/4" crappie, the past two years i have not landed a crappie bigger than 10" on this peticular lake. So its good to see there are some growing in there. Won't give the name of the lake, but i'll share the structure i was fishing.

[kg2]

63 degree water temp! What were you reading main lake (or perhaps 7 feet was main lake)? (Just seeing how much temp jumped since I was out on Saturday on a couple lakes scanning with SI.) I noticed a lot of those holes/divots, too, like the 2 you're are showing. My theory is they are from carp, but I am not sure. Some lakes have a lot of them in certain areas.

[TruthWalleyes]

Honestly i didn't pay much attention to the water temp. Prior to the picture, I just figured out how to get the temperature to display

Washington lake on sunday was about 59 degrees, so it didn't suprise me to see this smaller lake with some warmer surface temps, especially with 90 degree weather yesterday.

Tons of fish stacked deep, but the biters were in <9'

[kudabear]

Was out for the first time this year and my first time fishing Minnesota waters. Went to the Minnesota river from about 3-5, caught 1 what I think is a sheeps head, another something I don't know and two carp 1 about 8lbs and the other closer to 10lbs, all caught on crawlers. A little chilly out today but a good time nonetheless. If someone could let me know what these two fish are that would be great.

[trappingaddiction]

You were right with the first picture being a sheephead and I think the other one could be a mooneye, but I don't know for sure.

[dan z]

lookong like a mooneye to me also.

[TruthWalleyes]

What a terrible opener on Washington Oh wait

Our first walleye in the livewell at 12:09am.

2nd Walleye about 20minutes later

by 7:20am we had 6 walleyes 16-19" in the livewell and it was time to quit. Here's a few bonus fish after the sun came up.

A nice 28" northern.We caught two of those.

And a True 20" bass i caught.

All the walleyes were caught between midnight and 7:20am. Midnight to 5am the fish were in 3-5 feet of water on rock piles. Speed 1.6mph. Shad raps, Slashbaits, Origional Floaters.

As 5am rolled around, we found eyes, bass, and northerns out deeper from the rock piles. Our last walleye at 7:20 was in 11 fow.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe opener!

[Comit 2]

Kudabear

The second fish pic is a Goldeneye. Like a Mooneye but it has yellow/gold eyes.

[Matt C]

I have been on Shields Lake the past couple days. Drifting over 6 to 10 FOW has put a few pike on the line. Orange and Blue/White jigs tipped with crawlers have produced the best IMO. Mr. Walter seems to be scarce for me still this season.

I have also fished Mazaska and French, with the same results for the most part. Salmo 'perch' has caught the most...pike/whitebass/crappies.

[luckycrank]

white bass are in full swing find moving water and whities are there tough to vatvh though rapalas took the few I was able to catch

[Comit 2]

All seams well on the fishing front. We had a north wind blow for about a week before opener and three days into the season, now we have had a south wind blowing for 3 or 4. Days. This has setup some stable consistent water currents and has helped to concentrate the fish.

I can't wait to start in on the Bass. Life is good!

[Throp]

I was wandering if anyone knows how Mazaska Lake near Faribault was doing? Anyone catching anything out there? I was out there on Friday morning for the first time ever on the lake and caught a few smaller northerns but no eyes. Seems like there are a few nice points and drop offs to fish and we marked alot on the locator, but i think the weather was keeping em from biting. Any help would be appreicated.

[Scott M]

Nice bluegills being caught from shore on West Jeff.

[Matt C]

I was wandering if anyone knows how Mazaska Lake near Faribault was doing? Anyone catching anything out there? I was out there on Friday morning for the first time ever on the lake and caught a few smaller northerns but no eyes. Seems like there are a few nice points and drop offs to fish and we marked alot on the locator, but i think the weather was keeping em from biting. Any help would be appreicated.

My 'home' lake. Look for breaks on the north shore. I really wont give up my under producing honey holes....but move slow, and try WHITE.

[jake_hachfeld]

Good info, I will be taking the wife and 3 year old tomorrow for the first time in 3 years was the wife wants to go to mazeska hook on to some northern but Im more concerned with keeping my 3 year old busy any tips would be great sorry I dont have anything to offer but its been a long time off the water. I went to tie a hook on the wifes pole and could not remember how to tie (I know its sad) See you on the water!!!

Oh is there still a bait shop in sheildsville

Jake

[JosMN]

Yes, the bait shop is still there. Good luck! You should be able to put something in the boat off the breaks out there.

[mosquitoman]

went out for some EARLY morning fishing....... got to lake around 2:15am but didnt catch anything until about 6am. in all i managed two pike (22"/25") three white bass, and 5 crappie (all 10"-12")

got all but one white bass on a jointed shad rap trolling in 10-15 fow

[TruthWalleyes]

went out for some EARLY morning fishing....... got to lake around 2:15am but didnt catch anything until about 6am. in all i managed two pike (22"/25") three white bass, and 5 crappie (all 10"-12")

got all but one white bass on a jointed shad rap trolling in 10-15 fow

Fish very shallow that time of the night. Rock piles will hold lots of fish in shallow. Come 5-6am, start moving out deeper.

[mosquitoman]

yeah i was fishing in about 5' when i first got there but the shorline that had the best potential also had a dog that was barking like carzy whenever i would get too close....... so i had to fish other places so everyone in the cabins wouldnt come out and try to kill me. that darn dog was barking for about 45 minutes straight!!!

[luckycrank]

funny!

[buzzball]

What lake was that I was also on a lake that had a crazy barking yellow lab!

Did very good on mazaska caught a bunch of 9" sunnies and a bonus 13 crappie!

[mosquitoman]

i was also on mazaska...... the dog was basically straight across from the landing on the north shoreline of that bay. I might try again this weekend sometime but i dont know if i will go out as early.

I felt bad but at the same time whoever owns that dog must be hard of hearing because i know if my dog would bark like that i would throw her in the lake - somehow i ended up with the only wiemaraner in the world that cant swim and is gun shy!

[luckycrank]

[JosMN]

I was out on Mazaska also on Saturday in the red lund, bout mid-morning till 2. There were more than a few dogs barking out there. Seemed to be all on the Northeast shoreline, lot of yippers to be honest. Glad my two Vizslas aren't like that....well, if you were to try and get in my house it would be a different story. All in all it was a good day. Nice 13.5 crappie with in two minutes, a few pike and a monsterous sheephead. Was marking a lot of big fish in 17-20 FOW, we threw everything at them with out a taker.

[SouthernMNFisher]

Was going to hit up Francis until the severe weather alerts came out. Decided against puting the boat in the water. Ended up going over to Madison.

Was catching decent size crappies and gills off shore on Madison. Gills were hitting waxies and I caught most of the crappies on fathead minnows lol The next day I switched to crappie minnows with the same result. I was using green colored jigs and a blood worm jig... Didnt seem to matter.

[Dag_1979]

Wife and I hit up Francis on Friday early afternoon for 3 hours before we were rained off the lake. Fishing was very good. We ended up catching and releasing 17 northern (1-3lbs), and 5 bass. We did keep 7 big gills, and 1 crappie for the frying pan. Very fun outing, and for once I out-fished the wife!

[SouthernMNFisher]

where abouts did you go for the northerns? I was thinking about going to Francis on Saturday and try my luck with them... Maybe hit up the Walleye hole as well

[Dag_1979]

We worked the shore from just west of the city beach to Clark's Point. That's where we picked up the majority of the northern. Mepp's 4 & 5 in every color combo/bucktail we tried worked. Good luck!

[SouthernMNFisher]

Ill give it a try! Thank for the info!

[Matt C]

Sorry all for the lack of reports by me as of late. I have been stuck working 1pm to 1am. Kinda gets in the way of fishin!

Couple days off next week are looking good though!