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Was out at 3rd point on Washington yesterday from 1 to 630. Drilled a lot of holes and with every hole there were lookers but no takers. Marking fish was consistent but I couldnt figure out what they wanted as far as hook and bait. Once the sun started to go down the crappies would bite VERY light. Ended up cathing 4 crappies and some small sunnies. Not very good day for catching but it was nice to get out on a perfect day.

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Finally got back out on the ice today on Lake I Forgot My GPS.

Went out with da_chise and no bait nate, what awesome company to be with!

Ice conditions were great. A solid 8+ everywhere drilled, and trust me, we drilled all over this lake.

From 12:30 pm to 4 pm, it was search, search, search. A few dink crappies here and there, but then we found the honey hole! around 4:30 Rock/Gravel bottom off a tight drop off in 20 FOWish.

Caught a few 13" crappies, and a handful of dinks with some 8 to 10"ers mixed in. 3 nice walleyes came up the ice hole all in the 15 to 16" range.

One 10" perch.

Once the sun went down, the bite quit. So a 5:00 to 6:30pm bite was hot, then nadda.

From the fish that went to surgery tonight, I was quite surprised as to what I found..I figured at least one of the walleyes, and a few of the crappies would have egg sacs. None did. As I got to the perch, WOW...she had a HUGE egg sac.

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Looks like a good trip! I need to get out on local Ice its been a week! Drove by shields today and it was a barron desert. Saw a few people out hole hopping on Mazaska tho.

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Hit up a local lake this morning with Rick. A solid 8+ everywhere drilled, and no open water to be seen.

Played in 12 to 20 FOW. Marked a ton of those yummy marbles eyes on the bottom, but couldn't get them to commit. They would chase and smell the bait, but nadda. (I blame the lake pepin jigs on him that scared them).

2 crappies, in the 8 to 11" range and an OK perch at ~ 9"

TONS of bait fish around (shiners) suspended.

Frostie jig tipped with minnow's produced.

Really hoping this rain doesn't kill the lakes as I'd like another month on the ice before white lightning comes out of retirement. But, like I said, 8"...plus freezing temps / rain. I think we should be all good.

Just remember when venturing out to have your ice picks, and go with a buddy, or let someone know where your going and your expected return time. Be safe! smile

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I one of those guys who will fish on 2inches of ice but after watching it rain hard all day at work today even I'm getting nervous about my next trip out. I'm still going though!

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Does anyone have any info on the Albert Lea Lakes. What kind of condition are they in. Based off of what I saw fishing yesterday the lakes are still ok it is just getting out on the lake that is the problem. So, does anyone know anything about these lakes and if they are able to get out on the ice to do some fishing. Monday will probably be the last day for it this year based on the 50s and 60s they are predicting for next week. Any help would be great.

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Been real quiet in this post. Was wonderin' if anybody be fishin' or icefishin' somewhere in South Central MN waters? Hit me up... grin

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I am guessing we are all off the ice, and waiting for open water...or heading north to safe ice, or Pool 4 in da boat. wink

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I bet it is! I just don't have the kahuna's to head out on this ice...Yet I'm one that goes out on 3" right away in the beginning of the season. Something about late winter ice gets me spooked.

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Heading out today. Last Tuesday there was still 8-10" and even had a side by side drive up by us. I'll be walking with an ice chisel today just to make sure. I hope its another 100 fish day.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Found some nice sunfish on a local lake today...the wind made it tough to stay out there! 48-53 degrees.

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Hot n heavy on the sunfish again today...bout 4 to 6 ft of water mud and weeds. Most fish around 8-9 inches. I haven't seen sunnies like that since I was a kid. I'm really enjoying the early open water!

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Hit a Faribault area lake on Sunday from about 2:00- 4:00 caught close to fifty sunnies, most of which were really nice! also got 4, 1.5lb-ish bass on a small jighead and crawler under a float with a slow retrieval. Only one crappie, but wasnt about to leave the area in search of crappie when the big sunnies were bitting like they were! What a fun day for the kids- and me!

Also, all were tight to shore, 1-2 FOW with a gravel/sand bottom and water temp was about 61 degrees.

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FFAL , were you fishing on the German point this morning?

Sorry I didn't see thin until now. Nope, I wasn't there.

I'll be out this weekend.

Good luck out there guys!

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I went out today to see what was happening.

My first catch was a bobber with a Bass on the other end. I knew there were fish in the area because when I walked down to the waters edge I spooked a bunch of fish.

I started off with the basic Sunfish gear under a bobber. It worked but the bite was slow. They were only taking it when the bait was less then a foot down and they were not pulling the bobber all the way down. As I waited for the next nibble I watched the water surface. Almost constantly I was seeing the tips of Sunfish dorsal fins dipping the surface. A hatch was on And there I was, without a fly rod.

Trout opens next week so here I am at 9:15 on Saturday morning getting fly rods ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Anybody have any reports? Looking to get out this weekend and get my grandpa on some sunfish/crappies. Don't have to give out your secret spot and feel free to PM me. Any help would be appreciated.

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According to the other posts the crappies are starting to spawn.

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i did see a few big slabs up shallow yesterday evening ,

pu ton your polarized glasses and get to work also seen some walleyes and sheep head cruising in 5-6 ffet of water also spooky

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  • 3 weeks later...

The strong winds we have had the past few days has really helped the shallow water bite. I haven't found a super hot bite yet, but have been able to put 2-3 walleyes in the boat during each 3-4 hour outing.

I have been getting them lately either trolling 2-2.5 MPH in 6-8 feet of water or casting crankbaits to 3-8 feet. Firetiger has been the best color overall with shad profile baits and Salmo Hornets. Water temp has been mid to upper 60's, although it was cooler today so it may have dropped a touch.

I caught this Thursday evening casting a #5 Shad Rap in Firetiger in only 4' of water. Sorry I had to obscure the background; I showed the pic to a buddy and he picked out the location right away.

26walleye-1-1.jpg

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Thats a beautiful local walleye! Great report Matt, way to take advantage of the windy situation we've had.

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Well here we are at the end of May. The shallow water bite is going full bore and the water temps are in the low to mid 70's. The Crappies and Bluegills spawn is under way with Northern Pike near by and a few Walleyes mixed in. Bass will open this weekend so all is right with the fishing world in this part of the state.

I went out Monday from 4pm-6pm. I went to a spot in hopes to find Walleyes and found Walleyes, in 7 foot of water on an outside weed line. After catching 3 eyes other boats started to move in. I moved into 3 foot of water and fished for pan fish until they moved on. Sunfish and Crappies, with the biggest gills caught on Leaches. I started casting a swim bait trying for one of the Norther Pike that were chasing the panfish. No Pike but on the second cast I did catch a 20" Bass. After the other boats moved on I went back out to the outer weed line a started throwing a hand pour swimbait. I had one nice Walleye up to the boat and 3 three more grab the tail and not get the hook. I guess they were to small. I didn't boat a walleye with the (flat back) swimbait but I'm happy with the modifications I made to the bait jig combo.

Now if this wind will just lighten up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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A buddy and I did well tonight with some aggressive pike some nice bass and a few chunker eyes. Deep weeds. The side of the lake that got all the heavy winds all week but were not windy today. Crankbaits, swimbaits, and bass jigs were working. Great day on the boat. We both had a lot of line trouble which would always happen when we found fish. Tip of the day: Dink around with your line to get more bites.

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