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

[love2fish4ever]

Can't see anything current, all posts are old. ???

[Matt C]

Finally got to wet some lines today! After a rough start of my truck having a dead battery, I got to the lake around noon. Very solid 3" of ice. Checked all around from 7 to 15 FOW. Marked a few in 13. Threw everything at them, but I think from the thin clear ice, they got spooked. Until we get some more ice, I am going to stick to early AM and evening low lights.

Hard water is here fellas! Be safe out there!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

[unilder]

Crappies were very slow on a lake that they are normally non stop. I agree I think the thin ice had something to do with it. 3-4 inches

[AndyM]

Got out today for the first time. Ended up with 3 eyes in the box. 5" of ice. Was fishing 13 to 17 feet of water. Fatheads were the ticket. Missed a few jigging. Flags were bouncing!!!!

[Rubber Ducky]

Good morning all,

Fished 30 hrs this last week and had some of the best early ice fishing I have ever had. We ended up catching well over 50 eyes in the 30 hrs fishing! 12' to 18' was the key. UV Buck shots were the lure of choice, tipped with 3/4 of a Fathead. Shields Bait shop has them.

[oleWalter]

Any size to the eyes?

Been pulling in a lot of 12"s here.

Lots of action, not much size though.

[Matt C]

Great job ya'll!

[Rubber Ducky]

We had fish up to 20" majority of them were 16" to 18". You cant beat the early ice before the crowds roll in.

[Rubber Ducky]

Any size to the eyes?

Been pulling in a lot of 12"s here.

Lots of action, not much size though.

You must be fishing French lol!

[-Fathead-]

How many inches of ice is there on the faribault lakes?

[stealth3350]

4 TO 5 LAST SAT

[dan z]

Fished Sunday Monday and today Sunday and Monday were pretty good days. With eyes crappies and sunnies to be had. I fished from 9-20' with a favorite jig of mine worked well as always for the the panfish and a b.s spoon made the rod bend for eyes. Some fish needed meat some did not. I think the ice held up pretty good to the past couple of days of mother nature. There was some water pooled up in some spots. I hope to get out Sunday - Wednesday next week.

[Matt C]

2-4.

[Mike Dumas]

How many inches of ice is there on the faribault lakes?

I havnt made it south of were i live yet (I live in lonsdale) But cedar, prior, spring and such all have over 5 inches. (I was about 300 yards out on cedar and there was a tad over 5 inches with an open ice heave about 50 yards more, didnt dare get closer lol!)

[siemers]

Does anyone have any Ice reports on Beaver or St. Olaf between New Richland and Ellendale, Or the Albert Lea lakes? Thanks.

[MattL]

I got out in the area this weekend targeting walleyes and managed to pick up a few. The bite window seemed pretty short right around sunset, but the action was pretty fast for about 20-30 minutes. I made a short move on Sunday hoping to get in an area where they were feeding longer instead of just moving through, but it was the same short bite period. I caught a lot of 8-12" walleyes and kept a few 14-15". All fish were caught in 7-9' with hard bottom adjacent to deep water on 1/8 oz buckshots and 1/2 a fathead or a #6 colored hook with fathead under a tip up.

[Matt C]

Nice report Matt! Thanks!

I hit the lake again today. Weird huh? lol

It was BRUTAL! The wind was just insane. We had a sunflower on high, and couldn't keep the fish trap warm.

However, the crappies were stacked and eager. 23 FOW. Black jig out fished any other jig 5 to 1, with a full crappie minnow.

Happy to see 7" of solid ice. I foresee trucks on the ice this weekend..thank God for us that don't have wheelers!

[Rubber Ducky]

Matt,

Did you get any Slabs while you were out? I know that lake got hit hard last year. I did manage to get a few 15" before ice up. You hit the depth on the money for this time of year. Also the end of the rock point on the south side in 19' is doing well as we speak. Had a few buddy's over their sat that did well. Little Frostie's were the key (Pink).

[Matt C]

Mostly small. Biggest was was around 9".

[TeeWook]

Hit Fox and Mazaska today. Fox was kind of a bust for me and my buddy but there was a group of guys doing well out there in the deep water with walleye and crappie. We couldn't get them to bite for the life of us. I guess we just didn't have the patience (or booze).

Hit Mazaska in the afternoon and rubbed elbows with the crowd off the boat landing. We did well earlier in the week so we figured we would give it a shot again. Iced a lot of crappies and a few gills brought home enough for a meal. I think the area just off the boat landing may have run its course. I know the next time we go there we will be trying a few of our different spots on that lake.

All in all a good day on the ice.

about 12 inches of ice. full size pickups everywhere.

[cribbageboy]

Put the shack on Mazaska today. 12 inches of ice where we set up, but did drill as little as 10 in one drift. Lots of non committed nibblers. Did ice one white bass. We're in about 28fow. A little deeper than I think we should be. Will most likely be moving in the near future.

[pikerliker]

I tried that Mazaska spot off the landing Friday morning to mid day. Started about 23 ft caught a couple dink perch. Moved towards the deeper hole and spotted some schools of Crappie going through but couldn't get them to bite. Caught one decent one about 10 inches. The rest just looked, followed a bit and then moved on.

[Rubber Ducky]

Fished Roberds Friday Sat Sunday.

We ended up with 12 eyes, 2 pike, a carp load of Crappies, some 9" sun fish, and some of the biggest perch i have seen in the area.

Overall slow weekend. But had a great time out in the Ice castle!

Good luck fishing!!!!

[blindlemon]

Was out on Roberds for a few hours, that place is a bit of a zoo. After I fished for 15 minutes I figured out why, the crappies were biting pretty good. Mostly 9"-10" but I did get a few over 12. I even found a nice quiet spot without anyone else within 100 yards. Was in about 25' of water and the fish were suspended from 15'-18'. The larger ones were shallower. There was also a lot of fish from 8'-12'. They were there pretty much the whole time, but I couldn't even get a sniff from them. If any of you know what those are, clue me in.

[Rubber Ducky]

Blindlemon,

I have fished this lake now for a month, I would have to say they are white bass and pike. I was in 22' with a few eyes and crappies. But most were white bass and pike.

Just my thoughts. I know with the crowds out their a lot of fish will start to move into the deeper water. Last year had a friend that fished the 25' range and he did well bigger Perch and eyes......

[On The Bottom]

Made it out for the first time in Southern MN yesterday to Clear Lake. I was in about 14 feet of water and noticed the fish were stacked near the bottom. However they were not willing to bite. I was able to get a few small crappies that came through higher on the screen as they were aggressive. Switched to very small plastics and was able to get the bottom fish to cooperate. All smaller crappies and one cigar eye. They sure looked interested in the small spoons I had and would follow them several feet. Talked to a few others on the lake and seemed like they were getting lots of small fish as well.

[pikerliker]

I have a buddy who fishes Clear (by Lexington) if that's the one your fishing? He said it's been a tough bite out there so far this year. Not seeing a lot and when he does see them they arent interested in what he has down there.

[Lowrider06]

was out in kato area and didnt do to well wondering if anyone else had same luck as me? otherwise it wasnt a bad day on the ice, couldnt ask for nicer day, very little wind

[pikerliker]

Tried Elysian yesterday for some eye's but got out later than I wanted to. As it was I got set up around 5:45pm or so fished until 9pm. Caught and released two cigars about 10-11 inches long the first hour and nothing after that. Did miss a couple light biters later on. Saw fish frequently on the flasher but they were in a negative biting mood for me.

[pengx90]

Any whitebass? Looking for some for dinner