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

[no bait nate]

went out and tried for some rough ones today on the river behind the woolin mill, missed one and landed one catfish, only about 18 but fun on the big stick after a long ice season, anybody know where to hook into some big carp around this time of year?

[mooneyes]

talked to a county worker today, said they will wait a little while to put the access docks in because of changing water levels.

[BehindtheHead]

tetonka and madison are wide open...

[Reid G]

Has anyone checked out the ramp at Tetonka? Thinkin about putting the boat in there on Sunday.

[Matt C]

Thanks Reid G - I need to know that also

Specifically the DNR Landing.

[katoguy]

Lucky, I doubt it. I have plans for Saturday afternoon. I'll probably hit my early shore spots Sat morning, then see what the weather does on Sunday.

Let me know when those 1#+ craps start hitting over by you. I suppose that is more of a spawn thing? I promise I won't take more than a couple. I'd rather find the nicer bulls than the slabs.

[smalltownboi2008]

by reading these few reports it makes me wanna get the boat out on the water this weekend. unfortunately i dont have any time. sunday is my only day to do so but i need that day to get it ready and do a few things to it. it has not been to warm lately so im just waiting for a nice day to do it. hopefully ill have it out in a couple weeks at the earliest. i would rather have the water warm up a bit before i go out though...by going out this weekend in the boat it will be just like another taste of a winter day for everyone. bundled up like its -30 below zero outside and fighting the cold. i dont think its worth going yet but thats just me...

[ec30_06]

I heard that a boat was on german today.

[french_lake_kid]

My secret spot.... ah! here it goes... go under the 7th street bridge on the side closest to wally world. Throw strawberry bait a foot of so from the bridge piling on a small trebble hook (be sure to add a bead or something to your line) and sit down and be quiet! If you talk, stand up, anything you wont get bit..it is only about 2ft deep. Also if that giant run-off pipe from walmarts parking lot is running at a fairly good pace try to get your bait on the edge of the dirty/"clean" water transition. That water is much warmer then the river water right now. If they're there it will be about an hour til your first bite but then about every 15min after that! Smallest I've caught there wasn't under 30" at maybe 5 or 6 a day! Always start over spring break(NOW!!!) until about mid may..then I got better thing to do! haha but a good way to brek in a new rod thats for sure! Good luck sir

[KTapper]

I was there but not in a boat I was walking on the ice on the south side by my cabin. Ice was still at least 6 inches of soild ice out about 40 yards. But the waves are moving under it so it wont last long!

[luckycrank]

If I get into them asgain I sure will but your rite it was a spawn bite and all site fishing at that. but they still gotta be there some where?

[7outof10]

I was there but not in a boat I was walking on the ice on the south side by my cabin. Ice was still at least 6 inches of soild ice out about 40 yards. But the waves are moving under it so it wont last long!

man that would freak me out if you could feal the waves under the ice lol

[KTapper]

I could not feel them I could just see the waves on the shoreline.

[hardwaterguy08]

tetonka and madison are wide open... [/quot ie i find that hard to beleive

[riverrat56]

Why?

I have also heard other places than FM that both lakes are open.

[eyepatrol]

Yeah, I think when behindthehead says they're open (esp. Tetonka) you can pretty much take that to the bank since his family lives on Tetonka. If Tetonka is not open (re-froze) it's likely because he hasn't had a chance to provide an update.

[hardwaterguy08]

if there open you guys are lucky up here in the metro no lakes are open yet

[hardwaterguy08]

where are you puting the boat in at

[KTapper]

Yeah I am up in the metro now. The lake still have some Ice. Last week when we got the rain we also got the 30+ mph wind and the metro must no have gotten that.

[Tom I Am]

East Jeff still has a large sheet of ice in the deep water area. German looks wide open. No DNR docks on either lake.

[benbosh]

lura-open

[ec30_06]

Sunnies and crappies are biting good in 4-8 fow outside dark bottom bays. Waxies under a bobber is what I have been using.

[BezD40]

fishing from shore or boat?

[ec30_06]

Boat

[Team Otter]

South Central MN Weekly Fishing Report, 4-8-09

Spring has sprung (and hopefully for good this time)! All weather channels are indicating that we're in for a real treat through the weekend. If you are able, this would be a great weekend for dropping the boat in your favorite area lake, working out "the kinks" and chasing after some perch, crappies and bluegills. Right now, pan fish are starting back up right where they left off during late ice by gorging on mayfly larvae, small minnows and blood worms over 10 - 20' of water (and deeper in some cases) adjacent to their typical shallow water haunts of which will soon be used for spawning. During the day, staying mobile to keep on a school of fish is necessary but be ready for the fish to school and become more active during low light, especially in shallower water. Timing is everything when looking in water 10' deep and skinnier but if you find 'em in there, they're going to be vulnerable. With that in mind, it is important to handle these pre-spawn fish very carefully and only keep what you need if that's something you're out to do. Protecting our resource is of the utmost importance. Areas to focus on are places where fresh water is entering the lake, "saddles" and flats adjacent to darker bottom bays, shoreline transitions and channel or backwater areas. The fish are responding well to plastics and hair jigs tipped with spikes but smaller minnows on a plain hook under a float is another great option. Work these presentations very slow and be prepared for both light and aggressive bites. Water temperature is varying between 35 - 42 degrees F. When tipping your presentation, be "heavy" with spikes (or wax worms) or if using a minnow, be conscious of keeping your hooks hidden. This time of year it is very important to do so.

[Tom I Am]

Had the boat out for the first time this year on Washington. Pretty darn chilly out there. I had surface temps of 46 in the shallows of Mud Bay. The main lake deep areas were around 43. Fishing was very slow as I had expected it to be since it's so cold. Was sure nice being on the water again.

[zepman]

Got out for the first time tonight on Madison. Pretty slow. I mainly just wanted to see if the boat/motor were in working condition and burn a little of last years gas out of her. Found water temps @ 44 in the main lake and 48-49 in some of the bays. Fished for only an hour or so with no luck. Was marking fish deep (15-30 ft) but didn't really have time to set-up on them. Nice to get out again. Going to try and find some water over 50 degrees Saturday afternoon.

[Jaspernuts]

I also tried Madison last night with no luck. I checked out my usual shallow water crappie spots but did not mark or catch a fish. I did mark a lot of fish in the 14-18 ft range, but it was too darn cold to fish the main lake.

[Muddog]

Crappies are in the shallows but are very spooky. For me it has been 1 or 2 fish then nothing.

I saw two nice Crappies taken at Buckmasters Friday back to back then nothing. Nothing today at Buckmasters but that was at "noon" so it wasn't unexpected.

No Bullheads at the Sawmill pond as of today. Bugs were hatching off the water so it should pick up soon.

Pearch are at the dam on Wells lake and a few are taken form the Lagoons on Tetonka but it is slow compared to Wells.

[PDOGG]

We found active crappies, gills, and perch today in 4-10 fow suspended from 4 feet down to around 9. Although these fish where willing to bite you had to have the right presentation and be using lighter line (4-6lb mono). When the bobber moved you needed to be on your toes to get the hook set!

Most fish where caught on plastics like blood worms and power tubes but diamond jigs and waxies did put a few in the boat as well. This looks to be just the very begining of the spring bite and it was good. It would be no problem to fill a limit in a matter of a couple hours with quality fish if you have all your ducks in a row!!!