st cloud St Cloud Fishing Reports

[Naturboy]

I was out yesterday and found a mess of perch and a couple of crappies, but the bite was very lite. I needed to use my lightest spring bobber with a Custom Jig and Spins Diamond jig and a Trigger X 1" minnow. 

[Rick G]

Went to one of the small lakes within 20 of town today. Found pretty good ice once on the lake, right around 14 inches yet, access was pretty beat up. 

Chose a Northern shoreline with a good weedline. Fish are really starting to pile up in the shallows already. We worked an outside weedline in 5-7 ft of water, drilling holes every 10 ft untill we found some live green weeds. It didn't take long once we found live weeds to find some active panfish. Andrea had the hot stick today, she landed big gill of day 9.25in and big crappie at 11in. I got plenty of fish, just couldn' t break the 9in mark on gills..... 4mm tungsten jigs tipped with meat or a white plastic tails caught most of our fish today.

[Tom Sawyer]

Way to go Andrea, dandy gill! At least you caught biggest bass Rick 

[eyeguy 54]

Fun city !  Nice job Andy. 

[Naturboy]

I was out yesterday afternoon in the wind. Headed north to my spot and the wind just stopped me a couple of times. I did find a few more fish but the fun started on the way back. 

Those of you that know me know I have skis under my portable, well on the way back to the car I just stood on the back of the skis and rode it "dog sled style" with the wind pushing me. I helped a little but I was able to make a quick trip of it. 

[eyeguy 54]

good eats !

 

[Naturboy]

Is this going to be the last weekend to get on the ice? Starting Monday the overnight temperatures don't look like they will fall below freezing. 

[PiNkSiNkO]

My weekend report:

Friday I was fortunate to fish a private body of water in southern MN with serious big fish potential including a bunch of 15-16" crappies.  I had a blast catching a bunch of crappies up to 13" that were absolutely hammering jigging raps and rippin raps, but never got anything bigger.  I also learned what a 15" perch looks like (I didn't catch it).

Saturday morning I hit the Chain and had to work hard, but ended up catching 30-40 gills (most were >7") and about a dozen crappies (also up to 13").  Small 3-4mm tungsten jigs tipped with 2 or 3 euro larvae worked best (everything was released).  Then I jumped over to one of my favorite spots on Koronis for the evening walleye bite and only caught one 17"er, but also managed to land four really nice smallies :).

I'm hoping I can get on a few more good bluegill bites before the ice disappears.

Good luck and be safe!!

[Weathertite]

Very very very nice fish, Great job and it looks like it was fun with some great weather to boot.

[Bass Thumb]

I have a lot to learn...

I'm an avid catch-and-release bass angler, but this is my first year ice fishing. I can't find a thing out there with any consistency, much less fish like these, and I've been fishing with my dad 3-5 times a week since January. 

Can anyone point me in the right direction via PM? I'd like to learn more about the Horseshoe Chain in particular. 

[Rick G]

8 hours ago, BeaverIslander said:

I have a lot to learn...

I'm an avid catch-and-release bass angler, but this is my first year ice fishing. I can't find a thing out there with any consistency, much less fish like these, and I've been fishing with my dad 3-5 times a week since January. 

Can anyone point me in the right direction via PM? I'd like to learn more about the Horseshoe Chain in particular. 

Welcome to Fishing Mn, BeaverIslander.   I will send you a pm with a coulpe spots to try out on the chain.

[eyeguy 54]

welcome to FM Beaver. With that name I bet you love the bronzebacks on the creek.  

[Tom Sawyer]

Great Report Pinksinko, thanks for sharing 

13 hours ago, PiNkSiNkO said:

 

Welcome to Fishing Minnesota BeaverIslander, you'll find a lot of river rats here..................

[eyeguy 54]

got out today on a local lake with RickG and tough city but still fun    the eating off the grill was much better than the fishing. canadian bacon and homemade sausage. mmmmmmmmm!   I would put a pick on here but dont want you all licking your phones. Didnt break 9 inches on a gill but came close. Got a few nice perch under 10 inches that will be fried up for the mrs and myself in a bit. Should go good with the pinot grigio in my glass.  

[Rick G]

Toughest day I have had in some time. Highlight of the day was Royce grilling up sausage and Canadian bacon.  We did get a few fishies though

[Bass Thumb]

15 hours ago, Rick G said:

Welcome to Fishing Mn, BeaverIslander.   I will send you a pm with a coulpe spots to try out on the chain.

Sounds good. Seems like a rather tricky set of lakes. Went out today, pounded about 40 holes near the access in the South Bay of Long Lake. Only had a few hours to fish. First time on that lake. Got into some nice cats after dark by accident while looking for crappies. Pink spoons with waxies. 22 FOW. Caught a few of those crappies too, but only 7"  Didn't find a single sunfish. Frustrating. 

15 hours ago, Tom Sawyer said:

Great Report Pinksinko, thanks for sharing 

Welcome to Fishing Minnesota BeaverIslander, you'll find a lot of river rats here..................

The river was a second home in my teens and twenties, fished it 5x/week, but I bought a bass boat 7 years ago (I'm 33) and haven't really waded much since then, but boy do I know those islands like the back of my hand. 

[Rick G]

Hit the lake for a bit this afternoon. Starting to see the bulk of the panfish making the migration toward the shallows. Northern shorelines and breaklines close to shallow flats are holding the fish right now. Found everything in less than 6ft.   The third pic is the reason the fish are in the shallows, food..... the fish I was catching were coughing up tons of small white or tan worms.  Find the food base and you will find the fish ;-)

[Rick G]

Hit a local lake with Andrea today. Seems with each passing day the fish are moving more and more toward the shallows. Todays adventure brought us to a 4-6ft flat, in the summer this area is choked out with thick vegitation. Right now there are  small standing clumps of live green weeds scattered over the flat. By keying in on where we are finding the best clumps of weeds and working the area over good we found some respectable bluegills and crappies durring tough conditions.

[Naturboy]

Wednesday afternoon I put an ugly end to my ice fishing by slipping on the ice and making ugly rib bones out of the deal. After I got my things to the landing there was a nice guy there to help me put my gear into the back of the van thanks " Nice Guy".

  Turns out i broke 4 ribs and will be doing very little for 6 to 8 weeks. To everyone else be careful. I found out one of my brothers friends broke his rist on the same day doing the same thing 

[eyeguy 54]

So sorry to hear that you slipped !  Best wishes on the healing, rib pain sucks to the 10th degree. pm me if I can be of any help. 

[IceHawk]

Ouch. Broken ribs are painfull fell out of a treestand once Hopefully all goes well hopeing for a speedy recovery.

[Rick G]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, Paul  Anything with the ribs sucks, can't move, can't breath...... I feel for you, bud.

[Tom Sawyer]

That's horrible; hope your recovered by opener. Good luck.

On a lighter note fishing was excellent yesterday down in the Annandale area. Patty and I tried a lake I haven't fished in our 20 years and found out it, to be very similar to what it was. Fairly easy limit of nice Bluegill and a suntan to go. It was funny that I mentioned going there a couple weeks, but the lake didn't make the panfish hitlist.

Fun times, but you won't even be walking on that lake one by next weekend....... 

[Borch]

Ouch Paul!  Hope you heal up soon.  I took a tumble Saturday waling across the lake but came out a lot better for it than you.  Even with cleats on is was a tough walk.  

[Naturboy]

Thanks for all the well wishes  I guess the fish need a break too! 

[Genofish]

ouch, hope you heal well, no fun with broken ribs

[eyeguy 54]

got out with rick for a bit today. highlight of the day was when he spotted something under the ice.  drilled a hole and pulled up a nice northern with a dandy gill stuck in it's throat.  bummer for both. 

[Rick G]

Hit one of the lakes close to town this morning. Ice conditions are going down hill fast. 

Found the fish up in the bullrushes, 2-5 ft of water. Sight fishing was the way to go....Vexilar never made it out of my sled. Saw some huge sunfish and a few crappies..... most of the bigger gills wouldn' t have anything to do with me. Did manage a few real nice ones, including a 10 1/4 inch gill that is still alive and swiming.

[eyeguy 54]

dandy !  congrats on a beast !

[smurfy]

you know you guys really s#$^ showing us all this fishy porn while where here work.......ah never mind!!!!!! nice fish gentlemen!

looks like that nord met his match !!!!!!!!!!