2020 Forest Lake-Hinckley-Lindstrom-Pine City-Rush City Fishing Reports

[RuKiddingMe]

Fished Forest yesterday afternoon was pulling spinners and crawlers looking for Eyes - mostly found very large sunfish but was able to hookup with a very healthy 25" Eye - definetly will be going back to that area at evening prime time and see if I can't find some more. Nice very defined shelf area with a bottom transition from soft on the deeper side and gravel/rock on top. Been trying to crack metro eyes this summer with my limted time on the water - feels good to have found a priming little area. Did real well on WBL including some meals and thick 28" in the very early part of the season but have been blanking since. Oh the learning curve... lol

[Stringerless!]

ppl on the channel

[ry5]

Hit Chisago today 1-2 PM - found some active OK size bluegill in 6 feet of water

[rascal23]

Fish are still biting. Spent 4 days on Chisago this week and last, trying all new spots, mostly less than 15ft. Been getting quite a few decent gills, but no monsters. A few nice crappies (10"+) shallow but they're loners. Drill alot of holes and move around. Great time to be outside!

rascal

[Fish-for-life]

Made it out to a lake in the Chisago/Lindstrom  area fished in 20-25 fow. Got there about 8:30,  me and my brother  where limited out on crappies by 11:30, all where 9 to 11inches and my brother got a couple of 12 inchers! Fished for gills for a while after that got some 7 to 8 inchers threw them back. Couple small pike that got put back too, probably the best crappie bite I've had all year!! Most where caught on red hooks with green beads with whole minnows, picked up some others on orange and white, and red and black tungsten's with waxies.

Ice was 14-15 inches trucks driving all over

[Weathertite]

Was it an aggressive bite or a lite bite ? Thanks for the information and my hats off to you on that nice batch of fish.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Weathertite

[Fish-for-life]

Was pretty aggressive in the first couple hours, than around 11 it slowed down a little bit.

[Cheetah]

Great day of fishing, 63F according to my car, might have got a sunburn.  

[dispatch1313]

If your boat hasn't been put away yet, the panfish bite has been pretty good the past couple weeks. These fish were caught yesterday (think early ice spots). Water temp was 39. The forecast is looking good for me, I'm hoping to get out one more time early next week. Sorry if you're hoping for ice soon..:)

[JBMasterAngler]

Was on North Center yesterday. Crappies were easy to find, but they would not bite for nothing! Somehow coaxed 2 into biting, so I avoided the skunkaroo. The vexilar began to light up more, and the fish began to move up and down the column a little bit more as evening progressed. So maybe, the bite would have picked up as the sun went down. However, by then, the kids were ready to leave, so maybe I’ll find out next time. On a side note, this was by far the thickest ice I’ve drilled through (30 to 32 inches) with my ion in the 3 years I’ve had it. Was impressed. 

[monstermoose78]

Same for me on Green by Princeton once it got dark the fish started biting. I was marking them and only had 4 bites while the sun was up. 

[fisherjmb]

Was on Green by Chisago with my daughter who is 6. Like others, we marked a lot of fish but getting them to bite wasn’t easy. Did catch a fair number of bluegills and crappies but really had to coax them into biting. The bite did pick up a little as it got closer to dark though. We stayed out until about 6:30pm. My daughter didn’t want to leave but I was out of propane for my heater so it was getting a little cold so we left. Everything was mostly small but did catch a couple of decent sized crappies. Ice is thick and you could pretty much drive anywhere with 4WD. Fun time with the kid and she’s hooked on it. Already asking to go again. 

[JBMasterAngler]

Tried South Lindstrom today. Was able to mark some fish, but they were tight to the bottom, and would not move! Got 1 tiny perch. Was only out for a little bit, then the snow really started coming down. Talked to someone else, and they had the exact same results.

Edited February 25, 2018 by JBMasterAngler

[JBMasterAngler]

Got out to west rush early this morning. No slush issues while I was there, but that could be different by days end. The landing was quickly degrading in just the few hours I was there...landing on east lake is worse. Only caught 5 crappies. Schools were scattered and on the move, and fish weren’t very active. Ice was about 32 inches, which made hole hopping very difficult with an ion auger. Caught a nice sun burn on my face 

Edited March 17, 2018 by JBMasterAngler

[JBMasterAngler]

South Center still has 33 inches of ice. No snow anywhere, so things are quite slippery now. Drove all over lake looking for fish, tried depths ranging from 5 to 40 ft. Nothing but a few little perch. Sunset point access started to open up at the shoreline towards the end of the day.

[JBMasterAngler]

Was on Chisago on Friday. Ice was about 33 inches, but unlike last week, the top few inches was a little softer. Access was getting beat up, but with the upcoming forecast, might very well lock back up. Only caught a few tiny sunfish.

[monstermoose78]

I am thinking of hitting Ann lake or knife soon if you are interested?

[JBMasterAngler]

I’ve been wishing and hoping to hit Mille Lacs for a few weeks now. This current blast of snow might be the nail in the coffin on those plans. As of now, not sure what this weekend holds for me.

[JBMasterAngler]

Went to Bone Lake today. I think I’m ready for open water, as I didn’t even want to go fishing today, but I had a lot of bait that I wanted to use up. Access was beat up, and shoreline ice was soft, but out on the lake the ice was a solid 30 inches. No slush yet either. Didn’t have too much trouble finding fish, but they did not want to bite. I was kinda’ mentally checked out, so I made very little effort in enticing them either. So I only caught 2 bluegills. Unless Mille Lacs is safe and accessible next week, today was probably my last outing of the season. Already researching trout streams for the opener.

[JBMasterAngler]

Fished Big Pine Lake today. Original plan was to fish the Kettle River, but the rain took care of that. I had fished big pine from shore, below the dam, years back and done well, but this was the first time I’ve ever taken a boat out there. Nice lake...looked to be about 2 feet high. Didn’t catch anything until about dinner time, when crappies started chasing schools of minnows on the west shoreline. Caught about 50 of them. I just happened to have a small twister tail that was almost an exact replica of the bait they were chasing, and that was the difference maker. My dad caught a decent pike that went after a little crappie he was reeling in. Was disappointed we didn’t find any bass, but I’d come back here again.

[JBMasterAngler]

Finally made it out on the ice for the first time this season! I went to Typo Lake, which in hindsight, was probably a couple weeks too late. Ice was about 12 inches. Only caught 2 white crappies. Didn’t mark anything anywhere! Talked to a couple guys, they also didn’t mark any fish, nor catch anything. So I guess, technically, my day was a success. Was nice to finally get out, get a little exercise, and find out that all my gear still works. My New Years resolution is to get out and fish ALOT more! I slacked off big time in 2018 

[JBMasterAngler]

Had a couple hours to kill today, so I went to Bone Lake. Ice cleats are a must for foot travel. Thickness was about 14 inches. Only caught a couple bluegills. Marked plenty, but they were very finicky.

[TomWehler]

Just 4 fun.  The ice heaves at Forest Lake beach are way cool. 

Fun to see.

They extend left n right of the launch 1/4 mile.

The power of them moving shore rock n turf back several feet is rare round here.

Some damage n take few busks n hours to fix up.

very interesting to view n hear day time.

last nite bout 10:30 sound of the mini moves the heaves made was great.

launch still being used n zero snow on any of the lake chain in Chisago area.

Fun junk - check it or them out!

 

keep on rocken!

 

T

 

 

[TomWehler]

[JBMasterAngler]

It is certainly shaping up to be an early ice season!  Ditches and small ponds have been skimming over the last few nights, but today they stayed frozen throughout the day. Next week highs below freezing, and overnights in the low teens. I better start getting my gear ready!

[fisherjmb]

Way too early to be talking ice fishing, in my opinion, but what can do, can't control the weather...yet...

[Sculpin]

There will be plenty of places to walk out come Thanksgiving. Not a warm day in sight.

[JBMasterAngler]

Checked the forecast again, and while still quite cold, the projected temps did go up a couple degrees. Lows tonight will be just  a tad below freezing. SiriusXM already started playing Christmas music today! So that’s another step closer to ice fishing season  

[monstermoose78]

I hear ya JB I am going to get the ice gear ready on Saturday but Sunday I am killing ducks !

[Wanderer]

We walked on ice to set decoys today in Nodak.  Been tough to find open water anywhere but big lakes.  Today things opened back up a little but it hasn’t made the hunt easier for us.