Annandale-Buffalo-Hutchinson fishing reports

[mwal]

Worst opener ever for our party. We fished Clearwater and Augusta. 2 boats 5 guys 1 small pike in 2 days. Not another bite did not see a single fish caught by other boats. Tried shallow, deep, slow, fast, bobber, jig, crank bait you name it. This was our 24th year as a party so it was not a matter of not knowing the waters. Water temps of 57 Fri down to 45 on Sunday.

Mwal

[ezekiel]

Went to Buffalo Saturday morning. Trolled lots of shallows. Big goose egg.

[terrible_fisherman]

I fished clearwater on Saturday with two friends. Ended up boating pike, crappies, sunfish, rock bass, couple accidental large mouth bass, but no walleye. Seemed like the pike were very aggressive. I even had one totally swallow a crank bait, and not a small crank bait at that. The wind was pretty brutal though and we did not hang in there too terribly long.

[20lbSloughShark]

I fished on clearwater on saturday, limestone and cedar on sunday, and cedar today, and I got 1 very small bass for my efforts. I probably put 15-20 hours on the water since opener, and the fish are not biting. I'm going to have to disagree, the pike were anything but aggressive. On saturday, I went to grass lake to get out of the wind, and I had a good size northern trail my lure all the way back to the boat multiple times. The last it actually grabbed the hook, but I could see it was not in its mouth, and it quickly spat it out and left. That was around 12' with a dardevle. I tried live suckers, dead suckers, all kinds of lures, some trolling, shallow, deep, even IN the reeds, nothing worked. On limestone I brought my mom and sister out, and I had a live sucker under a bobber in about 8', a dead sucker on the bottom in about 6', and I just casted around will all my lures. Eventually a very small bass hit the live sucker. The majority of fish I saw on the finder were in 12', it seemed to be the magic number, but I couldn't pull northerns or walleye from the groups, which were probably sunfish and bass. Thinking they might still be spawning or pushed into the weeds, I actually drove into the reeds and looked for spooking fish, but everywhere I checked was deserted. I even tried jack penny's trick of scaring them out, by reving the motor and hitting the water with with the net, then casting to the deeper water. I am completely out of ideas. The water temp dropped some, and the average around the area seems to be 45-50 degrees in the mainlake. The water in the spots that get the most wind are very green and murky, but the protected areas are still clear. I could see about 6' on cedar in the clearer spots.

[terrible_fisherman]

We caught pike out in 20 feet of water casting raps and also in bays that were three feet or less on fatheads under a float. Maybe we just got lucky for the day. Or maybe we just caught them because we were not trying to!

[dfv87]

We opened on Clearwater/Augusta this year due to ice "up north" and we struggled also but we cleaned 8 Pike (22"-24") for 5 guys and 1-19" eye. Heard some guys really struggled to find any fish but we found lots of little pike... eyes were tough, with only the one. We also struggled on CRappies, though we didn't try for them much... Wind made fishing very tough. Our best weapon was a thermomter... find warm water 50+ degrees and there was fish, my money spots later in the year that had 48 degree water and it was a ghost town...

[20lbSloughShark]

I am kind of finding the same thing. The only sign of northerns I can find are pretty deep 15'-20', however the sucker spearers are still reporting seeing pike and walleye in creeks. I tried all sorts of things today on cedar lake, But I focused on trolling the breakline, and casting into the creek mouth of the carp trap, and the northern creek mouth. I am finding very concentrated groups of crappie in the shallow bays. The big crappies seem to stay near the center of the bays in a pack, while the smaller ones just roam all over. I found some fish on the peninsula, but I couldn't see what species, only that they were jumping. The water is getting warmer, its back up to 50 degrees, and over 60 in the bays. Weeds are just starting the grow, lilly pads are starting too. The protected areas are still very clear water, but the open areas are very murky.

[Zombie]

Went out wednesday morning. Tried Otter,Campbell and the river. No action at all.

[sartellangler05]

Did well on Clearwater last Tuesday evening on the crappies!! We didn't get to the spot until 7:30, but managed 18 keepers all over 10 1/2 inches. Five measure just over 12". Used minnows in 4-6 ft of water on an ice fishing jig, which proved too small because we lost a few at the boat. Was surprised that nobody was on the lake for the warm day it was...people must be catching the fish elsewhere

[20lbSloughShark]

The fishing has really been picking up the last couple of days. Today I ended with 3 bass and a northern for about 3 hours of fishing. All fish came in less than 6' on spoons. I tried other lures, but only spoons got bit. I got the northern on the standard red/white daredevle, a bass on a silver daredevlette, and two bass on a jack penny spoon in firetiger.

[CrewJones]

thanks for all the good reports 20lbsloughshark there' very good just wanted to let you know there appreciated

[Rick G]

thanks for all the good reports 20lbsloughshark there' very good just wanted to let you know there appreciated

+1 Thank you 20lbsloughshark!

[BartmanMN]

Any pics from Wright County Walleye's being caught? Hope this crappy weather breaks soon.

[Dylan33]

I'm thinking of heading to Clearwater on Saturday for bass opener. I fish Clearwater a decent amount every year, but never have on opening weekend... how busy is it going to be out there? If I get to the launch by 7am, will I even find a parking spot? I imagine it'll be a zoo....but want to see what ya'all think.

Thanks

[bassfishingnerd]

What is everyone getting for water temps? I have not been out yet.

[LMITOUT]

Made it out for the second time this season and had some luck. Worked the wind blown side of the lake in 11-13 FOW and picked up four chunky walleye over 20" between 4:30 and 6pm using a Lindy and half of a crawler. Also hooked up with 1/2 dozen pike and a couple of LM bass. Nice to have to work the drag again.

[Rick G]

I'm thinking of heading to Clearwater on Saturday for bass opener. I fish Clearwater a decent amount every year, but never have on opening weekend... how busy is it going to be out there? If I get to the launch by 7am, will I even find a parking spot? I imagine it'll be a zoo....but want to see what ya'all think.

Thanks

Bob's bay will likley be full, check over at Black Pool, some people forget it's back there.

[Dylan33]

Thanks, Rick. Is it generally acceptable to park the truck and trailer in the restaurant lot across the street? I always feel bad/weird parking over there.

I've never launched out of black pool, not sure what/where it is. any advice?

[hydro]

Check around for any bass tournaments. If they are running that day you need to get there at o-dark thirty or forget about it.

[clKiekhafer]

Went out late morning and early afternoon today. Managed two nice northerns and no walleyes. We trolled with Raps. It was very pleasant to be back on the water after a long winter.

[workin4bait]

Made it out this morning with my daughter;first lake two hours no hits=time to move. Second lake five hours of fishing 6 walleyes,14 pike and 9 bass that could not wait until tomorrow.

workin'

[Bambito]

Anyone been out fishing in this cold weather? We want to head out tmrw if the rain holds off! Tired of this crappie weather!

[fowldreams]

Got out on clearwater this morning for the first time ever. The bite was tough for us. And with that wind it was cold. We managed several small northerns and one walleye. All the fish came in 16 to 20 foot of water off two sunken islands. Hope others did better.

[workin4bait]

My daughter and I went out Saturday evening,got a later start so stayed closer to home. Only 3 boats out there counting us. We managed 4 bass,8 pike and 5 walleyes. Pulling cranks in 5 to 7 feet of water.Was kind of chilly,the insulated coveralls felt real good.

workin'

[workin4bait]

My dad came over this afternoon and we headed out for awhile[sure alot colder on the lake].We caught a total of 7 walleyes[all short] and 8 pike [most under 20"]. We did a little father\son bonding.

workin'

[Avid Angler]

Have only been out twice around here since opener. Still have not boated a walleye. Sick of the weather. Waiting for better days to get out after those eyes. Panfish have been good.

Avid

[mnguy152]

was slow weekend fishe 5 diffent lakes with 1 walleye to count for my troubles. Caught 2 pike 2 walleye 6 bass couple dozen sunfish and one perch. thought it was funny i was catching bass in deep water trolling while everyone was banging the banks and docks for bass.

[bassfisher123]

I caught 1 bass, 1 pike and a couple sunfish over the weekend

[GIANT1]

walleye bite has been hot several fish from 16" to 25" the last week all in shallow water pulling rapalas after dark blue n white has seemed to be the hot color

[workin4bait]

Back at it again this weekend. On friday I had to work in the afternoon, so I hit a shorefishing spot just before dark,that resulted in 2 bass,2 pike and 2 walleyes[released to fight again].Saturday afternoon I invited my dad with, he asked "when?",I said "after I get a chance to pick a few mushrooms." I got home just before 5pm with some mushrooms and dad was already sitting in the yard waiting.Got to the lake and it was game on! In 3 hours we caught 16 walleyes pulling cranks,they seemed to really like those husky jerks today!

workin'