Annandale-Buffalo-Hutchinson fishing reports

[canman]

hope'n to get out next weekend. spent the past 2 weekends up north. the local holes should be going now...

[pike doctor]

I was thinking of trying Winsted Lake. I remember about 10 years ago catching Red Lake sized crappies out there. Drove by today and I think there was only a couple houses over by the dam. Maybe I will get some suckers and go out there and try to get some Northerns.

Have heard from a couple guys that tried Howard lake. Nothing but four inch perch. That lake has never recovered since the flood. You can get some fish here and there, but it is time consuming.

Anyone been to Cokato Lake at all? I have never fished there before. Ice conditions?

[Farley]

Fished Cokato a few times, was good early ice but died off with the snow and cold weather from what I can tell, havent fished out there since it warmed up. Probably going to try it this weekend since our house is out there.

[My_Key]

I was thinking of trying Winsted Lake. I remember about 10 years ago catching Red Lake sized crappies out there. Drove by today and I think there was only a couple houses over by the dam. Maybe I will get some suckers and go out there and try to get some Northerns.

I grew up in Winsted and have fond memories of bullheads, carp and big thick algae blooms floating across the lake. All the field runoff coming in from the drainage creek on the north end. I could never eat a fish out of there. But like I said, I grew up there, and probably saw the lake at it's worst.

[pike doctor]

I refuse to eat any fish south of little falls, but they are sure fun to catch.

[pike doctor]

Went and fished howard lake today. Marked some fish caught a couple perch, nothing over 8". And that was it. Must have been about 20" of ice, 16 of it being good. There was some deeper drifts that made it a pain to get around with the wheelhouse. Maybe gonna head up toward Cokato or Annandale.

[Avid Angler]

Good morning everyone!

I haven't been fishing around here for a couple weeks, but it sounds like the bite has been real hit and miss around here. I am going to get out tonight and hopefully each day until Monday.

I have been hearing the same reports as I have all winter. I have talked to a few guys that have tried Preston and they confirmed that 98% of the fish being caught are 10-12 inch walleyes. If we let these fish live one more year, they will be 14 inches next year.

So try to restrain yourself from keeping these this winter. Preston has a good chance to make it this winter without having a winterkill because of high water levels. The water is flowing from Alley into Preston. This should prevent a major kill.

Anyways, good luck out there and fish hard.

Avid

[My_Key]

I have two friends who have been fishing Preston. One said he caught about 20 walleyes one evening just to get 4 keepers. This guy travels to LOW and URL yearly, so I doubt he'd keep 12 inchers.

The other claimed that he was nailing them, all in the 16-18 inch range. Personally, I don't believe him. Or he wouldn't be trying other lakes, or asking where I've been fishing. Cuz if I had a honey hole that produced 2lb walleyes consistently, I'd be there until it was dry.

I also noticed that the water was flowing from Allie as well. A small portion of the shoreline was open where it came in on the north end.

[BigDogRob]

Stella is another lake but it's been extremely slow you could set your timer by when the bites are you will get two chances and they are gone in a flash...feels like trying to wrangle a magic rabbit.

[pike doctor]

All of this rain can't be good for the ice. Drove by the crow river and I saw about a foot of water on top of the ice. Havent seen a lake yet. Landings with a steep incline are going to be skating rinks when this stuff freezes.

[My_Key]

I left the lake this morning in the rain. The hard packed snow where everyone has been driving was as slippery as clear ice. I almost needed ice cleats to walk on it. They are already bad, and will only get worse when it freezes back up. I saw water standing in areas where the snow was minimal.

[Farley]

had a little water trickling into our holes Saturday. No swirling around like toilet bowls yet but with all this wind, all the water will be pushed to one side of the lake, if your fish house is on that side, you might want to go pull it. Comming off the lake Saturday night I had water splashing over the hood of my truck.

[Avid Angler]

Good morning everyone!

Me and a friend fished in the rain Saturday morning. The weather was miserable, but the fishing was great. In an hour we caught about 30 crappies and three sunfish. It was a blast. They weren't huge. The biggest was about 10.5 inches. They were suspended at 10 feet over 16 foot.

We used a combination of small silver swedish pimples tipped with euro larvae and gill pills. We had to switch rods every so often to keep them biting. We fished amongst 12 permanents that no one was in.

Never underestimate the morning bite. The lakes are usually really quiet and the fish know it. We were long gone before anyone came out.

Good luck out there.

Avid

[Faner50]

I refuse to eat any fish north of Brainerd. All those ground water out-houses up there ya know. LOL.

[canman]

First weekend I fished around here this year...to many things going on and mix in a few trips up north. None the less it was great! Many walleyes in 7 feet of water. Hard to believe, but they ran up to 25 inches. I think we had bigger ones on, but just couldn't get them up. I wish I didn't have to work all week.

[bassinhole89]

Wow. Good job canman. I have been looking for a place like that to take my grandpa. Can you give any hints or a point in any direction. Thanks

[one'smylimit]

Can anybody share some info on Nixon lake? It is between Hwys. 24 & 7 in Clearwater Twns. I've heard bits & pieces, but have never fished it. I know there is an access on the north end, but not sure how to get to it. Any info would be great. Thanks.

[daylate]

I have fished this lake. small pan fish, lots of hammer handles. clear, deep, small lake. I did not find a reason to return. perhaps if you try you will have better luck. there is a couple of nice holes and a decent point to work. good luck!

[kc0myy]

its a nice little lake for fishing. but I fished that lake with my EX GIRLFRIEND (sorry I had to put that in there lol) for 2 summers in a row and still didn't catch anything. I tryed shallow and deep water still nothing. but I was talking with my friends dad one morning when I went out there and he got a dandy bass like 19"-20" bass pigs.

[leech~~]

We fished it in the spring one year and like daylate said, lots of small Pan fish and pike.

[one'smylimit]

Thanks for the info, gang. I don't know if I will try it this winter yet, but would like to try it after ice out. Sounds like a good lake to carry in a small boat? Thanks for your help.

[daylate]

The access is suitable for a good sized boat.

[canman]

Can't give up the spot...it is how ever a lake in between Hutchinson/St. Cloud/Willmar...

[My_Key]

Canman, I think I was fishing by you. I was sitting in a little deeper water, and had similar success. I had every intention to go to a different lake last weekend, but made a last minute decision to go where I knew I could get some fish. Things were going well enough that after a short ATV ride with the kid, I didn't even bother to put the tip up back in.

[THavas]

thinking about going out on buffalo today, anyone pulling feesh out of their holes?

[canman]

I didn't see any wheelers around me.

[bassNspear]

friend of mine was out on big swan last night and got to eyes that were 18 inches long, but that was it!

[My_Key]

Well then, that means that the guy looking for a lake to take gramps to has a few options. Maybe he'll get lucky.

[sticknstring]

Nope.

[bassNspear]

wish ya luck!! let me know if you get any fish!