Annandale-Buffalo-Hutchinson fishing reports

[crowhunter14]

Went out Thursday and Friday all day to four different lakes north of Hutch. The last lake we actually found fish that were biting aggressive. We tried several methods, and long line bottom bouncing with minnows caught both crappie and walleye, but were few and far between. Did well on northerns pulling rapalas in 5-6 feet of water. Managed a couple of walleyes that way as well.

[canman]

cold front really slowed things down this weekend. Did find a nice batch of gills. They haven't spawned yet on the lake I was fishing.

[Jon P.]

Here are the walleyes and a few of the Northern that crowhunter is talking about. If the concrete guy that was out there finds this we caught two eyes right after we drifted by you and you told us you wanted to hear they had started biting. Awesome time we both caught our largest walleyes ever, and released them for someone else to enjoy. Two 27"ers. I went with another guy that night on Minnewaska and he caught a 27 1/2". The walleye in the photo is a 15", the big pike was 28".

[fishuhalik]

Where you been hitting the walleyes out there? No specific spots needed, maily wondering what depth you're getting 'em at

[nwa1819]

Went out to Lake Ann in Sherburne County this afternoon and had some good look with Crappies, the biggest at 11 inches. Threw them all back though. Two nights ago me and a buddy hit Eagle Lake near Big Lake and had okay luck with some small northerns and crappies and one nice Largmouth, anyone ever fished either?

[eyepatrol]

Here's my 4yr old nephew's first walleye ever....32"!!!

[harvey lee]

Nice job on the eye Eric. It looks like you are just as happy as the youngster.

Congrats on a dandy.

[eyepatrol]

I wish I could take credit for that one and wish I was there when it happened, but that's actually my brother and his family. I did get to see the fish though....they're mounting it.

4yr old gets a 32"er and I've fished for 30 years still waiting for a 30"er. It just aint fair.

[LMITOUT]

That's a nice first fish. Gonna be a long road to top that one!

[Scott M]

Nice fish for the little guy!

*********************

Got out on Stahls on Saturday for a bit. Bassing was pretty slow but I was only out to kill a couple hours. The weather sure was nice, but the coontail, muskgrass and filamentous algae explosion didn't do much for me.

[crowhunter14]

Went out the last two nights with another guy. Managed 12 fish. 10 hammerhandles. 1 28" northern, one 26" northern, one 9" perch, and one 27" carp. Tough fishing for walleyes...

[crowhunter14]

Any word on a panfish bite in the Hutch area. No need for large size. I have a nephew coming up today and tomorrow and would like to keep him reelilng if possible. In above post we fished belle last night and it was basically dead. Thanks for any advice.

[harvey lee]

Eric, you're brother and you look very much alike. I thought when I first looked at the photo something was different but just figured I had not seen you for awhile.

[crowhunter14]

Since no reply on the panfish bite we went out to Jennie and tried weedlines and docks. No luck. I cast a rapala a few times and caught a 21" northern, maybe they ate all the panfish. Oh well, have to try another lake tonight. Good luck!

[LMITOUT]

I headed out early today to beat the heat and it was a multi-species morning which was a 180 deg turn from last weekend where I couldn't buy a bite. The first fish, a pike, came about 100 yards into my first pass of the day pulling a #5 shadrap in about 9-11 FOW. Nice way to start the day. Worked that area a little more and had a few more bites and a few more fish with a walleye and even a few perch that thought my #5 Firetiger looked tasty.

The wind started to pick up out of the NW and my first area had quieted down so I headed over to the east side of the lake after checking on a few spots in between but not much happening so I continued on. Threw out a #5 Clown Shad and ended up finding more of the same mixed bag that I had earlier across the lake. Ended up with a few more walleye that were a little better in size (15 & 18") with pike and perch as bonus action. Worked that spot and beyond for a while but it also quieted down with the sun high in the sky. Getting a little red I decided at that time I was ready to get out of the sun too, but not before going back over to the first spot to see if anything had moved back in but no luck.

The summer crankin' bite is finally here!

[crowhunter14]

Went out earlier in the morning on sunday to try to find panfish once again. Actually found some decent size sunnies and quite a few LM bass, about half a dozen over 3 lbs. We were fishing in 3-4 FOW and sometimes shallower when the rain was falling. We tried working up and down weedlines along the shores with bobbers, plain hook and crawlers. Good time. We also tried pulling raps for northerns once the sun got up, but no luck. I think we were pulling in to shallow of water in 5-8'.

[Faner50]

I Went fishing this morning. Did pretty well. Marked suspended fish in 25+ feet. Ran a "Wolf River Rig" 3 way swivel. Ran a 3 foot dropper with a 8 foot leader to a large colorado spinner with a lot of thump. Night crawlers were the ticket but I had to have at least 2 hooks on the spinner. First hook never was in their mouths. good luck to all....Faner

[bassNspear]

whats the water temps in the area?

[Frank Rickard]

I wish I would've seen this post earlier. I fished Ann hear and there last year. I lived within 10 minutes of that lake for almost 20 years and never fished it until last year. I was usually out there fishing bass. I have caught a lot of small northerns and small sunfish. I have never caught any crappies out there, sounds like you got into some nice fish. I have caught some nice bass out of there. Small lake and it always seems like there are boats pan fishing or trolling around the lake for northerns. I haven't been out there yet this year and I haven't fished Eagle since I was a kid.

[LMITOUT]

Hitched up the boat this morning and with a little drizzle on the windshield headed to the lake to see what was snappin'. I put on my favorite Clown Shad Rap and before I could get the rod in the holder it hit pay dirt but the fish came unbuttoned halfway back to the boat. Hmm. Worked various cranks for a while but pretty much the only action was small pike with one 5 lber mixed in along with a LM bass. Didn't seem to matter what crank I tried, slow or fast, deep or shallow, the walleye weren't cooperating except for one stray.

Decided to dig out the bottom bouncers and spinners and managed a couple more in the same path where I had just been pulling the crankbaits. They apparently were looking for some "live" food rather than the balsa imitation today. After the sun broke through the bite slowed down and I started searching around but didn't have much luck after that.

Talked to a few others that either didn't have any or the ones they got were small also. Nice morning to be out even with a little precip falling.

[bassNspear]

was out on sylvia all weekend chasing bass and pan fish around all weekend. Panfishing was awesome. Took the family out on the pontoon,(9) of us, and had a great time getting alot of sunfish. Nothing like having fresh fish for a meal.

Bass fishing in the morning before the lake got out of control. Managed to do pretty well, didnt boat anything huge huge, but had 3 over 18 inches, and rest were dinks.

[huskie0302]

Hey...taking a few newbies out fishing this weekend, trying to find some action with the sunnies. I haven't found anything consistant. You guys have any suggestions. Everything is going to be CPR. Thanks in advance

[mascad]

Try Lake Ripley by the reeds, should get some action there.

[69Dave]

If you like a crowd go to Ripley, its there watercade weekend. There fishing tourament is Saterday morning 8 till noon out there. I'd go to lake Franices, northeast of Kingston.

[huskie0302]

I was thinking closer to Hutch or Dassel- Cokato area. Both the lakes you talked about are good ideas, but just thought a little too far to go

[Lowrider06]

Was out today at Preston, dead sea, not even a bite but did catch a good size branch in the water, so that was all my exictment for the day.....

[LMITOUT]

Slow today for me too. Clear skies, NW wind, and rising barometer.....textbook cold front conditions and early this morning it felt like fishing in late September rather than early July. I was digging for the hoodie shortly after hitting the water which I'm glad I left in the boat! Didn't see any other fish caught and most were heading to the landing early. I was graphing fish but it didn't seem to matter what I put in front of them they weren't taking it.

[bassNspear]

hows clearwater been for bucket heads so far this year!

[Avid Angler]

Had a great fishing day yesterday, but it came with some effort.

I got up at 4:15 am and was on the water by 5:30. In about an hour I had found an inside turn filled with crappies that wanted to bite. I had caught what I wanted to keep and then some. They were in the 9-11 inche range.

I then switched gears and fished for walleyes, but only caught two channel catfish. They sure fight!

I then switched gears again and went after some sunfish. I found some of then too, but size was dissapointing.

At the end of the day, I had a nice meal of crappies and sunfish and fished three lakes.

Can't wait to fry'em up tonight after work.

Avid

[Troy Smutka]

Saturday was tough cold front conditions for sure! We were bundled up and on the lake early, and while we caught a lot of fish, the size was mostly disappointing. We caught several largemouth, but only up to about 2 pounds; several sunfish, but only a few that would have been keepers; crappies, nice ones but only a few; one small smallmouth; one 16-inch walleye, and one 28-inch northern. Felt more like duck hunting in the morning. Once this system and the cooler temps and howling winds to follow it are past in a couple of days, fishing should improve. Good luck!