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Lake Minnetonka...overwhelmed. Where to start?


nate larson

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I moved to the cities this past August and I am thinking about giving the big pond a try. Most of my fishing in the past has been on smaller lakes and I have to say I am overwhelmed by Lake Minnetonka. I have tried a few lakes in the West Metro and have caught quite a few panfish but I have yet to catch a keeper. I have talked to a few people and that do well on Minnetonka but I have no idea where to start. The lake is huge and has so many bays. I am hoping to find some decent sized crappies and bluegills. I drive a small car so getting around the lake can be tough at times. Are people able to get around out there right now in a car? I am guessing the ice conditions will be deteriorating rapidly with this warm weather and rain. Would anyone be willing to give me some adivce on where to start and a good place to access the lake? Or better yet, let me tag along. I will provide bait, beer, gas money, whatever. My email address is larson_nate at hotmail dot com.

Thanks in advance!

Nate smile

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Travel is easy anywhere on the lake. Just do not drive through channel areas. Tonka is really a series of connected lakes and should be approached that way. West end is very different from east end and all the bays differ from each other. Halsted's is stained water for example while Crystal is like it's name implies. Get a map, pick a bay and start fishing it. Right now pannies are still on the deep weed edges. Look for humps and points find a flat area in about 10ft attached to one of those and start fishing it. Crappies are hanging deeper - suspended over 20 to 30ft depths but close to structure. Look for contained areas - deep water almost if not toally surrounded by shallow water. You'll find crappies there.

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new to the forums help because i must be blind looked on the map cant find phelps bay so were is it? thanks

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Mark gives sage advice...best listen to him.

Treat every bay in Minnetonka as a separate lake, and that will help to lower the intimidation factor.

You'll be tempted to look at other areas (bays) after you have selected your "lake", but don't listen to the siren song. Pick a bay (lake) and stick with it...for now.

In time not only will you learn the peculiarities of that area, but soon you will be branching off to explore the other "lakes" on Minnetonka as well.

Good luck.

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I just got off of Tonka when I left there was about 3" of water on the ice and the water was making my holes bigger and bigger so I decided to leave I wanted to get some eye When driving I had water at time coming over the hood and was only going 15 or so try and not drive along the roads that were plowed that is whare the water is deeper drives safe and fish hard

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

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