Forest Lake Fishing Reports

[tunrevir]

Sorry Hunter, I just got back from the weekend. I have heard decent reports from all three basins but most of the activity has been focused in the 15' range with some guys having a bit of luck in the 6' edges of the weedlines after dark.

Tunrevir~

[hunter322]

thanks for the reply tunrevir! im kinda new to this walleye fishing thing. i can fish northerns bass crappies or sunnies all day long but am a lil stumped when it comes to walters! im goin out tomorrow with my bro hope all goes well!

[hunter322]

well was out tonight and i could only find the little dink crappies stacked over the deep holes. didnt really try for walleyes though.

[tunrevir]

When working the deeper holes you can move around a bit and potentially get into schools of bigger crappies but it is a catch and sort type of thing heavy on the sorting end. Try working glow in the dark plastics or small jigging spoons to up your size range. A small shiner set 8-12 inches off the bottom has potential to catch the attention of some walleyes. I typically liked the 25-27' range when working deeper out on Flake. If you are fishing during the day in the deeper water try running a medium sucker or large shiner 12-15' down, you might be surprised at some of the pike you catch.

Tunrevir~

[brewnmn]

Can you get out w/ a truck yet from the second boat landing?

thanks

[tunrevir]

Folks are beginning to drive out there now and you can get out off the 2nd lake access if you choose.

Hit the lake last night for a few hours and had a decent night. Ended up keeping 4 eyes 14"s and threw back four that were 10-12 inches. Worked a bottom transition in 20'. Fish came off a firetiger jigging rap with a minnow head and a tipup. Perch were thick untill sunset with a few decent perch comming in at 9 inches. Crappies started in about an hour after dark but nothing with any size.

Tunrevir~

[Castinski]

Sounds like a good night of fishing tunrevir! I have also picked up quite a few 9-10" perch this season. I don't think there are enough to consistantly target, but they seem to come in on the bottom edge of the drop about the same time as the walleye's. Being relatively new to the area and seeing nothing but dink perch for the past few years, has this lake ever had a decent population of good sized perch? There are TONS of tiny perch in this lake. I would say they make up most of the forage base right now.

[brewnmn]

thanks tunrevir...I like to chase the pike just west of the point across from the landing during open water and would like to give that are a shot through the ice.

[tunrevir]

The lake has always had a huge population of stunted panfish and clouds of tiny perch which can make walleye fishing tough at times. I have never seen a fishable population of decent perch but have been pleasantly surprised the past two years by a few decent ones. I found a shallow bay this summer that had a nice school of 9 inchers and I was picking them up on a crappie tube nearly every cast which was pretty fun. They all went back so hopefully they will continue to get bigger. One problem I have run into is that when fishing tipups with small shiners early evening, the perch keep setting off the tipup untill the walleyes start to move in and bite. It can get a bit spendy when they start stealing and killing your shiners. Hoping to get out the next three nights and work some new spots and see if they are holding any fish. The lake is in great shape and folks are starting to drive out pretty regularly now. Tightlines!

Tunrevir~

[rellis]

I was out by willow point this morning caught a few pike and the regular small crappies with a nice 12.5" one on a small shiner, 13 fow.

[rellis]

I drove from first lake access to willow point, the road wasnt to bad one big bump inbetween 1st and 2nd lake. seen lots of other people driving too.

[walleyeguy7]

tunrevir, i thought the firetiger rap with the minnow head was my secret, its a different way to catch em but they sure do like it!!!

[FishingFL]

I want to get to a spot on the southeast side of Lake 3 on Sunday. Do you folks think that is a reasonable drive by the weekend? I usually don't like driving all the way across a metro lake until later in January but after the rain and this bitter cold I would imagine the ice is doing well now.

[tunrevir]

Southeast side shouldn't be a problem. You can access at willow point and drive straight across to the southeast or use the third lake access off the east end of the lake and be closer yet if you don't want to access the lake in town and drive across the whole lake.

Tunrevir~

[KJJFISHING]

Usually you can also get in at Timms Marina off of 97 as it is closed for the season.

[Panfish_Catcher]

i am going out on flake tomorrow and maybe sunday. my buddy is putting his permanent on 3rd. i think i'll hop around in my portable but what lake would be best to try? afternoon until dark. which lake has been doing the best so far for that time period? 1st 2nd or 3rd?

thanks!!!

[FLaker]

Hey guys, what ice thickness are you seeing and where are you at? Still seeing slush? I typically fish 2nd and 3rd, but have been pretty tied up until this coming weekend.

Thanks!

FLaker

[tunrevir]

Rough guesstimate is 15-16 inches where I was at last night. Fullsized trucks driving across the lake.

Tunrevir~

[tunrevir]

Went out this evening for a bit and with the front the walleyes were a bit more timid then they have been in recent days but my kids each managed to catch a fish which made them both happy.

A 16 and an 18" one fish was caught jigging by my daughter and the other came off a tipup.

Tunrevir~

[fishing tech]

Very nice!! Always like seeing kids catch fish!!!!

[Panfish_Catcher]

tried third yesterday in 12 fow caught a few small crappies biggest was 8.5"

my buddy was south of me quite aways and he couldnt keep the fish off his line caught tons but all dinks

[Deitz Dittrich]

Keep the reports coming!!!! Good to hear how people are doing.

[Fuzzbient]

Here's one of those 9 inch perch. Still yet to see a jumbo like you get on Mille Lacs or Big Sand. Let this one go back too.

[FishingFL]

Went out on 3rd lake tonight and didn't see much at all. 22 FOW, a few small perch, 1 small walleye and a random northern.

Saw a lot of people out, we were probably the only group not slaughtering them!

[OnAFly]

I was out on the 2nd lake last night. It was the first time I've ever fished Forest on ice. I've never caught so many tiny crappies. Probably caught 25 fish. Avg fish was probably 5 inches. Despite the fish size and my heater not wanting to turn on, I still had a good time.

[KJJFISHING]

Putting out permanant house tomorrow. Have had it out there for the last 10 years. Trying to find a place for the kids to catch fish. Have had it in the 2 basins on 2 for the last few years. But at that depth by the time the get them up from that deep those poor things dont fair that well. Any shallower areas would be great.

[Fuzzbient]

Putting out permanant house tomorrow. Have had it out there for the last 10 years. Trying to find a place for the kids to catch fish. Have had it in the 2 basins on 2 for the last few years. But at that depth by the time the get them up from that deep those poor things dont fair that well. Any shallower areas would be great.

The southwest area of lake 3 in around 12 fow has some good panfish action that the kids might enjoy. Not much for size but good for quantity. I was over there messing around during the day last week and the vexilar was lit up like you wouldn't believe. Dropped the camera down and it looked like grand central station with crappies, sunfish, perch, and bass. Nothing worth keeping but still fun.

[FLnick87]

What types of areas have been producing eyes? Was thinking of trying to find a weedline but have had little success in finding one unless its real shallow (6-7ft)Was thinking of trying some of the breaks off third that I muskie fish. any ideas?

[Fuzzbient]

Was thinking of trying to find a weedline but have had little success in finding one unless its real shallow (6-7ft)

Has anyone else noticed the difference in weeds this year? I know the DNR did a weed kill this summer. Saw the float markers where they put it down. Sure took down the weeds and made some interesting trolling areas.

[KJJFISHING]

Fuzz... Thanks for the advice on 12 FOW on three. 2 small ones but fun for kids.