Forest Lake Fishing Reports

[Castinski]

Fuzz... When was the DNR weed kill? I noticed a big change in late spring early summer. I was walleye fishing a weed edge at about 13-14' one week, and the next week the weed edge was in 9' or shallower.

I know the lake association had a lot of say in this. Anyone know what they plan to do next year?

[howpeculiar]

Picked up a 4# northern on first last night at 8:15pm in a school of the same tiny crappies I am finding everywhere. Was hoping for a nice walleye, so the northern was a bit of a surprise! Had some kids borrow the auger about two minutes later and I was still jazzed!

[tunrevir]

The lake association is going to continue to get weed eradication permits from the DNR to treat x amount of acres on the lake for curley leaf pondweed and will also continue to use the weed harvesters as needed to keep the weeds in check. The spraying took place in early May I believe and really walloped the weedlines in the areas I fished. Hopefully the native plants will reestablish and take over rather then the exotics.

Tunrevir~

[FishingFL]

I saw a huge difference in the summer fishing compared to 2 years ago especially. There were a couple of years were you could hardly navigate through water from 6-9 feet in a lot of areas to fish bass and this past summer you could get in a lot of spots to get nice bites where it was too frustrating in years past.

[jparrucci]

Hows the ice condition on there on Forest Lake and Clear Lake? I think I might make my first venture onto the ice for the year, but don't feel like walking when it is supposed to be cold. Would I be alright in a front wheel drive car on these lakes and accesses? I know I'll warm right up with the hand auger at least...

[tunrevir]

Should be fine for travelling either lake with the car as there isn't alot of snow cover on the lake but may have to watch out for any drifted areas.

Tunrevir~

[fishing tech]

How about truck travel. Is the ice thick enough?

[tunrevir]

Yep, I had my truck out there for the last week and a half so I would say it is safe for truck travel.

Tunrevir~

[rellis]

I have been reading up on barometric preasure and how it affects fish but im not finding anything out about northerns,crappies or walleyes. does anyone know anything about the affects on these fish? thanks.

[tunrevir]

Not scientific by any means, but typically the first day after a big pressure change is a bust with slow fishing and each successive day after the front, as the pressure stablizes the fishing picks up. I try not to let the pressure dictate whether I am going to fish or not but it might influence the presentations somewhat. Prior to a pressure change I'm looking at working shallower water, more aggressive jigging, and larger minnows on my setups. With a sudden change like we just got. I'll move deeper, jig with less action and use smaller minnows on my setups. Can't say that the pressure affects one species more then another.

Tunrevir~

[reinhard1]

in my opinion i think it affects northerns the least. it seems when everything else gets slow the pike still bite here and there. good luck.

[rellis]

Thanks! I planned on ckecking out some new spots today, have a buddys shack we are moving this morning. the preasure did jump. maybe a little deeper and go small and slow. thanks again!

[FLaker]

Had a great day of fishing yesterday on FL. Had the father-in-law and 5yo out and had a blast. Everyone around us knew when we got a fish!!! The ice surface seems a little less littered than in previous years. I hope this a trend and not just an off year. Found some crappies and bluegills in 14 FOW suspended between 10-12 feet. Crappies seemed to be near the top of the school and sunnies on the bottom. Wax worms and euros were working for us.

Good luck everyone!

FLaker

[tunrevir]

Great job Flaker! I am sure the kids had a great time. Way to go get the fish and nice report! If the weather would warm a bit then it is time for a little hole hopping and grilling out and a guy could work over some areas with pretty decent results but the cold tends to slow me down from hole hopping. I might get out and poke 8-10 holes and fish four or five before retiring to the comfort of the shack before getting up the gumption to go out and work a few more. Sounds like a great outing!

Tunrevir~

[ole matty]

Great job Flaker! I am sure the kids had a great time. Way to go get the fish and nice report! If the weather would warm a bit then it is time for a little hole hopping and grilling out and a guy could work over some areas with pretty decent results but the cold tends to slow me down from hole hopping. I met get out and poke 8-10 holes and fish four or five before retiring to the comfort of the shack before getting up the gumption to go out and work a few more. Sounds like a great outing!

Tunrevir~

That why you need ice armor or artic armor suits!!!!! I have ice armor blue suit. Keep me warm, nice and toasty hole hopping in single digits temp.

[tunrevir]

We all dont make the big dough like you Matty! Becides If I put on a blue suit I'd look like a smurf. If they make it in snow camo then I'll seriously consider it!

Tunrevir~

[mrab54]

I'm thinking about trying Forest Lake for the first time for walleye. If you had to pick one of the three basins, what would you choose? Or at least, are there any that would be a waste of time.

[FLnick87]

For me, all three are a waste. But I would say 1st and 3rd are your best bets. Some people do good, just not this guy! I'm sure Tunrevir has them all scoped out tho. Just find out what he drives, pull as close to him as you can get, and you should have some luck! maybe you can even use his bait and he might give ya something to drink if your close enough!

[tunrevir]

mrab54, I'd target basins 1&3 early and work the deeper water ledges on 2&3 late season. Right now I have been finding active fish in the 17-23 foot depths. There are still fish to be had shallower but I have found more aggressive fish feeding a bit deeper then just 2 weeks ago. Targeting eyes on Flake can be a bit of a guessing game at times, but there are areas that will produce day in and out if you know what to look for. There is a shallow water bite for sumo fish early and late but it is definately not a numbers game and if you connect on a big fish for every 5 times out you did well. Biggest fish I have iced out there so far this winter was a touch under 19" but I haven't fished the shallow areas because I'm looking for a meal here and there instead of a trophy.

Tunrevir~

[tunrevir]

For me, all three are a waste. But I would say 1st and 3rd are your best bets. Some people do good, just not this guy! I'm sure Tunrevir has them all scoped out tho. Just find out what he drives, pull as close to him as you can get, and you should have some luck! maybe you can even use his bait and he might give ya something to drink if your close enough!

That is funny! I had a few guys a couple years back that setup 20 feet tops from the front of my perm shack and I couldn't have hitched on and moved without dislodging them. I brought my son out and we drilled holes inside and out and put a couple rattle reels down and hole hopped outside. Ended up with 2 fish in the shack for the night and three outside all while hole hopping and as far as I know the guys parked on top of me didn't catch much. They also packed and ran about 530 just when the fish started to pick up By the way, if you see a white Subaru out there it might have been me about 10 years ago

Tunrevir~

[ole matty]

Better blue smurf than being ran over by idiots in snow camo.....I think you look better in pink outfit.... Wink wink

[tunrevir]

That hurts Matty, that hurts.

Tunrevir~

[ole matty]

Aww did I hurt your feeling big guy ??? Kidding aside we shld get together for a eye or two on flake or my top secret spot on rush.

[FLnick87]

Tunrevir, what time has been best for you? Have you had any success well after dark. plannin on movin the perm from 2nd to 1st. lookin for a few bigger crappies and some eyes. have the general area picked out, just going to have to drill holes until We find something worthwhile.

[tunrevir]

Early ice I found fish that were cooperative right through the later evening hours(7-9pm). As the year has progressed the fish that I have found to be active have bit right before dark and about 45 minutes after with longer lulls between fish. The good news is there is a decent bite for crappies after the "primetime" and a few straggler walleyes that bite later on. To be honest, the bite has been great this year for fish on the spots I've fished but the size is down in many areas. I am seeing a few smaller fish with a few keepers thrown in on a given night. There are a ton of 10-13" fish in the system right now, so this spring and summer the fishing should only get better! The bigger fish I have taken this winter have come off tipups, shallower water then where I was fishing in the shack on medium sized shiners. I suspect that if years past holds true the active fish will take smaller shiners away from the commotion with a bonus of a big crappie here and here. Even with the gps and the chips there are out of the way places that put out decent fish with the chance at a true metro trophy here and there.

Tunrevir~

[mrab54]

I went out on lake three yesterday and got a ton of tiny perch in about 19'. Then I ran out of propane and forgot to bring extra - I needed to move anyways. I tried a similar dropoff when I got back 3:30-6:30, marked a few off the bottom but they just stared at my jig. I stopped marking once it got dark. My shallower tip-up w/ shiner did not produce.

It felt good being able to drive all over without the heart beating out of my chest though, lots of ice!

[tunrevir]

I was out Friday night for a bit and worked some new area. I had fish on the vex from the moment I dropped the transducer in the hole. I set my tip up in 16' and went to work jigging in the shack. Caught a small crappie followed by a 12" crappie and I thought I hit the motherload of big crappies but ended u[p catching a bunch of small ones and had no flags for the night. Always next time.

Tunrevir~

[Fuzzbient]

Stable weather had the fish a bit more active Tonight. Here's an 18 incher that took a shiner just before sundown.

[tunrevir]

Nice fish there Fuzz! Looks like you got the puzzle figured out, out there once again this year.

Tunrevir~

[FLnick87]

guess i will have to try again tonight....