Bald Eagle Lake Fishing Reports

[scoutWBL]

If nothing else its fun to get out there and catch some fish. No luck on the eyes last night.

[scoutWBL]

If nothing else its fun to get out there and catch some fish. No luck on the eyes last night.

[jigginjim]

What was the length of the crappies? Maybe work for pickling.

[pbear7]

its a shame when more and more cities are being turned into woodbury's

[shiltsy]

Plenty of people trekking out from the public access today... there were at least a dozen portables around the reed island and one guy brought out a small three wheeler.

I setup just west of the reed island fishing in 6-7' FOW. Managed a good number of dink Perch and one small walleye. There was a good 5-6" of ice where I was fishing.

[TJB]

Looking to get out this weekend, anyone else?

[CrappieNut]

cant wait!! i finally got a day off so now i have to get my porty, and rods ready

last year i was drinking beer in my flip over in the garage in early november

that may have been a little early

[Jari Razskazoff]

Any reports? Hows the ice?

[NAGORSKI]

Drove by last night, plenty of people out there! Saw a wheeler coming off the ice. Gonna give it a try today.

[Just Me]

Hi and wecome to the 2009-2010 ice season!

Was wondering if anyone has a ice thickness report by the reed island. Id like to get the boys out for some crappie action this weekend and would most likly use a wheeler.

Thanks much! Just Me

[walter_slayer]

ditto. Planning to head out to Bald Eagle tomorrow and find some walters...

Was hoping to bring my wheeler out and I see there have been some out already. at least someone mentioned that above...Never fished this lake before, are there any springs or other areas to avoid? Anyone have an ice report?

Thanks!

[holepopper]

has anyone went out of the old temp access on back side of island yet? has any seen 4 wheelers out past weed island? and for the guy above there is couple springs in bald eagle but if go out straight out from the public access on the other side of weeds sticking out of the ice in about 19feet should get some action

[walter_slayer]

someone told me on another site that there were snowmobile and 4 wheeler tracks all over the lake yesterday when he drove by....said he spoke to someone coming off the lake and they were reporting 6-10" everywhere they went.

Cant wait for the morning! Blue sportsman 500 and a clam 3 man portable if you want to swing by and say hi

[NCLaker]

has anyone went out of the old temp access on back side of island yet? has any seen 4 wheelers out past weed island? and for the guy above there is couple springs in bald eagle but if go out straight out from the public access on the other side of weeds sticking out of the ice in about 19feet should get some action

Is the ice typically thin over the springs you mention? If yes, where on the lake are the located? Thx!

[holepopper]

with the report above 6-10 inches you shouldn't have to worry about the springs besides really early ice and late ice. but 1 of springs ive been told is when you come out of the access and go right around the point towards the rock pile about half way there is one also on think on back side of island its always bad ice there early. hope it helps but should be good to go

[Will]

6 - 10 inches where i was on the north end. I ran thru half a dozen slushy spots with the wheeler. Be careful out there especially by the rock bar, There are a few weak spots every year.

[Jari Razskazoff]

8-9 inches just south of the reed island, you know, where tent city normally is. I was there last night from about 6-10:30, and only cought 3 crappies... no size... same old story. Quite a few 4 wheelers, and plenty of tracks all over the place.

[life=outdoors92]

"I was there last night from about 6-10:30, and only cought 3 crappies... no size... same old story."

i can't remember the last time i caught a crappie with any size on that lake in quite some time. all stunted

[ole]

I caught enough 8-10 inch crappies last year to keep me busy.Most were caught away from the usual spots and on days when there were hardly any people out. Yeah there are lots of small fish to be caught but if you move around enough you can find them. And if and when you do find them try not to tell everyone else about it.

ole

[life=outdoors92]

see i really don't consider 8-10 inch crappie to have any size...thats just in my book

[ole]

No, they certainly don't count as big fish. Yet every year someone will yank out a piggie. Even the 10" crappies are thin on the lake, no shoulders on them if ya know what I mean. you can still get a meal if you work hard at it.

ole

[NAGORSKI]

I found those stunted crappies on friday. We went out on the west side of the reeds and found 4" of ice in 20' of water. There was about 8" closer to the reeds. So I would still be carefull with a wheeler.

[Finesse]

"I was there last night from about 6-10:30, and only cought 3 crappies... no size... same old story."

i can't remember the last time i caught a crappie with any size on that lake in quite some time. all stunted

This is why I detest the metro area. Hopefully one of these years I can find a lake that has some decent pannies and crappies. It's easy to hate these lakes around here when I can go to Wisconsin and hit my private honey hole lake and catch 9" and larger sunnies and crappies that average 12" + even having been on the downside of the slope the last few years. Masses of greedy people have ruined these lakes. My buddy and I caught a few hundred sunnies out of this lake in the spring of this year and EVERY fish that appeared to have eggs, we threw back. Even the 10"+ pannies. I hate people who troll spawning beds and who don't practice conservation. That, ladies and gentleman is why the metro area lakes suck. I will stab myself in the eye before I EVER give away my honey hole. You cant find these kind of lakes around here anymore.

[holepopper]

was out tonight with 1 buddy we caght 5 walleyes 13 1/2 inches -17 and 10 7 inch crappies fishing in 17 feet

[life=outdoors92]

i have a honey hole on white bear average 11-12+ crappies every time, and they have those big broad shoulders, and lots of meat but your right about how metro fisherman don't practice conservation. its 100% true. any sunny i catch down here gets thrown back no matter the size

[Juice88]

I use the metro lakes near my house to practice crappie fishing. I go up north to my hometown, when I want to put something decent in the frying pan.

[Jari Razskazoff]

Well, lets not turn this in to a metro lake bashing session. I like bald eagle because you can go out there, fish with a bunch of people who are generally all nice, and friendly. Talk with people you've never met before. Try a new spot every time you're there. Stay in the crowd, or get out of the crowd. Catch fish (regardless of the size), catch bigger "other-than-pan" fish. And generally have a good time. Its a party lake, and to think differently would just be tricking yourself. I've cought walleye out of bald eagle that have been plenty big (28in), and I've cought musky in the summer... so quit hatin', and start appreciatin'.

[Will]

+1 all good points JR

[Tom7227]

The DNR website gives data on what size of fish they have caught. Bald Eagle doesn't fare that well in the sunfish and catgegories, but there were some large ones caught. See: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showreport.html?downum=62000200

The DNR website also has a lot of studies about why there are smaller panfish on lakes. There are many factors studied, but what seems to make sense to me as applied to Bald Eagle are overfishing and too many small fish for the food base to support. Of course it is very difficult to convince people to release the big fish and take keep limits of smaller fish. But that could well be what Bald Eagle and other lakes need.

[BoxMN]

Amen Tom. The small ones still taste good, and let those 11"+ fish go, as they at least proved they and their offspring can get that big, and like to bite jigs Just my opinion though.