Medicine Lake Fishing Reports

[mrklean]

went through the park today to check out the lake the lake, no house looked like a spear house out, the access looked pretty beat up to

[lazyhounedaleth]

Ice Condition today

[DuckBlind]

How is the ice on the west side of the lake? Anyone out there right now?

[wayzata]

I just got off the west side an hour ago. Found almost 7 inches where we were fishing. All the ice is looking nice and solid.

[dmichaelm]

How is the ice on the west side of the lake? Anyone out there right now?

Was out saturday. 4.5 to 7in.

[Joe Harty]

The cold nights this week are helping alot. The ice 1s 6-8" thick (with that occasional 4" spot in the 2-5' areas closer to shore). Comfort zone for ATVs is closing fast otherwise ice cleats for sure in hauling your gear out. After delaying a week because of the warmth and the rain event last week, the shop will be open Friday the 23rd. Ken's Bait truck should be here by Noon, and well stocked with tackle and snacks as well......open Christmas Day.

Ebass, sorry I missed your phone call, talk to ya soon.

Joe Harty

[EBass]

Thanks Joe - I'll see if my buddy wants to fish Medicine on Friday and I'll stop by. If not I'll get there eventually this winter.

[Joe Harty]

Drilled holes up the whole East side and found 6-7" very consistent. 6" out deeper and 7" closer in. Was not happy to see a series of 3" thick pools out in front of Harty's North in 4-6' of water. I'm thinkin they were caused by Carp. There seems to be more of them as I worked my way north from there. I was on my 800 Sportsman which as everone knows is the heaviest one out there, but never felt threatened on the ice sheet. Ice picks around my neck and cleats under my boots and kept the wheeler on top of no deeper than 3' just in case. Lack of snow really helps in spotting those occasional hard to miss pools. No fish reports just yet so check in at the shop or phone.

The ice is making some incredible noises too, especially after 3:00 as the sun goes down.

Joe Harty

[Matt S.]

Drilled holes up the whole East side and found 6-7" very consistent. 6" out deeper and 7" closer in. Was not happy to see a series of 3" thick pools out in front of Harty's North in 4-6' of water. I'm thinkin they were caused by Carp. There seems to be more of them as I worked my way north from there. I was on my 800 Sportsman which as everone knows is the heaviest one out there, but never felt threatened on the ice sheet. Ice picks around my neck and cleats under my boots and kept the wheeler on top of no deeper than 3' just in case. Lack of snow really helps in spotting those occasional hard to miss pools. No fish reports just yet so check in at the shop or phone.

The ice is making some incredible noises too, especially after 3:00 as the sun goes down.

Joe Harty

I'm sure it's loud.

I guess the snow cover would normally muffle the sound.

[broman]

There's a guy on Hartys Boat Works camera doing some ice parasailing, or whatever you call it.

[Gekhang]

was just on the south east end by harty's and found pretty consistent 8inches of ice. but no fishes though.

[lanningjw]

I have spent the last couple of days looking and not finding any fish at 17 to 25 foot depth. They must be in the 12 foot depth range. I have a Aqua view and see nothing but Perch. I see some of the regulars fishing shallow......

[DitchDiver]

Was out on the South side of Medicine the afternoon. A handful of perch and bluegills; nothing worth keeping though. Ice is a good eight inches thick.

[Gekhang]

DitchDiver: how deep were you fishing? i was just there yesterday and couldnt mark fish at 15 fow.

[coryusmc]

Anyone out with four wheelers yet. I have a Honda rancher so I think if its a solid eight all around it should be fine.

[MedBoy]

we caught 2 decent sized perch today on the west side. 15 fow using minnows. i saw one atv out on the ice.

[coryusmc]

There was a solid 8in of ice on the west side

[theR00ster]

Got skunked yesterday straight out from Harty's on the east side. 14 fow on 7" from 3 pm to 8 pm...didn't hardly even mark any.

[DaveyG]

Thanks for the updates on the ice thickness on the east side out from Harty's. I'm encouraged by the reports. I had planned to put my shack out last weekend, but then I balked because of the way the weather has gone. It seems like the ice is doing okay though. But the weather report continues to be unencouraging. I'm very interested to know if people have been using 4-wheelers out there (as I would need to tow my shack out with a 4-wheeler). Or is everyone still on foot with portable shelters?

[coryusmc]

No one is on wheelers but I think it would be ok. It is solid ice but the shoreline are heaved up.

[The_King48]

I work close to this lake. I would like to set up my house there when the ice gets thick enough. Could I target crappies and northern from the same spot? Do the crappies bite after dark?

[tj417]

How's the walleye fishing out on Medicine? Enough to specifically target them? How about the typical bite? Early morning vs evening/night? I've never fished there, but I work close by and thought about trying it.

Also, where do most guys access the lake?

Thanks in advance for any info.

[smokindao]

Was out there by beach on Monday night and was able to find the crappies in about 17 fow stacked with my buddy. They would come in batches and leave and come back in 5-10 minute intervals. Overall a good night of ice fishing. Didnt keep any but caught around 20-30...a few here and there pushing 8-9 inches...mostly 6-7 inchers only. Ice was about 6-7 inches of ice

BTW it was a late bite also...between 7-9pm

[mrklean]

any truth that a house went down today? Whats the ice like on the north side of the lake?

[MedBoy]

Was out there by beach on Monday night and was able to find the crappies in about 17 fow stacked with my buddy. They would come in batches and leave and come back in 5-10 minute intervals. Overall a good night of ice fishing. Didnt keep any but caught around 20-30...a few here and there pushing 8-9 inches...mostly 6-7 inchers only. Ice was about 6-7 inches of ice

BTW it was a late bite also...between 7-9pm

any chance of revealing which side you were on? hoping to get into some today.

[go4carl]

fishing report:

Two of us fished from 12:00 to 5pm on Thursday 12/29 and caught 30-40 sunnies. Some were suprisingly good in size. Caught two pike on tip ups, lost another and saw one on the camera. You knew when they where coming because the sunnies would dissappear from the sonar and the camera. we were set up in 15' of water with a tip up in 13' and 17'. I would post pictures but not sure how to do it from an ipad.

[fishingMN4eyes]

Made it yesterday evening from about 4:30-8. Set up on the east side in about 28ft and started catching crappies almost immediately after getting lines in the water. They seemed to come in flurries. We ended up catching about 25 crappies when it was all said and done between three of us. Not great numbers but better than getting skunked. Seemed like minnows were the bait of choice but we did have a few hit on wax worms too. No particular color but glow colors were working ok and pulling up the jigs and glowing them during a lull seemed to trigger bites. We all played around with the depth of our bait and tried to move where they were on the depth finder but they seemed to find the bait anywhere within about 5ft of the bottom. Harty said there is about 8in of ice out there right now. Good luck out there!

[kinn0159]

I heard medicine is an awesome walleye lake. Has anyone seen any decent ones out there?

[bassnub]

I've been ice fishing this lake for the past 3 years and have only caught one eye out of medicine. Is there any more eyes in this lake? I'm not looking for location but are there any left in Medicine?

[TroutYammer]

I always try for eyes and end up catching pike. I have not caught a decent eye on this lake for over 10-years. I am sure there are some good eyes in there...just not biting my line.