Medicine Lake Fishing Reports

[Joe Harty]

All I know is it is about 14' near west beach, it does vary around the lake though, sun angle, snow cover, weeds, carp, etc.

Swing into the shop sometime if you are in the area.

[MedicineMan]

Where's Medicine man?

I'm here... sometimes.

[EBass]

Thanks for the rpt Joe. Medman - have you been out?

[MedicineMan]

EBass, haven't been out yet. Planning on going out either Thursday or Friday.

[Radar Randy]

Thanks for the report Dave.Have not made it to Medicine yet,been fishing the Chisago area mainly for walleye.Did o.k on Rush last wknd,East and West.Hitting Medicine this wknd for some crappie. I seem to pull in the bigger ones deeper and suspended jigging large crappie minow heads,but I'll bring some larva sense thats what worked for you.Most of the crappie there average 7/8 inches but last year 1 out of about 10 were 11-13 in some spots and always at dusk suspended. I'll let ya all now how I did, GOOD FISHING !!! ( Thanks for the reports on the ice conditions Joe ....)

[hardcore365]

Hey Joe where is your shop at? Plan on hitting medicine for the second time ever, still looking for that first fish. Maybe I could swing by and get some pointers for a metro lake nube like myself. Thanks.

[Sherman]

Was looking at the web cam earlier (11:15ish) the gates were open, saw a van and a guy talking to the person driving. After a few mins the van left and gates were closed. Joe was the van going to drive out? Crazy.....look like there's a wet spot in front of landing from the cam.

[EBass]

May want to call him for up to date info.

Harty's Boat Works

1920 E Medicine Lake Blvd, Plymouth, MN 55441

(763) 546-6711

[Joe Harty]

Thank You again Ebass, beat me to it with ease. Anyway, found 11" over the banana bar and also northeast of the 40' hole located north of the west access. Found 12" elsewhere plus 13" in front of the baitshop. Snowcover and milder temps will slow down the rate we have been running at which was an inch a day. West Beach access is open, the Baitshop access opens Friday, French Park access is open plus there is a pressure ridge right at the water level which I alerted the parks director today about, and they will be addressing that directly. Be advised again with respect to deeper snow covered areas near shore on the southeast side and south shore, if you see ice in the middle of the snow it means there is or was a crack and quite possibly water lurking just below that ice/snow pack, get ready to put the hammer down and power through it, or if on foot, walk around it. Be safe and feel free to adopt your part of the lake and help keep it clean.

Please don't hesitate to call the baitshop for random questions, comments or other lake related stuff just like Dad did, or Grandpa did.

Thanks and be safe and smart, please.

[cavalierowner]

I started fishing Medicine on and off last year for the first time since the 70's/80's. At the end of the season last year, I found out that Joe has a donation box to help offset his cost of plowing/maintaining the landing and ice road. In addition to buying bait, etc. from him, can I suggest maybe throwing a couple dollars in his donation box too? I know I sure will.

[Mr2slim]

Hey there ice forum I've been on this one once before last year. I'm home from the marines and was wondering if anyone was going out today I was thinking about checking out the bite possibly off of Harty's. If anyone has any ideas or is going out let me know.

[fishnowworknever]

Looks like there are a few out there now...must have some good ice out there with a full sized truck?

http://www.hartysboatworks.com/webcam.htm

[randerson]

Went out today for a few hours fish didn't cooperate to much but it was mid day south side of lake had 12" and around the 40' hole there was 11.5" did see a lot if vehicles even a crew cab Chevy might have been a heavy half ton but a lot of smaller cars and SUVs

[muskiemanAD]

Just got back. Managed 3 walleye between 2 guys with one 17 incher for oil bath. Other 2 were small. All action was in a 15 minute period in 13 feet of water then not a fish marked for next 2.5 hours.

[djt311]

Fished on Medicine today for about 4 hours, set up in a 40ft hole and crappies were stacked on the flasher managed to catch about 25-30 none of real size but did manage a few 9-10 inchers but released all, pretty typical crappies for Medicine. The bite shut off about 5:15-5:30 for me, fish were still there but couldn't get them to take it anymore. I was on about 10 inches of ice where I was. Quite a few trucks and SUVs out on the ice, I will be waiting for a little more ice for me. All in all it was a good day.

[cavalierowner]

I was out on the 40' hole this morning and had pretty poor luck, only 9 fish, including one decent size sunny. The rest were crappies. I had one line down with a minnow and the other with a waxie; didn't get a single bite on the minnow. I only moved once, should have kept moving, but I was way too relaxed and comfortable! I drove my Taurus out there and measured 14" of ice, including the top 1-1/2" or so of white ice. Plenty of ice for me to be comfortable driving on with my car.

[Dusty]

was on medicine yesterday caught a 30" and a 27" pike and 1.5 bass & 13 keeper sunnies.

[coryusmc]

Any ice reports from the south west bays to the public access. Need to get the house out.

[mrklean]

how is the ice looking now, might make a afternoon trip for pannies

[yakfisher]

Ice was good 2 days ago. I was catching perch on minnows and waxies.

[mrklean]

Hartys plowed some roads out to a few area ice was very good fishing stunk for me didnt help my vex died on me right away oh well had a good time still

[Mistermojo]

Fished from about 2:30 - 6:00, caught a couple of perch out farther, moved to the community hole and caught crappies suspended in 40' of water on euros. Didn't catch anything on minnow. Caught about 20 fish, nothing keeper sized. Bite slowed down after dark, but still caught a few more.

[lanningjw]

I want to thank Joe Harty for helping me out with fishing on Medicine. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that I am having a good time fishing on the lake.

The Fatheads are big and live along time. Have been fishing the lake alot because we can cannot get the skid house on Milacs until the ice gets better.

I would buy Joe Harty a beer next time I see him out at the Bar!

That all, Jim L.

[Radar Randy]

How.s the ice for driving a large truck? Hope to get out tommarow before the cold blast comes. Thanks.

[cavalierowner]

When I was out a week ago I measured 14" with a tape measure out on the 40' hole. When I went out yesterday, I didn't have a tape with me, but I would guess there's at least another couple inches. I was driving an SUV that, loaded with my gear, probably weighs 8000# and I'm still here above water!!

[coryusmc]

Any tips on depth for pike. Got my limit of Crappies and would like to get one or two. I have flags in 12 feet but wondering if I need to go deeper. P.s. 15.5 inches of good ice

[Sunny86]

Fished there today @ 4pm on the westside of Medicine and caught 3 decent size crappies only. I didn't spotted them until 6 pm. There seems to be a lot them down there but man there picky. I used minnows and waxs but biting was extremely slow. Overall, it was a fun but freezing cold night ice fishing. Any future tips from this lakes such as baits??

[Skhots]

Fished there today @ 4pm on the westside of Medicine and caught 3 decent size crappies only. I didn't spotted them until 6 pm. There seems to be a lot them down there but man there picky. I used minnows and waxs but biting was extremely slow. Overall, it was a fun but freezing cold night ice fishing. Any future tips from this lakes such as baits??

Same thing i saw on friday night, picky eaters and three 10" crappies. Marked a bunch, christmas tree flasher but only got three to bite and commit on crappie minnows, didn't try anything else. I was going to try waxies but figured that they HAD to bite crappie minnows....

Maybe they're into plastic more than I thought.

[djt311]

I have found that sometimes when the flasher is lit up like a Christmas tree in the deep holes it is definitely sometimes harder to get the crappies to bite. I usually do manage to get them to but have to switch up the presentation a lot to see what they like. Some things that have triggered them were down sizing jigs and use just a minnow head and keep jigging your pole. Also sometimes I use small plastics or just a small jig tipped with red euro larva or wax worms. On a dead stick I find that if you jig it every once and awhile it can trigger a strike as well. Sometimes they are just not hungry in the big schools and I move and find a smaller school and they seem a lot more hungry.

[cavalierowner]

I was out Saturday morning on the 40' hole and saw the flasher light up like a Christmas tree too. If I recall, it was around 9 a.m. or so. I was actually beginning to doubt my flasher. Glad someone else saw the same thing. I got my limit of crappies, but had to work for them. I had both a minnow and a waxie down and caught nothing on the waxie; a week ago I did equally as well on the waxie and minnow. I have had my best minnow luck with just a plain small hook.

BTW, can anyone tell me where I can get sunnies on Medicine? Is that what people are going after in the shallower water straight out in front of Harty's? Just for a change of pace. You can PM me if you prefer.