Medicine Lake Fishing Reports

[coryusmc]

Is the access on west medicine still all heaved up?

[Sunny86]

I wouldn't recommend driving a small car. Drive an awd/4wd and you should be fine.

[mrklean]

pick up a bag of trash with frozen crappies in it today its one thing when ppl leave trash out but then just tossing fish away for no reason come on people

[Curtis SRT]

Wondering how people are doing on eyes out there. I have caught plenty of crappie but am in a desperate search for some walleyes now. Not looking for any secrets just a time of day that is producing a bite. Thanks

[Matt S.]

How much ice are people seeing out there on medicine now?

[shamus]

Measured 16" on the north end last weekend.

[Ice walker]

I have been doing fairly decent on the edge of the deeper holes for crappies with larger sized crappie minnows and demon jigs. I find that the larger crappies seem to be lower in the school of fish then on top of the school. I have also done decent on pike in about 12-18 feet of water on the sharp breaks. Doesn't seem to matter if I use shiners or suckers.

[Radar Randy]

How big were the crappie Ravedog? I got one 12 incher but if I pull 9-10 inchers outta medicine thats nice for that lake.Its fun catching them no matter what size but I like them to be over 8 inches for cleaning. Although they all taste great! I seem to catch the bigger ones off bottom or 5 ft below the ice. If my vexlar reads a fish suspended really high I race up to it and if it bites its usally a bigger crappie or a northern.GOOD LUCK !!!

[1eyeReD]

There were a gazillion people out on Medicine today. Holy cow.. Small crappies were a little picky in the afternoon on one of the big 30 ft holes. Wonder how everyone else did.

[BrandonJ]

I was out there yesterday for some reason, still wondering. Yes crappie's are still mini, Tons of people, cristmas trees on top of ice. Did catch a 9in perch at sunset though yipppee!

[Pigmeat]

How is the access after the latest snow/wind? Roads plowed?

[mrklean]

Access was ok rough but it's been that way all year in the am don't think they were really plowed just beat down from heavy traffic some areas really looked like you didn't want to go off the road did see one smaller car out there but was sitting on the road

[Joe Harty]

I don't know how anyone can say the roads are not really plowed. I have put so much time in putting down those roads on the lake, and there are so many people that are very appreciative, which makes it very gratifying. Thank You and you know who you are.

The road that runs from the Harty's access to West Beach has major issues with being flooded. It is big time marked with Henn. Cty. Sheriff THIN ICE

[Freebs]

The west side access is tough. I pulled my 16' castle down and dragged the front. Wouldn't want to drive a car that I cared about down it. Roads were in great shape. Saw Joe out plowing at least twice, maybe 3 times over the weekend. Joe stopped by and introduced himself. After mentioning my 4wd was acting up he gave me his card and said call if I needed help. 15 minutes later he returned and plowed out a path for me to get my rig out with the least amount of trouble. Ended up leaving through the park on the north end. That access was in good shape. Will definitely be entering through Joe's access from now on. And buying my bait from him. Thanks, again Joe and nice to meet you.

[Metro ice guy]

Joe, can I get to the north end of the lake from your access?

David

[Freebs]

I saw plenty of traffic heading north from Joe's without going through the flooded area.

[magic_minnow]

Any updates since this cold snap? looking to get out this saturday for a few hours. and thanks Joe for all your hard work with the roads. You ARE appreciated!

[lanningjw]

I don't know how anyone can say the roads are not really plowed. I have put so much time in putting down those roads on the lake, and there are so many people that are very appreciative, which makes it very gratifying. Thank You and you know who you are.

After reading >>> don't think they were really plowed just beat down from heavy traffic<<< from a guy with with over 9,000 posts on HSO. I can confirm the roads are plowed by Joe Harty.

[mrklean]

HA you guys make me laugh so after snow falls on the street and the plow hadn't gone though yet do you say the road was plowed just because they plowed them before? No and that is exactly what the roads looked like when I went out there, there were roads plowed, but they still had 3-4" of snow from the night before, im not taking anything from Joe I know how hard he works to keep them clean and is appreciated by everyone who uses the lake but the question was asked and I answered it.

[Skhots]

Since it's been quiet, I'll post. Was out yesterday afternoon from 1230 to 130 pm. Tried to check a spot away from the crowd and marked no fish. Went near the shanty town and found fish stacked as usual. Wasn't sure that they'd bite since they did not want anything I tossed down a few weeks ago but I fished it anyways. Only had an hour to fish so I didn't set up the popup or anything. Smaller minnows on red plain hook and bobber pulled out 12 crappies between 7-9 inches, 2 9" crappies on a ratso jig. I would probably have caught more on the ratso but the hole kept freezing up and slowing down the jig drop (i know...tungsten would have helped, but I didn't want to bother switching). I could barely keep up with two lines. Anyhow, kept my limit of 10 and headed out. That's how fishing should be...but then it wouldn't be fun would it?

[Pigmeat]

Is the bait shop still open or did Joe head south for the rest of the winter?

[Yang]

walk by there today and saw the open sign still lid up so im assuming yes. Fish bite was slow tho, lots of looker but no taker.

[Yang]

Went out on the west side yesterday and had much of the lake to myself. Check the deep hole to see if the fish is still stack up but only mark a few. Looks life the fish are transitioning into late ice pattern. Found the crappie in 20ft but they are still hugging close to the deep hole. Perch are very active during the day and can be found all over 20ft or shallower. For some reason I can never find the sunny on the Westside but found them on the east. odd

[go4carl]

so how is everyone going to get their fish house off the lake, they are buried and no roads leading out.. I would love to hear ideas.

[mrklean]

If you don't have a friend with a plow on his truck better make one fast

[Matt S.]

If you don't have a friend with a plow on his truck better make one fast

I imagine it's just a matter of getting on to the lakes. I don't know if the snow is bad or not. I would think the thaw we had the other days took some of the powder that was out there, and then the rain/snow from thurs will freeze up with the arctic temps returning.

[Matt S.]

I imagine it's just a matter of getting on to the lakes. I don't know if the snow is bad or not. I would think the thaw we had the other days took some of the powder that was out there, and then the rain/snow from thurs will freeze up with the arctic temps returning.

Well, after going out today and checking a few SW metro lakes. I was totally wrong. There's almost knee deep snow out there then slush under it.

[svonasek]

I spent about 7 hours out there today plowing a road so I could get my house off the lake. It's bad out there.

There's still a lot of houses out there. I might have to make another trip out there next weekend and see if I can help out.

[Skhots]

Since Harty's is closed until next season, is everyone just going out of the west side public access? Is there a plowed road? Or better question is - how is everyone else getting out there for the panfish?

[McGurk]

Looking at Harty's webcam, the gate is open and there was/is a lot of activity at the ramp. Lots of people working to get houses off, and it looks like they must be helping one another as needed. There is even a skid loader on a trailer parked there and another one on tracks driving around.

Harty's webcam