Medicine Lake Fishing Reports

[Supercrew]

I was out Friday, mid day bite was so so, Perch and Crappie, over 30 ft of water, Gulp Minnow hooked 20-30 fish and went back in the jar when I left. What a great day to be out of work. Look forward to going back this weekend, maybe try a late afternoon bite till dark the crappie seemed to be coming around about the time I left. Had a good conversation with Joe @ Hartys...........

[KMR85]

It was a fun day but I wish a pike would have taken the bait on my tip-up. I'm probably going to be out again tomorrow but I don't know if I'll be spearing or crappie fishing.

With all the dead crappies, I would think the pike are getting easy meals and eating pretty good.

[no seeds in the boat]

Have you been spearing in shallow or deep water? I have tried both and can't seem to find them, I've tried shallow and sit on a bunch of perch, deep near the crappie holes and nothing. Times running out any advise appreciated!

[Grizzly_lokolman]

Panfish are really biting in the middle of the lake right now- 30 FOW right near the bottom using waxies- sat out from 12-6 today and hooked one every few minutes all day long. had fish on my camera at almost all times- nice sunnies and croppies were about 6.5" on average. Great day fishing today!

[Mr. Pike1]

Well its been a few year since I hit Medicine on the hardwater. Last time I fished it was always able to find the crappies in the deep holes along with pike and smallere walleye on the breaks. I also recall getting into some fairly nice sized perch.

For this trip we most certainly found the crappies but I was surprised by the size. Almost all were in that 4-6 inch class with a couple pushing 9 inches. Years ago there were the smaller fish but seemed to have been a lot more of the 8-9 and 10 fish.

Great day to be out and mobil but again surprised by the size.

[waterbound]

I was out tonight in about 40 feet of water same general area I was earlier this week and I was marking some fish but they were pretty inactive. I got a good surprise when I looked down in the hole next to the one I was jigging in and saw a tiny crappie had floated up! Must have been released and just never made it back down. The fish really showed up in good numbers at about 11 but they were biting very light and only wanted crappie minnows. Only managed one fish but I missed a bunch of strikes.

I tried spearing in about 12 feet near the park the other day and I saw a small fish on the bottom but it wasn't a pike. I haven't tried out over any of the crappie holes yet but I think I'm going to sometime this week. I'm really feeling pinched because I haven't speared a fish yet this season and it's driving me nuts, hopefully I can get one cruising just under the ice over deep water picking on dead crappies and sunnies.

[deadeye]

I was out there yesterday and got into a mixed bag of Crappies/Sunnies. They seemed to be roaming around a bit so I would have 15 min of craziness, ten min of nibbles and then a repeat the craziness. Waxies and a marmooska jig was the ticket. No flags though.

I think they are going to be in a bit of a funk with the cold front coming in this week but I will give it a try after work anyway. I want to hook into a toothy fish before the season is done.

[boilerup]

Took my buddies out yesterday sat on thirty foot of water. Caught a few sunnies and a ton of crappies. During the slow bite i was the only way they would bite was using a pimple. You'd shake it in their face and then go straight to the ceiling with the rod and fast. They would rocket after it. Set some tip ups for fun cause my buddy said he wanted to catch something that could "potentially dismember him." No hits on the suckers but brought back a dozen crappies.

[deadeye]

Set some tip ups for fun cause my buddy said he wanted to catch something that could "potentially dismember him."

LOL, Thats pretty funny. I suppose big pike could be considered dangerous game.

[boilerup]

He had been watching videos online of Pike slamming minnows so he was convinced that we had to go after them. For awhile he would throw a crappie down the hole then stick his head down and watch it to see if it was getting ate or not. First time on the ice + some beers = very entertaining

[deadeye]

LOL. thats awesome.

You should take him back into the channels in the spring and fish for dogfish. Then you got a chance at having one actually go after him when he catches one. I had one almost rip one of my nips off. He lunged at me and tore a nice hole in my shirt while I was unhooking him. I was so disgusted and shocked I just cut the line and tossed him back in. Darn thing ruined my shirt. Probably 15lbs of the most angry fish I have ever caught.

[boilerup]

HAHAHA thats nuts! Yeah those things are nasty. pretty awesome when they hit top water though!and people think it's scary to swim with Muskys and pike in the water.

[Supercrew]

Well, let me post my trip to Medicine today as productive. I only started fishing this lake in the last two weeks because of Harty's roads, been spending most of this season on Crystal Bay but not sure on travel since the snow we had early Feburary. Seeing Harty's roads on his webcam, I knew it was a GREAT access. Having never been on this lake before, I took what Joe had to say and using his roads I was able to learn and make a few spots work in my favor. Today was some larger perch and a dozen crappie that maybe in a few years will be respectable, or even a life long memmory for some kid. As the access roads close in the Metro, I know my Tonka spots will be walkable, and as before will give up some great March fishing. Let's thank some of the people who make Metro fishing availble to any of us no matter the vehicle, ATV, Sleds, Pickups, or whatever for without their efforts our sport would be just that much harder to enjoy. Thanks Joe.

[Fly2day]

Wait... Im going out to medicine tomorrow the access is not closed at Harty's yet is it? I wouldnt think so... I wouldnt have a problem walking but im gonna bring the girlfriend out and would hate to tell her were walking!

[Supercrew]

Roads are open till saftey becomes an issue, but the bait shop closes saturday, Stop in and say thanks. I am not a spokesman but you can always check on line, phone call, they have a great webcam aswell.

[Fly2day]

Thanks a lot supercrew I figured it would be open, I will for sure thank Joe for his efforts this year helping us fellow anglers, I always thank him when I stop by for bait and throw him a few extra bucks even if I do go to a different lake... if anyones out tomorrow AM will be out there in search of some fish, Red Explorer, Blue Clam Jr. stop by and say Hi.

[Supercrew]

Let us know how you do.

[deadeye]

I should be out there this weekend. Fishapalooza sounded fun but I actually want to get some fish.

I was pretty impressed with what he had done to the landing. Much nicer with the rock laid down there. It was a couple weeks since I had been out there and its a nice addition.

[boilerup]

Heading out there for the afternoon while the sun is shining to try a few spots I haven't been in awhile. If anybody gets out swing by! Red extended cab S10 no shanty tonight just the ol bucket.

[Joe Harty]

Hey guys, I can't thank everyone enough for making what we do so much fun. This has been one great winter, in fact the best one ever. Be takin a little break for awhile, but will be back and all set up for the 2010 fishing opener. My sisters had a great time helping everyone out as well, and they say hi to all you guys....they really get a kick out of handing out hershey's kisses all winter.

Joe Harty

[Fly2day]

Thanks agian Joe!! We were set up just to the west of the hole in front of Harty's caught quite a few crappies on both waxies and minnows, girlfriend had fun with the little crappies and the occasional keeper. We actually were catching really nice sunnies today too. Most of the bites we got the crappies would hit on the way down.

[Supercrew]

Thank you Joe.

Enjoy that drink with the fruit in it.

[deadeye]

Another really nice day out on the ice! If the wind wasn't blowing I would have stayed outside and caught sun all day.

C&R a bunch of panfish and kept a couple that surprised me with thier size.

[CrappieAttack]

Another really nice day out on the ice! If the wind wasn't blowing I would have stayed outside and caught sun all day.

C&R a bunch of panfish and kept a couple that surprised me with thier size.

Hey deadeye,

I was out on Medicine today giving my dog some exercise and did some fishing in between. I caught a TON of small crappies, like 6 inches long. I left about 5PM. Do bigger ones come in during the dark bite?

can you give any info on depth?

thanks.

[deadeye]

I actually left before dark. The couple I got were mixed in with a ton of smaller fish. I lost count of how many I got. I fish a bit shallower than most people do. I was in 25 fow. Well away from the crowds.

[waterbound]

I'm not sure that there even are big pannies in Medicine. I'm sure if you do your work you can find some nice ones but fishing at night doesn't really increase your average size in my experience.

[Fly2day]

This past friday the girlfriend caught a nice sunnie, measured 9.5, thats a respectable size sunnie for Medicine.

[waterbound]

I headed out there to try for walleyes tonight and realized I forgot my auger at home! Ran back, grabbed it and fished the last hour of the season. It ended the same way it started for me - with no fish

[Fly2day]

Would like to try and get out agian this friday, Harty's is closed now... anyone know where to get bait? Im in Hopkins just south of Medicine, Joe said something about a bait shop off Bass lake rd I think, just cant remember.

[deadeye]

Ya there is one off of bass lake rd west of 169. Otherwise I'm not sure if there is any others in the area. Wayzata bait and tackle is out on 394 but that is sort of out of the way.

The fishing only gets better for late ice. Less people=better fishing.