Lake Hendricks Fishing Reports

[jiggin9]

I'm looking for any advice on Lake Hendricks on the Minnesota/South Dakota border. I will be working in the area for the next several months and rented a lake cabin right on the lake. Can anyone tell me about the lake and if it's worth hauling the boat down? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[RainbowBait]

Havn't heard anything this year.. I will ask next time I am down that way. I know they had good luck with pike there last year.

[mr_jman]

I moved out to Tyler about a month ago and might go there for the border opener, but I plan to get there eventually anyways. Not a terribly far drive for me. 1/2 hour maybe? Hey RainbowBait, do you have a bait store in Ruthton? I'd probably stop in there once in a while!

[RainbowBait]

We can only sell bait to bait shops. We don't have a license to sell to regular anglers. But I am putting up a shop in Tracy and will be driving to Ruthton daily. So I will be able to sell you bait hopefully early this summer.

They also sell bait at the bp in Tyler.. But IMO their tank needs to be upgraded.

Also since you are so close don't forget to try Dead Coon Slough. People hammered the eyes out of there last spring!

[landscaper]

jiggin9

What you going to be doing in the area?

Also where on the lake did you rent a place?

So far i havent seen a boat out. i MIGHT try going out for opener.

the lake has its ups and downs so I would say bring the boat if you got room for it

[jiggin9]

landscaper

I will be just West of Hendricks working on a wind energy project for the next 6 months or so. I found a place on North Shore Dr. I have heard mixed reviews on the fishing report for the lake but it's still nice to get out on the water. When is the opener for the lake? I imagine it will be SD's opening weekend since it's a border lake. I know Lake Traverse is like that.

[landscaper]

Yep I know about the wind energy project. and North Shore dr by the golf course.

Opener is April 24th.

[jiggin9]

What kind of fish can a guy get hooked in to on Hendricks? I talked to a few guys at the golf course and they said some people slip bobber fish at night for walleyes. I also saw on here that the pike fishing was pretty good. I will try to get the boat down here and ready for opener. I'm used to Lake of the Woods for opener but new lakes are always fun too.

[123fish]

If you are used to LOTW fishing you might want to lower your expectations even though our prairie lakes definitely do have their moments.

[landscaper]

Yep....if you are used to LOTW.....dont get your hopes up! BUT fishing can be good...one day last summer i went out and caught about 3 walleyes and 6 nice perch for being middle of the day! Which is good for Hendricks!

Well if you got a boat fish off of Nelsons point which is Straight across the lake from the park/boat ramps Also there is a boat ramp on co hwy 14 just 1 mile south of hendricks then back west which will be closer to nelsons point. Also ppl. like the rock pile just a west of nelsons there.

With out a Boat. there is a T dock in the park and also a New T dock by the boat ramp in town by the park ON the marina which has good luck before.

ANymore questions jiggin9 just ask.

[jiggin9]

Thanks for the replies. It's nice to hear from a few locals who know the lake. The good thing about not going to LOW is that it won't be boat to boat out there. Opener up there gets a little crowded and hectic. Hendricks looks like a fun lake to try and learn a thing or two. Thanks again guys.

[walleyefey]

Lake Hendricks gets my attention about 3 weeks out of the year. Like mentioned previously, if you like to slipp bobber for walleyes or like casting shorelines you will have fun. Dont forget about the white bass in this lake. Early in the year you can find them really schooled up and you can catch one just about every cast. While you are in that area dont forget about Shaokotan, its a little gem that hardly gets hit the way it should. Fish this lake with weeds in mind and you will hammer the eyes and the monster perch! Other good lake in the past up there have been oak lake, perch lake, steep bank. Good luck!

[MN Shutterbug]

There are also a lot of white bass in the lake. They can be fun to catch, if nothing else is cooperating.

[jiggin9]

We took the boat out last night for the first Lake Hendricks run. The weather has been about perfect for a boat ride the last few days. There are some pretty nice houses around the lake! I wish the forecast for this weekend looked more favorable, but oh well. I know we will be out on the water quite a few evenings after work this summer.

[landscaper]

Good to here!!

I was planing on taking the boat out for opener this weekend but I have a landscape bid/design to go check out. SO......Might have to wait till May 1st but we will see i guess.

Let me know how fishing goes!

[jiggin9]

Yeah, it was good to get out on the water again. A local talked to us on the dock and said that the lake was pretty high still for this time of year. I was reading right around 10' across most of the lake. I graphed quite a few fish right out in front of the dock. If the forecast looked nicer for this weekend, I would think about taking the boat out. I love to fish but I'm not that much of a die hard.

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Mr_jman,

Where do you work?

Where did you move out from?

Good luck on the border opener...

[landscaper]

Was anyone out for Opener this weekend??

How was the fishing?

[mr_jman]

SD Angler, I work out of Camden State Park near Lynd, MN. I moved from St. James MN.

Unfortunately I didn't get to fish this weekend, but might try to get to Hendricks this week if the weather cooperates. Gotta get my new fishing license pretty soon too I suppose!

[jiggin9]

Got out last night for a couple hours. Tried drifting and set anchor around Nelsons for awhile. No luck. Picked up a couple pike while trolling around the lake shore. Nice night to be out. The wind could of died down a bit but can't complain. There seems to be plenty of fish around according to my graph unless it's not reading right. It looked like quite a few people were fishing from shore last night next to the public landing on the south side of the lake.

[landscaper]

anyone been out after all this rain?

[mr_jman]

I went out on Yankton on Sunday night and had a tough time graphing fish and didn't have any bites.

[jiggin9]

No luck on Hendricks last night. Nelson's point seems to be the lake magnet. There were a few boats anchored off of it but I didn't see any nets come out. I'm not sure what my next plan of attack is but hopefully I find the 'eyes that are doing a great job of eluding me.

[jiggin9]

Caught a few walleyes both Saturday and Sunday night cruising around the shorelines. We picked up all of them right around dusk. Biggest being a nice 18". CPR on all but one 14" that took the hook pretty deep. A guy trolling between Nelson's and Haffner's point told me that the DNR usually marks the rock piles with buoys. My graph got down to 2.8' when I drifted over it, which got me a little nervous. I haven't had any luck around these rock piles yet but there sure seems to be a lot of fish on the graph around it.

[jiggin9]

Can anyone tell me what type of fish is frequently jumping out of the water on Hendricks? They look like carp or suckers to me. I've noticed this quite a bit on the nights we pitch rigs from shore. It would be a lot cooler if they were 'eyes, I know that!

[landscaper]

Yep...I WOULD have to say they are carp. that are always jumping.

You been out on the lake lately..i might be able/like to try it this weekend

[jiggin9]

Yeah, we usually get out there a few nights a week after work. Silver bass have seemed to follow us around the lake the last few times out with a few walleyes and pike mixed in as well. The best time for us has been right around dusk. I've also noticed a few boats anchored off of Nelsons and other points at night with slip rigs. They might be on to some 'eyes too.

[jiggin9]

Wow is the lake sure up now! Our lake front property got a lot smaller. We even seen some huge carp in the ditches by the house. Pretty sweet. I wish I had the bow with me.

[landscaper]

yep carp ALOT of them in our slough and yes our dock is under water! haha oh well but i guess is has gone down a little bit.

anyword on the FIsh biting?

[jiggin9]

We haven't done too hot the last few times out. A few silver bass here and there. The water is churned up pretty good right now with the high water level. I'm thinking we'd have better luck with carp at this point, Ha!. They are all over the small bridge by the park. I heard a rumor of some perch being caught some where on the west half of the lake from shore. Not sure where but I have yet to find them. We have caught a few perch trolling but they weren't much bigger than the rapala. It's still nice to get out after work and get some sunshine.