White Bear Lake Fishing Reports

[stpaulslouch]

@ stpaulslouch...yo, sorry I missed your message from a couple of days ago (i barely know how to log on Your crappie pattern is spot on for what I have experienced in the past....tonight I am gonna go to a smaller 13-15' hole surrounded by thick weeds...I have had good luck there with crappies in the past

Tried a deeper spot on Saturday night (17') and got skunked, few lookers but nothing would budge from the bottom. I should have just stuck to what worked but when I saw how many houses were out there i decided to go 100 yards away from them. Proceeded to freeze my portable to the ice and spend 20 minutes getting it out, thank God I put my safety picks in the bag otherwise I would have spent the night on the ice instead of chiseling the ice away with them...

Anybody have any luck in the "city" Saturday night?

[tip_upclyma]

@ stpaulslouch...i absolutely HAMMERED the crappies on Saturday eve...started fishing about 4pm in about 15 FOW...just little perch until about 5.then a crappie or two came in suspended from 5-6pm...then from 6-7 was an absolute pound fest! Had my limit at 7 so I left...but guys were just starting to set up where I was at 7...so I am thinking 6-8 pm is the ideal window to get on the crappies. I was slip bobbing with crappie minnows

[stpaulslouch]

@ stpaulslouch...i absolutely HAMMERED the crappies on Saturday eve...started fishing about 4pm in about 15 FOW...just little perch until about 5.then a crappie or two came in suspended from 5-6pm...then from 6-7 was an absolute pound fest! Had my limit at 7 so I left...but guys were just starting to set up where I was at 7...so I am thinking 6-8 pm is the ideal window to get on the crappies. I was slip bobbing with crappie minnows

Good for you! Obviously I wasn't offering the right thing, I had a deadstick out about 1 foot off bottom and tried a bunch of different jigs/spoons tipped with minnows.

[tip_upclyma]

My slip bob was set about 1 foot off the bottom...but 70% of all of my crappies caught came in suspended 6-8' off the bottom. As soon as I saw the mark on my vexi, I would reel up slightly above them...and then they would just race up and suck that minnow right up! I am planning on going out again tonight in the same spot...will post results.

[onthelakeBlake]

Any chance anyone wants to share what part of the lake might catch a crappie? I've never fished it, first season being a city boy. I'd imagine coming from the access on the north side of the lake off 96 has to look like a small city. In my history, fishing the north side of a lake has almost always proved most promising. Is this a good spot to start?

[mallardnwalleye]

Any chance anyone wants to share what part of the lake might catch a crappie? I've never fished it, first season being a city boy. I'd imagine coming from the access on the north side of the lake off 96 has to look like a small city. In my history, fishing the north side of a lake has almost always proved most promising. Is this a good spot to start?

West side just off the weeds in 15 ft+ a hair before sunset and into the evening with a glow green demon and crappie minnow 1 ft. off the bottom up to half way up. Stop at the bait shop on the north end and they will steer ya right.

You will be amongst many many others.

ENJOY!

[mallardnwalleye]

Any chance anyone wants to share what part of the lake might catch a crappie? I've never fished it, first season being a city boy. I'd imagine coming from the access on the north side of the lake off 96 has to look like a small city. In my history, fishing the north side of a lake has almost always proved most promising. Is this a good spot to start?

Access off Bellaire beach as you would have to go through the gap between the island and peninsula if you came from the north access to reach the west end. The Gap between the island and peninsula is notorious for having thinner ice.

You will get to see the metro's own fishouse city that is right up there with Lake Mille Lacs fishouse cites for density

Good luck!

[Tom7227]

You can also get on the lake at Matoska Park which is east of downtown WBL. I was out on Monday just a bit NW of the long rock pile in about 10 feet of water. I had two tip ups out and nothing happened. Saw a decent amount of crappie and sunnies on the camera, a couple of bass and a nice northern. I was only out for about an hour and half ended at about 4. Going to be too cold for me to try it again for a while.

[Pontoonfishing]

I havent been on the ice yet this year in the metro, thinking of hitting White Bear tomorrow, how is the ice on the lake?

[mallardnwalleye]

It should be all good for cars and light trucks. The west side is 15+ and the east is 13 but always measure and use caution if you are in unfamiliar areas.

[Sherman]

Was out yesterday around 5:30ish. Crappies didn't bite till 7pm got off ice 9pm. Got our limit between 3 of us. All caught at 10 ft in 18 ft of water. Cruising fishes will just come by and hit it and some will come off bottom. Caught sum using tip-downs. Good 8-9 incher and one pushing 10.5. Was out from bellarie away from crowds.

[th64]

What is a good depth for crappies this time of year on WBL? Should I be looking at basins deeper than 20' now that we are into mid winter? will probably fight the crowds Sun. pm.

Thanks

[OnAFly]

I have found them in the weeds into march before. Used to be a good lake for me before the water dropped a bunch more. My spot became solid milfoil.

[FisH_SLaYer24]

Can you get lake access from the VFW launch or do you have to pay a fee? Just curious as I have never fished the lake before.

[Tom7227]

Can you get lake access from the VFW launch or do you have to pay a fee? Just curious as I have never fished the lake before.

The road there is torn up. I don't know if the access is open. You can get on either at Matoska Park or Ramsey Beach on 96.

[mallardnwalleye]

What is a good depth for crappies this time of year on WBL? Should I be looking at basins deeper than 20' now that we are into mid winter? will probably fight the crowds Sun. pm.

Thanks

12-25 ft. sunset or after dark. North part of the Lake or West Part of the Lake. The West part has three holes Bellaire, Clark Ave and VFW. Any of these can be good and you may have lots of company. The North has lots of holes just don't use the hard bottom ones for crappies.

[mallardnwalleye]

I have found them in the weeds into march before. Used to be a good lake for me before the water dropped a bunch more. My spot became solid milfoil.

They are in the milfoil you just have to fish above it. My spot became solid Milfoil as well but not until a month and a half after the ice went out?? I like moderate milfoil though. It's a shame they over treat it as it gives the Crappies a place to hide.IMO

[mallardnwalleye]

Can you get lake access from the VFW launch or do you have to pay a fee? Just curious as I have never fished the lake before.

No fee but those accesses on the far west are closed more than they are open these-a-days. Use Bellaire Beach.

If I were a business owner on the west end I sure would encourage people to use their access and encourage/advertise their establishments use. With 80 Vehicles a night at Bellaire Beach you would have to think some of those folks would be thirsty or hungry??

[eclass]

I was able to drive on and off on the West end at Admiral D's in front of the Kowalski's. Watch the approch as you hit the ice. If you have a low riding car or a trailer it may bottom out on the boat ramp.

[mallardnwalleye]

I was able to drive on and off on the West end at Admiral D's in front of the Kowalski's. Watch the approch as you hit the ice. If you have a low riding car or a trailer it may bottom out on the boat ramp.

Good to hear their access is open and free for cars to drive out, that is pretty nice that they are doing that again. I think fishermen would love to stop at that restaurant/bar after they come off the lake at night.

What does eclass stand for?? Mercedes, Sailboat or other??

[Ishikawa]

How much bigger do the perch here get? We've been getting alot of dinks along with some around 9-10in. Wishful thinking for anything larger considering some of the other fish that we've caught out of here?

[Ishikawa]

BTW, don't quote me on the size of the perch at 9-10in lols. Never bothered to measure, just guessing but gotta be close :-)

[dknbanderson]

Hey just an fyi -some jackass tried to break into my icehouse last night out on White Bear. I am just out from Bellaire and was out until about 10:30 last night, went out today around 5:00 and noticed someone had tried to pry open the lock. This is the second time this has happended this year (I had to replace the lock once already), luckily they havent gotten in. Its probably the same idiots who are littering all over the place...Plase keep an eye out if you notice anyone snooping around late out there...apparently the Ramsey County sherriff does ramdon patrols out there, but give them a call if you see something - Thanks!

[mallardnwalleye]

BTW, don't quote me on the size of the perch at 9-10in lols. Never bothered to measure, just guessing but gotta be close :-)

That's pretty large for White Bear Lake perch. My guess would be 5-8 inches unless you have found an area that I don't know about that is pumping them out that size. That's a keeper perch for eating most places. In my experience only once in a great while will you find the oddball that large. Most of the perch I see on the camera are maybe 5 inches. I have caught a 12.5 incher out there, but that was the exception. If you could take a pic with a tape measure with the background of the shoreline that would help confirm Thanks

[mallardnwalleye]

Hey just an fyi -some jackass tried to break into my icehouse last night out on White Bear. I am just out from Bellaire and was out until about 10:30 last night, went out today around 5:00 and noticed someone had tried to pry open the lock. This is the second time this has happended this year (I had to replace the lock once already), luckily they havent gotten in. Its probably the same idiots who are littering all over the place...Plase keep an eye out if you notice anyone snooping around late out there...apparently the Ramsey County sherriff does ramdon patrols out there, but give them a call if you see something - Thanks!

I had my permanent house over on the west side last year. I left it open and had constant beer cans and cigarette butts in there each week from squatters using it. Then I had it bashed into and pushed out to the middle of the lake. It's a rough area over there. I believe it's all the Bald Eagle Lake trash coming over to White Bear as it used to be rather uncrowded and nice on the West side of White Bear.

[Ishikawa]

I'll take some measurements next time, if I can get to that hole first before a few others who have started to fish it also lols. Didn't see too many holes there so not many were fishing there and now, always somebody there. Taking a second look at the measuring tape, probably closer to 7-8in I'm thinking. We have however, found a pattern to catching them crappies ;-) And we're always pretty much the only ones fishing that spot :-)

[Craigums]

Fished WB for the 1st time last night after work. I tried to stay away from the crowds and found a spot on my GPS that said 22'. Drilled the holes and found it to be 18.5'. My buddy had something snap his line right away I'm guessing either Pike or Walleye. I caught one 10'' Walleye around 8PM. Didn't see much on the Marcum. I was surprised how much traffic there was even as we were leaving around 9PM several cars were heading out onto the ice. Makes me wonder if we should have stuck around a little longer, is there a good night bite or was it people just going out to party in there shacks?

Next time I might target some crappies. Also I should mentioned I measure 18'' of good ice

[ski_otter]

Crappies are definately a night bite. Couldn't tell you on walleye, only have picked up a stray here and there

[mallardnwalleye]

Crappies are definately a night bite. Couldn't tell you on walleye, only have picked up a stray here and there

You can catch them during the day. Just have go to a completely different "area", use your eyes and understand you wont be able to feel a thing. I know that's kinda vauge but like the winter carnival medal, you cant have too many people that figure it out too quickly.

[mallardnwalleye]

Fished WB for the 1st time last night after work. I tried to stay away from the crowds and found a spot on my GPS that said 22'. Drilled the holes and found it to be 18.5'. My buddy had something snap his line right away I'm guessing either Pike or Walleye. I caught one 10'' Walleye around 8PM. Didn't see much on the Marcum. I was surprised how much traffic there was even as we were leaving around 9PM several cars were heading out onto the ice. Makes me wonder if we should have stuck around a little longer, is there a good night bite or was it people just going out to party in there shacks?

Next time I might target some crappies. Also I should mentioned I measure 18'' of good ice

Try a little shallower next time.