medicine. is it worth it.

[dmichaelm]

Was out Monday night 4 inch in one spot and another spot i was at 40 yards away it was 6 to 7 inches thick. Ended up with 1 pike.

Where did you get on? What depths were you fishing? Thanks.

[CatholicConis]

Medicine Dudes, I need some advice. I was out at the west side today by the park. I like that access because it's so easy, and I found a consistent 5 inches of ice everywhere I walked. However I was really in search of weedy areas to try and hunt pike, but after cutting 10+ holes all I found was sand/gravel bottom. Any suggestions? Is it better if I walk across to one of the peninsulas and drill on the west shore of those? Or maybe south of the access (I was walking north)?

Thanks!

[The_Diesel]

We started out this morning at the North boat launch by French park... Drilled a few holes after walking past the swim beach about 60 yds out and found only about 2 inches of ice. Surprised it was only like 6' there.

We got off that real quick and drove back around to the East boat launch. Walked several hundred yards out, popped a few holes about 10 feet from where somebody had a portable previously, but realized I forgot the dang wax worms at home. The ice was at least 6" in every hole, so you're good to go there. Saw a lot of movement down there on my sonar, but was just throwing bare jigs and other fake lures down. They were hitting the jig, but obviously didn't swallow, so we couldn't bring em through the hole. We scoured the area the rest of the morning, but saw nothing on the Marcum. After stopping at a gas station for lunch and grabbing some wax worms we went back and got perch off the bottom with some nice gills thrown in too. That was around 1-3 pm, so I'm sure early morning bites are even better. We'll probably head back Thursday morning, see if we do better, and then be out all day Sat.

If you go to that East launch, just off 169 there, you'll see all sorts of sled tracks leading out to spots. I was surprised it was so shallow there - only 10-8 ft at certain spots - but once we found where they were we had a decent time. Some guys we were next to seemed to be having a lot more bites than us, and they took the holes we had opened in the morning but had to vacate due to lack of bait. We were over 12-15' according to the sonar, and grabbed em off the bottom.

If you see a guy in brown Carhartt attire with a blaze orange hand warmer around the waist in that area, stop by and say hi. That'd be me. If not, good luck out there.

[boilerup]

Catholic, there was a weedline to the south of the beach around the point that wrapped over to the south fishing pier out say 30 yards or so. I would be cautious as the channel flows under the bridge and into the lake out there.

[masoct3]

Diesel,

Where are you parking on the East Side, as I believe it is short of parking except for Harty's Bait.

Thanks.

We started out this morning at the North boat launch by French park... Drilled a few holes after walking past the swim beach about 60 yds out and found only about 2 inches of ice. Surprised it was only like 6' there.

We got off that real quick and drove back around to the East boat launch. Walked several hundred yards out, popped a few holes about 10 feet from where somebody had a portable previously, but realized I forgot the dang wax worms at home. The ice was at least 6" in every hole, so you're good to go there. Saw a lot of movement down there on my sonar, but was just throwing bare jigs and other fake lures down. They were hitting the jig, but obviously didn't swallow, so we couldn't bring em through the hole. We scoured the area the rest of the morning, but saw nothing on the Marcum. After stopping at a gas station for lunch and grabbing some wax worms we went back and got perch off the bottom with some nice gills thrown in too. That was around 1-3 pm, so I'm sure early morning bites are even better. We'll probably head back Thursday morning, see if we do better, and then be out all day Sat.

If you go to that East launch, just off 169 there, you'll see all sorts of sled tracks leading out to spots. I was surprised it was so shallow there - only 10-8 ft at certain spots - but once we found where they were we had a decent time. Some guys we were next to seemed to be having a lot more bites than us, and they took the holes we had opened in the morning but had to vacate due to lack of bait. We were over 12-15' according to the sonar, and grabbed em off the bottom.

If you see a guy in brown Carhartt attire with a blaze orange hand warmer around the waist in that area, stop by and say hi. That'd be me. If not, good luck out there.

[The_Diesel]

You're correct. The boat launch parking lot wasn't plowed, and they actually plow the street's snow into a berm at the entrance to the parking lot. I just parked on the street leading into the lot, but I'm sure on weekends that may get a little packed, so then I don't know where to go. I didn't get ticketed, and didn't see any signs saying you can't park there, so as long as there's a spot open on the street, I'd take it.

[wilsonn166]

Diesel

Did the perch or pans have any size to them? Or did you get any crappie?

[The_Diesel]

We only got a few perch. Small ones. Biggest were about 6". Got one really nice gill though. I didn't get any crappies, although I may try the West side sometime, according to archeral566 they are suspended at 24' over there. The guys close to us sounded like they were pulling more in, but were in shacks so I didn't see what they had. They obviously had something more attractive than us, since right around when they started getting excited and cursing for missing bites was when all our fish disappeared from the sonar. So who knows.

[wilsonn166]

I'm gonna head out there friday afternoon but i can't decide if i wanna go to the west or east side. If you get out to the west side before friday let me know how you did.

[The_Diesel]

You betcha. We will probably go back Thursday, and then Sat again as well. I can probably convince my buddy to head West and see what kind of damage we can't do there Thursday. I'll let you know what we find.

[archeral566]

if your after the crappies or the bigger panfish. id use small rattle spoons, they seem to always be the ticket on this lake for me. they outfish my rod with with a bobber usually 4-1 atleast. it also seems to get you hooked into the bigger ones, still not huge fish but atleast eater sized.

[Matt S.]

You're correct. The boat launch parking lot wasn't plowed, and they actually plow the street's snow into a berm at the entrance to the parking lot. I just parked on the street leading into the lot, but I'm sure on weekends that may get a little packed, so then I don't know where to go. I didn't get ticketed, and didn't see any signs saying you can't park there, so as long as there's a spot open on the street, I'd take it.

There's only 1 launch on Medicine lake, and that's in French Park.

Harty's has their own private launch, and there's a canoe landing spot on the west side, but I wouldn't call that a launch.

I wouldn't risk parking on the road on the west side of the lake, that's a good way to get a ticket.

[The_Diesel]

Quote:

There's only 1 launch on Medicine lake, and that's in French Park.

Harty's has their own private launch, and there's a canoe landing spot on the west side, but I wouldn't call that a launch.

I wouldn't risk parking on the road on the west side of the lake, that's a good way to get a ticket.

Thanks for the correction. That was my first time at the lake, so I'm very unfamiliar with it. If that East location is private, is that why they don't plow that lot right there? If so, where would you recommend parking? Lord knows I can't afford anything more for fishing this season, especially a stupid parking ticket.

[dmichaelm]

Clarification on access - the DNR survey map does show a public access on the EAST end of the lake. It appears to be between Medicine lake park and Harty's.

Is there parking there and can you walk out onto the lake?

[CatholicConis]

If I compare that DNR map with a satellite view, it looks like that access is actually Harty's. Maybe it was public in the old days?

[JIMBO55428]

Harty has 2 spots on the lake, one where his bait shop is and another one further down the road to the north where they put docks out for sail boats, the noth one is closed in the winter.

[Matt S.]

Thanks for the correction. That was my first time at the lake, so I'm very unfamiliar with it. If that East location is private, is that why they don't plow that lot right there? If so, where would you recommend parking? Lord knows I can't afford anything more for fishing this season, especially a stupid parking ticket.

Most people will park in the parking lot for the public park/beach that's accessible from 17th Ave. N. (lots of parks in that sentence.)

If that's the lot you're talking about.

I noticed last year it didn't get plowed out right away either.

I'd imagine it will get plowed eventually because that lot gets used a lot in the winter, for the art shanty festival.

Until the ice gets thick enough to drive on, Harty's access won't be open.

But once it is, you can get on the lake from there, and then the city also opens up the canoe launch on the west side for drive on access.

(Harty's access http://www.hartysboatworks.com/webcam.htm )

[The_Diesel]

OK. Think I got it all now... So the other day I went out from that park on 17th. I had been under the impression there was a boat launch there and after comparing it to the DNR map I was thinking where I was physically at is where Harty's is on the map. Now I think I've got it all cleared up. Harty's is actually North and East along the bank from where I was. Thank you Matt for seeing that error. I apologize for the confusion.

Harty's has bait, don't they?

[masoct3]

Dropped a line today and didnt find anything. Was fishing 5 inches on the west side of the lake.

[lazyhounedaleth]

thinkign about heading out there tomorrow...not sure if i should go to west side like i planed of east by hartys?....wheres everyone catching more that been there already east or west....i'm just looking for crappies or sunnies

[hardwaterguy08]

west side is been doing pretty good for me and it's a short walk to 30 fow

[The_Diesel]

I'm going out real early tomorrow and will probably be out all day. Maybe go grab a bite for lunch, but other than that we plan on being out there for a while. We'll probably try the West side, but if that doesn't seem to be producing we may venture over to where we were at the other day off 17th. If you see me out there, LazyHounedaleth, stop by. We'll see what's working and what ain't. I'll have some blaze orange in the attire sitting on some buckets and probably a Grizzly Green in the lip. (Only place I don't get in trouble for having that)

[lazyhounedaleth]

me and buddy will be in a red quickfish 6 u cant miss us

[fishin4fun85]

this lake will need another year or two for the crappies that are in there to be of any size.....last year I was catching a couple eater size but you have a lot to sort through....never had a whole lot of luck on the west side of the lake...most the action I've found is near the point or on th east side just out from Harty's....

[lazyhounedaleth]

started the mroning fishing the west side didnt get nothing so went to east side and saw The_Diesel ...talk to him for a bit when he left and tired his spot that he was on and got 1 small perch and then saw 4 really big perch on the hummingbird and camera...

great to meet you finally The_Diesel ...looking forwarding to fishing with u next time...

[fishuhalik]

Dropped a line today and didnt find anything. Was fishing 5 inches on the west side of the lake.

I think I know why you didn't get anything. You might wanna go a little deeper than 5" buddy.....

[MedicineMan]

Diesel, nice talking to you and your friend today.

Btw, here's that video I told you about.

[wilsonn166]

Diesel did you find anything over on the west side today?

[The_Diesel]

Hey guys... Sorry I wasn't able to post last night at all. Waking up before the lady and being on the ice all day wasn't too appreciated when I finally got home...

Anyway, we started out on the open bay off of 17th before the sun came up. Went to the spot we've had good luck with perch. Buddy got a few smaller ones, nothing to brag about. I didn't get anything myself. Walked around to a few other holes that people had been on, didn't see anything on the sonar nor did we pull anything up. We were just using waxies all morning. Maybe around 10 we packed it up and drove over to that West side. Picked up some adult beverages and minnows along the way. Set up in about 16' of water and dropped a minnow down. Had it down not even 2 minutes and pulled up a 22" Northern. Thought 'Hey, this may not be such a bad day after all.' But, as my luck would have it, that was all we got in several hours of being there. Between conversing with several other interesting guys on the ice, and watching some other guys' quickfish fly away in wind, we didn't do a whole lot. I'm sure after a bit of time those 40' holes will produce, when the fish start to move toward the warmer, deeper water. Yesterday there were a lot of shacks being put up as the afternoon dragged on. When we got over there we were one of maybe 4 groups, but when we left at like 3 there were shacks and buckets all over. They were mostly North of the point, straight ahead from the canoe launch area. Looks like a popular place to be after work. We decided to head back over to the East side, where we had been previously, and pulled up some more perch. Probably sat on the same holes Lazy had been on before. I'm not shocked you said you saw them on the camera. Just kind of surprised you saw big ones. I haven't pulled any big ones out yet.

Nice to see some of you guys out there yesterday. Hopefully we'll continue to meet up out there. I'm sure I'll be out all day Sat, but supposedly my buddy's other friends are bringing a shack, so I don't know what I'll be sitting in. If you see a Chevy ext. cab truck with a Packers sticker on the back you'll know I'll be out there somewhere.

[The_Diesel]

Diesel, nice talking to you and your friend today.

Btw, here's that video I told you about.

Hey, thanks a lot MedicineMan. Looks like some nice ones down there... Now if I can just convince you to tell me where your spot is Good meeting you though. Hopefully we'll run into each other again out there. Good luck