Courthouse Lake or Cenaiko?

[xangief]

Which lake is better for trout opener this weekend? I've been to Courthouse but never to Cenaiko.

[eyeballs]

Both lakes can be good depending on how many were stocked. I would try Courthouse this year. The numbers for Cenaiko are really low this year.

[TroutYammer]

Definitely heading to Courthouse! I'll be the tall dude wearing the black snomobile suit and the black stocking cap!

[JBMasterAngler]

Depends. Do you just want to be shoulder to shoulder with people, or do you literally want to be giving them piggy back rides?

[Hendo1589]

i know there are rainbows stocked in courthouse, but what else do they stock in there? is there any natural reproduction? also have heard a rumor of a few lakers in there. a far shot considering the size of the lake, but any truth to that?

[JBMasterAngler]

A little bit of everything gets stocked into courthouse on any given year. It's mostly rainbows though. 6 lakers were stocked in 2005, but that was the last time. Stream trout can't reproduce in lakes.

[Quetico]

My brutally honest opinion?

Both these lakes are jokes. Like JB hinted at they get fished hardcore. I was out on Courthouse right at the start of legal trout fishing hours the morning after opener one year. There was easily 150+ portables already out there plus another 50+ people fishing outside houses. I was told the day before it was twice as bad. There were holes drilled everywhere.

I have been told Cenaiko just as bad for pressure.

That's a ton of people fishing a tiny patch of water for a few fish. The fish feel the pressure and I am sure that many lines down in a tiny area affects fishing. The morning I spent on Courthouse, no one was getting any bites at all. The pressure shut them off.

Just remember if you head out make sure you have your trout stamp. Also make sure to follow the laws for designated stream trout lakes. From my experiences few people that fish these 2 lakes have trout stamps, some don't even have licenses. If the DNR wanted to fund the stocking of these 2 lakes, they would have wardens waiting at the access for both lakes checking everyone who was coming off the lake. They would make a pile of cash off the fines.

[xangief]

The DNR do come checkup, but they usually come too late when the fish stops biting and most of the people are going home.

[tj417]

Not true - I've been checked out there many times within the first hour around sunrise on Saturday.

[leech~~]

My brutally honest opinion?

Both these lakes are jokes. Like JB hinted at they get fished hardcore. I was out on Courthouse right at the start of legal trout fishing hours the morning after opener one year. There was easily 150+ portables already out there plus another 50+ people fishing outside houses. I was told the day before it was twice as bad. There were holes drilled everywhere.

I have been told Cenaiko just as bad for pressure.

That's a ton of people fishing a tiny patch of water for a few fish. The fish feel the pressure and I am sure that many lines down in a tiny area affects fishing. The morning I spent on Courthouse, no one was getting any bites at all. The pressure shut them off.

Just remember if you head out make sure you have your trout stamp. Also make sure to follow the laws for designated stream trout lakes. From my experiences few people that fish these 2 lakes have trout stamps, some don't even have licenses. If the DNR wanted to fund the stocking of these 2 lakes, they would have wardens waiting at the access for both lakes checking everyone who was coming off the lake. They would make a pile of cash off the fines.

Sad to say that's why the DNR call them "Put-and-Take" lakes.!

[Ronindoc]

I've fished courthouse the past two years and limited out regardless. For the fish that are stocked, the whole families of folks out there simply catch the majority of them over the first two days. It has always been packed, but it is a fun time....

[Sonicrunch]

Not true - I've been checked out there many times within the first hour around sunrise on Saturday.

Same here.

[JBMasterAngler]

I fished cenaiko last year 3 days after the opener...I didn't get on the ice until about 9:30 and most of the people were already leaving. The rest of the day there were only 2 or 3 other people out there, which didn't matter, the lake was lake was already fished out by then. I won't fish it again until the opener lands on a weekday (and I'll still wait until the day after).

[eyeballs]

JB you may be waiting while. It's always on a Saturday. At least the last six years I've had to take vacation for it.

[Sonicrunch]

JB you may be waiting while. It's always on a Saturday. At least the last six years I've had to take vacation for it.

No it's not. Last year hey changed it to be on the 15th now matter what day of the week the 15th lands on.

[magic_minnow]

just wanted to chime in, yes i get checked EVERY YEAR, maybe just my luck but, there are always a group of die hards out there every year, and they always have their stamps and licenses. Yes it does get hit pretty hard and up in cenaiko they do charge an entrance fee, I myself have the annual pass. But when you dont mind community fishing, its a great way to kill an afternoon. It can be slow some years, so gotta gamble.

[fishuhalik]

My brutally honest opinion?

Both these lakes are jokes. Like JB hinted at they get fished hardcore. I was out on Courthouse right at the start of legal trout fishing hours the morning after opener one year. There was easily 150+ portables already out there plus another 50+ people fishing outside houses. I was told the day before it was twice as bad. There were holes drilled everywhere.

I have been told Cenaiko just as bad for pressure.

That's a ton of people fishing a tiny patch of water for a few fish. The fish feel the pressure and I am sure that many lines down in a tiny area affects fishing. The morning I spent on Courthouse, no one was getting any bites at all. The pressure shut them off.

Just remember if you head out make sure you have your trout stamp. Also make sure to follow the laws for designated stream trout lakes. From my experiences few people that fish these 2 lakes have trout stamps, some don't even have licenses. If the DNR wanted to fund the stocking of these 2 lakes, they would have wardens waiting at the access for both lakes checking everyone who was coming off the lake. They would make a pile of cash off the fines.

You just have to look at it differently. I usually fish to get away from everyone, but out there it's more like a big party. If you go expecting someone to set up 3 ft away from you and just look at it as a good time to be on the ice with a bunch of people that enjoy fishing, you'll ahve a good time and probably catch a bunch of trout. And these fish don't really "feel the pressure". They're dumb pond fish that eat everything they see and really don't mind having a hole drilled on top of their head. In a week 99% of the fish are gone and the dnr made a bunch of money on the trout stamps that were sold to those people.

[monstermoose78]

I agree its a put and take i and make sure to take some trout home. I always take a cousin or someone who does not get to ice fish much and to see them smile when the catch a trout in the metro area there is always a smile. If you want to fish a trout lake by yourself head up to the BWCA and take a hike! I did alot of that when I was in college and had the time to do it.

[dmichaelm]

I was on Cenaiko last year. At sun-up I saw the CO making his rounds. He stopped at every shack and every bucket fisherman and asked for a license and stamp. Good guy.

Many of the fish they send in are clearly brought right back out. But let's all consider the stamp revenue is likely covering the cost. I pay my $10, fish maybe once in a stream on the N Shore during the summer, and then on the ice.

Its a spectacle. If you don't want to see it, don't show.

[Quetico]

Yeah i enjoy my quiet metro lakes. And yeah i do enjoy trout fishing on those BW or near by there lakes. I fish to get away from people and not to go to the circus.

I guess my metro trout fishing experiences on these lakes have been bad.

[Far-I]

I'm curious to hear reports from either of these two lakes....how crounded, how was the fishing? Were the trout aggressively feeding?

[Nate McVey]

I'm curious to hear reports from either of these two lakes....how crounded, how was the fishing? Were the trout aggressively feeding?

Our group of 3 got there at noon and found 25-30 houses spread around (Courthouse). We drilled some holes and set up in 20 ft. After jigging and watching the water for awhile we started to hole hop and eventually found the trout. They were in their typical trout pattern, 10 ft. under the ice and super finicky. Ended up putting 2 on the ice before we decided it was time to go and watch the Pack. Small jigs and waxies seemed to be the key, but they were VERY selective on what they would and wouldn't take.

[Dragon Fish ll]

Did U notice If anyone else caught any? I had the same exp. in open water there. But in winter its best to start early morn. at the edge of the bank in about two to four feet of water. It dosnt seem right but thats what every one usauly does and its seems to work well. about 5 to 10 feet off the shoreline. I noticed this past summer they put a aerator in there so we shouldnt have the kill off weve had in the past due to low oxygen levels. Any more reports?

[jeff127]

A couple buddies fished on sat morn and brought home 4. They saw and marked a fair amount but only a few bit. The water is clearer this year and they just sight fished. They saw some large rainbows and one approx 8 pound brown. My bro and I fished this morn and brought home 2. We marked a bunch but only had 6 that bit(dead minnows) we had the camara down for a while and everything we saw just casually cruised by with zero intrest in eating.

[monstermoose78]

I was on Cenaiko and it had its share house like every opening day! My cousin who has never ice fished before saturday and I caught 7. I had my 5 in less then an hour or so and then let my cousin try to catch his. He had a blast he missed atleast 15 and had a couple get off in the hole and 2 get off above the ice and make it back down the hole before he could get them. He is now hooked on ice fishing so i guess i did a good job then.

[xangief]

Check out this fat 19" Brown and 15" Rainbow. We had a blast and caught all of our limits on Saturday.

[monstermoose78]

nice brown