Lake Winona Fishing Reports

[Crm7290]

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Went out fishing today with a friend from class. I was fishing in about 9 feet of water. Today was basically a swarm of 4-6 inch bluegills, not too many keepers to speak of. Between me, my friend and his dad, we had 10. Cade's dad caught an 11 inch perch right off the bat.

It was a pretty good day. Thats a picture of me looking goofy with a 7.5 inch gill. I filleted fish for the first time today. Wasn't the best at it, but my friend had an incredibly dull fillet knife. Im going to get my own and man up and eat fish.

[JIvers]

Thanks for the report!

It's amazing what a difference the dredging made in that lake-when I lived in Winona the lake was a joke, unless you were after bass.

[Crm7290]

Its always fun!

[Andy Loos1431189100]

Thanks for the report!

[oleWalter]

anyone been out lately? I went out this weekend but didn't get a bite near the village of houses

[Creek Kid]

Was out this weekend, managed a few keepers. Very slow & the lightest nibblers I've ran into this year. Spring bobbers + the Marc and it was still a crapshoot trying to figure out if they were on. Any tipups going on the lake?

[Crm7290]

I don't use a spring bobber when I'm out. They have been going at it pretty hard this week. oleWalter, Just stay away from people and you'll hit em hard. Try the West Lake out, I think its a better lake for shallow gills. Ill probably start using spring bobbers now that I have my shanty.

I have no idea if the tip ups are doing anything. I dont think tip ups would really be worth it, but try shallow. There isn't much for pike in there, you would be better off on a river slough somewhere. I have no suggestions as I don't target pike.

[md7]

I was out there the past 2 days and hardly caught a thing very slow and they were biting so light I could hardly see the spring bobber move. I did hear they've been catching 6-8 inch gills at airport lake but i haven't been out there to try it yet.

[Crm7290]

We do pretty well with Winona. We have it dialed in pretty well. Im tryin to get my friend to try the airport lake, the friend with the gas auger, but he usually doesn't want to since we do so well on lake Winona. I'll be out Monday after about 3 o'clock maybe illrun into you.

Have you guys met Bob? Older gentleman who has a perm out on bartlett? The airport lake is the one with the rope swings.

[RJMOEN]

Caution about Airport...the one with the swings. We went out last year(well into driveable ice everywhere else) and ran into thin spots with the spud. Didnt fish it, not sure how such a small lake had spots I could chip through on second hit. Buddy told me its over 50' deep. Not sure if this is true and no one will go with me to check...if anyone knows more about this lake I'd be interested to hear it.

[embearmeoffs]

i was out on sat. didnt catch a thing. Drove grizz out in back slough at prarie island fish in there but were not agressive same for mncbh. but looked fish hard.

[Crm7290]

embear what is mncbh? And what is Grizz? I might just be stupid and not know places, but am unfamiliar with those names.

Rj- Airport lake is tiny. Not really sure about the depth of it, I know its at least 15 feet deep. I've never been anywhere where I could not swim down to the bottom but I havent really tried.

.

Is this the lake your thinking of? And how would you drive onto it?

[embearmeoffs]

minesota city boat harbor. Grizz is my yamaha grizzly 600 atv

[RJMOEN]

Ya, thats airport lake, we parked by the swing and walked on. Heard it was extremely deep, unreliable source tho. Ice was thin and it was cold as heck out so we bolted.

[JIvers]

I fished the "Airport Lake" shown in the aerial photo (that is what it is called on maps, and not to be confused with the backwaters officially named "Bartlett Lake", but usually referred to as "the airport lake" ) a few times in the '90s when I lived in Winona.

In that Airport Lake (it is near the factory that was called TRW then) I caught a few bluegills, a couple largemouth, a dogfish, and a Northern. That was on open water. (This is why I keep fishing journals. ) I don't remember being real impressed with the fishing there.

I remember being told that the small Airport Lake was very deep, and took a long time to freeze in the winter. I never tried it out ice fishing myself, so I can't confirm any of that.

[Crm7290]

Eye, I am wouldn't be surprised if there were fish in there. I have seen a few little guys when swimming in that lake. I don't think that I would even bother fishing it. Its not worth it to me the way other lakes I fish are producing.

I was out today and had a day full of dinks. Caught a 10 inch crappie out there along with a few smaller ones. I kept the largest crappie and filleted him out. I easily caught 20 fish today. I really need to get on to buying a fillet knife for myself since I have to go to a friends to do it. His knife is also extremely dull but its not mine to sharpen.

[JIvers]

Has anyone been out to Bartlett Lake, AKA "the airport lake" backwaters recently? I'm going to be out there Sunday (only my second trip of the ice season to Minnesota), and was wondering if I can get my truck out on the ice, or if the ramp/access is blocked by snow.

[piker007]

Has anyone been out to Bartlett Lake, AKA "the airport lake" backwaters recently? I'm going to be out there Sunday (only my second trip of the ice season to Minnesota), and was wondering if I can get my truck out on the ice, or if the ramp/access is blocked by snow.

As of last weekend it wasnt blocked by snow and there is defiantly enough ice for a truck. I fished by where the perms were and didnt have much luck. It was really slow. I was the only one there so maybe that should have told me something. Everyone else was farther down along the bank. I didnt talk to anyone so I dont know if they had any luck.

[Crm7290]

I heard that they were pulling some nice sunnies out of there lately. No idea about the snow but people are driving there I know

[JIvers]

Thanks for the replies, guys--knowing I can drive out makes packing a little easier.

[md7]

Went out this morning for couple hours was really slow but managed 3 small gills,10" crappie,12" walleye and a small bass.

[#1RiverRat]

md7 - How deep of water were you fishing in? Small or big lake?

[md7]

big lake 17 fow

[JIvers]

Thanks for the replies, guys--knowing I can drive out makes packing a little easier.

Actually, I couldn't drive out on the Airport Lake, although I didn't figure that out until I was on the ice. I got my truck back this weekend after some repairs. After I was off the beaten track in some snow at Bartlett Lake this morning I realized my four-wheel drive didn't work.

If any of you saw the gray S-10 get a push to get moving at about noon, and then head back to the parking lot--and over the bumps on the ramp--at about thirty MPH, that was me, making sure I didn't get stuck again. BIG thanks to the two guys who gave me a push.

The bluegill bite was decent for this time of year, and I got about a dozen keeper fish. No luck on the tip-up.

[Crm7290]

Sorry about that eyehunter. I would have helped you out if I had been out there. I dont even take my car out much anymore, I usually just walk on out. I don't do so well in the snow....

At least you got on some fish out there.

md7 that seems about right for depth at least for me

[piker007]

eyehunter where did you fish out there? By the perms or way back along the bank?

Lake Winona is still putting out the 6"ers

[JIvers]

I was out by the perms in about 18'. The fish were suspended about 12' down.

Like I said, it was a good bluegill bite for February, which means the fish were a little picky. It took some coaxing to get them to bite, although Sunday they weren't real picky about what sort of bait they would hit.

[Crm7290]

Would you guys consider lake Winonas panfish stunted? There is a ton of little guys but there are still a bunch of big fish in some places.

[piker007]

I dont think they are stunted just picked over. Theres still some biggins left in there!!!

[md7]

I agree there's still some nice fish in there just have to search more for them now than before that lake has gotten hammered the past 2-3 years