Lake Winona Fishing Reports

[#1RiverRat]

Most definitely hammered if not slaughtered since the dredge. More people should practice CPR or catch enough for a meal here and there but not stock up their entire freezer. I talked to a guy the other day out there that says he gets his limit every day! I laughed when he said the bite has slowed down...

[Gaffe Master]

I agree the fishing pressure has definitely increased these past few years. I try to stay away from that area for the reason that it does get fished so hard during the hard water season. Too many yahoos for me to deal with. Kind of sad to see the fishing and fish size has declined in there. I don't understand why people feel the need to take a limit of fish everytime out. I guess they need to show others they can catch fish.

[#1RiverRat]

Well put Gaffe Man...might as well be singing YMCA with the rest of the Village People out there. All you have to do is follow the trail of garbage and you will find them but remember to wear your outfit.

[md7]

99% of the time I don't keep anything I just like catching fish. I've only kept fish one day so far this winter and it was 8 gills a nice crappie and a walleye and Ive been out 3-4 times a week atleast. I haave just as much fun releasing the fish if not more than keeping them personal preference I guess.

I dunno how many times I have picked up trashed out there from other people this year. Makes me sick they can take out with them but to lazy to pick it up and take it back off the ice with them. Its not like they have to take it far there is trash cans at the boat ramps when you pull off.

[Gaffe Master]

I'm with you there md7 and #1RiverRat. If you can bring it out to the lake, you shouldn't have a problem bringing it back off the lake. It is our responsibility to preserve the resources if we want to use them in the future. It's sad when you see someone with a permanent shack (or portable) and they choose to toss their trash out the door onto the lake. I guess they think that when the ice melts and the trash sinks or floats away that it is properly disposed of. If you are going to pull stunts like that please bring your Mom with you so she can clean up after yourself. Just goes to show the lack of sportsmen we have in the area. Thank you to those who actually take the time to clean up after these irresponsible jerks.

[Crm7290]

Every time I am out there I have caught a ton of little fish. Its a fun time sure. Every now and then a bigger crappie will come through and they are very fun. I dont keep fish out there except maybe a crappie every now and then.

There is a lot of trash out there thats for sure. A few weeks ago we started fishing one end of the lake where no one was. We would go back every day or two still being the only ones there and now its a small village. Today we went to the river and I came back with 3 large crappies. I wasn't trying to keep them but two i gut hooked and the last I kept just because I didn't want to fillet two fish only and he was the largest one I have caught. I might make a quick report on that but I really don't want to tell the area.

[rodmoen]

I'm of the opinion that the winona "metro" lakes should be treated just like the rochester area lakes did this year and adopt a much lower daily limit. no reason to go out their and catch 25 sunnies 5-6 days a week IMO.

[Gaffe Master]

Amen brother.

[Crm7290]

I agree and don't think anyone really would mind. I could go in and take 25 fish from there but really they are little guys and I wouldnt want to take them anyway.

[md7]

It wouldn't bother me if there was a smaller limit on the lake at all.

[#1RiverRat]

I agree on the limit restriction as well. Does one person really need to take home 25 panfish anyway? That lake is no longer stocked and hasn't been since everything was killed off years ago. With that lake being fished harder then ever in recent years, I wouldn't doubt that there will be a decline in the fishery.

[JIvers]

The DNR does still stock several thousand walleye fingerlings in Lake Winona every year: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/showstocking.html?year=2009&county=Winona&species= Walleye will not successfully reproduce in a heavily-silted lake like Lake Winona with little or no clean gravel or rubble bottom.

Otherwise though, I agree that some tighter limits on panfish may be in order. The DNR did a good thing in trying out tighter limits in Rochester; if that shows postive results hopefully tighter limits will be placed elsewhere.

I do not know if this is the DNR's thinking, but it may be best to try tighter limits in a few places to see if they have the desired result before trying them everywhere. I can think of several places where such limits did not have the desired effect: Clear Lake, Iowa, where a 14" minimum on walleye has resulted in a lake full of 13.9" and under walleye, and northern Wisconsin, where a 14" (I think) minimum on black bass led to lakes full of 13" and under largemouth and smallmouth.

[Crm7290]

Would you know anyone who you could contact in the DNR and see what they say?

[itchmesir]

Would you know anyone who you could contact in the DNR and see what they say?

I know Steve Klotz is a big fan of lake winona.. he's the lanesboro fisheries area supervisor

[JIvers]

I'm not sure which office Lake Winona falls under, so here is the contact info. for both Lake City and Lanesboro:

Lake City Area Fisheries Office

1801 South Oak Street

Lake City, MN 55041

tel. 651-345-3365

[email protected]

Lanesboro Area Fisheries Office

23785 Grosbeak Road

Lanesboro, MN 55949

tel. 507-467-2442

[email protected]

[itchmesir]

i think winona falls under lake city now that there is no office in winona

[robert aldrich]

on the small lake in winona mn. go by the last disc golf hole right by the fallen tree in the lake and you will catch blue gills by the sled load.

[Crm7290]

Rob Ill be there wednesday

Some people say you can ruin a hotspot by talking about it too much on here.

[RJMOEN]

heads up that tree has an aerator by it. buddy already fell thru once this year...and still [PoorWordUsage] about the frostbite

[Crm7290]

Good to hear that RJ. I didn't end up trying it monday but was going to hit that tomorrow (if the ice is still there jk, kinda). Good thing you said something because I really dont want to be swimming with the fishes I want them to come up and hang with me.

[piker007]

I was out on the small lake by the landing today and didnt have any luck. Couple lookers but no bites. There were some other guys out there that left right before me and didnt look like they caught anything either. Anyone have any luck on that lake lately?

[Crm7290]

I caught a skunk. I was supposed to go out somewhere else but Att was "having issues" and I couldn't call out or receive texts all day until about an hour ago.

We started the day out over near Latsch Island then my friend wanted to go to lake Winona so he could see the babes running around the lake so we went there.

Had 1 nibble on Latsch and nothing at the lake.

I got a nice little slimer over in Winona the other day which was nice. Thats the first I've pulled out of the ice in my life.

[RJMOEN]

The girls are out...fishing sucks, saw a few girls on monday around 6pm in short shorts, looked cold. Woulda offered'em a ride if the backseat wasnt full of ice gear.

[piker007]

I was on the small lake yesterday with only a couple lookers (fish I mean) but no bites.

[oleWalter]

ive been out the past three days for about 9 total hours and have caught 5 bluegill on the big lake. has anyone found a particular time to be better for reelin' em in?

thanks, stay safe

[Crm7290]

Just before dark but since the warm up started I couldnt buy a bite

[JIvers]

So how is the ice holding up in the Winona area?

I'm done ice-fishing down here for the season, so I may have to head back to SE MN for one or two more fixes of hardwater.

[Crm7290]

I will be out tomorrow. Trudging through 5 or 6 inches of snow. The ice should be good. Last time I was out was last Wednesday and there was a foot and a half of ice out there. It should be good out there for you.

[JIvers]

Thanks--I figured the ice up here would be fine for foot traffic in most places.

I have a little window in my schedule, so I drove up to MN tonight, and will be out fishing on the ice tomorrow morning.

There are things I could/should be doing instead of drilling holes in Winona, but I only have a couple weeks of ice-fishing left. (My fiancé

does not understand this reasoning. )

[oleWalter]

Got out tonight for a little bit. lots of fish on the vex on the fourth hole I drilled but I only had time to catch one. The birdsnest I had was awful, and with my freezing hands trying to untangle it I had to go in a little earlier than I had expected. Head towards the deeper holes on the big lake.

G.L. and stay safe.