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Big Watab Lake

nevercatchguy

By nevercatchguy
in St Cloud Area Fishing Reports - Hunting - Events

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JBMasterAngler
JBMasterAngler

Learn the regulations before you fish for any particular species of fish!    There is a limit, and there is a slot. When you read the regulations, you’ll know what it is 😉

JBMasterAngler Grand Master

JBMasterAngler

Posted
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I e-mailed the DNR several months back to find out what their stocking schedule for trout was. Turns out they only stock the lake in the spring. I'm sure there are a good amount of hold overs, but I can see how there might not be too much success in the winter either.

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Dooley87 Community Regular

Dooley87

Posted
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With 10,000 rainbow yearlings a year since 1989 and 2000 brown yearlings a year since 1994 and 3400 adult browns between 2009 and 2010 I can't see there being that many fish being caught/ eaten by pike every year.

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Vitreus Community Regular

Vitreus

Posted
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We ran an experiment here at SCSU, exposing 300 larval fathead minnows to 3 different variables for 21 days, including a control group. Thats 21 days of maintenance for 300 fish. We put them in a tank with one small bluegill, to test their ability to avoid predation... The bluegill sniped all 300 fish in 2 days. It was waste of 23 days and thousands of dollars, but I can say with confidence that fish can eat a lot of other fish.

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TLH713 Rookie

TLH713

Posted
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We ran an experiment here at SCSU, exposing 300 larval fathead minnows to 3 different variables for 21 days, including a control group. Thats 21 days of maintenance for 300 fish. We put them in a tank with one small bluegill, to test their ability to avoid predation... The bluegill sniped all 300 fish in 2 days. It was waste of 23 days and thousands of dollars, but I can say with confidence that fish can eat a lot of other fish.

Laughed my butt off for 10 minutes after reading this! LOL!

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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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We ran an experiment here at SCSU, exposing 300 larval fathead minnows to 3 different variables for 21 days, including a control group. Thats 21 days of maintenance for 300 fish. We put them in a tank with one small bluegill, to test their ability to avoid predation... The bluegill sniped all 300 fish in 2 days. It was waste of 23 days and thousands of dollars, but I can say with confidence that fish can eat a lot of other fish.
Please expand on this. Why did it cost thousands of dollars to throw $6 dollars or less worth of bait in a tank in the corner of the room with one Sun fish "which" I'm sure you had a permit to have a live Gamefish out of a lake transported still alive? shocked

You could have gone to Cabala's for free if you wanted to watch Sunfish pick on each other! laugh

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Dooley87 Community Regular

Dooley87

Posted
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Why did it cost thousands of dollars to throw $6 dollars or less worth of bait in a tank in the corner of the room with one Sun fish

My thoughts exactly leech.

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Tom Sawyer Veteran

Tom Sawyer

Posted
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This lake gets heavily fished for trout in the summer months. Stocked trout are very vulnerable to getting harvested; and they do by the coolers full. Big Watab used to be a trophy walleye lake before the access was built and trout added. November nights would yield 1 over 12 lbs. with regularity.

As far as big pike they are few and far between out there too. Spearing pressure in the early 80's took care of them. Clearwater lake would be a much better place to stick larger pike.

With 10,000 rainbow yearlings a year since 1989 and 2000 brown yearlings a year trolling nights would yield one over 12 with regularity. Boy has that lake changed.....1994 and 3400 adult browns between 2009 and 2010 I can't see there being that many fish being caught/ eaten by pike every year.
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Dooley87 Community Regular

Dooley87

Posted
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Your quote from me is not what I wrote Tom Sawyer

I can think of many lakes I could go to spear big pike (and I have) but I can't think of any that have trout in them too

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Rick G Grand Master

Rick G

Posted
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is there any slabs or eyes in this lake?

Yes, not a bunch though. When you get them to bite they are usaly nice ones.

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Tom Sawyer Veteran

Tom Sawyer

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Posted

Your quote from me is not what I wrote Tom Sawyer

I can think of many lakes I could go to spear big pike (and I have) but I can't think of any that have trout in them too

Sorry for the miss quote. I think somehow when I was typing I must have typed in quote.

New bee here. Will watch more carefully, when submitting posts.

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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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This lake gets heavily fished for trout in the summer months. Stocked trout are very vulnerable to getting harvested; and they do by the coolers full. Big Watab used to be a trophy walleye lake before the access was built and trout added. November nights would yield 1 over 12 lbs. with regularity.

Tom

I don't think saying fish can be harvested by the cooler full is a good way to bring a lake back to the trophy lake it once was. I have fished the Rainbows in Watab summer and winter and never, caught a cooler full of fish. They are a little hard then that to catch. whistle

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Tom Sawyer Veteran

Tom Sawyer

Posted
Posted

Sorry for the very slight exaggeration. Believe me either by slip bobbers, trolling with cow bells, or whatever method you like I've never had much problem catching a limit of trout during June. Once when I was out there just boating, the Warden asked if my girlfriend and I would be interested in a limit he had just confiscated from a group that was over the limit.

As far as that lake getting back to the trophy status it once was... LOL!

The DNR hardly stocks it for walleye now, it's now managed as a trout fishery.

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JwP1 Rookie

JwP1

Posted
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Not sure but I must be lucky. Ive caught at least 3 walleyes to keep each time Ive been out this year. 16-19 inches seems to be the going rate. 31fow hasnt failed me yet. Those tiny little pike are there too. Yet to catch one over 20 inches on the lake and Ive along with some buddies have caught around sixty.

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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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We will see, I think I will be hitting it this Sat! wink

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osok Proficient

osok

Posted
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I fished this lake and the one just south of it ALOT in the soft water season and I can promise you that there are STILL some dandy Northern's, Rainbow's and Browns present. There are better lakes for Croppies and Eyes but like Rick stated the ones you catch are respectable.

IF I were still in the area, and going to fish it in the winter I would SERIOUSLY consider getting out there early and drilling my holes before 1st light....but that's just me. whistle

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bassNspear Grand Master

bassNspear

Posted
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how would you guys rank this lake for the area compared to other lakes in the area?

such as fishing, water, living on the lake, population, ect ect

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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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Well it was not with (ease) or a whole (cooler full) as was stated above. But I was able to pull one out today after fishing all day. I think there is way more small pike in this lake then Trout.

full-27051-29433-trout004.jpg

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Dooley87 Community Regular

Dooley87

Posted
Posted

Nice rainbow, I would agree there's a lot of little northerns in the lake, been out there spearing 4 times this winter in 3 different areas and there's consistently small northerns (12-15") I did manage to see a very nice rainbow swim through last Sunday but he swam through so fast he never saw my jig. The little pike sure are aggressive though, seems like 3 out of 4 come racing in and hit the decoy then take off.

BNS one of the home owners came out and talked to me out there last Saturday and he seemed very nice we were able to talk about the lake a little bit. It's a gorgeous lake and I myself would be happy living on it.

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leech~~ Grand Master

leech~~

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Since Trout are kind of on the run all the time, maybe the pike are getting more agressive trying to grab a meal before a Trout flys in a grabs it? Most of the pike I had seen were small and I'm sure the hungery Trout give them a run for their dinner? wink

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bassNspear Grand Master

bassNspear

Posted
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you would think that with how deep it is, and how clear the water is, that the pike would get bigger over the years. not?

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