Ice+Fishing reports from Stanchfield and Blue

[monstermoose78]

Taking the nephew out tomorrow am for a early trip hoping to catch some gills maybe a crappie or 2, but he wants a big pike so we will hanging around the shallow water.

[Mr2slim]

How did you end up doing today moose?

[monstermoose78]

I went to Baxter because no one was on the lake.

[Mnfisher]

Any action at all on Stanchfield. Went out a week or so ago and nothing. There is always somebody out there trying though. Thanks

[KrappieKilla05]

I was out there (S. Stanchfield)last weekend and limited out on crappies. The bite started at about 6ish and lasted for a good 2-3 hours. I was in about 14fow and using small minnows with glow jigs. Literally as fast as I could put the bait down they were swarming it. All were over 10" in size and were fun to catch.

[rumeye]

[Note From Admin: Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.]

[river rat316]

Rumeye, its no secret lake the hoards have been on it all winter, and "limiting" on crappies is not the norm, you have to search for your fish out there.

[monstermoose78]

I feel Krappie's report was good he told the depth and the time when the bite picked up. South Stanchfield is no secret. As for Lake Francis is still kicking out nice crappies, but just not in the crazy numbers it was. Yep you will have to find another little honey hole and there is a few of them around. You can hike out to North Stanchfield as well that has been producing some nicer fish. As for moving north that is nothing new, but there is also lots of little ponds in the metro that can produce some big panfish. Please don't be negative about someone posting a useful post. Or like in Cambridge for that matter like behind the Wally World a few years back and all the walleyes people caught out of those ponds.

[jskeff]

sounds like some one is mad they didnt find the fish first. lol. thanks for the report krappikilla! ill make sure i tell every one! lmao

[ozzie]

I understand what rumeye is saying though...why not leave out the limiting out part and give the details but leave out the amount...Like we did decent on crappies in the 14 foot range with minnow and glow jigs...we had to work for them but once dialed in we had fun!!

Both of them say you did good but one screams come catch the fish and the other says fish can be caught with some effort....alot of people don't like to put in effort

Either way the lake isn't a secret and the fishing isn't normally that good...it can be but in the 6 times I have been out there this year I have not had great success on the ice....Good Luck to all

[klatt45]

Yea been doing pretty good on stanchfield this winter too. Swear that lake is full of perch!! Good lake for most species; especially if you like little 8-10in walleyes. lol. Can't believe some people out there are actually keeping them that size. It's like theirs your tax dollars you idiots. I've gotten some wall hangers out of there, won't tell what specie, but I've had some very good outings this winter. Only have fished the lake the last two winters

[Gordie]

This lake was being hit hard long before anything was ever posted about it like for the past three seasons, and you have hardly heard a word about Francis but there is still more trucks and portables on it than ever.

This site is about helping other get on some fish and it's great that everyone well almost everyone is able to enjoy some fishing action no matter where it's at.

Last year I was on a lake that I had never heard mentioned on the forums or any social media for that matter and it was packed with people. All it takes is a guy stopping at the bait store or too tell his buddies over a few beers or the guys wife saying something where she works and then it spreads like wild fire.

Deal with it and have fun fishing.. It doesn't always have to be about you and how many fish you are going to be able to fish.

Like I stated this site was designed to help people get on fish and it's no place to complain about others.

[river rat316]

Hey... the bait store has nothing to do with this.....lol

[monstermoose78]

Mr River Rat it is part of your business to give info on a hot bite. It is ok I know there are some place you will not spill the beans about. Now if my dad's driveway fills up with trucks and the pond is covered with fish houses I will have to have a talk with you. LOL. O man I just told everyone about it!

Gordie it is true about wife's I get lots of info from my wife about where her friends husbands are catching fish. My dad is one of them I can not tell about a hot bite, because other wise every guy in the shop he works at will be out there plus their buddies.

[KrappieKilla05]

I didn't think that I was giving away too much.. There are a lot of places on the lake where it is 14' and I did not specify what I was actually doing to catch the fish. I do agree though Ozzie I need work on my posts, but I am kinda new to this thing and I'm sure I will get better in time.

[monstermoose78]

You could have giving your GPS cords the crappies there swim around the lake basin. Unless you were near some structure and if you found some keep it in the memory bank. No Krappie your post was good if you get a limit and want to share it is all good. Your post was a solid post depth and time. Don't be scared to post because some people take it the wrong way. I have posted exact spots and caught a lot of flack for it, but I just wanted to get people an idea of what kind of structure to look for and not fish in the masses. S. Stanchfield as Gordie said has been pounded for a while now and the word was out before. It is exciting to get on a good bite so Thank you for posting with such nice details.

[ozzie]

I personally didn't see a whole lot wrong with your post but I can understand what people like rumeye may think.....KrappieKiller05 keep posting whatever you want as like I said what you posted isn't a secret...just one thing I have learned when I post some hot action next time on the lake is always a little busier!!! Good Luck and hope to hear more reports from ya Krappie..

[KrappieKilla05]

Thanks guys I appreciate the support! I will definitely continue to post and update on my outings!

[Gordie]

To be honest a bait store not saying where the bite is ,is like a bait store that doest want to sell bait.

[jskeff]

what ppl dont realize is if the bite is on one day and ppl are talking about it, by the time you find the fish the bite will probably be not as hot, so who cares what people tell on these blogs. if you follow the heard, you will step in [PoorWordUsage].

[river rat316]

To be honest a bait store not saying where the bite is ,is like a bait store that doest want to sell bait.

I hear ya there, now you need to come up and run the store for the weekend so I can find the hot bite....lol good luck out there guys, the fishing should only get better from now until ice out!

[Slabchaser82]

Thanks for the hint KrappieKilla! Was out last night and did very well, all 9-13 inchers! 14FOW by 8' hump in center of lake, 6-8 was best bite for us. We had luck on both small minnows and waxies on Fat boys.

[FishSystem]

love the profile pic you got SLAB.

[Gordie]

I hear ya there, now you need to come up and run the store for the weekend so I can find the hot bite....lol good luck out there guys, the fishing should only get better from now until ice out!

Deal

[Slabchaser82]

Wow! Is S. Stanchfield on fire! Hammered them again today. All nice size again, Even a 14 incher! If you haven't been out there you should be. Thanks again KrappieKilla.

[klatt45]

Went to Stanchfield this evening. Man was that lake packed!!!! Probably at least 100 people, lake never used to have that many people, which is fine, until i get to the lake and find my secret sunny spot has about 20 portables in the area. Oh well, gotta find a new lake now, at least i got 2 mounter bluegills before the people start to pound the lake, it'll be fished out in about 2-3yrs.

[Slabchaser82]

Hey thanks FishSystem! Anybody else hit'em hard on S. Stanchfield? Lets hear some numbers!

[g_anoka]

All I can say is Thanks!!!!

[Ice camper]

Been fishing this lake for a month with my son. Have definitely seen the pressure affect the numbers of fish and the size. After getting enough for a meal all my trips have been catch and release. Would love to hear others who are doing the same speak up. Its nice to have some options close to home to catch decent fish without driving 2 hours north.

[ozzie]

I have only taken a meal for myself out of this lake this winter...3 crappies and release all the rest