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South Metro Lakes Fishing Reports

D. Rohne
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D. Rohne Newbie

D. Rohne

Posted
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What's been everyones experience this year with the south metro lakes like Marion, Crystal, Orchard, Prior, Spring, and others? I've had good luck with bass and small northern on Orchard. Nothing on Crystal yet but only gave it a small test so far. Got skunked on spring and haven't been to prior yet but plan to this weekend if all goes as planned. I think these south metro lakes can be very fun and it's nice for me to be able to get to them quickly but sometimes it seems they are finicky. What's this spring/summer brought for you?

P.S. If you like to jump from spot to spot to find the fish and want to go out sometime I'm open to that. I have room for me and one other in my boat or could hop in with you.

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playinhookie Apprentice

playinhookie

Posted
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Hopped around via canoe/shore all around the city lakes (chain, medicine, nokomis,hiawatha, etc.) and minnetonka all "spring" and had the same luck fishing with cranks, soft plastics, and jigs. Finally got a hawg spawner the other day but for the most part haven't seen any gigantor fish. Always down to throw a line and do so daily just throw me a message as I haven't fished down that way yet and love fishing uncharted territory.

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ry5 Contributor

ry5

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Fished Prior the last couple days- smaller bass active in the shallows and some nicer gills. Was looking for crappies, but found none

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th64 Proficient

th64

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Hit one you mentioned yesterday-got 2 19s 1 18" and some pounders. Bigger fish were not shallow for me all in the 9-13ft range. Hit the shallows pretty good and got zilch.

Good Luck

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gritsnham Rising Star

gritsnham

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Shoot me a email Rohne and we can maybe figure something out. I live in Eagan and fish Marion and Crystal a decent amount not so much orchard anymore. Crystal has been pretty consistent so far this year the few times I have made it out

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bass-o-matic Community Regular

bass-o-matic

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Yeah, don't bother wasting your time. Make a day of it and hit something in the SE part of the state instead.

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tj417 Rising Star

tj417

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You could try Courthouse Lake in Chaska for the planted rainbows, but there is no such thing as metro trout streams around here as far as I know.

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Grum Collaborator

Grum

Posted
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Any guidance on metro area trout streams?

The MN DNR has a list on their web site. As far as producing fish, that maybe another story. The driftless area or the "put-and-take ponds" would be far better for that.

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Odonata Community Regular

Odonata

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Thanks for the input, I figured that would be the case, rods will likely stay home as I'm Mpls for the next 5 days.

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th64 Proficient

th64

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Contact me if you want to fish Cedar. If you are going to do the canoe thing go where other kinds boats cannot go-you will find lots of eager fish.

Good Luck

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  • 5 weeks later...
D. Rohne Newbie

D. Rohne

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Little update: almost 2 weeks ago we pulled out a good size bass and northern out of Orchard fishing with sucker on a jig and bobber. Anyone else getting much in this mid summer heat?

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  • 2 weeks later...
Bassin Assassin Contributor

Bassin Assassin

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I love Orchard and Crystal. Fish them 1-3 times during the work week. Weekends I shoot for Tonka, only because I can fish all day. The traffic isn't fun, but just have to manage. How often do you fish Crystal/Orchard? What's your boat? I may have seen/talked to you a few times.

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  • 2 months later...
Morgs Contributor

Morgs

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Has anyone fished Prior Lake recently? I'm driving up from Mankato to fish with my grandpa on Wednesday for some crappies and sunnies. He said that it's been tough lately, so I'm curious if he's been in the wrong spots or if they really aren't doing much out there.

Any tips are appreciated.

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OnAFly Grand Master

OnAFly

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I haven't been there, but check the normal winter spots. I used to start pulling decent fish in those spots around now, back when I lived down there.

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  • 2 weeks later...
fish_eat_sleep Collaborator

fish_eat_sleep

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Anyone catch anything good recently!? Thinking about bass fish in this weekend.. Need some inspiration to help me brave the cold for a bass..

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