Lake Phalen

[SaintPaulPaul]

Finally going to give Lake Phalen a little coverage after years of thinking about it. Pike and largemouth are abundant, some really big ones in the lake...it's a deep (95'), clear lake. Because it is part of St. Paul's water supply, no motorboats or cars are allowed on the lake, in the Winter you have to drag your stuff out. Which is a pain, but it keeps the crowds away. Phalen also has some walleyes, but they are hard to find...there are some wall-hangers in there though. I've seen them spawn in the backwater off the lake (actually called Round Lake).

So, if you fish Phalen, post your reports and photos...here's a 32"  Northern I caught in 13' with a shiner yesterday:

 

[junior52]

Hey Saintpaul....Nice fish....Looking to head out to phalen, how thick is the ice?

[HammyDavisJr]

I live in St. Paul and have never ice fished Phalen, but have always wanted to give it a shot.  Looks like a great pike!

[SaintPaulPaul]

20 hours ago, junior52 said:

Hey Saintpaul....Nice fish....Looking to head out to phalen, how thick is the ice?

Ice is a solid 7" now. Went out yesterday (Thurs) and got 1 hammer-handle, lost a nice one (I think bigger hooks might help) that put up a good fight and lost a couple of bait-stealers. So, not much for the pan but good action for the 4 hours I was out. Noticed quite a few guys setting up for walleye fishing in the early afternoon down by the Pavilion... I think they're getting 'eyes down by the beach and on the hump at sunset, but I don't know for sure. Going out Saturday a.m. again...getting cold again, unfortunately.

17 hours ago, HammyDavisJr said:

I live in St. Paul and have never ice fished Phalen, but have always wanted to give it a shot.  Looks like a great pike!

I caught and released this one on Phalen in 2011, hopefully still swimming around.

[Mike Otis]

Hey Paul,

I was out at Phalen on Wednesday jigging for eyes, but no luck.  Just a small pike. 

[SaintPaulPaul]

Back on Phalen today with the mild temps in the 20's. Pretty slow, but I missed a flag and iced a snake and a nice bucketmouth in 14' water, gold shiner,  half-way up.  Out of season I believe, but still a fun catch. (C & R of course)

Edited January 21, 2016 by SaintPaulPaul
no pic

[GeluNumber1]

I may go out tomorrow. Will probably target panfish and pike near the saddle and in 10-15 F.O.W.

[crstliner1750]

Thanks for the reports everybody.  Wife and I went out Sunday, ice running about 12" - 13".  Got three flags in about 30 mins when we got there (one nice one, two snot rockets), then nothing for the rest of the day.  Marking fish, but just not biting.  CO was out checking licenses about 2:00.  Nice to spend a day on the ice.

[SaintPaulPaul]

On ‎1‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 10:08 AM, crstliner1750 said:

Thanks for the reports everybody.  Wife and I went out Sunday, ice running about 12" - 13".  Got three flags in about 30 mins when we got there (one nice one, two snot rockets), then nothing for the rest of the day.  Marking fish, but just not biting.  CO was out checking licenses about 2:00.  Nice to spend a day on the ice.

It seems to be a morning-bite lake. I'm usually off by 1:00 pm....the northerns and occasional walleye will hit right before sunset. About the only times I'll go....just years of seeing what happens during the day. Went out Saturday, missed 2 flags, bait stealers. Pike action should pick up with the warm temps coming up...seems to trigger them.

Edited January 28, 2016 by SaintPaulPaul

[jBohmer]

Nice reports Paul I really like Phalen an try to get out there at least once a year.  Never had much luck but something always brings me back I think it's because I am sure there are some monsters in there that have not been found yet.  Good luck and please keep letting us know how your doing out there. 

[mrklean]

Great reports Paul

[junior52]

Good report Paul.....Was out on phalen last week and didnt have very good luck.....1 pike about 14 inches on tip up......Not much else for most of the day.......A few people out there but didnt see much being taken......I to always head back to Phalen......For the hopes of getting that BIG one outta there........

[NateC]

Thinking of heading out there tomorrow, is the ice driveable yet?

...and never mind, I missed the mention in the initial post that no cars are allowed. Time to get a workout pulling the sled!

Edited January 29, 2016 by NateC

[SaintPaulPaul]

Hey Nate you really don't have to go far off the launch on the North end...Sometimes I'll go right of the launch 100 yards down to the 2nd or 3rd telephone pole and set up. Remember, if chasing pike, no more than 15' water and do not sit 1' off of bottom like everybody does and you'll have a much better chance at the big ones. Large bait, shiners or suckers work.

12 hours ago, NateC said:

Thinking of heading out there tomorrow, is the ice driveable yet?

...and never mind, I missed the mention in the initial post that no cars are allowed. Time to get a workout pulling the sled!

 

[Pigmeat]

*bump*

[SaintPaulPaul]

Went out yesterday to Phalen with the new Eskimo hub porty. Didn't get out until 10 am. Ice is a solid 7" with 2" snow crust on top. Got 1 hammerhandle and 1 3-pounder. Slow, but I didn't really have the bait I wanted. Impressed with the Eskimo, not impressed with the lake it creates on the ice!

[Pigmeat]

Anybody been out on Phalen since the rain? Going out later today and was wondering about ice thickness, etc.

[icefishallday]

 

On 1/14/2016 at 7:27 AM, SaintPaulPaul said:

Finally going to give Lake Phalen a little coverage after years of thinking about it. Pike and largemouth are abundant, some really big ones in the lake...it's a deep (95'), clear lake. Because it is part of St. Paul's water supply, no motorboats or cars are allowed on the lake, in the Winter you have to drag your stuff out. Which is a pain, but it keeps the crowds away. Phalen also has some walleyes, but they are hard to find...there are some wall-hangers in there though. I've seen them spawn in the backwater off the lake (actually called Round Lake).

So, if you fish Phalen, post your reports and photos...here's a 32"  Northern I caught in 13' with a shiner yesterday:

 

Not true. Vadnais/ Pleasant lakes are part of stp water supply. Phalen chain is not part of it. Phalen chain includes Kohlman, Gervais, Spoon, Keller, Round and Phalen.

On 1/14/2016 at 7:27 AM, SaintPaulPaul said:

 

 

[SaintPaulPaul]

Hey icefish I guess I thought it was because a St. Paul Regional Water worker regularly yells at people walking their dogs on the ice...he told me it was an e. coli concern from their poop.

[SaintPaulPaul]

Went out before the rain last week with the new pop-up. 4 flags and 3 gators. Ice was a solid 7" before the rain.

Went out again today with a buddy, got 7-8 total, kept 3. Here was a fat one.

[SaintPaulPaul]

Good day on the metro lake today. Very little traffic, just 4 parties on the lake. Got 7 flags, 5 iced, 2 bigs kept due to hooking issues. I'm thinking of ways to avoid it, but the fish are appreciated by my friends that request Phalen Pike. Tight lines.

[tmoose78]

I'll be trying to ice some phalen eyes tomorrow afternoon. Been eyeing the saddle in the middle of that lake for the past two winters so I thought I'd give it a try. Hope to see some of you guys out there.

[SaintPaulPaul]

There are walleye out there on the saddle, but it's a night bite. All of the walleyes I've seen come out of there have been in low-light conditions. And the saddle isn't the only place you will find them at night, either. 

[tmoose78]

Noted, Thank you. I assumed that may be the case, but I will probably be out a couple hours before sunset just because I have a lot of new equipment. Nothing worse than fidgeting with equipment during prime time! I plan on slowly exploring some areas over the next couple of weeks. I only have a hand auger so mobility is somewhat limited.

[SaintPaulPaul]

Wednesday was a gorgeous day on the lake...for January, anyway.  Starting to move around the lake until the pike move to the North end to start staging for spawn. It always makes for big pike later in the winter. Had some luck with a couple of small Northern pike but got a surprise when I landed a small Tiger Musky. The DNR stock them every other year in Phalen. They have been doing this since the 80's, so there's bound to be some big ones in there. 

[SaintPaulPaul]

Another Spring-like day on Thursday. I got skunked but my buddy landed a couple of nice ones. C & R.

[SaintPaulPaul]

Another beautiful day on the ice Thursday. I got skunked but my buddy Scott got a couple of nice ones- a 28" and a 29".

[SaintPaulPaul]

Another beauty pulled out on Thursday January 26.  Catch and release, was a big female.

Edited January 30, 2017 by SaintPaulPaul

[The Great Bambino]

Nice Tiger Saint Paul, I know two years ago a neighborhood boy caught a 35 inch Tiger Musky out of the Keller creek that feeds into Round. Saw the pictures and the colors were amazing!

 

Going out tomorrow morning for pike with my brother in law on the north side of Phalen. Hope to ice a few pike for the smoker. Hope to see you out there!

[RoughFishin']

Any more reports going on for this lake? Thinking about heading out tomorrow for some pike/panfish, do people ever spear out here?