Minnetonka

[Hookmaster]

A little long winded but I'm excited to share.

Got out on Tonka 4 times this week. Yes, I'm retired.  Bought the Milwaukee 2803-33 and put it on a 6" lazer hand auger that I've had for 20 years but have never used it since I have a gasser too. Very impressed by that set up. Also gave the LiveScope a good work out.

Monday afternoon found the sunfish and crappie suspended over a 40-foot hole. Saw fish with the LiveScope with the first set of holes and drilled a few more to get on top of them. Kept 3 of each for fish sandwiches.

Tuesday afternoon in the same hole but near the ridge that connects shore to an offshore reef. Mostly sunfish there but a few crappie too. All released.

Yesterday started an hour before sunrise and fished a small 12 foot-hole that I started fishing around 1970. Caught sunfish, crappies, largemouth and lost an ~8# carp at the bottom of the hole. Had it played out and laying sideways at the bottom of my 6" hole. Trying to get it started up the hole and my 4# test line broke with a new 4 mm tungsten glow wonder bread jig in its lip. Looked at the flasher and they was another fish. Grabbed the other rod with a 1/16 oz jointed pinhead minnow on it and fired it down the hole to be immediately consumed by a 12" crappie. All fish released.

This morning fished the small hole again at the same time. Sunfish and crappies. Largest crappie was 11 7/8. No sunfish over 7". Just drilled 3 holes in the spot with the most fish from yesterday. Two for fishing, one for the LiveScope and set the house up. It's fun seeing fish creeping in from 8 feet away and you can definitely tell the different sizes of fish on the LiveScope.

Reminisced on some of the times I've fished this hole over the years with friends and family.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Hookmaster

[bobberineyes]

Tonka sure can be a fun lake to fish,  can't say I've ever fought a carp during the hard water tho. Sounds like a good week you had!

[gim]

How many inches of ice is out there?  I think there will be open open water in a month based on the current forecast.  Especially if we get a couple days of rain in.

[Hookmaster]

Averaged 18" with a range of 16"-20". Starting tomorrow I should get out everyday while the access holds up.

[Hookmaster]

Same depth of ice as of yesterday afternoon. 

[Hookmaster]

Drove on (didn't plan to but two truck were out on the bay) and fished yesterday afternoon. More bass are showing up in the shallows, caught 3. Also caught bluegill and crappie. Nothing special. The ice is the same thickness 16-20" but is getting soft in spots with no snow. Places with snow are getting slushy. No more refreezes for 5 nights and and 1/2 inch of rain should pretty much end it.