2024 Fishing Reports

[redlabguy]

Let’s start this by congratulating Brianf and son for winning their second City Autoglass Walleye Classic last weekend. These guys know how to fish. 
We just got to the lake for the season. Chores are almost done and I’m ready to fish. 
red(new dog is more yellow)labguy

[SkunkedAgain]

I had a good start to the season on opener. Fishing was slow but consistent. I had four eaters in the box by lunch dragging perch raps. Crappies were biting. I haven't been up since so don't know how things have changed since then, but I'm sure the walleye continue to migrate out into the main basins.

[Brianf.]

RLG, thanks for the shout-out!  
 

Jeff and I are still trying to wrap our heads around what happened this past weekend.  We are humbled and full of gratitude  for having won 'The Classic' for a second time.  
 

We practiced through all the rain on Thurs and the wind on Friday and found six different spots holding big fish.  Fishing was good on both days with several 'overs' in our catch...but would it hold up for another day?   We didn't know.  
 

On tourney day, we made a long run to our first spot where I lucked out on a 26.5"er on my second cast.  Jeff followed up with a thick 27" er a few minutes later, which turned out to be the big fish for the event at 7.26lbs.  We finished out our limit and weighed-in at 10:30 am for the welfare of the fish in our livewell. 
 

There were some big weights in this event which would have won in most other years, but - for whatever reason - this was our day.  Everything just went our way.  Again, we are just super grateful and humbled by this success.  We also want to congratulate all the other anglers who did well and give a big 'thank you' to the tournament organizers who put on such a great event!  

[leech~~]

59 minutes ago, Brianf. said:

RLG, thanks for the shout-out!  
 

Jeff and I are still trying to wrap our heads around what happened this past weekend.  We are humbled and full of gratitude  for having won 'The Classic' for a second time.  
 

We practiced through all the rain on Thurs and the wind on Friday and found six different spots holding big fish.  Fishing was good on both days with several 'overs' in our catch...but would it hold up for another day?   We didn't know.  
 

On tourney day, we made a long run to our first spot where I lucked out on a 26.5"er on my second cast.  Jeff followed up with a thick 27" er a few minutes later, which turned out to be the big fish for the event at 7.26lbs.  We finished out our limit and weighed-in at 10:30 am for the welfare of the fish in our livewell. 
 

There were some big weights in this event which would have won in most other years, but - for whatever reason - this was our day.  Everything just went our way.  Again, we are just super grateful and humbled by this success.  We also want to congratulate all the other anglers who did well and give a big 'thank you' to the tournament organizers who put on such a great event!  

Nice work!  

Here's two words you hardly ever hear anyone say anymore.  "grateful and humbled"   

[gimruis]

21 hours ago, Brianf. said:

We finished out our limit and weighed-in at 10:30 am for the welfare of the fish in our livewell. 

 

I'm quite shocked to hear that a walleye tournament is still doing a live weigh in.  Virtually every event these days around here is doing a catch, photo, and release format.

 

Regardless, nice work.  Congrats.

[SkunkedAgain]

22 hours ago, Brianf. said:

On tourney day, we made a long run to our first spot where I lucked out on a 26.5"er on my second cast.  Jeff followed up with a thick 27" er a few minutes later, which turned out to be the big fish for the event at 7.26lbs.

Those are some fine specimens. Great job

[Shulsebus]

We will be up on June 8th for the week. It will be our 13th year in a row staying on the lake.  I hope the walleye are hitting the bobbers by the time that we get there. 

[partyonpine]

Opener and the week after were good.  Not the numbers we normally get but better quality in the East End.  Not surprised on the weights for the Auto City a.  Usually for us we only catch a few slot fish but we averaged 3 a day for 10 days.  2 overs, biggest 27 inches.  

 

Our best luck was 12-16 feet for quality.  When we went deeper we caught more but smaller.  Bass were really starting to heat up.  For me little earlier than normal.  Found some nice Bluegills the day we went after some panfish.  Dock fishing was as many as we wanted per usual.

[MikeG3Boat]

Partyonpine, Would you be willing to share in what areas you were getting some nice Bluegills?  I am on the east end on big bay and would like to find some good panfish.

[MikeG3Boat]

I know it has been raining all week but anyone have any walleye reports?  Heading up for the holiday weekend and want to do some fishing.

[Hookmaster]

On 5/21/2024 at 11:16 AM, Brianf. said:

We finished out our limit and weighed-in at 10:30 am for the welfare of the fish in our livewell. 

 

Kudos for doing this. I'm sure a lot of fishermen would not have.

Edited May 23 by Hookmaster

[Jetsky]

On 5/23/2024 at 8:06 AM, MikeG3Boat said:

I know it has been raining all week but anyone have any walleye reports?  Heading up for the holiday weekend and want to do some fishing.

Caught a lot of small ones yesterday in 20 -30 ft.  A couple of eaters.  Minnows on Lindys clearly out fished the leeches on Lindys.

[Rivergroup]

We're heading up tomorrow. Hoping for walleye but looking to mostly relax. We'll have leeches and minnows and any tips would be great. Just looking for enough for a good fish fry. Thanks in advance.

[delcecchi]

Since culling is against the regs in Minnesota, weighing in early is a great thing to do.   Congrats.

[FishinCT]

Culling is not against the law in Minnesota unless you have a limit. (Which obviously applies in this case.)
 

They finally cleared up the language about it in the regs this year. 

[gimruis]

On 5/25/2024 at 11:13 PM, FishinCT said:

Culling is not against the law in Minnesota unless you have a limit. (Which obviously applies in this case.)

 

I wish they would go even further.  Placing a fish in a bucket or on a stringer is obviously going to reduce its chances of surviving.  But if you catch a more desirable fish, you can still legally release the one that's half or fully dead in the bucket.  Doesn't make much sense.

 

If you place them in an aerated live well, that's obviously much different.  But a lot of anglers don't have that option, and its certainly not an option in the winter either.

[PSU]

Where is the best place on the lake to buy rainbow minnows for good size and value? 

[chucker1101]

On 5/28/2024 at 10:47 AM, PSU said:

Where is the best place on the lake to buy rainbow minnows for good size and value? 

The only place on the East end (unless i'm mistaken and don't know of some semi-secret place) that sells minnows on the lake is the Casino bait shop on Everett Bay. Whether they have rainbows is hit and miss. I'm not including Timbuktu as East side

 

Getting off-lake, the best value for rainbow for me over the last 10 years has been Lucky 7 in Virginia.

[SkunkedAgain]

I am not aware of anywhere in the west basin to get minnows. Hopefully I am wrong.

[VermilionGold]

Shamrock Landing and Grubens marina have both sold minnows/bait in past years, not sure about current season 

[Rivergroup]

We used Chubbs and rainbows during the beginning of the week and the bite seemed to transition to leeches later in the week. 

[redlabguy]

Shamrock did have rainbows and chubs but their tank broke down. They’re out of the minnow business. River group is right, though. A leech caught a 22” er this morning.

RLG

[Jetsky]

We ran out of minnows and couldn't find any at the bait shops.  So we fished with leeches last night and had great success.   Just about all of them we caught were 14 - 17 inches.  Shallower bays have warmed up and they are in their feeding at dusk.

Edited June 2 by Jetsky

[Rivergroup]

We easily had 20 fish (kept a couple here and there) in the boat by 7am most days this past week. Evening bite was just as good.

[chucker1101]

As I understand the challenge, there are regulations regarding water pumping and circulation from the lake into holding tanks for minnows. It makes keeping minnows alive and healthy, as a sustainable business, very difficult for lakeshore businesses.

Edited June 3 by chucker1101
grammar

[MikeG3Boat]

Rivergroup, Are you on the east or west side of the lake.  When you say before 7am what time you going out?  5am?  How deep of water?  Just looking for starting point for this coming weekend.  Thanks!

 

[CFD200]

Fished 9 hours on Saturday.  Caught 18 walleyes with nothing big enough to eat.  Beautiful day on the lake regardless.

[leech~~]

Doesn't anyone in this thread have a cell phone or camera for pictures?  

[smurfy]

6 hours ago, leech~~ said:

Doesn't anyone in this thread have a cell phone or camera for pictures?  

Maybe they don't want to give out hints to there spots!

[Rivergroup]

Caught them both East and West. Earliest we started was 0530.