Area report

[Borch]

Well I got back from vacation up north Saturday afternoon. Was back on the water Sunday morning here in the St. Cloud area. Here's what I found.

Sunday morning I was on Rice. Fishing was slow with one walleye, one smallmouth, one pike and one bullhead. All were caught on or in the weededge. Most on spinner and leeches. There was an unreal amount of traffic on Rice this weekend and the floating weeds were very difficult to fish around. So we pulled the plug about 10:30 and headed over to Koronis for a couple of hours. There we caught one walleye, a dozen or so nice smallies and a pike. On koronis it was a crawler bite. Barely a touch on a leech. Got fish on the weededge with livebait rigs.

Monday afternoon I took my daughter out on Rice again. A lot less traffic and the floating weeds had blown to shore. We pulled away from the access and I said, "Where's my tackle box?" Guess I forgot to put it back in my boat after I was fishing with my brother on Sunday.

Not to worry though as I had my crankbait box and a few spinner rigs along. We started with cranks and never looked back. First trolling pass netted 14, 19 & 20" walleyes. Over the next 2.5 hours we added an 18" walleye and threw back 14 pike between 2.5 and 6 lbs. Also threw back a few more walleyes including another 21" fish. Fish were in 5 - 8 ft of water.

Good Luck!

[The Chemist]

We faired pretty well. We only fished from the dock though. Kept 10 walleyes from Thurs to Tuesday and 15 crappies. Threw back twice as many. The ones we kept were around 1-2 lbs for walleyes and 9-11 inch crappies. We fished the evening mostly because we were putting new decking on the deck. Tuesday was a wash due to all the rain. Going back up this weekend to get alittle more fishing in.

Borch: was your brother out there trolling alone? I thought I saw him go by but couldn't really tell as I don't know what his boat looks like.

Saturday night the sheriff was out doing the rounds confiscating fireworks displays. They went to two cabins next door. I wonder what the fine is or if they just take what they find.

[Borch]

Yeah Chemist, he was out there by hinself Saturday afternoon. Apparnetly it was pretty ugly out there with all the recreational traffic. I was out there Sunday morning with him. He's running an alumacraft Turm Pro with a yammy tiller on it. Is your place next to the place with the red boathouse? If I make it out there this weekend I'll try to swing by and say hi. I'll likely be in an old blue predator with a merc on the back.

Crappies going pretty much in the evening too or can a guy get a few during the day?

Borch

[The Chemist]

We have only caught crappies in the evening off the dock but the neighbor pulled in a nice one in the afternoon on Saturday. Well over 11".

Our place is Brown. As you are looking from the lake, there is a new cabin, then a blue house to the left of that, Us: old Rice Lake Resort (new decking white railing on treated 4x4's) , a cabin with a new boat house and then a cabin with a huge boat and a boat house.

If I'm out on the lake I'll be in a Blue speed boat (Sierra, I believe) with a Merc on it.

Feel free to stop by.

[ducksnbucks]

Could any of you guys tell me how the panfishing is going on Rice? Just curious might go out and try for some panfish and walleyes. Thanks, Ding

[Borch]

Sunfish are still hitting shallow. A lot of sorting though. Crappies are on the edge or in the weeds. Same with the eyes. Got into some nice ones today pulling shad raps in 5-9 ft of water. Lots of pike and a few crappies too.

Chemist,

Didn't see any activity at what I thought was your cabin this morning. Next time I'll need to get your phone # and I'll call you so we can hook up.

Borch

[borchawk1]

Chemist, I'll likely be out tomorrow in the morning, if I get any action, I'll stick around, otherwise I'll run over to Koronis. Thanks for the description on the cabin, now I know where you're at. If I see activity, I'll swing by in the future. I was watching you guys replace the deck, I thought it might be you, but I didn't stop in for fear of getting roped into swinging a hammer! Looked like a of fun! Talk to you soon.

[The Chemist]

Well it was a nice weekend. I didn't get out to fish off the dock on Sat. except to help the kids in the afternoon. We had headed to an auction on Sat morning and then to Menards for stuff to complete off the deck. The kids were out there again on Sunday, funny thing is I'm up in the cabin looking down at the lake and the next thing I see is a pole in the water. I run down to the dock thinking it somehow fell in w/ a fish attached. Nope my niece was reeling in and something took her line. The fish was so large that it ended up snapping the pole at the area the reel attaches and the line did break. There has been a couple very large northerns hanging around the weeds by our place.

As for the crappie bite: for us the bite is from ~7:30-9:30 pm; they start out deeper and come to within feet of the dock and then they are gone. No eyes this weekend but some very nice crappies.

Borchawk1: you wouldn't have had to swing a hammer. It's a little hard to drive a hammer through composite decking. But now that we are nearly finished you need not worry. On a side note P. Stoker was shown the door last week. Didn't know if you had heard or not.

[Sartell Angler]

sounds like you guys are catching the fish...Borch, thats a pretty incredible day for this time of year, especially since you forgot your tackle box.

good luck on the water...i can't wait til the 27th for my trip to the BWCA...lots of fishing that week baby..

wdw

[so haaad]

Chemist, you mean you fish for more than cats??? Haaad

[The Chemist]

Yes I know it's a little shocking but when you don't have a boat to go lake hopping it tends to present a problem. Although I have caught 2 nice cats off the dock but that has been during duck hunting season. I would fish bullheads more but the size of the fish in Rice is awfully small. I have been venturing the thought of fishing near the bridges in Cold Spring but never get a chance.

How's your summer going?

[so haaad]

Chemist-
Yeah, I hear you on the lack of a boat. I've been hitting the streams for trout and smallies. Hooked a cat on the flyrod last weekend on the Snake, but I lost it. So now I'm trying to find a place to flyfish for cats. Might be harder to find that I am hoping. Have you ever fished the Sauk river? Personally, I'm ready for duck hunting and hard water fishing.

Haaad

[Borch]

If you fish the Sauk River below the Cold Spring dam you'll find lots of cats and I's think it would work for fly fishing as well. There are several spots as you work downstream.

My daughter and I made another trip to Rice last night after work for a couple of hours. The front really slowed things down but did manage 3 very nice eyes(27.5, 23 and 22 inches)that I CPR'd and my daughter got a few nice pike and lost two eyes as well. Got a few crappies pulling shad raps too.

Borch

[Skeets]

Well, here goes my Rice Lake report.
Took the kids out today, trolled for 3 hours.
Caught one pike, 28", and zero eyes.
We did manage to catch about 100# of weeds, it was a tough task keeping them shad raps out of the weeds.
We trolled anywhere from 4-9' and also went out to 12-15' with no luck.

I also talked to two older gentlemen that were skunked, they were trying for the gills.

Maybe better luck next time...

[Borch]

Skeets,

I was thinking of you when I was out last night. Thought it might be a tough bite today. Just had that feel to it with the high pressure taking over.

Definitely no shortage of weeds there. A person really has to pick their routes and do a bit of weaving.

Hopefully we can make it out next week.

Borch

[so haaad]

Thanks Borch. I'll try the Cold Spring dam. I should be around there next Friday. Speaking of the Sauk river, does the upper river above the chain hold cats?

Haaad

[Borch]

Sure does and lots of them. The river runs a bit deeper through most portions. There is a fishing pier in Lions park with lots of cats available there. Although I'm not sure if you're able to get to it now with the bridge construction going on. Earlier I know you could but I haven't checked lately.

Borch

[Borch]

Well I made it out again on Friday and Saturday afternoon/evening. The walleye and pike bite are still going strong. The crappies are continuing to get more aggressive.

We've getting walleyes and pike in 5-9 ft of water pulling cranks over and around the weedgrowth. Some guys are settling in and getting a fair number of fish on plastics.
Eyes are also coming from 14-18 ft of water on lvebait rigs(leeches or crawlers). But I've found the shallow bite to be more consistent. Especially if the wind is blowing.

Crappies are going on plastics with an occasional nice one on a crank. Most of these are being caught around the weededge with the action being best around dusk.

Borch

[Mykal]

Borch, is your report from Rice or Horseshoe? Thanks for the help.

[Borch]

Rice and Koronis.

Borch

[The Chemist]

HEading up this afternoon for a much needed weekend on the lake. Borch maybe I'll se you out there. I will be in a blue Lund, was able to borrow the father inlaws boat for the weekend. I'm gonna give your bro a call and see what his plans are. I am probably going to try lindy ringing for eye's on the flats becuase this is the time of year that they have been really active out there.

[Skeets]

Here is a pic of the nice pike I caught and released.

Thanks to Borch for a great night of fishing!

http://www.imagestation.com/mypictures/inbox/view.html?id=4156189440&url=http%3A//www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid130/p6f43285836e344e032252f78fe955796/f7ba6b00.jpg&caption=34%20 inch%20Northern%20Pike&album_id=4289834603&from_album=1

[This message has been edited by Skeets (edited 07-23-2004).]

[Skeets]

Hey Borch,

Feel free to get that pic on the page, if you want.

I can't figure it out!

Thanks!

Imagistation doesnm't allow direct linking w/o their premium package anymore. That was likely your issue. I move a copy of it to another pic hosting site I use.

[This message has been edited by Borch (edited 07-25-2004).]

[Borch]

Maybe I'll see you out there then Pete.

Well Skeets and I hit Rice last night and did pretty well. It was one of those "Holy Pike" nights. We must have caught 40 of them with most being 3-5 lbs. Skeets got one that was around 10 lbs. Also got a few eyes with 3 keepers and one 22" and several little guys thrown back. A few crappies as well.

All pulling cranks in 6-10 ft of water.

Borch

[The Chemist]

What a weekend. Thursday - I ended up coming in with a 2 northerns around 3-4 lbs. And then me and the kids caught some nice sunnies of the dock. Friday - I was only able to fish off the dock but the sunnies were crazy. Saturday I pulled in a 22" eye and a 18" eye along with a couple of northerns. Saturday night however the suckers were biting off the dock in between sunnies. Yesterday all I go was 1 3lb northern before I ran out of fatheads. The main depth was 13'. One guy on Thrusday had caught a 5.5lb Large mouth that I took a picture of for him. All in all a good weekend, tested the depp fryer yesterday for lunch. Can't beat fresh caught fried fish.

On a side note: All of the weeds in front of our dock disappeared in the last 2 weeks. We don't know why sice we didn't do anything. problem is no eye's caught off the dock this weekend. And no large northerns either. Guess the DNR will be getting a call. I think someone is doing something but from wht I was told yesterday a permit has to be pulled to do any removal. (Had a ecologist stationed at the landing when I pulled the boat out yesterday.)

[Borch]

Chemist,

The weeds are disappearing in the whole lake. The flats have really cleared out. They are pretty much back to where they usually are. This year Rice had more weeds than I had ever seen. I think the algae bloom contributed to the weeds demise. The algae blocked sunlight penetration and coated the weeds with a thick green slime. I notice a fairly fast die off in the weeds the past two weeks.

I think I saw you father in law's boat on your dock. Kind of a bright blue lund boat? I didn't see you on the lake Saturday afternoon. We ended up catching a few walleyes and a bunch of pike. Also several crappies. Was out with a family friend and were looking for a friend of his who had a cabin on the lake that was part of an old resort.

Borch

[Borch]

Also the panfish are going good on Pearl. Both crappies and sunfish are hitting very well. Fish the outside weed edge or around the cabbage clumps and you'll get lots of them. Some sorting is required to get the nice ones. You'll likely get into some nice bass as well not to mention those toothy pike.

Borch