Medicine Lake

[MedicineMan]

G-man, people have been fishing at West Med Park since ice out. They've been catching a few Craps and Sunnies from the dock. There haven't been many fish in the shallows due to the warm/cold/warm/cold weather we've had of late.

Lee, the north arm is still kicking out Crappies. But you're no longer going to find the weeds that were once there. The curlyleaf pondweed is pretty much all but gone throughout the lake. I have been catching Craps and Sunnies on a 1/32oz whistler jig with a 1" tube in 5-8 FOW.

[Lee the bonehead]

Thats great news on the pondweed. Is this the last treatment?

[MedicineMan]

I think there's still a year or two left on the treatment.

[MedicineMan]

Lee, have ya made it out lately?

[Lee the bonehead]

Not once. One of my kids is getting married in my backyard in June and there is so much to do that I fear I may not get out until after the wedding. The good news is that after the wedding the house/yard won't need any attention and Medicine will be my playground for the rest of the summer! (when I'm not at work)

Have you been havin' any luck?

[MedicineMan]

I've only gotten out a few time so far. I've been busy with work and school. But now that I'm done with all my school stuff I can get out a lot more. I'm planning on going out tomorrow sometime around 3.

[MedicineMan]

Went out Friday from 3-9, caught 15 Pike and 4 Bass. I found fish anywhere from 5'-30'. Everything I caught was in 12-16'.

[Lee the bonehead]

Sounds like you had a great time - perfect weather and plenty of company! Did you run the camera to tape, or just enjoy the bite?

[Jonesin4eyes]

Is French park the only landing on Medicine?

[Lee the bonehead]

Yup. Harty's on the SE corner has a launch but it's private, and the launch on the west side is padlocked (for lakeshore owner use in spring and fall, I think).

New rules at French park about launching/parking this year. No parking fee - ever. But boat launching is fee based now. Per use fee or season pass.

[Superduty]

How much does it cost to launch this year?

[MedicineMan]

This is right off the Three Rivers Parks website:

A new boat launch/trailer parking fee is in effect; the daily fee is $5, an annual pass is $30 ($15 for a second pass in the same household if needed.). 2004 Patron passes will be honored until their expiration date. This fee also applies to winter trailer parking at boat-launch facilities.

[MedicineMan]

Lee, I never recorded anything while I was out there. I did see some very interesting patterns though. I found a few Bass out on the #3&#7 spots. I usually don't see Bass out on the #3 spot untill mid-late June. I did catch a 17" pig out there while casting Swim Baits for Pike.

[Lee the bonehead]

Maybe the lack of CTPW got 'em out there early. That's a nice warmup fish for this weekend!

[Dragon Fish ll]

Is there any motor restrictions on Medicine?

[MedicineMan]

Dragon Fish II, there are no motor restrictions on Medicine.

[Tonka Boy]

Medman,

You've got to go back to one of your old avatars! I don't think I can stand to look at that dancing fool any longer. LOL (Just giving you a hard time bud.)

How have you been? I'm a little closer to Med these days so I'll have to hook up with ya. Keep in touch.

[Lee the bonehead]

I'm a Big Lebowski fan!

[MedicineMan]

See TB, Lee knows where its at! Nobody knocks da Jesus! LOL

But anyways, things have been ok around here. CM told me that you moved to Brooklyn Center. I guess the wife wanted a new place eh? If you wanna hook up sometime, you got my email.

[Lee the bonehead]

Not unless you want a gun up (censored) until it goes "click"!

[Tonka Boy]

I'll certainly do that Medman. I'm anxious to get back out there and chase some huge pike. Have you tried or just sticking to pannies? I'll never forget that day last year with Moby...

[MedicineMan]

I've been going after anything but Pannies since opener. TB, The only times I target Pannies are before open and when the big Crops spawn. Otherwise I'm not that big on catching panfish.

Lee, I was going to tell you that I found a few caverns on the west drop on spot #1 in 16-18 FOW. Next time you get out you need to check it out!

[Lee the bonehead]

I can't wait to get out there and have a look! I finally bought my season pass for boat launching out of French (my patron pass expires June 1st). I asked about staying late - night fishing - and told that the sundown rule still applies. Any ideas on staying out late on Medicine (besides buying a slip at Harty's)?

[Tonka Boy]

I'm with you there. I only target pannies to pass the time until we can catch "real" fish. LOL

[MedicineMan]

Lee, I've night fished Medicine before. A buddy and I took his canoe out and fished. I would say fishing at night on Medicine isn't worth it. Fishing is good untill 1/2 hour after sundown, then everything shuts down except for the occasional Crappie.

[Lee the bonehead]

Ilene & I took a couple hours off from our wedding in the back yard chores to hit the lake. Glad we did!

33 inches - Back in the water.

26 inches - MMMMMM!

[Lee the bonehead]

Here's something I haven't seen out of Medicine!

18" smallmouth bass! Emily's biggest fish ever and the only smallmouth I've ever seen (or heard of) in Medicine. We put her right back so there's at least one in there.

[Doonbuggy]

Mixed bag the last two days. Caught seven bass on Sunday, biggest about 2.5lbs. Monday caught just one bass and one small northern. Floating rapala twitched around shoreline cover was the most productive. Lost a few others as well.

The bass, crappies, and bluegills are all mixed in together when you find them. Water temps are in the upper 60s.

Also tried one the reefs just to try out my new muskie gear and got hit hard by a northern on a big spinner but couldn't hook up.

Where are all the weeds? Looks like they have killed everything in sight. Is that pushing the pike and bigger bass deeper?

DB

[Lee the bonehead]

The curlyleaf pondweed treatment does seem to have worked. I think the forage and fish are adjusting to life without that stuff.

The water's really clear, too. Main basin surface temps in the low 60"s.

Sunday the bite was pretty good. Monday was a tough bite! On Monday we (see above) got one 23" Nort and the one Bass, and a bit of a sunburn. Calm and sunny with lots of rec boaters. When I left the launch (12:30) half a dozen or more potential boaters were lined up on the Admin side road waiting for openings at the access. I left - they let one through.

[Ole the Guide]

Hey it's nice to see some familiar names and the Med post getting action. I've been busy working but now I have some time to go fishing. I'll let you know how I do.

We have our bass league starting tonight on Clearwater. Should be fun!

Later,

Ole