Lake Emily?

[The Donk]

Hey all you Alex boys, I heard through the grapevine that this lake was a place to try, but I know absolutely nothing about it except I can probably find my way there... Can anyone give me a pointer or two?

Much appreciated, St. Cloud Donk out-

[loosegoose]

That is a bowl of water that's no more than 5' deep. I can't see where that would produce fish. On a year like this it will probably freeze out.

[mrgoodwrench]

ditto; know a guy that lives close to Emily and he said the same thing, freezes out alot.

[MLaker2]

Truth is Emily puts out a lot of walleye's year in year out. Yes it is mostly 5-6 ft deep of milkshake colored muddy water. My sources say it's been best after dark. Use a rattle type spoon if jigging. It's so shallow it's like setting your hook on a fish in your bathtub. Access is on west end. I don't think it has froze out for at least 15 years. Good luck.

[MinnesotaMuskie]

Where the heck is this lake...another lake that usually opens to promiscuous fishing is Peterson over by Hoffman. We salvage a valuable resource by taking all the northern that will freeze out otherwise.

Shallow but fun.

[Nitebiter]

This lake doesnt freeze out to my knowledge, nor has it ever been open to permiscuous fishing that i know of.. it has alot of springs, and there is alot of current that runs through it ( its pretty much like a wide spot in the river)

ive only ice fished it once a few years ago and only got 1 fish, you cant use a vexilar its too shallow, and when you set the hook, the fish literally pops up onto the ice...

[HavocTec]

I grew up fishing this lake. I can only remember ever seeing a few dead fish on the shore in the spring. True that the lake is not very deep. About 7 foot is the max.As the old timers tell me it use to be a potato field. There are a few fish there, but spring fishing is alot better. As far as the springs go, I've never seen one out there, and use to ride a lot of sled out there.

[EYEHUNTER10]

Man you should have been there at first ice I was the firt out on barely 2 inches and caught many many walleyes. The biggest was 27 inches. They were averaging 18-19 inches this lake has several springs no joke and some of waskas finest offspring. The fingerlings supposedly cant get there from minnewaska any more is this true. Its pretty cool to see a walleye swim right under your lantern and hit your lure right in the hole lets just say your drag better be set a little looser than normal.

[trollneyes]

Eyehunter it is true that the fish can no longer travel downstream from Minnewaska. The screens were installed several years ago and several people I know thought that was the end to walleye fishing on Emily. However, my theory has always been that most of the walleyes travel up the Chippewa River and enter the lake. I have fished this lake for the last 8 years and this is by far the best fishing I have seen. It started early this fall and is still producing nice size walleyes. It usually has fishable ice before any other lake so my maiden voyage each year is on Emily. There is nothing like sight fishing for walleyes in 3 feet of water, what a rush!

[EYEHUNTER10]

How does the lake produce later in the season? I quit out there now that my other lakes have ice? How is the ice to drive on? I noticed a big area in the middle that stayed open in the middle is that possibly the deeper area? I have only fished out from the access is there other public areas to access the lake? I heard from my grandpa that the gun clup point is a great place, but I had no way to get there at early ice would a guy be able to drive all of the way across form the west end? It seemed for me most of my action was close to shore from 4:30 till 6:00 and then it was dead water. The water was crystal clear till about 6 inches of Ice then one night I couldnt see 3 inches down my hole and I guess that was my last night out there, this lake facinate me and is a new lake for me any help would be so so helpful especially considering the lakes lack of structure. The fish I cleaned all had frogs in there bellies, and a few had something that looked like a shiner but wasnt cus they were too skinny fo how long they were could these be ciscoes or tulibee or something? I too believe your chippewa theory, I have relatives that own a farm in benson right by the chippewa and it has been a great spot to fish for eyes in the spring. I even thing in fisherman had that spot in there top 10 shore destinations this spring.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

we used to have pretty good success all through the winter on emily, usually around dusk or really late at night, but i havent been up there ice fishing since the hunting club access near that north east point was closed. a bonus on the lake is the fat perch and crappie that occasionally fall prey to a tear drop too. is there any other land owners letting traffic on/off near the east end anymore? another interresting thing about this lake is there seems to be some muskies in there. i found a small wounded one in an eddie on the west outlet while wading with my bow for carp this spring. and no im not nuts. i know a muskie when i see one. unless the chippewa is so dirty now that northerns are mutating into esox!

[EYEHUNTER10]

Its not suprising at all that the muskies are in there my grampa said they were thick in there cuz he speared that hunting club point religiously and seen several, he also said that there has been a few gar, and sturgeon that have turned up in there through the years, origionaly 6 sturgeon were released into waska and back then they had no way to control the fish from waska getting into emily he actualy was in charge of a crew that used to go out there and they put in some sort of wooden grates to prevent them from getting through and claimed that the beavers would chew em up in less than 24 hours. Minnewaska still has a few muskies I have had a few encounters with them walleye fishing this summer and let me tell ya a few are pushin 50 inches or better and I have donated more than a few lures to them I managed to get one boatside only to discover that upon impact(Trolling) it had unknowingly literally pulled my barrel swivel apart as I helplessly watched this magnificent fish swim away with the biggest gold and black husky jerk money can buy hanging out of its mouth(and half of a stainless barrell swivel), That fish smoked my Shimano spirex 4000, and sprained my wrist it hit so hard, I can honestly say thats the closest a fish has ever had me to tears.

[trollneyes]

Eyehunter shoot me an email. I have some other info you may be interested in.

[loosegoose]

Trav, Don't be giving out too many secrets.

[EYEHUNTER10]

Thanks Trav I will keep it Secret, I dought I will be out there till next season early Ice. Waskas finally treated me fair the last couple of nights.

Hope the tips help you for open water. It might save ya 500 hours of trial and error.

Eyehunter

[trollneyes]

Now you guys are making me feel bad. I did hear today that there was fairly consistent action on Emily over the holiday weekend. Mostly on the east end and travel has been by 4 wheeler.

[loosegoose]

I was on the west end on Sat pm and Sun am. Had two bites and caught one. When you catch one it is very nice sized. Spent a lot of time for one fish.