MINNETONKA

[EBass]

Good luck if you go down there. Might be a little muddy with the recent melting taking place this week. That's a good perspective on ice fishing Tonka lately.

[Trouthunter]

Bought the reelbottom 1ft contour map at wayzata bait. Ended up buying the west half of the lake by accident. So I had to use the side with the whole lake on it, harder to find spots accurately, but I do have a GPS compass/ruler which can help me plot coordinates from a paper map.

We started out from Carsons bay and drove out near big island. El Tahoe had no problem with the ridges. Found a milfoil edge which transistioned to carpet which transistioned to sandy bottom in 18FOW. Thought it might look good for eyes later in the day, marked it on the GPS. I was impressed by the water clarity and the camera was a great asset to have. Used the map to locate some fishy-looking spots, near and around the island. Measured depths through the ice with the vex, and dropped the cam down do get a further inspection when good spots were located. No fish marked in most locations, so we continued searching until we started marking fish. We caught the pike at 10AM, and didnt set up to catch the crapps until 5pm. Spent the rest of the time exploring and marking spots (rock piles, weed egdes, transitions, etc.) Drove into a few shanty-towns and marked depth and bottom structure. Went searching for those qualities somewhere else on the lake. Ended up finding Crapps in ~26FOW on the southernish side. Caught about 4 dinky sunnies (<4 inches) and then caught a crappie on a euro. Crapps seemed to be mixed in with the panfish. Sat around catching sunnies for about 45 minutes and then it was 25+ crapps in 2 hours. Just like a switch, sunnies disappeared and crappies appeared. Crappies were also lured by setting the minnows above the school. Sunnies wouldnt chase, but crapps would.

Ended up packing up around 7:30ish, leaving fish still on the radar.

My lesson from this 1st experience was it pays to have a good map, general knowledge, tools like the cam and the vex and don't stay where there's no fish. I'll definetly be out on the lake again soon.

Has anyone had any luck fishing right in the milfoil? I'm intrigued by how fishy it looks.

BD

[tashit]

Cupper - Black Lake is right off the north west side of Spring Park Bay. Look up Spring Park, MN on Mapquest and you will see it.

I was out there last night from about 4-8. We were marking fish all over but they were just staring at the bait. We managed 2 8-9" crappies and lost another about half way up.

[EBass]

Trouthunter has the setup. The Vex, the map, the GPS and the camera.

I have a Vex and a cheap map. I need a camera so bad! C'mon tax returns!

[markkstanley]

Milfoil is dead/dying this time of year so the fish won't be in there. Try to find green coontail instead. Coontail, rock and bottom change from soft to hard is the ticket. Finding such a spot is next to impossible. I have the 1ft contour on my computer and that makes it easy. Get the exact GPS fix from the computer and I am on the spot(s). Last trip I plotted out three holes on the structure I was fishing and just drilled where the GPS said to. Depth was spot on each time. Camera makes it easy to check out the bottom. I just don't have enough time week nights to move around much so I am stuck fishing the spots I picked out. If no fish show themselves then on to another spot the next night. Only a matter of time. The walleyes can't hide forever.

[Ice-9]

They don't have to hide forever, only until 2/20.

I gave up already. The crappies can't hide forever.

ice

[Ya Hey Der]

Quote:

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I do have a GPS compass/ruler which can help me plot coordinates from a paper map.

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Hey Trouthunter,

What is a GPS compass/ruler that you use for your paper maps and where can I get one? I have a few paper maps and have been trying to find a way to get more detailed coordinates. Thanks for your help!

YHD

[jhals68]

EBass,

The Map ($20, pick your side), east or west, and the GPS, have helped this Tonka Newbie a great deal.

This forum hasn't hurt either!

A camera would be nice too though!

P.S

My GPS is about ten years old and works great, they can be had on any auction web site for about $60-75.

[Trouthunter]

GPS plotter compass...looks like this. Helps you mark or estimate the gps coords on a paper map. Helps to bring along a calculator as well. I got mine at REI for about 40 bucks. You dont really need the compass and may be able to find a flimsy ruler that has the markings as well.

Basically the ruler measures latitude and longitude rather than inches or centimeters. One important fact to know is the map scale, since the scale will change the lat and long measurements. Rulers typically have common scales, and if you have a map that has a wierd scale, you have to do the math and calculate the proper proportions. Kinda fun if you ask me.

BD

[dsludge]

Crappies on Tonka

I put a minnow head on the rattle jig and it falls off with vigorous noise-making and bouncing off the bottom. When plotting a new spot, I drill holes and use the vex and the jig to verify that fish are in the area. I start shallow and move into the basin as dusk approaches.

The best example I know is Black Lake. Seton Lake is also productive. You know you're in the right spot when the rattle causes the vexilar to turn solid red from near bottom up to around 10 feet below the ice. In my limited experience, biters venture to the outer edges of the school.

Every year more houses are sitting in the south west bowl on Black Lake out in front of the swamp. Maps do not show the 30 foot hole, maps do not show many of the smaller structures on Tonka. We haven't yet been there this year and consider it a "late ice-season" spot.

Great place to take kids but, don't plan on fishing much yourself. You'll be to busy baiting the hooks and pulling the fish off. Last February my nephew said he had to "take a break and relax" from catching fish! I suppose the adrenalin was wearing him down.

When the crappies get finicky, drop in #8 jigs with alternate baits. Keep tossing the change-ups down the holes and they will eventually chose one.

Have Fun,

dsludge

[Whiskeywalleyes]

Reelbottom Minnetonak map..

Hey guys I actually picked up the software mapping for my labtop for minnetonka, I was out over the weekend.. on Carsons.. I think I saw Trouthunter heading out to big Island, I was the one with the camera viewing sunnies and perch... anyways The underwater camera, GPS and reelbottom software on my labtop with 1' lake minnetonka mapping gps spots is the best combo..

[Ice9]

I'd have to agree with the computer map. It's dead on and I love it. I just cross-pollinate with my GPS. Find a spot on the map, download to GPS; find a spot on the lake; upload from the gps. I've got a lot of "spots on spots."

ice

[ice fishn]

went out to near diamond reef towards robinsons bay and got skunked two night in a row. didn't have a vexi but the old 25' tape measure worked to find the drop off. fished tipups in 18' and set up the house in 30'-40'. not one bite and i was near a rockpile. not sure what next.... the crappies may have been suspended but was tired of guessing my depth. will have to borrow my buddies vexi next time!

[freighttrain50]

i was out saturday out by Jimmy Jams house on wayzata bay and didnt catch squat. ended up with 1 perch and a rock bass. i was in about 24 feet of water, about 4 feet away it was 18 feet with weeds, we had tip ups in 18 and 19 all the way out to 26. no takers, not even a bite. trying a new lake this weekend hopefully land a few more walleyes before the season ends.

[dsludge]

Does he have a house on the west side too, between Halsteads and South Cooks Bay?

[merc40]

Has anyone had any luck fishing on the point right off of Excelsior Bay? I have had pretty good luck with Northerns on Wayzata Bay but looking for a different spot. Panfish still biting on Black Lake?

[Tonka Boy]

Hey guys!

Work has kept me off the lake for nearly 2 weeks now. I'm going stir crazy!! Looks like things will be back to normal next week so hopefully I can get skunked with the rest of the crowd. Until then, good luck!!

[ice fishn]

I know the fish on Tonka have generally gone deeper this time of year. Tried 18-50 fow fishing for pike, crappies and eyes and not even a bite! Are the guys catching the fish as tight lipped as the fish themselves?? I know last year the walleyes were hitting around 9:00 at night and they were of good size so it was worth the wait. I would think crappies would be hitting at dark but nothing.

[Trouthunter]

since this is my first year on tonka, not sure what to think about this warm weather. Will it have any affect on mobility (driving) on the lake?

Planning on saturday and sunday.

[ice fishn]

this most dangerous part of driving out on tonka are the springs that tend to make the ice unsafe this time of year when it gets warm like it has been. Yes there is about 18" of ice most places but I would ask people at the bait store or travel where tracks are! Two kids died out there last year or the year before right near where I fish and grew up so please be careful.

[EBass]

Any of you guys going to the tonka event on Sat? I figure if I can get a skunk on Wayzata that I should be able to do that in Spring Park Bay.

[metrojoe]

It's always a good idea not to venture to far off the beat'in path, especially if you're not familiar with the lake.

But...I spent the day out at Tonka yesterday and went through a tank full of gas and I'll tell ya there is a considerable amount of ice, more than 18 inches.

We did come across on pressure ridge running out from Locke Point that had some standing water around it. The road went across it but we all decided it wasn’t worth the risk.

[metrojoe]

I'll be there. Already signed up online.

[SportFishin']

I'll be there too. Already paid online.

There have been some crappies hitting out on the weedy humps in Spring Park Bay but only at night. I will be starting the day on Sat. out on some steep breaks for some morning eyes if I can find them. Then going for the Pannies & Pike later in the morning.

Good Luck & see ya on the Ice.

Chris

[dsludge]

A fishing buddy got a 6-pound northern on Sunday on Spring Park Bay fishing in weeds, 14 fow, 1 foweeeds, on a big sucker. The hook came out in the hole and the fish flopped out of the hole into the fish house on its own. Biting light.

dsludge

[anchor man]

What are the driving conditions like on Wayzata and Browns bay? Haven't seen the lake in over 2 weeks.

I'm planning on heading out Friday early morning for some eyes and then switching over to pike, what types of areas are the pike in? I was planning to try around 16ft with weeds.

[MJR]

Havn't seen Wayz or Browns but the rest of them were pretty sloppy over the weekend at the access. Once you get on the lake you should be fine there is still 20+ of ice.

I'd say green weeds will=pike I wouldn't be afraid to try shallower like 8-12 feet if they aren't in 16.

[Matt Breuer]

The tourney was a blast, caught a ton of pannies. Only saw one crappie and one pike all day. No bass to be seen, I found that odd. My one question is this, are there always that many dead fish laying on the ice on 'Tonka??? It was incredible, not to mention disguisting!

[EBass]

Finally got a 16" walter on a buckshot and waxworm. Then got a 5lb pike later on. Saw a lot of activity right before dusk then nothing. West side 16 FOW off a nice break. Not real steep, but steady break.

[Mr Special]

Waxie huh?

What made you think of trying Waxie? I would've never though that.

Nice fish, see you there