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All right...Where's the Crappies

Rookie_4_Ever

By Rookie_4_Ever
in MN Twin Cities Metro Area Fishing Reports - Hunting

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Rookie_4_Ever Rookie

Rookie_4_Ever

Posted
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Greetings All-

I just moved in next to Nokomis and have been fishing for crappies the last two days. I know they are sensitive to water temp, so today I bought a thermometer, put some rubber bands on it and hooked it onto my crappie jig and ... well... you know... casted it.

Turns out I'm an (Contact US Regarding This Word) and it didn't go down that low (for human temperature: digital)

So, my question is: Does anyone know the Temp of Nokomis, and what temp do they start coming shallow, where to fish.

Me and my brother are using little bobbers 1/64 & 1/32 oz jigs, little tiny tubes and crappie minnows.

We caught a 5-6 pound dogfish yesterday and about a dozen or so little bull heads today.

We are fishing on the little bay cut off by the cedar bridge near the north side of the bridge and on the northern shore of the bay.

Are we doing something wrong or are they just not going yet?

Any input would rock,

thanks all,

Miles

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metrojoe Mentor

metrojoe

Posted
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Hey Miles,

Welcome to Fishing Minnesota. I threw the canoe in the back of the truck today and headed over to a local puddle and I didn't have any luck with them crappies either. Caught a handful of nice sunfish, one real beauty on a gypsy jig tippped with a crappie minoow, but I never did get into the crappies.

There are alot of metro fishermen around here. I'm sure someone will be able to help you out.

Good Luck

joe

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Fisher Dave Mentor

Fisher Dave

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I see plenty of people fishing off the cedar ave bridge in the spring for crappies.. I guess since its so close to home for you, wait until the masses show up and go with the flow. The size of the crappies havent been much from Nokomis in a while.. I dont chase them there so I cant help you much.

The other lakes I have been on recently are showing SURFACE temps in the low 50's .. would have to guess thats where nokomis is sitting. I would try fishing the evening off the bridge within about 4' of the surface and it may get you some fish.

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HoleHopper Rising Star

HoleHopper

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Maybe its just me but I have always found that the Crappies and Sunnies dont really start to hit good untill they hit the shallows and the bug hatch gets going good. With a few exeptions and I mean "FEW". I have never had really good luck until after Walley opener. That is just what I have expirienced. Good Luck!

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Rookie_4_Ever Rookie

Rookie_4_Ever

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So I went out a couple of times since and caught a mess of tiny walleyes near the bridge. My biggest was maybe a pound. They kept hitting my crappie minnows... I wonder if that would be a good spot for walleye after opener?

I also caught a carp. My first one. That mouth is pretty friggin odd. Anyways just got back in tonight after fishing the north end of the lake near the creek and got a smallmouth bass not much bigger than the minnow.

Still no crappie or sunnies. I got a better thermometer made for casting out and the water temp is 58 degrees. I heard they start hitting at 55 or so?

Anyways, will keep trying and keep updating this, they gotta bite sometime...

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Metroguy99 Enthusiast

Metroguy99

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Smallmouth, in Nokomis? I'd check your identification but hey anytings possible in those lakes.

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Fisher Dave Mentor

Fisher Dave

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Metroguy ... There are smallmouth in Nokomis.. I am 100% positive, I have caught several over time there, but never more than one in an outing... I think they made it in the in the past via Minnehaha creek.. how they got there I dont know, but they are in Nokomis.

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jigginjim Grand Master

jigginjim

Posted
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Is your catching smallies in Nokomis they came from minnetonka. Down the minnehaha creek during high water, or

some of the local boys that fish the mississippi r. released them in there? My money is on the local guys.

If you want to catch some big fish, paddle down the creek from tonka to nokomis. Some of the ponds on the way hold some fish that WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF.

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Metroguy99 Enthusiast

Metroguy99

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I fish the creek near where the harriest flowage hits it. There are some amazing fish in there. 12 inch creek chubs. Medium sized Muskie and Northern. Very abundent carp population as well. You name it the creek has got it.

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Fisher Dave Mentor

Fisher Dave

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Jim .. there is no way that the smallies in Nokomis are just angler stocked fish. I have caught them in there from 4" long to nearly 5 pounds was by far the biggest.. most of the fish I used to catch there(keep in mind I just moved back after a 2 year leave) were in the 1 lb - 2 1/2 lb range(staggered over many years)... How they got there in the beginning .. I dont know, probably from Tonka.. but from the fish I have caught, its very safe to say the fish have been having some natural reproduction.. athough there is not really a *fishable* population, they are there.

I have caught many smallies in Minnehaha creek in Edina in the past.. A little high water and the fish can make it anywhere down the line.

Lake Nokomis and lake Hiawatha both have some good fish in them that have not been stocked.. Hiawatha the numbers vary from year to year on fish that will cooperate, but there is more in there than most would ever guess.

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Ice-9 Enthusiast

Ice-9

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I'd say you guys probably have it backwards...the smallies are in the creek on purpose and in the lake by accident. With a hibernaculum--any deeper locale in moving water--they could winter in the stream, or move up or down into lakes. Smallies are extremely mobile and travel long distances in rivers to find their optimum habitat. I've frequently fished smaller streams than Minnehaha with good success, and larger fish are generally a product of reduced fishing pressure as much as quality environment.

ice

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