Penn Tigers

[Musky Reon]

HAs anyone ever heard of the tigers that were stocked in Penn Lake in Bloomington years back?

[Lunker]

I've seen it mentioned from time to time here on the forum, but seems to me most people don't catch much when they go there nowadays. I live in the area, is that the little lake off of 62?

[Musky Reon]

No, Penn is right on Penn AVe in Bloomington, which little lake do you speak of off 62 Lunker?

[Musky Reon]

Lunker,

You ever fish Cedar or Brownie in the city?

[vern]

I used to work near Penn Lake about 10 years ago & I'd catch a lot of small carp during my lunch breaks back then. Mostly throwing small bread balls to surfacing carp feeding on cottonwood seeds. I think the lake is mostly loaded with small carp & panfish although I have heard rumours of the tigers & some nice crappies over the years. I remember a photo of a large walleye in the Outdoor News that supposedly came from Penn but who knows if that was legit. Every time I drive by it I think about launching the boat to see what is lurking in Penn because I've always wondered about those tigers too. - Vern

[vern]

Hey Lunker, maybe you're thinking of Cornelia in Edina or Taft in Richfield which are both on Crosstown 62. All 3 of these lakes are stocked by the DNR & are part of the "Fishing in the Neighborhood" program which was started a couple years ago to provide fishing opportunities for city kids. They are basically considered "children's ponds" but I've seen some decent fish come out of all of them. They all have aerators now to prevent winterkill. Reon, Cedar is a decent tiger muskie lake & not so busy, but Harriet & Calhoun would be better bets for bigger fish. - Vern

[Lunker]

Yea, I know of Cornelia and Taft(I have fished them both) I could never figure out where people were talking about Penn, so I thought it might have been one of the other little pond/lakes in between those two that are surrounded by private houses. My mistake.

And no, I don't fish Brownie, but have fished cedar. I like the city lakes. Grew up fishing Nokomis and Hiawatha, now I fish Calhoun a lot and harriet and Isles and Cedar some.

[Musky Reon]

Lunker, HAve you caught any big tigers out of Nokomis? I remember when they first started putting them in that lake in the mid 80s.

[Lunker]

Musky- I've put a limited number of hours in chasing tigers there, so no, no real big ones. Caught a couple fish when I was younger fishing suckers from the docks. I've had a couple big follows there fishing lures for them, but haven't landed any pigs. They are in there though, I used to see big ones cruising, and I knew a couple of other guys I used to meet up with on the docks who had photos of some real big fish outta there. I haven't fished for tigers there for a couple of summers now. Have you caught any?

[Musky Reon]

Lunker,

I've never gone to Nokomis for skies. I used to live down there. I mainly fish musky at Calhoun, Harriett, and Cedar, well, that's if I'm in the city. Do you ever chase the tigers at Bryant?

[Lunker]

I've never even put a line into Bryant. I heard the word recreational boaters, and that was enough to make me not want to head over there too much. Have been meaning to drop by during the week sometime for skies or bass though.

[G_man]

I live within a block of lower Penn lake. The lake is located at 86th St and Penn Ave in Bloomington. I've never seen fish caught in Penn other than carp. I'd imagine there may be stunted sunnies in there and a few snake northerns, but you'd probably find more active fishing in one of the kid's fishing ponds vern mentioned, especially if you are trying to show off for your little one. I've never even seen any dead fish floating or around the inlet structure to lower penn. Upper penn is on the north side of the intersection. There is an outlet structure next to 86th that drains to lower penn. Lots of garbage has collected there at times, but never any dead fish. Sometimes there is one or two people fishing the peninsula along 86th, but not always. Almost always the people I see there are new, as in I've never seen them before. You'd think if anyone ever caught anything, that they would come back and seem somewhat of a regular.

[crappieflop1212]

Here is the dnr survey from '96.

penn lake survey

[Aj10]

I heard the same thing that there was tigers in Penn.Man i wish there were if there isnt.I'd be chuckin every day there cause i live by there.I also heard that a 9 pound pike came from there years back.

[Musky Reon]

AJ,

Who cuaght the nine pounder? And have you caught any tigers yet this year? Ha!

[Aj10]

Musky Reon:

LOL yea and it was my neighbors brother who caught it like 20 years ago.