Lake Harriet

[finspat]

Anyone been fishing Harriet?

Having any luck?

Any information would be greatly appriciated

Thanks

Fins

Fishy fishy in the brook come and bite on Fins hook!

[Dragon Fish ll]

Was out there monday morning Few crappie and a few perch. Saw one big (Contact US Regarding This Word) Muskie on the Aqua Vu minutes after the crappie disapeared

[fishin_spooge]

Gonna head out in the morning to chase some eyes, wondering if anyone else wanted in? Just drop a post.

Justin

[finspat]

I fished that lake alot, and have the hanking to fish it some more!

hey I have to be careful what I say, you never know

the word may get out, shhhhh!

[Dragon Fish ll]

Do you think the fishing is better this year than last year or the year before that or that How do you thunk it wil be over the next couple O years

[Maximum12]

Out this week during non-prime hours (2-4PM) & caught plenty of crappie, several small sunnies, & a lone perch. I've been out two times now & both times have attracted other fishermen to me like a magnet within a half-hour of putting the first line down. Very strange.

I'll be out with a friend tomorrow for the evening hours to make my first hard run at the Harriet walleye population. I'll be bringing a large trash bag to clean up after the &%&^%* vermin that have been tossing trash, broken bottles, etc. on the ice.

[finspat]

havent a clue!

[finspat]

Any size to the crappies?

And how's the ice?

let me know i maybe head out there on sunday 1/29

to chase a wally or two.

those trashers beware

[Maximum12]

Crappie size was...OK. Bigger than the Owasso strain of six inch kitchen knife variety, but not exactly the "man I creamed 'em!" types. Most within an inch or so of 8 inches.

As of Friday, the ice was fine. Lots of water & slush on top but Harriet hadn't shed much ice yet. I did steer around the holes that had been drilled recently.

[vern]

Quote:

---

I've been out two times now & both times have attracted other fishermen to me like a magnet within a half-hour of putting the first line down. Very strange.

---

Yeah, there's been a lot of "follow the leader" going on at Harriet the last few years. There's tons of structure on Calhoun too but people always move in on me. It's frustrating but it's also kind of funny seeing how long you can sit on a spot before they start drilling right next to you or asking how deep it is.

[Westman]

Vern, your right on the mark. People have no problem sitting on your lap. I can't get away from anyone these dyas. They see my truck and follow me everywhere. I had a great walleye bite going on Harry right off the beach last monday in 10 FOW and by 6 I had 3 new relatives. Vern how's the bite on the lake by the Cub Foods. Are you still getting the 12's you got last week. Are the cats going on Black Dog? WESTMAN

[Guest]

Westman.. that spot on Harriet has been getting hammered all winter. I cant think of a night I drove by that had less than 3 people on top of it. Its not that they are following you, your sitting on a well known, small peice of structure that produces fish on a pretty regular basis. I hit that spot myself a couple times this year, both times I ended up with others right next to me(what a surprise). The last time I had a couple guys set up next to me with their preferred barley beverages, and a couple kids that loved playing with the Otter sled and sliding it around as quick as they could with the other in it yelling at the top of their lungs. Of course there was no snow so it could be heard clear accross the lake.

I dont have too much of a problem with people setting up near me.. I grew out of that a long time ago. But can people please leave the out of control kids at home if they are going to set up on top of someone?

Harriet has been quite the popular place this winter. Once in a while people are pulling a couple nice fish.. but lots of aquariium size stuff in between.

[Bill Findorff]

Hey, I just got back from a trip to Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake. How thick is the ice on Harriet and Calhoun?

[Maximum12]

Bill, I was out last night, ice is still plenty thick, about 12 inches where I was, although it looked plenty spooky. Only the top few inches are really deteriorated.

ThatGuy, most kids don't have the patience for ice fishing. And don't blame the kids. When I take my kids out fishing (& yes, they spend a lot of time wheeling around in the sled, yelling, running, & generally being kids) I don't set up near anyone else. Blame the parents.

Out last night until almost 8PM in my first honest try for a walleye, no-go for me. Lots of suicidal perch & crappie that were willing to go a long ways to slam a full-sized fathead on a jigging spoon. Should have put a medium sucker on the spoon, that might have kept them off. Sure was peaceful out there!

[finspat]

was out last night, the ice is about a foot on the, lots of water to mush thru, did manage to catch a few wally's!

biggest was 14 inches,

Let me know how you do Bill, your name rings a bell

from south mpls?

Fins

pray for some chill!

[Westman]

Hey that guy why did you change your name? I'm talking about a spot farther down the shoreline around Queen. I grew up on this lake and would never share some of the spots. I was fishing it before the walleyes and muskie where there. How about the crappie fishing in the 70's. The pike where huge and we had no dog walkers back then. It's all PC now. Findorf are you a cop? WESTCOAST JOE

[Guest]

Westman.. name change wasnt a matter of choice. I will leave it at that.

As for someone else replying on the kids playing with the sleds.. I have no problem with kids having a good time. I like kids. However, there is a proper place, and that place isnt next to other people when the parents are naive to common courtesy. I do blame the parents.. more power to the kids to have fun.

So far the ice seems to be holding up for everyone that keeps asking about ice conditions. With the forecast this week, I dont see it deteriorating any, but I dont see it getting thicker either.

I am done for the ice season on Harriet. I might sneak out to a couple other local lakes here and there, but my focus is on the open water now.. the river is in good shape and some people are doing very well.

[Bill Findorff]

Fins, I am from S mpls. I graduated from Southwest in 83, but went to West High until it closed in 82. I may not get out tonight but for sure tomorrow.

[Reynolds]

Everybody seems to know that the area around the beach is generally a pretty good bet. I have fished there a few times myself this year. I think the close proximity to shore and the convenient parking is what draws people to this spot. I usually am not able to get to the lake until the late afternoon when I am off work. At that time there are a couple of people out there guaranteed. I go there because I know from past experiences that there is a good crappie bite, not because I see other fishermen there. I would like to be out there earlier, but that is just not possible. I do however try to remain a respectable distance away from others and try to use previously opened holes so as not to bug others with the power auger.

I have been asked by interested people walking along the lake about ice fishing in general on more than one occasion.

I am more than happy to answer any questions they have. People tend to forget that not everybody grows up fishing and hunting. While some people may see this as a nuisance, I see as an opportunity to introduce others to a great winter pastime.

[mattkimk]

I have fished that area by the beach a couple times a few years ago. Caught some crappies but they were small. Do you ever catch any with any size out of there. Also I have heard of the lake putting out some big walleyes but have never seen much more than cigars.

[Da Biggin]

I too haev passed on Harriet for this winter. I am now taking a little time out to really look and the DNR website and possibly find some lake that isn't very popular and work on some fundamentals like map reading different presentations (fish would help with this), and triagulation of position on lake in relation to the map. That way next winter I can be just that much more prepared to bare the cold and get after 'em.

ThatGuy, I guess the email address I tried was not correct. Would still enjoy learning a bit from you if you wouldn't mind. You can drop me an email if you ever want a tag along for an outting or two...

Email address: [email protected]

[finspat]

Hey Bill

How was lotw, is the bite on?

Class of 83 here went to Central then on to Washburn.

What do you have the best luck with on Harriet?

Do you fish there alot?

Fins?

[TUMBLEWEED]

I think you were thinking bout Ron (the cop)....

[Bill Findorff]

Hey guys, just to clear some things up. My uncle Ron Findorff was a mpls cop. I grew up in south mpls on 37th and colfax. Fins, I wonder if we went to jr. High together. I went to Bryant jr for 7th, then Ramsey for 8th grade. I know many Washburn guys.

[finspat]

We did infact!

I don't recall,you fishing harriet,much back then.

I fished harriet about 3 or four times a week thru-out

my school years,emaill me at [email protected], if you want

Do you fish harriet alot now?,I just started too fish harriet after, about 15 years, still hit the same old spots.

surprisingly doing well as along long time ago!

A few yrs back i saw a 47incher come out thruogh the ice!

the guy almost had a heart attack, it was a pretty funny sight.

Fins

[Dragon Fish ll]

I was out on Harriet the other day testing out the third new Aqua view. and trying to have a little view catching action with the perch. learned something new and had fun doing it. I could catch more and bigger perch with just my plain hook than i could with live bait on it. a gold # 10 eagle claw was the trick. out fished the crappie minnows four to one.

[Dragon Fish ll]

Was out on Harriet Sunday and the perch action was pretty good. Saw something that was kind of strange to me . Picked a spot an put my portable up then dropped my camera down to the bottom just outside the weedline, there was something down there a few feet away from my camera that had kind of a shape of a fish, well after a while I dismist it as a rock or something. a couple hours later a freind came out and noticed it to on my camera and I said its just some structure about an hour or two later this things gills flaped open the it moved up and sideways about a foot then parked it and stayed that way the rest of my trip out. It was right in the middle of my screen but I could not make out what kind of fish it was. when it moved to the side the tail forked out like a walleye. and seemed to have dark blotches on body. I could tell it was pretty good size because I had a whole lot of perch swiming in and around the fish and my camera, and this fish was much larger than the perch. at end of day I thumped my camera off the bottom twirled it fliped the extra bright lights on 360 quad off and on and this fish wouldnt budge. Does anyone know if Big Walleye will just park themselfs on the bottom of the lake all day

[Da Biggin]

From my past experience with the dreaded dogfish in open water, that is exactly what it sounds like to me. The behavior and all the way down to the description. If you haven't sen one of these boogers than rake my word for it...

THEY AINT PRETTY!!!

[vern]

That's interesting. Maybe a dogfish but they have a rounded tail - not forked.

[Dragon Fish ll]

It really bugs me that I couldnt make it out in all that time. and cant say how forked it was but now that you mention dogfish brings up a possability. those things are everywhere. My four screens are about 3x2 an a half inches