Lake Johanna

[cubby12]

I am looking at going out early in the moning to Johanna and wos wondering if anyone has heard how the northerns have been biting?

[fisherman-andy]

Try casting spoons and large spinners. Target weed edges and break lines. Caught a few pike a couple weeks ago but patterns can be different now.

[Maximum12]

Might want to wait a bit...we were out last night & the lake is greeeeeen. Lots of floating weeds & crap in the water. We were bass fishing (at least in theory) but spent some time throwing cranks & spinnerbaits along the weedlines. We didn't see a northern.

[Water Hazard]

Was out on Johanna last night. There wasn't much floating in the water. Temps were around 57 degrees.

[BigWadeS]

is there a motor restriction on this lake or is it shore fishing only?

[WallyGator12000]

No wake after 6 pm, other than that you are free to go anywhere...unless the regs have changed really recently, I fished it about a month ago.

[Water Hazard]

There is a sign up right at the launch with a couple of boating rules. There's a policy about counterclockwise traffic, parking (up to a half hour after dark), etc. I don't recall there being any sort of motor restriction.

[Maximum12]

WaterHazard, you catch anything? I probably won't be back to Johanna this year, but I'm curious. We saw a lot of bass jumping in the pads (we hooked a few, so we knew they were bass & not carp) but not a lot of willing biters.

Water temp was 62 when we were out just last Thursday. Sounds like water temps are dropping fast.

[Water Hazard]

I've been skunked the majority of the summer on Johanna including the last time I was out. Lucky for Johanna, it is the closest lake to my house.

I had my folks with my earlier this week when I was out. We were just pan fishing. The bite was pretty light. I did see a nice fish jump. My parents were able to hook into some sunnies.

During the summer, we caught some nice bass on the west side of the Northwestern College point. It has been quite awhile since then though.

While I was fishing that cove during mid-August, I talked with a guy walking on the grounds of Presbyterian Homes. He said they'd caught some bass and crappies (!) right near there the previous morning. I haven't come across any of those though (although the DNR claims they are in there).

I wish I could be more help. The lake seems to have such promise (sunken island, deep breaks, etc.). I've run cranks, spoons, spinners, lindy rigs, suckers, etc. through and had very little luck. The "Dead Sea" as another boater called it one time is living up to its' name!

[Maximum12]

Water Hazard, for me, Johanna has been a lake for big fish, not numbers. I lived not far from there for several years, & in 2004 my biggest walleye, biggest bass, & only muskie of the year all came out of Johanna (plus I hooked - and lost - a really big pike on the opener that year). That being said, in 8 trips that year I probably caught 12 fish total, lots of 1 fish or skunked trips. But the fish I did scratch out of the lake were almost always good-sized, which kept me coming back.

[Ebiz]

Maximum - I'll second that. What parts of the lake have you done well on?. For some reason I seem to do better on the north end even though there is more structure on the south side.

[Mr. Pike1]

I will third what Max has said. This is not a numbers lake but it does have above average size Pike, Bass, and some elusive pig Walleye

[Maximum12]

Ebiz, I haven't had much luck on the north side, but due to that I haven't spent as much time there either. Most of my fish have come from around the island and on the steep breaks on the west side of the lake.

It seems like the flat south of the access should be a great spot, but I've never caught squat there in any season. I hit it almost every time on the lake, hope springs eternal & all that.

Mr. Pike, I'm not surprised you found the fish in Johanna - you also seem to be able to pull nice fish out of lakes I can't figure out (like the lake by your house!).

[Mr. Pike1]

Max, the one by my house was intended to just be a spot to get my fix in. I have found it has a very good supply of 20" bass which have kept my attention.

I also have tapped into a lake in the forest lake area that has been putting out some nice 16-20" eyes and 12" crappies. Hope this carries on to the hard water season

[mnwild]

Do any of you ever go after Muskies?? I haven't been on this lake since last winter fishing for crappies. Have fished in the summer before and you guys are right about it. Lots of humps, drops, sunken islands alot of nice structure. I have heard there are some big muskies in there but never caught one, only crappies, bass and northerns.

[Maximum12]

mnwild, I don't muskie fish, the only one I caught in Johanna was an accident bass fishing & was only about 25". I have a couple of friends who have caught similiar-sized muskie in Johanna, but nothing bigger. But who knows, since none of us were targeting them.

Mr. Pike, I'm a shoe-in for the 12" bass, I've never caught one near 20" there despite having haunted the lake a dozen or so times the past few years - my success there has been hit-and-miss for the most part. I'm envious!

[Mr. Pike1]

Max, my advise is Three fold.

I find the bite better in the late afternoon vs. the traditional early morning.

Focus on docks or floating swimming docks. Target them with Senko, tube, and I like small mepps spinners as well.

Finally, don't forget aside from the main lake there are two smaller lakes connected via channel and each are worth your time....

[Swimmer]

I'll second (or third) what Max said. Fairly large fish...if you can catch them. I have targeted Muskies a couple times. Pulling depth raiders and casting large bucktails mostly...with only a couple of hammer handles and one 10# Northern to show for it. Never seen a Crappie out of there. Bluegills on the small side. Can wade through the perch and find a couple 9"ers. Have tried Walleye tactics to no avail. You have to have a LOT of patience for this Lake.

You would think now that with these water temps, that flat in front of the landing would have a decent population of Walleyes chasing bait shallow at night. Anyone fished Johanna this time of the year at night??

And old Map I have shows rocks to the East of the landing and some in front of the NW water control platform. Anybody located any rocks in this lake (not riprap)?

[merc40]

I was out on Johanna mid to late May of this year and caught tons of really small crappies(4-6 inchers). Most of them came from fishing the north end just east of the access close to shore with small 16 oz jigs with Berkley power bait. Later that afternoon I caught what appeared to be about an 7" Crappie off a dock in about 3-4 feet of what was then very clear water and had about a 30-36" Muskie appear out of nowhere and totally inhale my crappie!! I have heard stories about this happening but never saw it with my own eyes. I fought him for about 5 minutes with 4 pound test on an ultralite rod and he finally ran and surfaced heading away from my boat and snapped my line. He attacked the crappie about five feet from the boat in calm water so I saw the entire thing!! I have heard stories about big walleye and Pike but only caught small pike and no Walleye. I am looking forward to ice fishing it this winter though. Oh yeah, I did catch about a 16" bass throwing a medium sized-mepps for Pike. I felt bad since it was not bass season yet but I was chasing Pike with 10 pound test line.

[Ebiz]

Swimmer - I've see maps before that talk about rocks but like you I've never been able to find them. In both summer and winter I have caught a ton of crappies, perch, and bluegills but as mentioned the are all pretty small. I don't think I've ever caught any panfish there over 7".

As far as a night bite I've always seen the bite drop off once it gets dark, but maybe the fish are moving shallower at that point and I'm just not following them.

I was out there a couple weeks ago and finally caught a muskie on this lake:

Was on my way to a spot and saw it crusing around. Four casts later and the fight was on. Of course I was by myself - luckily a couple on a pontoon boat stopped and took a picture with my camera phone.

[ahc667]

what is the deal with all of the rope attached to heavy anchors or weights in this lake? there are two right next to each other on one end of the lake (which I thought was maybe for a ski jump, but how many people actually ski on this lake?) and then a hooked into another one on the opposite side of the lake.

my crankbait got hooked on it and when i pulled it up, it was an old coke can with the lid cut off....then filled in with cement and a the rope was inserted into the cement to act as an anchor of some sort. i tried my hardest to pull up the other end of the rope, but it wasn't gonna budge.

does anyone know? i was thinking of contacting the dnr to tell them to clean the lake of this crap. we pay too much good money to have this stuff cost us even more money, when our lures get hooked in them. i was lucky to get my crankbait back. someone else may not be so lucky.

if someone is dropping this stuff in the lake to sabotage anglers, I'm putting you on notice....just let me catch you doing it. you will make my day you sorry bastard!

[Water Hazard]

ahc-

I know that each time I'd fish this lake on a Saturday morning during the summer, there were people water skiing.

The skiiers might have been part of an organized group as they aren't just water skiing, it is slalom, bare foot, etc.

I've also seen a series of bouys out on the eastern side of this lake.

[ahc667]

interesting stuff water hazard. i've never seen anyone ski there but i do, of course, believe you.

you can see the ski jump sitting on shore, so i figured that was what the two ropes floating on the surface were for.....since they are located on that end of the lake. at least if you snag those ropes you can get your lure back rather easily, but it's still a pain.

but the coke can thing was beyond bizarre. i can't imagine that had anything to do with water skiing. i was casting a crankbait that ran down 12-15ft and i was drifting over fairly deep water when i snagged it deep. that looked like good old fashioned sabotage.

personally, i think the water skiers should go find a marsh to ski in, and let us enjoy the resources that WE ANGLERS pay to upkeep....not them. nothing is worse than going out to enjoy a day on the water and get these idiots tearing through the shallows, destroying vegetation, and coming within casting distance of other anglers as if we are invisible.

i hope the dnr will realize the importance of protecting our waters, much like they have our land with ATV's and snowmobiles that can only travel in certain areas and at certain speeds. water skier management is long overdue! sure they pay a license fee to plop their boat in the lake, but they could care less about the longterm health of the fishery. all they care about is having a body of water to tear up.

give 'em some swampland i say, and let us fish in peace and quiet like it's meant to be! i mean, what's next? hunters having to aim around ATV-ers to shoot their deer?

[Swimmer]

I wouldn't think the coke can thing would be "sabatage". The skiers sabatage fishermen enough just with their blatant incursions into our space. Remember, the law states that a boat/skier cannot violate a 150' envelope around you. If they do, call the TIP line and Sheriff like I do. .

Nice Musky by the way! I saw some DNR trap cages last Summer on the West drop-off in Johanna so I'm looking foreward to a DNR lake-finder update!?

[ahc667]

I did not know about the 150 ft radius thing. I'm glad you told me. I will use the TIP line from now on, as I have had it saved in my cell phone for years now.

I should take a pic of the coke can thing with my digital and post it on here. If you saw it, you would have a tough time coming up with any other explanation than sabotage.

I've actually seen this before. I was out with a guide last year and we were trolling. We thought we hooked into a fish, but when we reeled in, we pulled up a HUGE anchor, like off of a yacht or something, and when we pulled up the other end of the rope, there was a dinky little circular shaped 10-15lb anchor, still w/ the upc sticker on it.....so you know it was recently bought and put together, or else the upc would've been long gone. i asked the guide and he said people will do that crap as a way of sabotaging muskie anglers. the locals hate the fish and the fishermen too.

that same day trolling we also pulled up a bush that had been plucked of all of it's leaves and then cemented into a concrete block! the guide said he sees that all the time. people drop them in and gps them, so when they come back to it, they have a nice secret little "crappie spot."

people do some weird stuff out there. they just better hope i don't catch them doing it. i'll try to post a pic of the can later, and you can decide.

[mplspug]

Quote:

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that same day trolling we also pulled up a bush that had been plucked of all of it's leaves and then cemented into a concrete block! the guide said he sees that all the time. people drop them in and gps them, so when they come back to it, they have a nice secret little "crappie spot."

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This is something to GPS and let a CO know, because I believe it is illegal to do this. I wouldn't keep it and remove it yourself, otherwise you might get in trouble.

[ahc667]

the guide actually just dumped it back down in the water, away from his normal trolling pass, so he wouldn't get hooked on it again.

the things is that this guide trip was in illinois, not minnesota. the folks in illinois don't have a whole lot of respect for their fisheries like we do up here. secondly, in illinois that may not be illegal. their laws are pretty liberal. 1 angler can have 3 lines in the water at one time! plus, the lake we fished on was actually a flooded valley, with indian burial grounds and a cemetary at the bottom of the lake. they just flooded the whole area and covered them up! with dead bodies at the bottom, the dnr down there probably isn't too worried about a bush in a cement block.

but believe me, if it was in MN, i would've gps'd it and called TIP for sure.

by the way, i couldn't add the pic of the coke can onto this site because there's a lot of crap you have to go through to do it. if anyone is dying to see it, though, feel free to email me, and i'll send it to you.