Lake Minnetonka Walleyes

[Minnetonka]

I have been searching for Walleyes on Lake Minnetonka for the last week without much sucess. I have been trying 14-18 feet of water. Can someone give me a clue as to the right depth for the evening bite. Am I too shallow or too deep? I know that I have been hitting good structure and drop offs.

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[Guest]

Hey Minnetonka,
It's kinda hard to tell you if your doing something wrong or what, you didn't give a whole lot of information as to where you were fishing, but here's what I know from past experience. If you have a map of Tonka,
check out Horseshoe reef, it's kinda out in the middle of Browns Bay almost to Wayzata Bay. If there is good ice out there, you'll see the guys out there(check with the guys at Wayzata bait for accurate ice conditions and even better where to find'em, they're real good at putting you on fish).
Another place to check out is the point that extends almost all the way across Crystal Bay(It will jump out at you when you look at the map). Hell, Check out any point that has deep water nearby. Sooner or later you'll run into some hungry 'eyes.
Good Luck and Be safe
The ice is very unpredictable this year
jnam

[fishfearme]

I had a house on tonka for years and targeted walleyes. The best advise I can give is to fish Wayazta or Browns bays. Right now I'd have my house in 30 - 35 feet. By the end of Junurary I'd be in 40 feet. Seems like the walleyes move deeper as winter progresses.
ffm

[Guest]

I've been wanting to try the west point in Maxwell bay, but haven't got around to it yet. Anyone have any reports about this area?

Jnam88,
Do you think it is a little late in the season to be fishing this area, because of its relative shallowness?

I would like to try tonka on saturday. Any suggestions?

mike

[Guest]

Sorry I did'nt get back to you, I was up north in Baudette this past weekend(Great fishing!!!). The 35-40ft. depths are about
right for the areas that I mentioned.
look for sharp breaks. The guys out there will help you as will the guys at Wayzata Bait. Check your map and look for the contour lines that are really close together in these areas. That's where they'll be.
At least from my own past experiences.
JNAM88

[Guest]

I'M LOOKING TO HOOK UP WITH A FISHING BUDDY ANYTIME! I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE I'M LOOKING FOR THE HOT SPOT AND THEN FISH IT EVERYNIGHT AND TELL ALL MY FREINDS.
JUST SOMETHING TO GET THE BASIC OF FISHING TONKA. SOUTHWEST OF BREEZY POINT? SOUHTWEST OF THE POINT OF ROBINSON'S BAY? HORSESHOE SEEM'S TO BE A POPULAR SPOT AND I DON'T LIKE FISHING IN A CROWD!!!!!

[Guest]

Well, I just got skunked tonight off Cedar point in Wayzata bay. I don't get it. If you go straight out from the point there is a sunken island and I found a sharp dropoff from 18 to 28 feet and that is where I fished. Also fished as deep as 40 feet. Nothing. Nada. Plus I managed to lose my coleman lantern. A real ugly night!!

I'm about ready to give up on Minnetonka. Where can I find guaranteed walleyes this winter? Don't care if they are small.

-Mike

[hawgTime]

Hurben you might have to go deeper. I've been catching walleyes in 35-60' of water.

mike

[This message has been edited by hawgTime (edited 01-25-2002).]

[169Sportsman]

HURBEN IF YOU WANT TO CATCH 'EYES GO TO MILLE LACS RIGHT NOW!!!! THE REPORT I'M GETTING FROM THE FELLA'S IS CATCHING FISH AND FINDING SOME SLOTS. PERCH REPORT IS NOT THAT GOOD BUT CATCHING THE HELL OUT OF THE 'EYES. BRANDT'S ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE

[Guest]

Thanks for the info, Mille Lacs is a little too far for me - I usually only have afternoons to go.

So I wento to 'tonka again last night and fished off Gibson's point (a long walk from Lake Street!!), from 18ft down to 63 ft (going east from the point) - same results - no walleyes. I gave up fishing around 6:30 and just moved around off the point with the fish finder for about 45 min - I didn't mark any fish at all at any depth.

Well, all I can say is that the pike at Bush lake are gonna pay for it later today.

I'm done with tonka this winter.

-Mike

[Guest]

the walleyes on minnetonka are a joke
they have not been stocking them the past few years so the numbers are not very well
i gave up on minnetonka a long time ago
it just wasnt worth all the time you spend out there
the walleyes on mille lacs are going crazy now
it is true
if you do have the time take a day trip up there
more than likely you will pound them

minnetonka is a headache it is not worth it
i think most good fisherman even have problems finding a lot of walleyes on tonka
take it easy

[SuddenlySummer]

I fished Tonka twice last week. Both times I went out with a different plan to see what would work. The fish are in the main basin of the lake. Find any structure from 18 to 28 feet down. I really don't think that they are going as deep as people think. I was pulling up GREEN weeds in 18 feet so Oxygen depletion isn't a factor this year. I got three fish on my early shallower spots but when I went deeper, I got skunked. Who knows? I have heard for the last few years that the DNR stopped stocking the lake but when I catch a mess of 1 pounders during the summer, the boys at the bait shop look at me like I have a terd on my face. The fish are there. It's a strange year.

[Minnetonka]

For those of you who think the DNR does not stock the lake: I am on the Lake Association boad and am a former fisheries biologist. I contacted the DNR West metro fisheries office and requested the data. Here it is below.

Lake Minnetonka has been stocked with Walleyes 68 out of the last 89 years. Stocking started in 1911 with 750,000 walleye fry. During the 1990's the lake was stocked as such:

1990 aprox. 50,000 (combination of fingerlings and fry

1991 106,169 fingerlings

1992 aprox. 27,000 (combination of adults, fingerling and fry)

1994 aprox 88,000 (combination of yearlings, fingerlings and fry)

1996 106,345 fingerlings

1998 148,238 fingerlings

1999 5,975 yearlings

2000 66,811 fingerlings

2001 320,000 fingerlings.

Muskies have also been stocked each year aprox. 1,500

It was interesting to see that the first fish stocked in Minnetonka were Chinook Salmon, Rainbow trout and Lake trout, in 1911-1913.

[Guest]

Gentlemen, I fished Tonka a couple of days ago... I don't get it. No crappies, no walleyes, nothing. A freind of mine has a theory, he says that because of the late ice-up and the warmer(understatement of the century!!)than usual temps, there MAY have been a late bait fish hatch that has the fish gorging on the bait fish available.
My dad(rest his soul) used to tell me the same thing. I don't know guys, I'm a Tonka
fanatic, but I've never seen anything like it. I'm stumped. Guess I'll wait til the spring with the rest of you fellas.

[Guest]

If any of you are willing to travel accross the lake than I suggest trying the west arm. Fish north of Deering Island in 40 feet of water. I caught a few nice crappies there a couple mornings ago. Didn't see any walleyes but atleast some crappies are a start.
Good Fishing, Matt.

[AJ]

I continue to struggle on Tonka. Fished Wayzata Bay last night for a few hours. Never lost my bait, maybe had a looker on the flasher at one point. Set up first in 18ft and then 24ft. Tip up set in various depths near my portable. NOTHING on the flasher all night. Very frustrating.

[Fish-n-Freak]

I have been catching fish, but only about 1 per every mile walked. I have been hitting some "perfect" structure and some areas that are just no reason for them to be there. If I keep moving, I will find some fish. I have been able to find Sunnies, Crappies, Walleyes and Pike, but never in the first hole drilled.

Keep moving - They're down there.

Good Luck to all

[SuddenlySummer]

Hey Fish-n-Freak,
I couldnt' have said it better. That's exactly what I have found. I'm out in the middle of nowhere and "BANG". Walleye!

Use a Northland Rattle Spoon 1/4 ounce GLOW with a minnowhead. Call them in. I change the hook to a Eagle Claw RED treble hook just for kicks.

[Guest]

I've been fishing Phelps Bay the last few times and have been doing pretty good with the crappies, sunnies, and northerns. I set up a tipup hoping for a northern and jig for sunnies waiting for the crappie bite to start around 6:00pm. I was down there for 2 hours tonite and was hitting some nice crappies. A couple guys were pulling in some nice northerns off the weedlines with tipups. I've been hitting the crappies in about 16 ft. of water the a moon jig and a crappie minnow. Haven't even tried for the eye's thinking this weekend. Hope this helps good luck guys!!!!!!

[Whiskeywalleyes]

I will give you all a new location for the walleyes. I have fished lake minnetonka walleyes for 10 years but have now moved.
There is a point in wayzata bay called "Cedar Point." West of there is a point not sure on the name but it branches out dividing Wayzata bay/ robinsons bay.

This point drops off 8' from the shore it you will be in 15' of water. 20' off the rocky shore you will be in 25' of water.
This is very easy to find. If you continue is goes down to 45'. Work this location and you will be in the Minnetonka walleyes.
Another spot is southeast of the point about 1/8 of a mile the is rocks all along this area. I caught more walleyes/ northerns out of this area that any where else on the lake.

Good luck to all you Tonka Fisherman.