Minnesota Fishing Reports - 2018

[punch]

1 hour ago, rascalP said:

Hey Clay, duh.  After I posted, i thought, probably Nick or Clay cause I remember talking to Nick about it.  Should have looked at your picture a little closer too. Old eyes.

   Nice to see you guys doing so good this year.  Have you been scouting out Tonka?  If we have a solid finish on BM, we should be there too. Hitting BM tomorrow and back to WBL on wed for the advanced series.  We'll see if my partners spot holds up. 

  Oh yeah, "ThatOneBigKid".  It's all clear now.

I think we're going to be on Big Marine tomorrow also. I'll keep an eye out. 

[FryDog62]

Am planning to put a rod up for sale in the classifieds, but of course will involve shipping costs... so thought I would ask the Minnesota guys first.  If not appropriate for this forum Mods, feel free to zap. 

 

The rod for sale has been used once, perfect condition, $350 + tax new and is currently sold out on TW. Selling for $250.  Specs:

 

Dobyns 744c S/H HP Extreme baitcasting rod.  Specs: 7'-4" 1pc. 10-20lb, 1/4-1oz, Heavy Fast Action
TECHNIQUES: Buzzbaits / Horny Toads / Jigs / Senkos / Spinnerbaits

 

If interested, send me a PM.  Thx

 

 

[gim]

On ‎7‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 9:49 PM, FryDog62 said:

If Wayzata Bait is near enough, see Tim...

I have taken 4 reels to Wayzata Bait & Tackle the past 5 years to be repaired and they were all fixed for a reasonable cost.  It did take a while though because he was so backed up.

 

I spent 5 days at a cabin in Central Minnesota and fished every day, both from the dock and from my boat.  I literally just hopped from one small lake to another and never saw a SINGLE other bass angler.  The fishing was good too.  I didn't catch any monsters but my wife and I must have caught 20-30 bass every morning on a new lake.  And the nice thing was that I didn't have to finesse them.  Its likely that the lack of pressure made them pretty easy to catch with power tactics and moving lures.  I've always wondered what it would be like to spend a month in remote, northern Minnesota going from one small lake to another...

[Tlauz]

59 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I've always wondered what it would be like to spend a month in remote, northern Minnesota going from one small lake to another...

I love it.  I fish mainly during the week. Often there are only a few other boats on the water.  Sometimes none.  It has been an interesting year.  I have caught some nice bass and had some very good days but I haven't had a day where I have crushed them. Some days spinnerbaits work, then jerk baits, then wacky worms, then swim jigs, then swimbaits,  but nothing seems to produce every day.  I have caught a few really big muskies in the last 2 weeks.  I was alone so the pics are not the best, but it is something I will always remember.

 

 

 

[punch]

10 hours ago, Tlauz said:

I love it.  I fish mainly during the week. Often there are only a few other boats on the water.  Sometimes none.  It has been an interesting year.  I have caught some nice bass and had some very good days but I haven't had a day where I have crushed them. Some days spinnerbaits work, then jerk baits, then wacky worms, then swim jigs, then swimbaits,  but nothing seems to produce every day.  I have caught a few really big muskies in the last 2 weeks.  I was alone so the pics are not the best, but it is something I will always remember.

 

 

 

Wow nice Muskys!

 

 

I'm heading up to Lake Carlos and the Alexandria chain for 5 days.  Can't wait! 

[FryDog62]

Anyone fished this week in the Brainerd area?  Going tomorrow (Thurs-Sat).  Open to whatever species is most active - smallmouth, largemouth and even walleyes.  Any ideas on depth, cover, presentation, etc welcomed. 

[sully420]

Had a good evening cranking grass in 14' of water. I was marking bait fish mixed in with isolated patches of grass in 14' foot of water, the grass was 4' feet off the bottom. I was fishing a 5xd. I think this bite was very specific to the weather conditions 10 mph wind and overcast skies.

[Dubtee]

@Sully420, nice fish and report.  Were you just trying to tick the top of the grass with the 5XD?  When I am throwing the 6XD and dredging bottoms, I often think that throwing something just over the top may be more efficient and won't get slimed up as often.

[sully420]

@Dubtee I'm pretty sure the bass were feeding on bait above the grass. There was no need to make contact with the grass.

[ThatOneBigKid]

On 7/30/2018 at 10:38 PM, rascalP said:

Hey Clay, duh.  After I posted, i thought, probably Nick or Clay cause I remember talking to Nick about it.  Should have looked at your picture a little closer too. Old eyes.

   Nice to see you guys doing so good this year.  Have you been scouting out Tonka?  If we have a solid finish on BM, we should be there too. Hitting BM tomorrow and back to WBL on wed for the advanced series.  We'll see if my partners spot holds up. 

  Oh yeah, "ThatOneBigKid".  It's all clear now.

Yea, I know you guys have had good finishes on BM in the past so you should make it. I haven't looked at tonka yet this year (opener excluded). Will need to start doing some homework soon though. My uncles have been fishing it for a long time so I will need to pick their brains, but I am looking forward to getting out there and actually fishing a tournament on that lake. I think we might get out to BM either tonight or tomorrow night for the first time. I have talked to some guys and they say the weeds are looking tall and healthy so you know my mouth is watering.  

 

It finally feels like Nick and I are getting out stride back after a couple down years the last two years. Sadly that means we're for sure going to get bounced to advanced next year, but that will also make us better anglers so I welcome that opportunity

 

@sully This is a technique I need to check out more. I love cranking, but have never really gotten into cranking grass. Solid looking fish! Was this patchy grass on a 14' flat or the shorter grass that grows up on the edge of a weedline?

[thatbasschigger187]

16 hours ago, sully420 said:

Had a good evening cranking grass in 14' of water. I was marking bait fish mixed in with isolated patches of grass in 14' foot of water, the grass was 4' feet off the bottom. I was fishing a 5xd. I think this bite was very specific to the weather conditions 10 mph wind and overcast skies.

Beastin'

[sully420]

@ThatOneBigKid submerged weed clumps off the edge with bait and bass graphed.

[rascalP]

19 hours ago, ThatOneBigKid said:

 

 

@sully This is a technique I need to check out more. I love cranking, but have never really gotten into cranking grass. Solid looking fish! Was this patchy grass on a 14' flat or the shorter grass that grows up on the edge of a weedline?

TOBK,  

There's some spots on BM that fit this to a tee

[ThatOneBigKid]

4 hours ago, rascalP said:

TOBK,  

There's some spots on BM that fit this to a tee

I tried this last night out there in a couple spots without any luck. DT10 on 12lb line in 14' of water with the weeds growing up to 10'. I could feel the weeds here and there, but no bites. 

 

Might go out to WBL to try this out too. I can think of a few spots out there that this might work for as well. 

[sully420]

@ThatOneBigKid I think you may be trying to replicate exactly what I was doing. Try fishing the deepest weeds you can find with a bait that will go over the top or will get down to the bait on the sonar. Different lakes have different water clarity and weed growth at different depths so whenever you get information about a pattern always think about adapting it to the specific like you're fishing.

[Tlauz]

Headed to the lake last Wednesday. It was cold upper 50's.  Got on the water around 5 and fished till 8:30.  Water temp 73 degrees.  There was a breeze so I threw a spinnerbait over weeds and the fish were chomping.  One of the better bites I have had. Thursday fished morning (till noon) took a break and then fished 5-8:30. It was still cooler than it has been.   It was by far the best day of fishing I have had this year.  Fished weed edges where it dropped off.  Caught fish on spinnerbait, crankbait and weightless wacky worm on multiple spots.  Caught both smallmouth and largemouth off of the same spots.  Friday morning was tougher still caught one really nice smallmouth.  Didn't fish Saturday but got out Sunday morning briefly. Got one really nice fish on a Mann's mid-one minus (that bait caught 2 big smallmouths this trip) over a flat next to a drop-off.  Sun came out and the wind died and fish shut off.  The tops of the weeds are starting to poke out so it is really easy to see edges.  Water temp was in low 70's every day. 

[FryDog62]

Found some river smallies this week... wrist-breakers!

[Dubtee]

Those brown camo smallies are about the prettiest things that swim, nice work FryDog.

[gim]

I can confirm Frydog's report.  The smallmouth in the rivers are on fire.  And they're pretty easy to catch right now too, no finesse required.

[ThatOneBigKid]

Ended our regular season off right with a win in the Greenhorn Wednesday night league. Kind of sad that it only took 9.64 to get the win, but for some reason the lake was fishing super tough that night after prefishing had been great for a lot of the team I talked to including us. Anyways, pumped to end the season on a high note and looking forward to the TOC in a week on Minnetonka. 

 

 

[sully420]

@ThatOneBigKid what lake did you guys fish on Wednesday?

[Tlauz]

I fished Wednesday night, Thursday morning and Friday morning.   Pitching wacky rigs on the weed edges has been the most productive also drop-offs along rocks.  The last few days have been calm. Water temps in the 76-degree range.  Only fished  7-10 AM and after 6pm.  Too hot for me the rest of the time. The bite has been the best it has been for me all year.

 

 

 

[rascalP]

7 hours ago, ThatOneBigKid said:

Ended our regular season off right with a win in the Greenhorn Wednesday night league. Kind of sad that it only took 9.64 to get the win, but for some reason the lake was fishing super tough that night after prefishing had been great for a lot of the team I talked to including us. Anyways, pumped to end the season on a high note and looking forward to the TOC in a week on Minnetonka. 

 

 

Congratulations on a great season Clay.  You and Nick really came on strong for a good finish to the year.   With us getting 6th place on Big Marine wednesday night, that locked us in for making the cut to Minnetonka.  I'm really looking forward to it. In fact, Jeff and I got out there Thursday for the first time for both of us.  We focused on Browns Bay and mostly structure fished. In some places we were fishing weeds in 22 fow.   I'll be getting out there a few more times next week and check out a few more bays.  We'll see you soon.

  

  Oh yeah, fishing was tough. You might want to check out some docks.  I hear that's right in Nick's wheelhouse ?.

   

[ThatOneBigKid]

On 8/10/2018 at 5:17 PM, sully420 said:

@ThatOneBigKid what lake did you guys fish on Wednesday?

 

@sully420 we were out on Big Marine

On 8/10/2018 at 11:58 PM, rascalP said:

Congratulations on a great season Clay.  You and Nick really came on strong for a good finish to the year.   With us getting 6th place on Big Marine wednesday night, that locked us in for making the cut to Minnetonka.  I'm really looking forward to it. In fact, Jeff and I got out there Thursday for the first time for both of us.  We focused on Browns Bay and mostly structure fished. In some places we were fishing weeds in 22 fow.   I'll be getting out there a few more times next week and check out a few more bays.  We'll see you soon.

  

  Oh yeah, fishing was tough. You might want to check out some docks.  I hear that's right in Nick's wheelhouse ?.

   

Yea Nick loves dock fishing.......?

 

We tried to get out there Sunday after church, but I had electrical issues on my boat again and we didn't get to fish at all. I have to get that solved this week before Sunday. Luckily we have Nick's boat as a back up. Nick is getting out there today and I think Thursday. I won't be able to get out there at all, but oh well. 

 

Looking forward to seeing you guys out there and good luck! Should be a fun event.

[JackKlassen]

Was out on Bald Eagle on Friday. First time out there but was able to put a nice little pattern together. Fish were buried in the foil in 8-12 FOW. Water clarity was about 2 feet give or take. Flipping with a slither rig seemed to produce the best but we also caught a few dragging t-rigs and ripping jig worms. Awesome little lake, excited to get back out there.