Minnesota Fishing Reports - 2018

[sully420]

@misho187 got a chance to try your summer lipless rip'n technique. And it was awesome. I was throwing a 3/4oz red eye shad (natural gll) and ripping it out of grass and caught a bag of 3+lb bass. No giants but a really fun bite and great presentation to get reaction bites. Thanks for the tip!!+ 

[Jmhalvo]

I tried it too and it worked great, used KVD sunfish 

[OperationEagle]

What is this “thick green grass” ? Are we just talking seaweed?

[Jmhalvo]

7 hours ago, OperationEagle said:

What is this “thick green grass” ? Are we just talking seaweed?

What we call “weeds”, the southern bass guys have always called “grass”. Some folks up north use the term as well these days.

[OperationEagle]

4 hours ago, Jmhalvo said:

What we call “weeds”, the southern bass guys have always called “grass”. Some folks up north use the term as well these days.

Ok that’s what I assumed. Also assume that you are picking weeds off with almost every cast?  

 

How deep are these weeds?

[Jmhalvo]

4 hours ago, OperationEagle said:

Ok that’s what I assumed. Also assume that you are picking weeds off with almost every cast?  

 

How deep are these weeds?

There’s a lot of that but it’s worth trying

[thatbasschigger187]

On 7/18/2018 at 9:37 PM, sully420 said:

@misho187 got a chance to try your summer lipless rip'n technique. And it was awesome. I was throwing a 3/4oz red eye shad (natural gll) and ripping it out of grass and caught a bag of 3+lb bass. No giants but a really fun bite and great presentation to get reaction bites. Thanks for the tip!!+ 

BEAST!!! I'm glad it worked out for you.

I love these underused techniques. It really does give the fish a different look. And I strongly feel they'll react to it first time they see it. Thanks for proving the tech accurate. I'm sure people thought I was BS'ing lol!

[thatbasschigger187]

Tonka on Saturday was on fire!!! We smashed 'em. Grass is incredibly thick though. We were flipping/pitching into 20+ ft of water. But man they are incredibly active. We caught alot of bass. We had 18.4lbs (5 fish) bag. Not the best you can get on Tonka but not bad at all. Lots of bass boats though. Must be on there for the Blackfish tournament next week. $10k ain't no joke.

Sunday though was the first time I failed this year though. I went to Buffalo, a lake I haven't fished much of, thinking I would be able to replicate their monster bags of smallies they've been bringing in. I only caught 4 fish going for 8 lbs. 3 dinks and one going for 3lbs+. But all the fish I caught were random. I really need to do some homework on that lake. I marked a bunch of rockpiles and nothing. I found the little grass they had and nothing.

 

[gim]

I went on Saturday morning too and it was a really good bite.  I didn't catch a lot of fish but every one I tied into was solid and I didn't have to use any finesse tactics - they were smashing moving lures.  I even boated a bonus tiger muskie.

[Dubtee]

Good reports fellas.  After a few short trips over the weekend with a 5 yr old, the little bit of fishing I got in seemed to be kind of junking around on main lake points, 15 ft or so of water right on the weed line.  Caught a couple of decent ones on a 10" zoom monster with a 3/8 and a 6XD.

 

Was able to get a good afternoon trip in on Tuesday over by Tonka.  A 4 on the zoom monster on a main lake point and bunches of 2.5-3's on a 1/2oz jig on an off shore ridge, 7-8 feet of water just flipping into grass.

 

I'm wanting to get back on Tonka but it sounds like there is quite a bit of tourney pressure.  Really don't want to deal with the boats.

[ThatOneBigKid]

Hey guys, new to this forum. I fish the same Greenhorn league that @punch and @rascalP fish. I heard them talking about this site so I figured I'd check it out. All of our MN based sites suck IMO. Full of typical forum "good ole boys" that just want to talk walleyes. 

[punch]

5 minutes ago, ThatOneBigKid said:

Hey guys, new to this forum. I fish the same Greenhorn league that @punch and @rascalP fish. I heard them talking about this site so I figured I'd check it out. All of our MN based sites suck IMO. Full of typical forum "good ole boys" that just want to talk walleyes. 

What's up man! This is a pretty good site.. watch out for the "latest deal" thread because your bank account will suffer greatly. 

[FryDog62]

3 hours ago, ThatOneBigKid said:

Hey guys, new to this forum. I fish the same Greenhorn league that @punch and @rascalP fish. I heard them talking about this site so I figured I'd check it out. All of our MN based sites suck IMO. Full of typical forum "good ole boys" that just want to talk walleyes. 

Welcome aboard ... and true the others are mostly all walleye oriented.  I’ve mentioned various bass species on the other boards and have been labeled as a “green carp” fishermen.  

 

I am am what I am, but at least am out of the closet here

 

[ThatOneBigKid]

Thanks guys. I haven't even seen much activity on the MN specific boards, especially in the bass areas. Looking forward to kicking around MN related bass ideas and stuff like that. 

 

Might be getting out on Big Marine this weekend at some point if work and home life allow. Sounds like a guy sacked a 6lber out of that lake last night in a evening tourney. Just a stud for that lake.  

[OperationEagle]

8 hours ago, ThatOneBigKid said:

Hey guys, new to this forum. I fish the same Greenhorn league that @punch and @rascalP fish. I heard them talking about this site so I figured I'd check it out. All of our MN based sites suck IMO. Full of typical forum "good ole boys" that just want to talk walleyes. 

For being In-Fisherman's 6th best state for bass fishing, I am shocked there aren't more MN bass dedicated forums.

 

I sure am glad we have this one though.  The MN Bass Resource community took some time to build a base of regulars.  Its a great group and getting better.

 

Welcome aboard!

[FryDog62]

3 hours ago, OperationEagle said:

For being In-Fisherman's 6th best state for bass fishing, I am shocked there aren't more MN bass dedicated forums.

 

I sure am glad we have this one though.  The MN Bass Resource community took some time to build a base of regulars.  Its a great group and getting better.

 

Welcome aboard!

Just remember , In Fisherman is based in Minnesota... and as a self-deprecating state placed us just outside the Top 5

[OperationEagle]

1 hour ago, FryDog62 said:

Just remember , In Fisherman is based in Minnesota... and as a self-deprecating state placed us just outside the Top 5

You are right. Especially with the exposure Mille lacs has had the past two years we have got to be in the top 5. 

 

When people learn I’m from Minnesota and we talk about where I want to end up for retirement, they always assume I will say Florida, Texas, anywhere warmer.  No way. MN is a fisherman’s paradise. 

 

Really feel I have just scratched the surface of all the water this state has to offer. 

 

And yes...for bass...not walleye!

[OperationEagle]

A quick question for fellow Minnesotans. 

 

Have an Abu Premier baitcaster that is a year old.  Broke just after the warranty went out. The reel won’t retrieve line...handle just spins. 

 

I live in in the south metro. Where is my nearest reel repair shop?  

 

I know thorne bros could fix it but Blaine is no where near me.  Bass or not, with all the fisherman in the area I can’t believe there isn’t a shop for each four corners of the metro!

 

Maybe repair shops are not needed as these days people just toss their reels and buy a new one? For me, I’m too cheap! However there is a limit.  At what repair cost would it be considered totaled?  $40? Thoughts and recommendations on a repair shop please. 

[shimmy]

I always send my reels in to the companies for maintenance/repairs. Guarantees it gets fixed and most of the time they change a few extra things free of cost. In general, companies charge $20 per reel. I know there are guys on this site who are better at reel maintenance, but I eliminate any question marks by going straight to the company. Have done this with Shimano, Abu Garcia, and Lews for years. 

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, OperationEagle said:

A quick question for fellow Minnesotans. 

 

Have an Abu Premier baitcaster that is a year old.  Broke just after the warranty went out. The reel won’t retrieve line...handle just spins. 

 

I live in in the south metro. Where is my nearest reel repair shop?  

 

I know thorne bros could fix it but Blaine is no where near me.  Bass or not, with all the fisherman in the area I can’t believe there isn’t a shop for each four corners of the metro!

 

Maybe repair shops are not needed as these days people just toss their reels and buy a new one? For me, I’m too cheap! However there is a limit.  At what repair cost would it be considered totaled?  $40? Thoughts and recommendations on a repair shop please. 

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

[punch]

This cold front must have really turned the fish on because we had an EPIC day fishing Saturday morning on Lake Independence. Boated a ton of bass in 10-15' around grassy points w/ a Neko rig and dropshot. I also hooked into TWO muskys, and was able to actually land one 41" beast on a spinning rod. Pulled a couple nice fish out from under docks with a jig too. 

 

I hit Big Marine last night for a bit for some tournament practice and the fish seemed to be pretty active as well. This doesn't feel like the usual "dog days" of summer. 

[sully420]

I've really never noticed a problem catching bass in July and August. Actually August has been my best month for size for the past 3 years. The bass are definitely in a summer pattern now.

[rascalP]

On 7/27/2018 at 10:04 AM, ThatOneBigKid said:

Hey guys, new to this forum. I fish the same Greenhorn league that @punch and @rascalP fish. I heard them talking about this site so I figured I'd check it out. All of our MN based sites suck IMO. Full of typical forum "good ole boys" that just want to talk walleyes. 

TOBK,  

  Welcome.  What's your "Greenhorn" name and what boat do you have?  I've been trying to put faces to names at league night.  

    Fishing Minnesota bass forum used to be pretty good, then it just got less and less traffic.  Look me up on Wednesday.

[ThatOneBigKid]

20 minutes ago, rascalP said:

TOBK,  

  Welcome.  What's your "Greenhorn" name and what boat do you have?  I've been trying to put faces to names at league night.  

    Fishing Minnesota bass forum used to be pretty good, then it just got less and less traffic.  Look me up on Wednesday.

First name is Clay. I am the really tall guy fishing out of the White/Red/Blue Stratos with the 250 Evinrude and the twin Talons. 

 

Nick and I got 2nd at White Bear Lake and also 2nd last week on Forest. 

[rascalP]

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.