2023 MN Season Thread

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Got a bunch of reels re-spooled with line and bought my 2023 angling license the other day…plus my spring turkey hunting license.

 

Ready for spring and some open water.

I've almost got the F-9 ready for the water...re-routed the livewell plumbing today. Just have to mount 3 cleats, put the new MN-DNR stickers on the bow and the name on the stern....then load up for crappie season.

[gim]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I've almost got the F-9 ready for the water

I need to mount the new bow roller I bought too. I bought one of the more durable yellow poly ones to  replace the black rubber one. Unfortunately I won’t be able to do that until there’s open water because the boat is tight against the black one right now.

[FryDog62]

With my wife on the DL and a return trip to MN date unknown, I may miss my beloved white bass run shortly after ice out. Time will tell, but I'm twitching to toss some jerk baits ! 

[MN Fisher]

10 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

With my wife on the DL and a return trip to MN date unknown

So you haven't abandoned us...

[FryDog62]

Not quite yet, although no longer officially a resident.  Will be good to be back this summer ~

[gim]

15 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

and a return trip to MN date unknown

Might want to make sure that kayak is bolted down before you return to MN this time around, otherwise that sucker may end up in Cuba during hurricane season!

[Fishin Dad]

Finally Seeing a lot of water around here!   The weekend forecast is a huge buzz kill!!   Was planning on the first voyage of 2023, but not in 46 degrees and rain.  Oh well, it is here!!

[MN Fisher]

Not so much here - some water around the shorelines, but not enough to even tempt trying for panfish.

[Fishin Dad]

Yeah, the metro also got hit with the last storm that we avoided.  I am actually heading south of the border, which is only 15 minutes, to hit a couple Iowa lakes.  The crappies will be going here as well when the weather cooperates.  I have my first tournament April 23, I need to knock the rust off!!

[gim]

They have declared the ice out on Lake Minnetonka today.  5 days behind average.

 

https://www.fox9.com/news/ice-out-lake-minnetonka-2023

[MN Fisher]

[Deephaven]

 

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

They have declared the ice out on Lake Minnetonka today.  5 days behind average.

 

https://www.fox9.com/news/ice-out-lake-minnetonka-2023

Just saw that.  My boat is in the garage and ready to go!

[gim]

So is mine.  Now I just need a decent weather day to go.

[Deephaven]

Last week we had it...but the lake was still frozen.  It'll come!

[MN Fisher]

I got one thing left to do - then it's mount the motor and I'm ready to take off myself.

 

Waiting on a part - due Friday.

[gim]

I went to a local watering hole this afternoon and tested everything out. Merc fired up, pumps, lights, livewell, and graphs all working as should. I also cruised around the lake for a bit but it was not very warm so that didn’t last long.

 

When it was time to go, I parked my boat at the access and spent 15 minutes replacing the black rubber trailer bow roller with a new more durable yellow poly one.

 

Didn’t do any fishing, but when the weather warms up I’ll be ready to go now. Water temp was 42 degrees this afternoon.

[Phoenix Guy]

Heading back to Mille Lacs May 25 - June 2. I can't wait. Absolutely love that lake. 

[Fishin Dad]

On 4/26/2023 at 6:43 PM, Phoenix Guy said:

Heading back to Mille Lacs May 25 - June 2. I can't wait. Absolutely love that lake. 

Hopefully the bite improves a little this year.  Last year was tougher than normal.  Too many little perch.  I will probably be up there while you are there.  Good luck!!  

[Phoenix Guy]

I hope so. We usually catch a ton of walleye on accident while small mouth fishing. Last year we hardly caught any. We will be staying at Nitti's for the week. Great accomodations. 

[Fishin Dad]

Yep, that was the story.  Tournament weights were way down there too.  It is a Great Lake.  Just over 3 hours drive for me.    Still don't get up there that often.   Largemouth lakes around me give up 20 lb bags so it keeps me busy.  

[gim]

4 hours ago, Fishin Dad said:

Too many little perch.

Those perch are still in the system too.  While crayfish are the primary forage for smallmouth out there, I do think they eat perch when they are abundant and the right size.  And right now, that's the case.

 

3 hours ago, Phoenix Guy said:

We usually catch a ton of walleye on accident while small mouth fishing. Last year we hardly caught any. We will be staying at Nitti's for the week. Great accomodations. 

I'm very familiar with Hunter's Point Resort.  I stayed there one summer when I worked for the DNR back in 2005.  A lot of walleye and bass tournaments launch out of there these days.

 

Three years ago I caught a lot of those accidental walters too.  Some days I caught more of them than smallmouth.  The last two years, very few.  I'm sure the abundance of small perch is playing a role.  If you aren't hungry, you don't eat.

 

You two guys have a bigger, more powerful boat than I do that can handle rougher water out there.  I have to really pay attention to the wind direction and speed before I head out there in a 17.5 foot mod V.  I can get there in 90 minutes from my house so "day trips" are doable.  Weekends have gotten to be so busy though I prefer to go during a weekday now.

[Fishin Dad]

Weekends have been horrible.  Parking on a highway and walking half a mile is not fun.  Having summers off is a big advantage.  It really allows you to catch more and bigger fish and enjoy fishing a lot more.  My buddies can only fish weekends most of the time, so I get stuck on weekends once in a while.  Would be fun to see you guys up there sometime.  Big lake makes that tough.  Good luck!!

[CM-fisher]

Got my license last weekend along with a trout stamp so I put it to good use in the driftless area and got a nice little brown. I'm planning on getting the kayak out for some crappie fishing next weekend as well. I just have to decide on a spot. Looking for somewhere i can get some decent fish without much people. Hard to do in the metro!

 

Bass season is right around the corner guys! Can't wait!

[gim]

On 3/4/2023 at 10:52 AM, Fishin Dad said:

Good luck on Tonka May 6.

I'm signed up for the annual Lake Minnetonka Crappie Contest on Sat, May 6.  Weigh in is at Lord Fletchers.  I am doing it with a friend in my boat, and my parents are fishing together in their boat.  I may head out there an afternoon this week to do some pre-fishing.  The weather looks pretty good this week.  A gradual warming trend with mostly sunny days should raise water temps and improve the bite.

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I may head out there an afternoon this week to do some pre-fishing.  The weather looks pretty good this week.  A gradual warming trend with mostly sunny days should raise water temps and improve the bite.

My plan for taking the boat out for crappie on Thursday is pretty much solid. I'll let you know if the west part of the lake is doing any good - planning on hitting Cook's, Emerald and Seton...may pop up into Harrison's too.