MN Bass Reports 2014

[CraigP83]

Where is everyone going on Saturday? I've got my trip narrowed down to 3 choices. Lake Minnetonka, Bald Eagle, or Mississippi River Pool 2. I'd like to go to Minnetonka but I am a little worried it is going to be extremely busy since I won't be hitting the lake very early. The fiance wants to wait until the sun is out so she can lay on the "sun tan deck" (back casting deck) 

[earldogg]

Im going to tonka, very early. One of my buddy's in killa b's wed night club and their fishing there next week. Should be good, im expecting a few more than i caught at bone in 2 days,lol.gl

[CraigP83]

I hope it's better than Bone, I forgot what catching a fish feels like. Who's your buddy? Tim and I teamed up to fish the Wednesday league too

[CraigP83]

Happy opener! Went to Minnetonka, best 5 weighed around 16#s it was a good day. FYI to anybody going out there is a no wake rule within 600' of shore. I got pulled over and almost got a ticket

[earldogg]

You did much better than us, zach got a 4 1/2lber right away than nothing rest of the day. I caught 11, 6 keepers but not much size, went to dirty d on sunday, caught 8 keepers in 5 hrs, again not much for size. Bummer!

[CraigP83]

Fished a local metro lake yesterday. 71*F water temps. Saw several empty beds. Managed 3 fish in 2 hours pitching jigs to shallow structure, Predominately new weed growth. Spent about 20 minutes trying to get a 4# to bite off of a bed but no luck. It would square off and just stare at my offering.

[baileyjs]

we went to a small lake near minnetonka and did ok.  We caught 20-30 between the 2 of us but not many to talk about.  Only one over 3#, most were in the 1-2 range.  I'm hoping the rain will quit soon so we can get back out.

[earldogg]

Went to my home court sat with scum frog, only 3 fish in 8 hrs, pittyful, the 1 I got weighed 4lbs but still. I feel like i know nothing, very tuff beginning of season for me.

[CraigP83]

Finally caught a limit! 

Found fish stacking up on a weededge in 10-12 feet of water. Caught them on DT10's, DropShot and Grub Worms. Culled all the way up to 7.70#'s 
My partner lost a toad by the boat which would have put us in contention, but I was just happy to catch fish and cull for once!



Also caught this 11.5'' crappie on a grub worm.

[earldogg]

I have turned my season around quick, been crushing giants. With all this high water there's alot more laydowns, brush, and overhanging trees to flip at. Been catching them on a 1/2-3/4oz jig, and a few on buzzbaits and frogging.

[CraigP83]

Good to hear, You need to post some pics. I've been catching more fish lately but nothing of size.

[baileyjs]

Finally got out last night on one of the Minnetonka bays and by brother in law picked up a nice 5lb'r!

[CraigP83]

Was up on Lake Vermilion for 4 days with my BASS club. It was a good time. LOTS of water up there and it fished allot differently than most of the lakes I fish in the metro area. Spent two days prefishing the east side of the lake and we found a few fish but nothing consistent





It's clear what the bass were feeding on

[CraigP83]

The 1st day of our club tourney I bombed searching for smallies on deep structure while the best bags came fishing for largemouth





But day two on the other side of the lake I did much better. I concentrated on smallies but looked for good cover rather than structure. Ended up with solid 13.76# bag of smallmouth bass, good enough for 2nd place



.

[CraigP83]

It's that time of year were the river had mellowed out and I start taking my boat out there. I can usually catch a few smallies cranking riprap or wingdams and I seem to get a little better reading the river each time out. Caught this walleye on a DT10. Perfect keeper size but it's still swimming because it is C&R on Pool 2 of the Mississippi River for most gamefish

[earldogg]

Nice walleye! Nice day 2 at Vermillion, im still bitter about my day 2. I really felt I had found the $ spot. Have you had a chance to prefish medicine? There are good ones in there but it can be very tough, phil went yesterday and got skunked.

[CraigP83]

Thanks, I've never been to Medicine Lake before. I've got a Wednesday night tournament out there with Brian's league, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm not very confident though, it's hard to fish those 3 hour tournaments without ever being on the lake before.

BTW: Is "The Swamp" kicking out any big fish this year?

[earldogg]

BTW: Is "The Swamp" kicking out any big fish this year? I still haven't made it out there yet
[/quote]

Ive got 6 over 5lbs on 5 trips there. The swamp aint no joke! Crazy thing is it fishes better mid- late fall. Many of the residents have tales of 7-8 lbers!

[dsidle61]

Hey guys, new to Minnesota by way of Florida.  Been fishing here for about 2 months trying to find my favorite lakes.  Been having good success on spinnerbaits, senkos and on frogs just after the sun clears the trees.  Im not a tournament guy just yet, ive got a small boat and hopefully going to upgrade in the near future.  Nice to see some local guys on here!  Im over in the west metro just north of Tonka.  Im curious as to the swamp!  swamp lake?? or your secret code!?

[earldogg]

I live close to you d61, I fish alot of west metro lakes. The Swamp is one of my honey holes, I refuse to give that one up, but go to pierson, stieger, wiconia, o'dowd, spring, or mcman, they all have big bass in them, well big bass by MN standards.gl

[baileyjs]

dsidle61.....people have tried to get that out of him before but it seems to be no use 
I live out in the west metro as well (just north of Waconia).  I don't get out as often as I'd like, as it's the brother-in-law with the boat, but we've had luck at Halstead bay on Minnetonka.  Boated a nice 5.1 lbr last time out.

[earldogg]

Im v ery close to tonka but I almost never fish there, too many people, craig and I do have a tournament there in 7-8 weeks. Baileyjs, you should try eagle lk, I beleive its in young america, its somewhat close to you and their are big ones in it.gl

[dsidle61]

I totally understand!!  I had several ponds in florida that I refused to share.  Up here ive only been on lakes so I figure people know of them anyway!  Ive gotten a couple big bass out of Ann.  No gas motors on it so I like that place.  Ive been trying to get to those others you mentioned but everytime I end up stopping at ann bc I know it pretty well.  I don't do Tonka, to big for my boat.  Was going to stop at independence yesterday but it was absolutely packed w skiers so ended up at Sarah.  Couple bass, nothing to write home about. 

[CraigP83]

Earldogg, are going to post the pics of the beasts you caught this weekend when you put the smackdown on us during Sunday's club tournament? ... I'm still licking my wounds from that lake

[CraigP83]

earldogg's toads. 18# from a highly pressured metro lake.
 




EDIT: For some reason the dimensions of the photo are showing up skewed on my computer, you can still tell those are some BIG MN bass though