Minnewaska Report - Fish On Bait & Sport

[LandDr]

Fish On Bait and Sport
Glenwood, MN
Lake Minnewaska
320-634-3667
www.HabitatNOW.com
info@HabitatNOW.com

GREAT ICE CONDITIONS ON WASKA!!!  I have had several calls regarding accesses conditions and lake conditions so I will give an update.  Glenwood Beach...access is in great shape but fewer people fishing out from the beach now. "The Beach" is usually a good spot to start with early ice and also a great spot to go near the end for walleyes.  Lakeside...access is now open and in really great shape. Pretty smooth and easy slope to bring fish houses out on. There are still several houses out from "Lakeside" and on "The old Road Grade"...still have reports of walleyes being caught there. Several roads go out from it.  DNR Landing...both sides of the DNR Landing are in great shape with the west side being smooth and with a low incline for getting houses on. Several roads go out from it to Crappie Town, Old Road Grade, etc.  Sac's Landing (pay access)...looks good with several roads going out from it into Bottle Bay.  Sherriff's Landing (free access just a mile west of Sac's Landing)...really good access and I have been using this one regular to get out to Bottle Bay, School Bars and School Point. Several roads go out from this access.  The lake is in great shape. There were still a few slush spots but for the most part those have frozen up...especially with the past night's low temps in the neg. 20s. Burrrrr! The roads are hard packed, a little rough but not too bad, but very hard. There was 13 to 14 inches of ice but last night's temps might have added another inch or two.  Many many small vehicles, half ton trucks and suburbans on the lake and pulling houses around. No one should have any problem with getting houses out and getting around.  Fishing was pretty good yesterday with about 30 nice sunnies, a few small good eating bass, couple of pike for pickling and even seen a couple walleyes on the camera. Good day of fishing!  No one will go hungry for a couple of days anyway.  Stop in or contact us for current updates and fishing reports.  We also have the "Habitat Outlet Store" well stocked with some of the most diverse and high quality food plot and native prairie seeds.  Also visit the Habitat Outlet on line at www.HabitatNOW.com for all your fall and spring habitat needs as well as our fish house rentals (view houses on-line in the Habitat Outlet Store). 

** The sunfish bite has really picked up the last week or so...guys in yesterday where reporting limits of hand sized sunfish within 45 minutes to an hour along with a few crappies as well.  STop in for locations.

Fish On!

Kyle

[Dan R.]

Thanks for the report!!
 

[LandDr]

I took a drive around on some of the roads this morning to check for drifting, etc. Roads are in great shape with very little drifting from what I seen.  The wind is blowing but we did not get much snow at all...looks like it stayed south of us.  5F temp so not too bad of a day out except for a little windy.

Water is still clear...I don't think it has changed much.  Spearing has been pretty good in Bottle Bay area with several people coming in reporting good luck.  A group from Padua got a 38, 36 and 28 over the last few days and seen soome bigger ones that hovered outside spearing range.  I have been getting a pike in about every 10 to 15 minutes on the camera while panfishing...sometimes they take the shinner that I have down and sometimes they just play with it.  Had a big pike yesterday that took the head of the shinner in twice and then spit it back out to later swim away.  Fat and full.  He was actually more interested in my camera since it looks like a sunfish.  I would think one of those "quad" cameras with a nice big sunfish camera would be a great decoy for spearing!  Pike have spots and musky have strips...from what I have heard it is pretty easy to tell the difference.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

We have been seeing more crappies on the camera across Crappie Town and I would say that you could get your limit of nice 11 to 12 inchers if you hung out there all day with a couple of crappie minnows down. I would rate it as a crappie every 15 minutes or so on the camera that would make its way by. Nice thing is they were pretty aggressive when they did come by.

A LOT OF PIKE! About every 5 to 10 minutes there was another pike on the camera...even had two on the camera once. They are also pretty aggressive as long as you have an active shinner or chub down. They would have nothing to do with a less active shinner. They seemed to be fat and happy but would take another bite if it was active bait. Great fish for pickling or fish cakes. It would be nice to get some of these mid sized pike out so they leave the sunfish alone.

The occassional walleye happens by during the day as well. Always good to keep a shinner down just in case. Still have reports of 2 to 4 walleyes each evening out from the Beach, Lakeside, Crappie Town, out from Bottle Bay but the best reports are still coming in from around School Point and School Bar. We have only been able to pick up a couple here and there but one nice 20 incher the other night and a 17 a little earlier in the evening. Not a lot of walleyes but when you catch fish like that you only need a couple.

Spearing has been pretty good. Seems everyone is getting a few nice fish and most are "seeing" some even bigger fish. Water clarity appears to be good and they are having some success.

Panfish...as reported earlier, move around until you find them and once you get into them you can pick through until you have some really nice sunfish with a few crappie bonuses. Bottle Bay and out from there seems to be the best to start with. A lot of pike in that area as well so they keep the panfish moving around. Most are using the red or white larva...I was using the red but I have switched to the white as it seems to really glow on the camera and the fish have been responding well to it. Personal preference I guess.

All accesses are in great shape as noted before. Lake is solid...I have not seen any slush spots when I have been out there but you can see tracks from a week or so ago where there was slush. It "looks" bad but it is all frozen up now. It can be rough in some spots when you get off the roads due to the thawing and freezing again and tire tracks. Many vehicles on the lake including 1/2 tons and even a few bigger ones...several suburbans so you won't be the "big guy" on the lake.  Most are 1/2 ton or smaller though. We have been seeing ice thickness from 14 inches to 17 now and it is very good hard ice. I have had several people comment on how hard the ice is compared to lakes around where they came from...takes longer to drill a hole. My new ELL 8 sure slides through it nice though...what a smooth quite auger!

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Pretty consistent report from everyone on sunnies...getting 10 to 15 in the 1/2 lb. or bigger and then maybe keep some additional if they wanted to fill out there limit...most that I talked with just kept 10 to 15 and that was enough but had a great time fishing. A few nice crappies in the mix. Great to hear. 16 to 18 fow was the ticket. Sounds like the pike where very active! Had some decent reports on walleyes as well but many were from people that just went and found a contour and started jigging and found a few.

Bottle Bay is between Torgy's Bar & Grill and the Minnewaska House. There is Sac's Landing (pay) and Sherriff's Landing (free). Both are in great shape from what I seen and both will take you right out into Bottle Bay.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

I seen close to a dozen eyes last night within an hour on the camera in 20 fow and they were crusing as well. Had two of them looking at the same shinner...but neither tried for an early supper. I did manage to pick up on 16 but had to be back in town by 5:30 to pick up kids for wrestling...missed prime time. I am wondering if jigging spoons would have made them more interested? They seemed aggressive with their swimming and looking at the bait...just didn't open their mouths very often. Maybe it will pick up with the warmer weather.

Many reports of panfish in 16 to 18 and even out to 21 feet. Sounds like you can go even further out from Bottle Bay and find stacks of fish. Everyone is expecting the bite to get even better with the warm weather on the way. Should be a nice rest of the week and a great weekend!

Fish On!

[cannon man]

What lake is this you are writing about? Thank you

u

[Mayfly]

What lake is this you are writing about? Thank you

u

Minnewaska... Its in the title of the thread.

[LandDr]

Fish On Bait & Sport
2 Blocks south of the stop lights in Glenwood
info@HabitatNOW.com
320-634-3667

Had some fresh walleye last night along with a few nice sunnies and crappies...life is good!  My favorite way to have fish is with Shore Lunch original panfried slightly on the crispy side...and then I make what my kid's call "Dad's Special Sauce", which is not really that special but they absolutely love it as well. I use equal parts of mayo mixed with sugar and stir it good until it is a nice dipping sauce. Really easy to make (you can take the ingrediants along with you) and it makes the fish taste so good! Try it some time.

Not a bad night...we are on a different location with two of our houses and we got three nice walleyes and the one house had a bunch of sunnies and crappies early. We did not get out until after dark so I am trying to send my parents out to try the spot out earlier to see if there is an earlier bite. I am thinking there is since they walleyes that we caught were already fat. Will let you know how it goes.

We do have ice house rentals and we keep them moving if they are not on fish.  To view houses and details, go to the following link...

http://www.habitatnow.com/store/shop/shop.php?pn_selected_category=53

Fish On!

[LandDr]

I was out in one of our walleye houses for awhile last night in 19 to 20 fow...what was just amazing and majestic were these "flocks" of huge sunfish that would come by on the camera. I say flocks rather than schools because they almost appeared as geese in formation floating by. It was amazing as they drifted by...some close to the bottom and others appearing 5 or 6 feet off the bottom like big saucers. This happened several times. I only had shiners down but a few harassed the shiner and then moved on. Just as the reports have indicated, there are some nice big sunnies to be found out in deep water...they have a picky bite however.

I did more running back and forth last night trying to get my Mom and Son set up in one of our panfish houses just in from the house I was set up in...but I did managem to catch a pike, bass, 17" eye and missed two others but had to head out b-day dinner plans. With the activity, the eye bite could pick up with this nice weather. ?? Places to try for walleyes...as I mentioned prior, the ice conditions allow a person to go just about anywhere on the lake so this is a great time to try out some new areas. Give Swenson Pt. or Barness Pt. and edges between between these two. There are some great walleye spots along the south side of the lake and you can easily get to them now. Otherwise, try to target anywhere along edges in the 18 to 20 fow range...I would think you could pick up 2 to 4 walleyes and they are FAT! Stop in if you want to look the map over for ideas.

30 F already! Wow...nice weather finally.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Gonna be a great day on the ice!  Beautiful weather.  :)

We are getting freshwater shrimp (scuds) stocked in ponds for ducks now. If anyone wants to try some shrimp, I will give you a free sample to try out. That might be the ticket for those pickey bluegills on Waska. I heard crappies love them too. Anyone ever use shrimp before and had any luck with them?

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Most people had really good reports thru the weekend...if they weren't catching a lot, they were at least seeing a lot of them on the camera. Getting them to bite was the next challenge. We have been recommending people to go with a small presentation...small hooks and small bait. You are almost trying to get the panfish to eat a "snack" versus a meal. There is still a lot of forage in the lake with the daphnia so the fish are still eating well. The freshwater shrimp seemed to work well and many were reporting the crappies bit better on the shrimp.

Pike were just as active...again, many of those had full bellies as well. One guy said his pike looked like a football with what appeared to be sunfish in him.

Walleyes are still consistent with most getting 2 to 4 in the morning or evening. I worked all weekend but got out after the great Vikes victory...as soon as I got the camera down I started seeing walleyes. I seen 8 or 10 walleyes before I finally pulled the camera up and put a line down that hole as well. I missed about 5 or 6 and two nice fish got off at the hole (I think they hit the bottom of the ice)...one felt like 15 or 16 and the other felt like 18 or 19. I did manage two 15s, a 16 and a 19 and I was still marking fish when I left but I had to get the kids home because it was a school night. It was VERY hard to leave however.

(Haus...you shouldn't have went home!!!)

Looks like mild weather thru most of the week.  Ice conditions and lake are in great shape with 16 to 18 inches of ice and around 4 to 8 inches of snow...you can drive just about anywhere on the lake.  All accesses are in great condition as well.

Fish On!
Two blocks south of the stop lights in downtown Glenwood
info@HabitatNOW.com

[LandDr]

I got out for a couple of hours last night before and after wsrestling practice. Dad missed what he said was a nice walleye earlier. Marked a few fish coming in but not as many as the previous night. Really started marking more fish coming in around 9 pm but I had to get the boys back for bed. I did manage two walleyes out just before I left...15 and 15.5. Boy they are fat. One of the walleyes that I cleaned yesterday had around 10 or 15 very little sunfish in the stomach. Others had shiners in them. I have gone to using the medium to small shiners to try to be more around the size of what they are eating.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Trying to learn how to post photos...if this works this will be the walleyes from the other night.

[https://www.habitatnow.com/store/images/news/walleyes 1.17.10.jpg][/img]

[LandDr]

[Tyler Rother]

Wishes I had an auger. haha, nice fish !

[LandDr]

DHunter...you're gonna have to come up with a better excuse than that!  

Any friendly fisherman on the ice will drill ya hole...maybe grease the deal with a beverage.

If nothing else, the holes are already drilled in our rental!

I think it's time to go fishing.

Fish On!

[Tyler Rother]

Yeah, I had too many run ins with unsportsmanlike people last year. I just have no time to get out this year. School and work. Weekends are for homework for the next year.  :fishing2: Just found old holes.

Maybe I'll make it up there, We'll see.


DH

[LandDr]

I had a request to post some information on our house rentals.  We actually have them listed out with prices and information at the following web site...

http://www.habitatnow.com/store/shop/shop.php

Scroll down on the right side to the bottom and you will see "Minnewaska Fish House Rental".

If you have any further questions, just give me an email or post.

Thanks!

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Sorry guys...I was out of town late last week and thru the weekend at a sport show in Rochester. For some reason the computer at the hotel would not let me on the site to give updates or answer questions. It was a good show however and I gave daily seminars on "Small Property Management for Whitetails". It is a really good seminar and will get you thinking about your property or where you hunt...I will be giving this seminar at the Deer Classic in March as well if you want to stop by. I will also be at the NW Sport Show in March but not giving seminars at that event...just a booth.

Updates...I am just getting back into the swing of things but from what I have heard so far is that if you work around you will get your sunfish...and nice sized. There is a good sunfish bite out from Lakeside now and one fella reported back that he had his limit of nice fish by 1 pm on Sat. in 14 to 16 fow.

As with all lakes in the area, and maybe the state, the late algae and zooplankton has provided a lot of late season food sources for the panfish in deeper water...probably the same thing going on with Reno. We are hoping this food source will be eaten down soon and the fish will get more active and even more into the weedlines searching for new food. Time will tell.

I will have to check with more people on the walleye bite. The core group that I fish with said they "seen" a lot of walleyes but could not get them to bite. Like I have mentioned before, the walleyes that we catch have a lot of "bait" in the bellies and often bait that was dead and most likely scavenged off the bottom. For example, my last walleye had 8 fathead "heads" and two tails in it. That could only mean it was picking thrown away heads and tails from people jigging. Kinda like Noonan's Park in Alexandria...the ducks there don't need to fly out to feed in the fields or ponds when they can just wait around and get full when people throw them food.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

If you are heading west today...temps are around 25 to 27 already with light now around here. Roads are being maintained and travel and roads look fine...just take it easy. Winds are low thru the day and should be a nice day on the ice. Conditions look similar for the rest of the weekend.

The Scouts have their fishing derby Saturday and if anyone is interested in that. They also put on a great pancake and sausage breakfest at the Senior Center on Sunday morning as a fundraiser. Pretty cheap and a great breakfest! If you are around, they would appreciate your support.

Next weekend is Winterama with many activities including the Polar Plung.

Panfish bite appears to be picking up.  Had one fella in yesterday that said he had caught 150 to 200 sunnies and kept 10 of the biggest ones for a meal.  Said he was just having fun catching them.  Out from Lakeside Ballroom is the best bite in 14 to 16 fow.  Had several reports of limits last weekend...looks like they are finally getting hungry.

Hearing more on the walleyes as well...start seeing them on the cameras @ 3pm with 5 to 7 being prime time but fish can be caught up til 9 or 10pm as well.  19 to 22 fow around School Bars and even west of Priests Point.

Check out www.HabitatNOW.com for any of your food plot seed needs as well as native grass and trees.  If you want to look at some options for your property, give me an email.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Fish On Bait and Sport
Glenwood, MN
Lake Minnewaska
320-634-3667
www.HabitatNOW.com
info@HabitatNOW.com

Just the beginning of the week report...

SNOW BUT ROADS ARE PLOWED.  Not sure how much snow we got but could be around a foot. It is light fluffy snow however so you kinda blow through it driving. I know there are several roads plowed on the lake and more being plowed so I think you should still be able to get around with not much trouble.  I think the sunfish bite has picked up out from Lakeside. I have heard from a couple of guys that catch over a hundred a day and keep 10 or so of the biggest ones. I was out yesterday in a different spot and kept a few sunnies and one big perch. I was getting a better bite using shrimp. A lot of pike would come in, harass the shiners and then swim off. They looked to have full bellies. Had an eye come in and just about take a shiner until the shiner swam around him...must have been too much work so it swam off as well. Seen a lot of sunnies down there but had to work them to get them to bite. Frustrating looking at all of those fish and they just swim off.  The access off Lakeside Ballroom is plowed and goes right out to where they are fishing the sunnies.  I will be giving seminars at the Deer Classic in March on "Small Property Management for Whitetails". I will also be at the NW Sport Show in March but not giving seminars at that event...just a booth.  We also have the "Habitat Outlet Store" well stocked with some of the most diverse and high quality food plot and native prairie seeds.  Also visit the Habitat Outlet on line at www.HabitatNOW.com for all your fall and spring habitat needs as well as our fish house rentals (view houses on-line in the Habitat Outlet Store). 
 
Fish On!

 

[HUNTER2]

Can you still get around pulling a 20' fish house?

[LandDr]

Winterama is this weekend...Saturday is the big day along with the Polar Plunge and many other activities.  It is always a lot of fun!!  Many things for the kids to do on the ice as well and the weather looks like it will be great.  Activities are held out in front of Lakeside Ballroom so the rest of the lake will not be crowded due to the event.

Schedule of Events:   

1:00 - 3:00 Poor Man's Fishing Tournamet (Registration begins at 12:00)
 
12:30  Concession Tent Opens
 
1:00 – 2:30  Ring Toss, Long Putt, Fishing Game, Turkey Bowling, Washers, Nickel Pickup
 
2:15  Snow Sculpture Contest Judging
 
2:30  Waterama’s Polar Bear Plunge
 
3:00  Prizes given out for games
 
3:15  Minnow Eating Contest
 
Saturday Night at Lakeside Ballroom, Glenwood, MN ~ 50/50 drawings each hour
   
5:00  Chili Cook-off and Fundraiser begins
 
5:00 PM-9:00PM  DJ
 
Approx. 7:15  Fireworks!!!
 
SHOULD BE FUN!!!!!

[LandDr]

Hunter2...as long as you are pulling it with a 4wd truck, I don't see a problem.  I just had a customer in commenting on how everyone works together on this lake to open roads.  He thought that was pretty cool as he doesn't see that on very many lakes.

Fish On!

[MTCOMMER]

Hunter2...as long as you are pulling it with a 4wd truck, I don't see a problem.  I just had a customer in commenting on how everyone works together on this lake to open roads.  He thought that was pretty cool as he doesn't see that on very many lakes.

Fish On!

The people of Glenwood are the nicest you will meet! 
There are pretty good roads on Minnewaska, thank god, cause with all this snow, once you stray off, good luck getting back on!

[LandDr]

Fish On Bait and Sport
Glenwood, MN
Lake Minnewaska
320-634-3667
www.HabitatNOW.com
info@HabitatNOW.com

Temps will be fairly mild all through the week and into the weekend along with low winds to keep the wind chill down.  Ice on Waska is in great shape with ice thickness into the mid to high 20 inches depending on snow cover.  I have not had any issues with any of the landings onto the lake...all are in great shape.  I also have not had any problem getting around on the lake...I have driven my 4wd Ford Escape (small car) one and off the roads without issue.  There are many plowed roads on the lake as well.  The sunfish bite is picking up.  3/4 of the people in are getting their limits of nice sunnies...I don't know what they other 1/4 are doing and why they are not catching fish!?!  Best bite is out from Lakeside Ballroom in 14 to 16 fow.  I put the camera down yesterday and immediately there were sunfish and bass all over.  And they were much more aggressive than I have seen prior.  I did scout Crappie Town and out from the DNR Landing but did not see anything.  I did not get out to Bottle Bay to scout that area but I heard some fish are being caught there.  Pike are still aggressive and found just about anywhere.  Walleyes are not being actively sought by many so not any report on those.  Stop in or contact us for current updates and fishing reports.  We also have the "Habitat Outlet Store" well stocked with some of the most diverse and high quality food plot and native prairie seeds.  Also visit the Habitat Outlet on line at www.HabitatNOW.com for all your fall and spring habitat needs as well as our fish house rentals (view houses on-line in the Habitat Outlet Store). 

Fish On...and on...and on...and on!

[LandDr]

Update on the panfish...I had two older guys from Benson in yesterday that were giving me a hard time about the panfish bite. I told them to go with small hooks and small bait...like larvae or shrimp. They wanted me to show them the hooks...so I did and each got a couple small #14 hooks (I am sold out of Scott's so I had to show them some other ones...more of Scott's on the way though) which they both laughed at how small they where and which one of the guys had the better eye sight to tie the line on.  Then they wanted me to show them the larvae and shrimp...since all they had ever fished with was wax worms. They got some white and colored larvae...but they just laughed about the shrimp. I told them "shrimp was what I got them to bite on the last time I was out". They looked at each other...laughed at my sales ability...and grabbed a container of shrimp.

One of the gusy just came back in and I asked how he did. At first he did not look happy about the shrimp...but then he smiled and told me of the experiments they ran. They watched sunfish come in and look at their wax worms and larvae...and then swim away. After a couple hours of watching this and getting frustrated, the one guy finally said he was going to try the shrimp. He said the line didn't even tighten up and the bobber already was going down. They watched the sunnies on the camera just hammer the shrimp. So to test the shrimp...they first put a larvae on the same hook...nothing, the sunnies just looked at it. Then he tried the wax worm...same results. Then they tried the shrimp again...and immediately the "cork" went down. They tried and larvae and wax worm again with no bites but finally stayed with the shrimp as the sunnies bit well on that.

It was pretty funny watching him tell me the story of their tests and their amazement of the results.

Funny stuff.

Fish On!

[LandDr]

Wow...the bite is on!  Well, at least today anyway.  But I have heard the same over the last week or so.

Went out for an hour and came back with my limit of 20 nice sunfish in the 7 to 8 ounce range with a couple a little bigger.  I only threw a half dozen back...but I am able to play for the bigger ones on the camera which helps in the selection.  A lot of bass down there as well and a few pike thru the area...one was REALLY big.

Shrimp was the ticket...they just pounded them.  I started just hooking the shrimp anywhere on the body just to get it back down there...just like the two old guys said.

I really have not been fishing panfish this year (eye fever) so this is my first limit.  Happy to have a little fish fry with Grandma soon!

Fish On!

[LandDr]

The crappie bite has been scattered...there are some folks getting into a few however. If I were to try for crappies, there are two "tight" contours in Crappie Town that I would go to.

Got a couple of eyes out in School Bar...I see them on the camera but heck if they'll bite. Nice to see them but frustrating as they would look a lot better in my pail. Maybe one more time out and then I am pulling the house in.

I did get a response back from Rep. Paul Anderson regarding extending the shelter season to March 15th for the south part of the state. (north MN already has that) He liked the idea and is checking into it. Do an internet search for him to get his email...send him an email in support and maybe we can keep some houses on the lakes for a little longer...the ice is certainly in great shape!

Panfish have been really steady out from Lakeside. My son and I went out on Sunday and brought home about 30 really nice ones...most where 8 to 10 with many 9 to 10...but kept a couple a little less than 8 as well. That was enough to clean. There were fish all over the camera steady. Some really big pike as well but they would have nothing to do with my sucker minnows. Spear guys are doing pretty good out there however.

I tried the larvae and could not get the gills to bite so I stuck with shrimp and that worked great. I have some that come in and report they did fine with larvae and others that have the same report as me...they would just look at the larvae but would nail the shrimp. You will have to see what works for you. Small jigs were definately a must with #14 being the most popular...not really a color but pink/white did seem to work a little better for me but I wouldn't say it was a make or break thing.  I have medium sized shrimp in as well as some large shrimp now...I think I still like the medium size however.

I have had many people ask what time is the best bite. I have not fished the morning so I don't really know...I have always gone out after noon. But Chad from Ken's Bait was up early on Saturday and expressed they caught a few smaller gills early but the bite picked up around 10am and I had expected as well. However, come early if you want to try for some of the early feeding pike.

Fish On!
two blocks south of the stop lights in down town Glenwood