Floating Water Bridge And Lake Situation

Outdoor News LAKE MILLE LACS EAST The lake is ice-free and a few crappies have started showing up in the bays and boat harbors. The bite has been limited although Twin Bay and Izaty’s Harbor are worth checking in three to six feet of water with small jigs and minnows.

WEST The ice went out Sunday. That’s the good news. But there isn’t much fishing to report with the exception of a few crappies in the harbors. Most people are waiting for the Walleye season to begin or fishing smaller lakes in the area for panfish.

Lake of the Woods The sturgeon bite has been very good throughout the Rainy River.

Even though the water has muddied a bit the fish are hitting crawlers and minnows. The northern pike and smallmouth bass action also has been strong in the river.

LEECH LAKE AREA Most of the small area lakes and the bays and narrows of Leech Lake are ice-free. The main-lake ice is limited on Leech and should be completely out by this weekend. There hasn’t been any panfish action reported, but most anglers have just started hitting the shallow bays.

LAKE MINNETONKA The crappie bite has been sporadic, but look to the green milfoil in 12 feet for the bigger fish. Water temperatures have dropped so the crappies have moved deeper. Look for sunfish in six feet in the small bays with waxworms. Once it warms, these fish should move back in the shallow bays.

RAINY LAKE The ice is going out quickly. There’s still a lot of ice on the main lake, but many of the bays have opened. The ice on the big part of the lake seems to dwindle every day and what’s there is floating and moving with the wind. There shouldn’t be any ice issues by opening day.

LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH The ice that remains is being pushed by the wind. As of Tuesday morning, the lake was about half open so with any amount of wind or rain it could be completely open by this weekend.

TWIN CITIES METRO NORTHEAST METRO The crappie and sunfish bite continues to improve each day in shallow water. Look to lakes such as Big Carnelian and White Bear for crappies, while Cannon Lake and Demonterville Lake are giving up mixed bags of sunfish and crappies. There’s also been a good crappie bite in the marinas throughout the St. Croix River.

WEST METRO There are panfish being caught, but the bigger crappies and sunfish haven’t shown up. Most reports are coming from less than six feet of water on lakes such as Auburn, Steiger, Bavaria, and Minnewashta. Nightcrawlers and minnows have started turning catfish in the Crow River.

LAKE WACONIA Crappies and sunfish are biting in five to 12 feet. The best spot has been between the two marinas in about nine feet. The swimming beach area and Reinkie’s Bay also are worth noting in slightly shallower water. Small jigs and waxies or minnows are best.

ALEXANDRIA AREA The ice went out last week so most people have just started fishing for panfish in the shallow water. Look to the bays on Lake Miltona, Lobster Lake, and Lake Mary to be the first spots that give up crappies and sunfish in between four and six feet of water.

ANNANDALE AREA You’ll find crappies and sunfish in the three- to six-foot bays and channels on Clearwater Lake, Sugar Lake, Lake Sylvia, Cedar Lake, Pelican Lake, and the Lake Marie Chain. FluFlus tipped with minnows and waxworms are working best during the afternoon hours.

The turkey season is going well with about 30 birds registered.

Most hunters report seeing plenty of birds throughout the area.

BATTLE LAKE The ice went out last Friday, but the water remains cool. The panfish bite has been limited to mainly sunfish in the shallows of Stalker Lake, Hancock Lake, Rush Lake, and South Turtle Lake. Once the water warms the bays, Clitherall Lake, Bass Lake, and Blanche Lake should give up crappies.

BEMIDJI AREA The small lakes are open and the big lakes only had floating ice early in the week. By this weekend, the area should be ice-free.

The crappies have yet to be found in shallow water, but look to the bays on Rabideau Lake, Midge Lake, and Hennepin Lake to be the first spots that produce panfish.

BLACKDUCK AREA The lakes are open and most anglers have started trying the shallow bays. The bite was pretty limited early in the week, but work those shallow lakes such as Gull and Turtle River for crappies by this weekend.

BRAINERD/NISSWA AREA The panfish bite has been decent and consists of mainly crappies. The Bar Harbor Channel on Gull Lake, the Merrifield end of North Long Lake, and the bay on Pelican Lake have been most consistent in shallow water. Tube jigs or FluFlus tipped with minnows are working best.

CHISAGO AREA Crappies and sunfish remain active in four to 10 feet on most lakes. Leading the way this week for size and numbers are South Center Lake, Chisago Lake, North Center Lake, South Lindstrom Lake, and North Lindstrom Lake. Small jigs tipped with waxworms and minnows are working best.

CROSBY AREA The ice is gone and the panfish have just started showing up in the shallows. Work the small lakes first and concentrate on the sun exposed shorelines and bays. Lakes to look at over the next week include Little Rabbit, Mahnomen, Clinker, Black Hoof, and Perry.

CROSSLAKE AREA Anglers are starting to find crappies in the small, shallow bays and channels. Warmer water temperatures are needed before the bite improves. Try small jigs tipped with minnows or waxworms under a float in four to eight feet.

CUSHING AREA Crappies have moved into the shallow, mud-covered bays on Fish Trap Lake and Lake Alexander. The bite just started and should continue to improve as the water warms. Small jigs and minnows are working best on these lakes in less than six feet of water.

DETROIT LAKES There are crappies and sunfish biting in the shallow bays, but a few days of bright, warm weather would help improve the consistency and size of these fish. Look to lakes Melissa, Sallie, Floyd, and Big Detroit at the present time in four to six feet.

Duluth AREA The ice went out late last week and a few crappies have started hitting on Island Lake and Fish Lake in shallow water areas. Spawn sacs or yarn-tied hooks are producing Kamloops and steelhead in the Lester River, Kamloops in the French River, and steelhead in the Knife River.

GRAND MARAIS AREA There’s still a lot of ice on all lakes and there’s plenty of snow in the woods as well. Some of the shorelines have started pulling away, but it will be at least another week to 10 days before fishing open water is an option.

HACKENSACK AREA The lakes have all opened so the shallow panfish bite should start within the week. Some anglers have started hitting the bays on lakes such as Birch, Pleasant, and Ten Mile with little or no crappie and sunfish success. A couple days of warm weather should improve water temperatures and the bite.

LAKE VERMILION The ice went out early this week throughout the lake. Lake temperatures remain cool, but the crappies should start making their way to the bays soon. Black Bay is probably the best place to look over the next week, as are most similar shallow bays.

McGREGOR AREA The ice went out late last week so the crappies should start moving shallow during the coming days. So far, the bite has been very limited, but anglers have started working the shallow bays on Lake Minnewawa and Big Sandy Lake, which are typically the first spots that produce fish.

ORTONVILLE AREA The walleye bite is improving on Big Stone Lake. The majority of the fish are coming off the South Dakota side from Mallard Point and areas north. A few walleyes have been caught around the islands as well. A jig and minnow is working best along the shorelines in less than five feet. The north end of Lake Traverse also has produced walleyes in shallow water.

PARK RAPIDS AREA Crappie action has picked up for shore fishermen on the north end of Long Lake and the Fish Hook River. Straight Lake and the Crow Wing Chain are worth checking at some point during the next week as well. Sunfish action has been limited to a few fish that are mixed in with the crappies.

Red Lake There wasn’t much ice left on the lake early this week. The shorelines are all open and the ice that remains is floating and going out quickly. Look for the crappies to start showing up in the shallow harbors and channels within the next few days.

RED WING AREA Hair jigs and fatheads are producing walleyes and saugers in 12 to 15 feet below the dam on the Mississippi River. There also have been fish taken on jigs and plastics in shallower water. On Lake Pepin, trolling crankbaits is producing a walleye/sauger mix in 12 to 18 feet.

ST. CLOUD/EDEN VALLEY AREA The culverts, bays, and shallow channels throughout the area are producing good numbers of sunfish and crappies. Better lakes this week have been Cedar Island, Horseshoe, Grand, Koronis, and Long in three to six feet. The turkey season has been excellent with nothing but good reports coming in.

SAUK CENTRE AREA The shallow panfish action is just getting started. Look to the bays on lakes such as Big Birch, Sauk, Lilly, Fairy, and Long Bridge to start producing fish in three to six feet.

STARBUCK AREA Crappies and sunfish continue to be found in the shallows of Lake Minnewaska. Small jigs tipped with waxworms or minnows are working during the day in Fish Hatchery Bay on the Glenwood end and in the marina on the Starbuck side of the lake.

WATERVILLE AREA Look for crappies in the lagoon and off Best Point on Lake Tetonka or on Lake Francis in less than six feet of water. A few sunfish started showing up in these areas as well. Bullhead anglers are finding good numbers of fish at the sawmill on German Lake.

WILLMAR AREA The north end of Lake Andrew and Dogfish Bay on Diamond Lake are providing steady panfish action. The shallows of lakes Florida, Nest, Elkhorn, and Green also have kicked out sunfish and crappies, but not as consistently.

Tags: Floating Water Bridge