SmallBlockMuscle

Went Saturday AM. A buddy and I got 6 each, most were small with the largest being 16". 10 were on senko or bandito bug and 2 were on a spinnerbait. The wind was relentless so it made it tough in a small aluminum boat. I'm not sure if it's my imagination but the weeds and milfoil seem way worse already than last year. In the past two weeks its gotten so thick with milfoil that nothing gets through and casts are wasted in the first foot.

Overtons has buy 5 packs of senkos get 25% off and then you can apply their FLASH35 35% off on top.

Went out Saturday 6-11am, caught 12 with the biggest three being right at 3.5#. They had all spawned out so they were good body size but light. Texas rig craw and weightless senko were the ticket. Caught a couple out at 7 feet but most were still in 2-3 feet. The vegetation is growing very fast and already seems to be further out than last year just not as thick yet.

Went out Saturday from 6am to noon. I caught a couple right away on a square bill in the 2 pound range and then that bite stopped. Switched to a chatterbait and worked that mainly the rest of the day and caught 8 on it with the largest being 3.33#. I was working it like a jig and not a constant retrieve. My buddy used a t rig bandito bug and caught 8 mainly in the 2.5# range. The bites were pretty lazy compared to a couple weeks ago. Everything was caught in 1-4 feet, water temps started at 56 and rose to 60 by noon in the shallows.

I like watching even with the small fish / big numbers. Mike iaconelli drives me nuts but the rest of them are fun to watch

Check out the Minnesota fishing report thread in Central region

Started out with jerk baits and got a few between 1.5-2.5. Switched to a red/white lipless and a green square bill and slammed them from about 8am-2:30pm. I was expecting a slow day and slow presentations and they were smackin the square bill extremely hard. Ended up with 20 with 4 being 4-5#. Couldn't get a bite on a senko which I figured I would need to work most of the day. Most of the catches were 1-4 fow with a few being out closer to 7-8 fow. We only had a few northern so I actually didnt lose any lures to them which is a nice change!

Thanks for the replies. I will work in the advice, hoping the wind isnt too bad.

Anybody want to share any early season tips that have worked in the past around the metro area? Hoping to get out for a few hours Saturday and haven't fished this early in a long time.

No lowrance in my price range is included lol

Well that just cost me $200 thanks for sharing. Saved 125 bucks

Crystal Bay was the only bay I saw with ice this morning. Its not solid but just a moving mass of chunks. Should be gone today I would think.

The wind is opening minnetonka up more, quite a bit more open water this morning than yesterday afternoon. This weather is incredibly depressing

Just saw this picture posted on the Lund facebook page.

Was out Saturday 7:30am to 3pm and crushed them. Caught one 4.5, and two 5s to go along with over 40 others, many of which were in the 3# range. Started out with a KVD square bill and caught about 10 until a northern sawed it off. Switched to a terminator spinner bait and the bite was on big time. All in all I think the count was 43 bass and 15 northern. Water temp was 53

I fished El Salto about 18 years ago and it was insane. We only fished one day (it was an impulse fishing trip during a different vacation) and it got to the point where if you reeled in without a fish it seemed weird. Average fish was about 4# and we got quite a few in the 8-10 range. I'd love to go back, have fun and stay safe!

I sure hope so! This weather is depressing, totally skipped the mid 60s and sunny fall days

I'm heading out Saturday morning. Not quite sure yet what I am going to go with. I've had the best luck with square bills lately

Same thing happened to my brand new Vendetta. Their response to me is MIA, did you call or email?

Went out Saturday AM on a smaller west metro lake, water temps were 54-56. One miss on a buzzbait early and then caught 6 between 9-11 am on square bill cranks around 8 fow. Left around 11 because we were absolutely frozen lol. I need better gloves, any recommendations? I don't do well with gloves that have no feeling so I try to stay as thin as possible but then I freeze.

I'll be heading out Saturday AM. Supposed to be in the 40s! Any tips? I havent been out in a couple weeks

Went out yesterday 6am-11am and hammered them on a Spro lil john again. Zero top water action early and immediately started catching them on the spro after switching. Me and my buddy caught 20+ fish including two right around 5#. Lots of smalls as well. Of course lots of pike to deal with but did get a 36" that was fun to fight.

Ditch the spiderwire too

Another small west metro outing Saturday AM. Top water and spinner baits were non existent but I caught 8 bass from 8" to 19" on a Spro Lil Jon. Good advice to get one from this site. They were all in 6-12 fow. Also caught 12 pike (which I hate catching) and had something hit it so hard it pulled my rod out of my hand. Might have been a muskie as I saw a monster swimming in the shallows soon after. The pads and weeds have significantly shrunk towards shore in just a few days.

I went Saturday and then again yesterday. Both days starting at sun up and fished for around 4 1/2 hours. Two small lakes in the West Metro and the whopper plopper caught most of the fish. From 6-8:30 the top water bite was great, yesterday I pulled a few out after 8:30 on a spinner bait. Didnt do any cranking yesterday. All the fish were in 4-6'. Had to deal with a lot of pike as well which gets old and lost me a plopper later yesterday.