2023 MN Season Thread

[gimruis]

4 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

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.

I normally fish the eastern basin but if there is a hot bite somewhere over there I would consider it.

[MN Fisher]

On 5/1/2023 at 12:34 PM, gimruis said:

I may head out there an afternoon this week to do some pre-fishing.

Well don't try the west end - I had a big, fat skunk riding my arse today.

 

On the up side - old max speed 17-18mph - new top speed 25mph...and she planes better too.

[gimruis]

18 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Well don't try the west end - I had a big, fat skunk riding my arse today.

 

On the up side - old max speed 17-18mph - new top speed 25mph...and she planes better too.

I did pretty well this morning. I tried 3 spots, 2 of them were not very good. But the third spot had some quality sized slabs. Not the monster 15 inchers I’m desperate for, but I caught about 25 in the 10 - 12.5 inch range. So at least I have a plan for the contest on Saturday. I also saw a big muskie swim by too.

 

They aren’t in super shallow quite yet. I backed off a little deeper and marked some fish in the 6-10 foot range. I also spotted a underwater tree on side scan that held some fish too. I released all of them. I could definitely see that some of them are ready to spawn with their bulbous bellies.

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

They aren’t in super shallow quite yet. I backed off a little deeper and marked some fish in the 6-10 foot range.

I tried four different spots - saw fish in 8-10' on DS and went after them....obviously they either didn't want what I was throwing or they knew it was me and were giving me a big, old raspberry.

 

Those there are eating size, man....they would have ended up in my livewell.

[gimruis]

49 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I tried four different spots - saw fish in 8-10' on DS and went after them....obviously they either didn't want what I was throwing or they knew it was me and were giving me a big, old raspberry.

 

Those there are eating size, man....they would have ended up in my livewell.

It was such a nice day out there I honestly didn’t even need to catch anything to enjoy it. We haven’t had many days like this so far this spring.

[MN Fisher]

MN-DNR is now asking for public opinion on possibly expanding the Bass C&R season back to March 1. This would mean no more closed season for Bass, though keeping of Bass (for those of us who practice selective harvest) would remain closed from Feb 28 to Memorial Weekend.

 

https://engage.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries-public-input-wildlife-public-input/survey_tools/proposed-bass-catch-and-release-season

[gimruis]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

MN-DNR is now asking for public opinion on possibly expanding the Bass C&R season back to March 1. This would mean no more closed season for Bass, though keeping of Bass (for those of us who practice selective harvest) would remain closed from Feb 28 to Memorial Weekend.

 

https://engage.dnr.state.mn.us/fisheries-public-input-wildlife-public-input/survey_tools/proposed-bass-catch-and-release-season

 

This actually could happen.  Not sure it would be next year, but maybe in 2025.  Minnesota and Maine are the only two states that still have a completely closed bass season.  The closure here has nothing to do with protecting their spawning season, because that occurs later in May or in June.  All they're doing is protecting the sacred walleye.  They don't want people "bass fishing for walleyes."

 

Most years, I am not sure how much more time it would even give us to bass though.  Let's take Lake Minnetonka as an example.  April 13 is average ice out date.  Normal opener would be May 13.  I for one would not be bass fishing right after ice out.  I need to see it get close to about 50 degree water temp first.  And that just occurred when I was out there 3 days ago.

 

Using an even bigger, northerly lake like Mille Lacs.  Average ice out date there isn't until April 25.   The ice is now gone there as of yesterday, so even if you wanted to fish out there before May 13, it would only be a few days.

 

Then go further north.  You get the point.  If it passes, great.  If it doesn't, no big deal to me.

[Fishin Dad]

16 hours ago, gimruis said:

 

This actually could happen.  Not sure it would be next year, but maybe in 2025.  Minnesota and Maine are the only two states that still have a completely closed bass season.  The closure here has nothing to do with protecting their spawning season, because that occurs later in May or in June.  All they're doing is protecting the sacred walleye.  They don't want people "bass fishing for walleyes."

 

Most years, I am not sure how much more time it would even give us to bass though.  Let's take Lake Minnetonka as an example.  April 13 is average ice out date.  Normal opener would be May 13.  I for one would not be bass fishing right after ice out.  I need to see it get close to about 50 degree water temp first.  And that just occurred when I was out there 3 days ago.

 

Using an even bigger, northerly lake like Mille Lacs.  Average ice out date there isn't until April 25.   The ice is now gone there as of yesterday, so even if you wanted to fish out there before May 13, it would only be a few days.

 

Then go further north.  You get the point.  If it passes, great.  If it doesn't, no big deal to me.

I usually head to northern Iowa and move fishing the pre-spawn. Best chance at a big bass.  I hope we open it in Minnesota.   There are some years when ice out is early as well.  A couple weeks gives you a chance at the best fish of the year.  

[gimruis]

1 hour ago, Fishin Dad said:

A couple weeks gives you a chance at the best fish of the year.  

I agree, prespawn fish are the biggest fish of the season, followed second by fish in the fall.  I think they will still be prespawn this coming Saturday on opener.  At least around me and to the north they will be.  The warmest temp I observed during the contest was 55.4 degrees.  Don't think it will rise another 10+ degrees by opener here.

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

The warmest temp I observed during the contest was 55.4 degrees

Emerald and Seton were at 57 when I was out...but being the two smallest basins in the Tonka chain, they usually warm up faster.

[Fishin Dad]

13 hours ago, gimruis said:

I agree, prespawn fish are the biggest fish of the season, followed second by fish in the fall.  I think they will still be prespawn this coming Saturday on opener.  At least around me and to the north they will be.  The warmest temp I observed during the contest was 55.4 degrees.  Don't think it will rise another 10+ degrees by opener here.

Yeah I agree.  I also find pre spawn fish to be way more eager to bite and not very educated after the winter break they get (i.e. easier to catch).   We found water temps in north Iowa to be 61 degrees over the weekend.  Bite was better a week ago.  Pre spawn has moved to the spawn it seemed.  

[FryDog62]

My award for finishing a distant 31st in last year’s charity tournament - is to be one of the poster boys for this year’s event. My 2 seconds of fame for being an extraordinarily average angler. Team “Earth, Wind and Fryer” are teed up to break the top 30 this year or bust! 

[gimruis]

9 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

My award for finishing a distant 31st in last year’s charity tournament

Is that guy on the left holding a...rock bass?!

[MN Fisher]

10 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Is that guy on the left holding a...rock bass?!

Sure looks like one...

[FryDog62]

32 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Is that guy on the left holding a...rock bass?!

Yes, it’s 3 largest bass…. But you get a “Bonus” of weighing one rocky too.  It was Ron Lindner’s favorite fish and in his honor, they added it as an extra weight opportunity. The tournament is on Gull with at least 5 billion rock bass, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to catch one and realize after weigh in and it’s too late. That extra pound can move you several places! 

[gimruis]

11 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

But you get a “Bonus” of weighing one rocky too.

 

[FryDog62]

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

"Fish on, its a bonus rocky!" said no one ever, except Fryer in this specific tournament.

 

I actually think Ron didn’t like rock bass, but actually caught a lot of them incidentally. Out of his frustration grew the idea to keep one as a bonus. Red-Eyes forever!! 

[gimruis]

1 minute ago, FryDog62 said:

I actually think Ron didn’t like rock bass, but actually caught a lot of them incidentally. Out of his frustration grew the idea to keep one as a bonus. Red-Eyes forever!! 

Hard to imagine anyone actually like them to be honest.  But its actually kind of a neat twist to the event in his honor.  What's next, bonus snot rockets?

[MN Fisher]

54 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Hard to imagine anyone actually like them to be honest. 

My mom - she thought Rockies were great tasting...so when I fished Bemidji and lakes in that area, I'd always make sure to bring some home for her.

[Pogues2300]

Good luck to everyone getting out this weekend!

[Deephaven]

On 5/9/2023 at 9:33 AM, MN Fisher said:

Emerald and Seton were at 57 when I was out...but being the two smallest basins in the Tonka chain, they usually warm up faster.

Seton showed 65 on the Phoenix today.  Couldn't get a bite on it, but that was after rain and the front shut everything off.  Before that in the two hours landed a just under 5, a 4 and a few in the threes.  Main lake was up over 60.

[MN_Bassin24]

I was too crunched for time to get my kayak out, so I went shore fishing at an ol' reliable nearby lake. Got skunked on Saturday because I could only go when the wind was gusting 20+ mph, but got 10 today with most of them over 12" but none over 14". I lost a 3lb when it jumped clear out of the water. I was just doing my favorite opener combo, a spinning rod with a weightless TX rig and a casting rod with a chatterbait. 9 fish on the senko, 1 on the chatterbait. Instead of fishing straight green braid on my spinning rod this year, I switched to yellow braid and a fluoro leader. I felt like, at least today, the invisible fluorocarbon helped get more bites and I could see the line jump when the bass took the bait much better with yellow braid. I like it so far. I'm using Seaguar basix and it did just fine today, I really hope it continues to perform well because it is very budget friendly when used for leaders. Here are some pictures, hopefully the kayak comes out next weekend.

[Standard]

Had a pretty good weekend up north chasing smallies.  Saturday was actually the better fishing day, pretty consistent catches throughout.  The rain was fine but the wind, especially on Saturday, was something else.  Much nicer on Sunday, but I took home a good sunburn.  Water temps started around 56* and warmed to 60* or so both days.

 

Jerkbait was the winner overall, with a trolled flicker shad a close second.  The jerkbait drew some really aggressive strikes.  Even managed a few on topwaters Saturday.   Got them in anywhere from 2' of water to 15' while trolling, they seemed pretty scattered.  

[MN_Bassin24]

Got out for an hour this morning, same lake as Sunday's trip, and shore fishing again. Got 5 in an hour, which is pretty dang good for me. All on the weightless senko again. Two biggest were 14" and 15", respectively picture below. Water is still pretty cold, I'm pretty sure we're still in pre-spawn and the really big girls will be coming into bedding areas soon. I'm itching very badly to get my kayak out!! Saturday mid-morning after work should be fine, the wind is supposed to die down that day. I'll have to pick out a less popular location to avoid the pressure, probably will try a 10 acre pond nearby.

[gimruis]

I did very well yesterday targeting smallmouth on Mille Lacs.  I posted some photos in the latest pics thread.  The water temp is still only 49 degrees up there.  Caught the smallmouth (and several accidental walleyes) on a perch colored jerk bait in 4-8 feet of water.