Hotspotoutdoors

was out today from 11:00 to 4:00 on a local lake. managed three eyes on the day but none over 15". caught on hornets and one on the jig and leech. 4-8' of water. father-in-law did catch a pig northern to top it off, probably went close to ten lbs. oh yea, the sheephead bit is also happenin....

Riverrat. I believe we may have hit the same lake as you, only last evening. 2 of us kept 4 for a meal, but caught or lost many more. Same tactics. Small cranks in 6' to 9'. Call me if you want to hit it tomorrow or sunday. May try it tomorrow afternoon alone if I don't hear from anyone.

The walleye bite in this area can't get a whole lot better than it is RIGHT NOW! Get out and enjoy it. I'm going to take my wife and daughter for a trip tomorrow evening. They're looking forward to it.

Riverrat56, as always, it was fun. See you tomorrow.

fishingguy, I don't know if I have your number anymore, I'm at work all day today and tomorrow so stop down if you get a chance, we can work something out for tonight or tomorrow.

I am working on my uncles boat and get to use it in return. I would like to get on a lake with a bite that can keep me and the kid entertained. Maybe a mix of crappie or white bass and some pike or tigers?

Went to orchard earlier in a the week. What a zoo of skiboat activity and "ramp rage"...

Maybe Mazaska, Cannon Lake or German Lake? I have not fished those before so maybe try something new?

Riverrat, sorry didn't get back to you. Fished hard from 3 until 8. And threw every color I had in the box at'em. But could only manage 3 today. 2 16" and 1 20". All came on a #4 metalic and blue hornet. Did see a couple other boats landed a couple with live bait, lindy's and spinners. I'll stop by in the morning. I'll have to add a few more cranks to the box I guess! HEHE!

South Central MN Weekly Fishing Report, 7-6-09

Whew! Yet another holiday weekend in the books. The weather was great, lakes were busy and fish were hungry! The walleyes have continued biting on their torrid pace of last week. In fact, I think the bite has gotten even stronger. Just as what's been described in the South Central forum July 2009 "Tip of the Month", speed is crucial right now and not on the slow side either. The most active fish continue to be those hanging near skinny water in 4 - 6' of water but they are more focused now on bottle necks and pinch points. The best way I can describe these areas is that they're places on a lake where the fish have to go through but don't necessarily want to. Speed trolling crankbaits like #4 Salmo Hornets and #5 Shad Raps at 2.8 - 4.0 mph only ~40 - 45' back has and probably will continue to be the ticket. Again, the fish are just crushing this presentation if given different looks of trolling speed and/or lure direction. Your trolling pattern should not be a straight line; mix it up! Sad to say but casting and pitching has taken a backseat this open water season. Ha! But there are still fish to be caught in ultra-shallow, it's just that low light and abundant food is needed. The deeper bite is still worth a look if things aren't working elsewhere but be sure you're fishing slow. When deeper (i.e. 12+'), focus on transition areas and/or rocks. 18 - 24' of water is a good depth range for starting your search. In all actuality, the fish using the deeper water should become more and more active as the summer wears along.

When targeting crappies and 'gills, search both large and small flats near gravel and sand to mud transitions or on outside weedlines. Some of the better presentations this past week continue to be tube jigs and hair jigs but don't be afraid to go after the better quality fish just as if you were fishing walleyes in deeper water. Also, it's getting to be that time of year, where some of the better quality pan fish in the area lakes will start suspending right under the water's surface over main lake and secondary basins. Look for this pattern to really take off come mid-July and into August...

Jamison is spot on the the crankbait bite. Today I hit a lake and foscused on the narrow pinch points with a Salmo hornet. I fished from 4-6fow. Trolled from 2.9 t0 3.5 mph.

These fish would slam the Salmo. I fished under terrible conditions as I was fishing in bright sunlight, from 11am t0 3pm.

Its nice to catch a nice mess of 16-19 eyes and a couple nice ones in the heat of the day. All my eyes came when the sun went under a few clouds and when the sun came back out, the fish quit until the next cloud cover came again.

Thanks for the great tip TO.

Well, here is a nice green one we picked up today - got a few nice ones - beautiful day to be out...

Nice to hear it's happening on multiple lakes. Nice work Tom!

I guess I am kind of ignorant on the bottlenecks/pinch points. I assume you mean areas like the narrows at madison?

Correct. The spot I have been working is where it really narrows down in the width of the lake. One could also call it a funnel.

Just curious guys, are you trolling with electric or outboards?

I'm using my outboard. Today I was out this am and picked up another 5 eater eyes trolloing a #4 Salmo Hornet and a smaller Shad Rap. I went a bit slower today at approx 2.75mph and fish around 5.5ft.

Seems like my Salmos start snagging buttom and pulling up weeds around 7 feet deep. I am using fireline 6lb dia and running about 2.9 mph. Any ideas ? let out more line ?

Thx !

I was touching bottom with a #4 going 3mph. That was in 6fow.

I am also using braided line. Yes, I pull my lure up every so often to clean the weeds off. Thats where the eyes were so thats where I pulled my Salmo through.

I just dealt with the weeds as it was working.

Outboard for me.

How much line do you have out when snagging bottom in 7' at 2.90 mph?

Nice to see you on the water, No bait. Nice to see your Dad again.
Ben and I ended up picking up six northern between 24-28" and a couple sheepies of course. Went to the area you suggested and found the pike but no eyes.
Now that you know where the cabin is, if you see my boat or Jeep at the cabin, stop in.
Don't know if I'll be out this weekend yet.
TK

I was thinking either there isn't much for weeds or their ripping through them, that's what we are doing pitching for bass with rattle traps. Usually hit on the pause. L2f

I do not have a line counter but guess around 20-25 yards ?

First of all find a lake with little or no weeds. You can not troll in 6 FOW when the weeds go out to 7-12 deep.

It is good to make contact with the bottom. Just ticking the bottom when you go over humps or troll along the shore line and slowly move shallower until you make contact with the bottom then move deeper untill you break contact.


This year I have had a hard time with moss fouling my lures as I tick the bottom. So I've been trolling swimbait with some luck. The key is find a lake where you can troll 6-8 FOW without being in the weeds.

This weekend is Carp weekend for me to prepair for the next GTG.

I am sporting an older two-stroke that isn't the quietest motor on the lake, I know alot of you are probably using newer 4strokes that are not nearly as loud. I dont know if that is why I am not catching as many fish trolling as I am casting so I have been just sticking with what is working. I am also running with alot of line out to try to help the cause, maybe 100'? tough guess because of no line counter. Any opinions or suggestions?

TK, it was also fun to run into ya again. no better place then on the lake. Glad to hear i didn't send ya into the dead sea also. it would be fun to get out some day when you two are out again and really get into them. until then good luck.

You know - many years ago, I read an article about noise and boat motors, and they claimed that most outboards are as quiet or more quiet than the bow mounts. I wish I could remember where I read that - but it struck me.

I wouldn't worry about your two stroke put-putting out there - just try to be quiet when you come next to my ultra-quiet Suzuki tiller - heheh!!!

Has anyone been to Elysian recently? I was thinking about trying it this weekend, but I have never fished it. Any tips on where to start on the lake?