Lawrence Lake

I just got back from a drive down to Lawrence Lake. Looks like the ice is too thin. One guy was getting back in his truck as I drove by. The Marina was empty too. Shouldn’t be too long now.

A friend of mine in Winona went out and checked some of the backwaters there yesterday afternoon. Most spots have an inch or so of ice, with some patches of open water remaining. If the weather forecast is right, there should be some good ice by Monday morning.

they were fishing visgers landing 1 mile north of New Albin
last night (12-15-04)

I heard that a few guys were out on McNally landing by Winona this afternoon–can’t confirm it. I might make a drive from Winona to Brownsville Saturday morning to see what conditions are like. The cold is supposed to get there that night, so Sunday should see some good ice.

Thanks for the update Blue, I’m going to give it a shot down there Monday morning.

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they were fishing visgers landing 1 mile north of New Albin
last night (12-15-04)

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Those guys that fish Visgers think they can walk on water….

Actually, that bay has had ice on it since just after Thanksgiving. I’m waiting to get to Hayshore. Impatiently waiting………

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Actually, that bay has had ice on it since just after Thanksgiving.

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Visgers “had” ice after Thanksgiving, but then it all went away until this week. 7 people there again last night. Always good fishin’ there early ice.

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Visgers “had” ice after Thanksgiving….

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Hence the walk on water comment.

I’ll take Pigpen and Hayshore over Visgers anyday.

Update—AmWatson just called and said there are guys fishing the upper lake. At last, the ice season is taking shape.

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I’ll take Pigpen and Hayshore over Visgers anyday.

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with the upcoming forecast “anyday” may not be to far off!
I don’t have a Mn. license this year so I’ll have to stay south of the border till march. Minnesota slough only had 1/2″ of ice on it wedensday. I don’t know how long it will be before one can walk across it (chord wood, sheephead,fish lake). I don’t think my balls are large enough to float me!

I drove from Wabasha to Brownsville this afternoon–here is what I found. There is about 3.5″ of ice at the Dike Road across from Wabasha, but not much was hitting there. The Airport backwaters in Winona are partially open, and I doubt very much that they will be ready tomorrow–I got some bad info. on them yesterday. A couple of guys were fishing along the road above McNally landing. No one was at the boat ramp there, but some people had drilled holes in the ice. There were two guys fishing off the docks at Minnesota City Boat Harbor–I couldn’t see any sign that people had gone out on the ice. There was no one along the Dike Road going out to Prairie Island, and I couldn’t see that anyone has tried it. There were six or eight guys out on the north end of Lawrence Lake, but no one by the marina. I am going to hit Lawrence in the morning.

I fished Lawrence Lake yesterday morning. I had no luck with panfish, and only saw one nice bluegill taken. Tip-ups worked better–I got a 34″ Northern, and six bass. The largest bass was 18″, and would have made for a great photo and release. Problem was, I caught her at about 8:30 in the morning, when it was still very cold. Happy to have a large fish, I dragged her out on the ice while I reached for my pliers and camera. That is OK when it is thirty out, but not -5. I thought of that almost right away, but not until her eyes and gills frosted up. I’ve been told that once a fish’s eyes freeze, they are blind, and I am sure freezing their gills doesn’t do any good, either. So, I kept that fish–it is the first largemouth or smallmouth I have kept in years. After that, I left fish in the hole until I had the pliers in hand to release them right in the water. None of the bass I caught after that were as large as her. If the roads are clear enough, I am going back to Lawrence tomorrow morning.

How much ice. Thanks
Art

On Sunday there was 3.5″ to 4″ of ice on the north end of Lawrence Lake. No one was fishing down by the marina. I may head over there tomorrow to try my luck again.

I live in Welch and was thinking of making a drive south tomorrow.Is anything going on at Lawrence or maybe the airport in Winona?Worth the drive or should I switch directions and go north?
Mike

I was fishing the airport backwaters in Goodview yesterday. I caught all the sunfish I could want, and kept ten of them. I also got a couple of bass and a hammer handle on tip-ups. I am going back there tomorrow morning. There is about 4″ of ice out towards the island west of the landing–be careful close to the ramp.

I fished Lawrence on Wednesday and Thursday, but didn’t get much. Don’t know if I will be back there again or not.

Fished Lawrence today (11-2) and didnt catch a lot but the ones I did catch were in the 7-9 inch range so it was worth it. Guys are doing pretty good on tip ups for pike and bass. it was a beautiful day out!!

Glad to hear you got into some fish . We were thinking about hitting it tomorrow sometime.

We got to L.Lake this morning around 7:45-8a.m…There were a few people out already….so we made the long haul to that general area and setup camp. Most of the fish seemed to be working the weed edge in about 5-6ft. of Water. Watson had the hot hand today, as his fish count was near 40 or so. Lots of medium size fish, but He did manage a few nice Bull Gills and a nice crappie. The bite completely died around 11:30…Here is Mike And JohnL with the few we ended up keeping. (only kept the pike cause it was gut hooked )

Black and perch colored jigs seemed to be the hot ticket..

Mike got this Bass before we had even put all the tip ups in the water…This was one of Two caught on the day.

John got his first fish ever on a tip up w/this Pike. Nice Job John

Like I said b4, Watson had the hot hand today….and i was a complete waste …. I caught a total of 4 fish today…2 pike on tip-ups, and two dink blue gills Here is one of the pike

Good report. Hey, seldom can the cameraman catch fish AND take photos. Any sign of Blue and his Pop sneaking around?

Blue is stuck baby sitting today and tomorrow, so he’s not out….not sure about his pop though??

Herb..We’ll probably head back to Lawrence this weekend and try that spot

One thing about it, if that spot is a bummer you don’t have far to go to load up and drive back to the north.