Two feet on two west Metro lakes so it will be awhile yet.
Had a good two feet up on Chisago/South Lindstrom over the weekend. Still a fair number of people driving on area lakes, but I opted to walk anyway.
Generally a pretty safe bet to start looking to shallow, dark bottom bays as a good starting point for ice out gills/crappies. Water temp is the key…any place you can find warmer water. I prefer to use a fly rod with a spinning reel and 4# line. Usually using a float with an assortment of small jigs (i.e. flu flus, other ice fishing jigs) with a waxie or minnow (be sure to carry both). Gaining confidence in fishing micro plastics, as well.
Good luck,
Jim
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Redneck jr,
I usually hit several different lakes in the spring for crappies. I focus my attention on the smaller lakes that ice out and warm up sooner very early in the season… Its just easier to find active fish when they start to push into the shallows. Fishing those shallow lakes will generally hold me over until the larger lakes open up and warm up a few degrees. Shallow bays with a soft bottom, back channels, culverts, inlets, anything that contributes to slightly warmer water in the spring is usually key to find the earliest bites.
The crappies wont be spawning for a while. The earliest season fishing is just fish moving in to feed, not spawn. When the water is still too cold for the fish to move in, they will usually be found off the 1st break, or a near by hole in 10′-30′ stacked up waiting for the conditions to be right to do their annual run to the shallows.
It doesnt take long for the crappies to become active, there are already fish feeding being caught on the river when the weather is warm and the water warms up a few degrees.
As of today, Buffalo and Mink are in bad shape, open all the way around out 100′ with open spots going out farther near the inlets/outlets. The existing ice is black and pitted. With the rain in the forecast I’m guessing only a couple days till she’s all gone!
BIRDDOG
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