Boy after a almost strike out on panfish this weekend wondering where the bass/fish went. Hardly marked a weed or fish deep to shallow. Lakes I was on had a lot of dirty water. I think covering water with cranks, small jigs and plastics or beetle spins may be my tactics this weekend. Anyone else finding some interesting factors so far. It’s been cold but the weeds are almost non existent.
Weeds are starting to come in where I fished the last few days. I can see them in 3-8 foot range when I was crappie fishing on my sonar.
The water should warm up this week with temps near or above 70 degrees every day. I am going to be tossing a jerk bait next Saturday. Could be bass, pike, or walleye that bite it.
Dirty water comment stuck out – hopefully it wasn’t a winter kill lake. Seemed like there was quite a few all around from Southern MN to West of the cities.
A very bad winter kill on Platte Lake has given me a bad case of bass fishing anxiety. Normally, I would have my boat sitting in the lake at our place with a couple of trips for panfish under my belt. I may or may not have it in the lake for Opener. Seeing all those dead fish floating around is a gut punch.
One of my all time faves for crappie and bass got hit hard years ago, one thing to hear about it, way worse to see hundreds of dead fish on and near shore.
I’ve got the Trophy in the lake. Whether or not I fish out of the boat Opener Morning depends on whether or not the bass are loaded in the Grumpy Old Man Hole area or not. I won’t bother with the boat if they are loaded in there, but I’m guessing that won’t be the case. I will ply the NW corner of Sullivan if I am in the boat. I don’t know if I will get out again in the evening. I will probably head over to my shore spot on Mille Lacs, where I will be at midnight.
Unfortunately I won’t be getting out until next week. Wife’s weekend to work her 12 hour shifts so I’ll be home with the girls. I’ll be hitting a couple small lakes in the area that have nice fish when I do get out.
I was out for a few hours this morning and caught 5 bass, 1 pike, and a walleye. Got them all on a gold and black jerk bait. Had two more sizable bass jump off. Water temp was 64, fish were definitely still prespawn. Minimal weed growth so far.
I only got one walleye at Mille Lacs and fished an extra 1/2 hour because I saw a few baitfish get busted right before I was going to hang it up at 3 am.
I hit up the Grumpy Old Man Hole at about 5 am and caught a 13-inch bass on my first cast. The action was pretty fast until a couple of boats came through. I got thirteen bass, nine pike, and one to big to keep walleye (25″). Bass came on Dark Sleepers, Big Blade Chatterbait, and a jerk bait. I missed a lot of bites as well. I decided not to take the boat out.
I was on Forest Thursday afternoon/evening and the temps were 67-69 already. Couldn’t believe it.
Caught a bunch on Thursday in the S metro – 61.5 water temp
6-8pm in the evening
ALL on topwater Choppo 
( I can’t resist the temptation)
Most were 1.5 -2.5 lbs but pretty fun
2-6 FOW
At a lake down by Faribault 2 days earlier- One nice 3.5 lb on Choppo and 2 on brown/blue jig with green/red speckled craw trailer in 3 FOW – water temp 60.5
7:30-10:30 am
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