Rochester Area Summary – 01/27

Lake Zumbro has been better this week, although low light periods of the day seem to be best. Some very nice crappies and bluegills are being caught, usually in deep water. I am still hearing a few reports about catching fairly large catfish through the ice, or someone says they had on something big before their line broke. Most fishing is happening across from Ryan’s Bay and some people are fishing across from Ponderosa, but there are also some other areas starting to be fished. Minnows and ice jigs tipped with waxies are working. Ice is about 12-18 inches in most places. People are driving on the ice, but remember that ice should never be considered fully safe.

Foster-Arends Lake is still producing some trout (some very nice ones at times) and some small panfish. Minnows and ice jigs tipped with waxies are working best. Some people are also using smaller spoon type baits. Ice is about 12-16 inches in most places.

Chester Woods is slow. It is still producing bluegills and a few crappies. The best area has been out near the dam in the arms with flooded timber. People having the best luck are using electronics to locate fish. The fish have been fairly deep (20+ ft.) and may be suspended slightly off the bottom. Minnows and waxies on small jigs are working. Ice is 10-16 inches in most places.

Willow Creek is still producing bluegills. Best fishng seems to be in about 10+ ft. Small ice jigs tipped with a waxie is working. Ice is 12-18 inches in most places.

The Gamehaven Lake (boy scout camp) is producing bluegills and small crappies. Using electronics will help to locate suspended fish. Minnows and small ice jigs with waxies are working. Ice is 12-16 inches in most places.

Country Club Manor pits are producing lots of gills and crappies, although the fish are on the small side. Minnows and small ice jigs tipped with waxies are working. Ice is 10-16 inches in most places.

The Mississippi backwaters are going well some days. The Dike Road is still producing panfish. The harbors have been slow most days. Wilcox, West Newton, the Finger Lakes, Winona, Alma, etc. are all producing fish – mostly bluegills and a few crappies. Small ice jigs tipped with waxies or spikes are working, with minnows producing a few fish. Ice in most places is 10-18 inches.

Please help to keep our fishing areas free from trash. Maybe some of us can make it a habit to take a bag with us and pick up some trash left by others.

Good Fishing,
Mike

Hey Mike, thanks for the updates!

Sounds like not much has changed out there since your last update. I’ll probably swing in tomorrow on the way to the river. Have you heard any recent reports from Pepin? I have yet to try there this year but might see whats going on down there tomorrow.

Thanks! Chris

Thanks for the report Mike, I really enjoy reading them!

I haven’t heard much about Pepin, but have seen some activity at several spots when driving by. Might be worth checking out?

Good Fishing,
Mike

Mike, I fished Johnson’s Coulee (lake pepin) on Tue. morning from 7:30-9:00 am, 1 small sauger. Then off to Wilcox’s in 3 ft. with the doors shut in the shack we saw a lot of panfish with very few takers. Could it be low 02 and they are getting sluggish? You could actually bounch jigs off of them and they would just move off slowly. Then we fished the dike road about 4 different places in anywhere from 3-12ft of water. Lots of 3-4 inch perch. (I mean a lot) No keepers there. We then loaded up and drove back to lake pepin at Maiden Rock. fished from 3-5:30 pm. One 12 inch walleye. Great day to be out, just didn’t work out in the eater sized fish department. One of those days when you thought the fish would be going nuts and they prove you wrong again!

Bartlett lake in Winona is still pretty hot for gills. Great place for kids. Gills arn’t huge but you can usually get enough 7-8 inchers for a meal. Seems like you catch 4 to 5 little ones for each decent one. Good steady action to keep the little ones happy. Good luck.
Art