Got a good mess of fish but had to work for them, found nothing in the weeds or edges-fish were fussy out in the basin. If marked fish are not biting would you go bigger or smaller? Have fish even spawned yet?
If marked fish aren’t biting find other fish, always.
Whether or not they’ve spawned? Well that depends on the lake. You’ll find them in all stages of spawning throughout MN right now.
Personally I’d be looking shallow right now and not even paying attention to fish in the basin.
On our way back from otter tail this morning we stopped at another lake and tried to find some panfish. Absolutely hammered em. Smaller bay off the main, fish were not shallow at all. In the deeper part of the bay, 10′ or so. One of the best pannie days I’ve had.
Sunnies liked the worms and cut up leeches, crappies did gulp minnows.
Edit: money shot
PXL_20220524_011922359-scaled.jpg
Not necessarily related seeing as it’s the river, but I have run into a few pods of crappies up shallow while fishing the shoreline transitions from mud to rip rap/gravel. If the males are up guarding beds aggressively I swear they’d hit a muskie lure. We caught some 10-11″ eaters pulling cranks along that transition in 10-12′ with water temps right at 63 degrees. If I had to guess I’d say the spawn had just happened a day or 2 before for those fish? A few small walleyes and saugers were mixed right in on the same line and depth.
Great catch Beads, that area is awesome for pannies. I usually think that 64 degrees +or minus is the sweet spot, lots of variables with that. Always great to get river info too. Saw a heron stab & grab a speck that looked big and black, probably would have gotten more biggies up shallow.
Crappies and bass are all done spawning where I fish. Bluegills have moved in.
Sunday I was still finding crappies in shallower water, but today they had all moved deeper, and were more spread out. Water temp today was still around 64 when I got off the water at 1:00. Last Tuesday, one week ago, I started out with 66 degree water in the morning, and it was over 72 when I left. The warmup really happened fast this spring. But the cool down happened quickly also. Crappies were feeding actively regardless of temp once water temps in the lake initially rose above 62, even a good midday bite at 64-65.
We did best in 61 degree water this morning and shallow. All plastic bite. Kept 6 for dinner and the females cleaned did not have loose spawn yet.
Correction to my previous post.
I just got back from fishing the same areas I was at on Tuesday, and I found crappies back on the nests. First day it was calm enough to actually see the nests and fish on them in 4-5 feet of water. So I assume they just moved deeper early this week due to the drop in water temps. The water temp was up to 68 today. So I think the main portion of the crappie spawn has passed, but it’s not done.
Bluegills are getting to be a nuisance in every depth of water, so they are definitely getting ready to spawn.
You fished Tuesday and now you give us an update on Friday? I’m jealous-Thanks for the report.
On our way back from otter tail this morning we stopped at another lake and tried to find some panfish. Absolutely hammered em. Smaller bay off the main, fish were not shallow at all. In the deeper part of the bay, 10′ or so. One of the best pannie days I’ve had.
Sunnies liked the worms and cut up leeches, <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>crappies did gulp minnows.Edit: money shot
Beads………when you cleaned them….where did they look at as far as spawn is concerned??????/
Full of spawn still. Some crappies getting dark, not many tho
Full of spawn still. Some crappies getting dark, not many tho
67 degrees here in the metro, think the spawn is done.
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