Trophy crappie in MN metro

I’ve been seeing pictures and videos for the past few years of people catching giant crappies in the “metro” and southern mn, I live near that area and have been looking for crappie spots for a few years,(goal is a 15+ inch crappie) I would love if I could get info on water less than a hour and a half from the cities, and would love any pointers on other backwaters/lakes I should try. this is the info I have gathered so far from a few months of research on lake finder, are they good spots?

Backwaters between Wabasha and Nelson.
Goers Pool.
Backwaters Behind treasure island.
Lake Roberds, Rice county.
Clearwater, Wright county.
Cedar lake, Martin county.
Cedar lake. Rice county.
Lake Mazaska, Rice county.
Sabre Lake, LeSuer.
Artichoke Lake, Big Stone.
Winona backwaters.
Hastings backwaters.
Lac Qui Parle, Lac Qui Parle County.
Lake Minnetonka.
Bay point marina red wing.

I’d add Whaletail lake north of Waconia to that list. I have seen a fair amount of really big crappies caught out of that lake. Its been MANY years since I’ve last fished it myself so I’m not as sure its still as good
On your list clearwater is another good choice although the # of Trophy fish seems to be down some the last few years.
There is a tiny lake kind of connected to lake Independence that you access through a road to one of the group sites called Half Moon lake that use to have some really Large Crappies in it as well. Fish either the deeper hole out from the landing or right in the neck down area leading to the bigger part of the lake to the right when using the landing. You need to park at the turn around at the end of the road and walk a short ways to the lake by a path leading to it.

I dont think many guys will post online where they are into big crappies. If your goal was only one big one and not numbers you would probably be better off fishing tonka every chance you get and try different things.

They can be found in rice county in the lakes you listed, but they are few and far between. The lakes get pounded so hard that when the big ones get caught they dont get put back. Best bet would be to spend a few days finding the schools, and then spending a night or two hanging out over them. Seems like all the stories I hear from the guys that catch the big ones down here is that they get them in the middle of the night. My biggest down here is 14.75″ and it was at 2 am on a deadstick.

Forest Lake routinely produces 16+ inch crappies. I have personally caught a 16 there, and know of many others who have as well.

As mentioned, they’re few and far between. But aren’t all trophies few and far between?

I’m a firm believer that the biggest crappies in a given lake will always be in the weeds.

Set small tip ups in/around the thickest weeds you can find. The best action will be when it’s dark outside.

To me you have a far better chance to catch a trophy Crappie in Open water than thru the ice. The spawn tends to concentrate those big fish into much smaller search areas. Not saying they can not and are not caught in winter but just easier in open water – In my opinion

44.8760° N,
93.0276° W
Shhhh.

brandmoney wrote:

I’m a firm believer that the biggest crappies in a given lake will always be in the weeds.

X2

KPE wrote:

Forest Lake routinely produces 16+ inch crappies. I have personally caught a 16 there, and know of many others who have as well.

As mentioned, they’re few and far between. But aren’t all trophies few and far between?

I’ve seen it with my own eyes a couple times. Also seen it at the bait shop

brandmoney wrote:

I’m a firm believer that the biggest crappies in a given lake will always be in the weeds.

Set small tip ups in/around the thickest weeds you can find. The best action will be when it’s dark outside.

I am on this same page

I love fishing crappies or gills in the weeds. Funny when everybody fishing the a community hole and you are sitting in the shallows nailing them.

There is no way that Artichoke Lake, has big crappies that thing is a slew lake what 10′ depth and freezes out every year.

those are some pretty small lakes youre throwing out there fishthumper that happen to be regular spots for me in my neck of the woods. I dont mind people throwing out obvious answers but theres a reason some of these spots get fished out. Half Moon is a 33 acre lake!

crappie55369 wrote:

those are some pretty small lakes youre throwing out there fishthumper that happen to be regular spots for me in my neck of the woods. I dont mind people throwing out obvious answers but theres a reason some of these spots get fished out. Half Moon is a 33 acre lake!

You don’t want to share any information to help a member on here out in his search for a trophy Crappie, Then don’t. Whaletail is far from a secret Big crappie lake, Clearwater lake is far from a small lake or unknow crappie fishery as well. Half moon is a real hit or miss lake lake that has been known for winter kill from time to time. Are all the lakes you fish, lakes you found out about all by yourself?

fishthumper wrote:

You don’t want to share any information to help a member on here out in his search for a trophy Crappie, Then don’t. Whaletail is far from a secret Big crappie lake, Clearwater lake is far from a small lake or unknow crappie fishery as well. Half moon is a real hit or miss lake lake that has been known for winter kill from time to time. Are all the lakes you fish, lakes you found out about all by yourself?

No need to get your panties in a bunch. I shared my opinion and its not as though my opinion is far off from the norm. Ive shared plenty of information with people on this site asking for help…..Through PM’s. And no offense to Isahia but he has 2 posts to his name. Not exactly a long-time member who has contributed back to the IDO community.

If i knew of a 30 acre lake that put out trophy fish by your house i certainly wouldnt be posting about it to a random guy with 2 posts to his name and im guessing you might appreciate that

Youbetcha wrote:

If your goal was only one big one and not numbers you would probably be better off fishing tonka every chance you get

I’ve posed this question every spring for like 4 years now here. Unfortunately, I’ve failed every year to find that 15+ incher too.

I usually try the MN Bound crappie contest every May on Tonka and have no trouble finding as many 11 or 12 inchers as I want. I’m not interested in a limit of 12 inchers anymore though. And the problem is that I can’t find anything much bigger. There’s like a dozen people who bring in a monster 15 to 17 inch slab to that weigh in each time. I have no idea where they are caught and obviously everyone keeps that info to themselves (which I can understand).

Maybe if I try it long enough I’ll just get lucky and stumble into that giant one I’ve been after.

Good luck to Isaiah.

I’m sorry man, I am a very avid angler, my instagram is @isaiahchurch_outdoors, so I’m not just getting into the sport not trying to look for spots on my own, I was just having a insanely hard time with ice fishing spots, I will try to contribute to this community.

Out of all the waters listed on the first post, LQP is your best bet. Not an hour from he cities though.

Isaiah Church wrote:

I’m sorry man, I am a very avid angler, my instagram is @isaiahchurch_outdoors, so I’m not just getting into the sport not trying to look for spots on my own, I was just having a insanely hard time with ice fishing spots, I will try to contribute to this community.

no reason whatsoever to apologize to me bud. all you did was ask a question. i might have provided you the same information in a PM so that we both might enjoy those spots rather than the entire internet

crappie55369 wrote:

No need to get your panties in a bunch. I shared my opinion and its not as though my opinion is far off from the norm.

No panties in a bunch here. It did seem like there was on you though. Its also funny how you always seem to feel like your opinion is not far off from the Norm. Then again that is todays way of making any opinion seem valid.

I won’t be sharing my spots with the internet. I’m with crappie on this one.

Bearcat89 wrote:

I won’t be sharing my spots with the internet. I’m with crappie on this one.

Ditto.
Also agree on the weeds comment.

Last year was a freeze out year-(early ice, thick snow, early & late) Lakes prone to freeze out might be off for a while-that said seems like those fish that grow old & get big might just find a way to survive those freeze outs, just might have to be ready to get very few fish.

The crappie chronicle guys on you tube have been promising to show us a giant from metro waters for 3 or 4 years now. Still waiting…….

Yea, I’ve been hearing that happened, I was planning on going to Elysian and circle and apparently they both got winterkilled so that sucks.

Isaiah Church wrote:

Yea, I’ve been hearing that happened, I was planning on going to Elysian and circle and apparently they both got winterkilled so that sucks.

Both took a hit last year for sure. Unfortunate since both were doing well.

I would look at lakes with low number crappie surveys and low predator fish numbers. I got my PB 15 3/4″ out of a Rice county lake not known for crappies. it was open water and it was in the weeds.
I am open to sharing spots/lakes as long as it is a 2 way deal. You should add Pepin to your list. Not hardwater but we have caught at least a couple over 15″ dragging plastics in spring. they are there but who knows where they go in winter?

“they are there but who knows where they go in winter?”

I’m guessing down to Southern Missouri or maybe Alabama, the weather is better.

grubson wrote:

The crappie chronicle guys on you tube have been promising to show us a giant from metro waters for 3 or 4 years now. Still waiting…….

I mean, is 16.5” not big enough for you? That’s a big crappie. Any bigger and we’re talking a near once in a lifetime fish up here in Minny.

hossfisher wrote:

I mean, is 16.5” not big enough for you? That’s a big crappie. Any bigger and we’re talking a near once in a lifetime fish up here in Minny.

Waconia puts out 19″s there are bigger than 16.5″ in the metro