Minnetonka

Spent the weekend at Tonka. Is it just me, or is the millfoil dying? The water was awfully stained on the main lake as well. Any reason for it? Seems a bit early for the weeds to be turning…

Could it just have been all the boat traffic turning things up?

I’m sure that has something to do with it. There were LOTS of boats on the lake this weekend. But it also seemed like the milfoil wasn’t just chopped up, it was brown. Something to do with the heat?

Water clarity is way down for Tonka. I can usually see 6ft down this time of year but yesterday clarity was down to about a foot. Tried to use my Aquaview and couldn’t see anything. It was just an expensive thermometer. And yes the milfoil is dying. Must be the high water temps is bad for milfoil. Coontail is doing just fine.

I spent the weekend out there also, You are right the millfoil is dead. I think the little cold snap we had last week killed the foil and the bite.

nothing to do with mtka but i was on green in
isanti county and the milfoil looked like it
was dead there as well

It just seems like this is awfully early for the fall turnover and the milfoil dying off? Not sure if it’s related to the recent heat, or the cold snap that occurred right after…

I was on Minnetonka every day from Wednesday thru Sunday and noticed the same thing. There were ALOT of boats out there this weekend though! We launched from North Arm everyday and got the whole milfoil problem speel from the DNR person like everyday.

We only get yelled at once this weekend for fishing a dock…he was an a-hole with nothing better to do.

This was definitely the wrong week to go to Tonka…the bite was horrible. I think we went there with too high of expectations.

Its been a tough year, mainly due to inconsistency. You get a good bite going, but it will be very local. Usually when the milfoil bite goes, we have lots of spots that will spit fish at the same time. This year we will only have a couple. I’m sure the high water temps, as high as 85 on the surface, have caused the water to be darker from blooms and such, and has casued the milfoil to fall back. I’ve noticed the same thing on Waconia.

Yeah, I guess it wasn’t horrible…it was just a lot of work to find the right areas/docks. I guess the bite was a lot better than Pittsburg/Wissota!

I still had a good time and the girls were fun to look at. Too bad I didn’t get to meet any of you guys while I was there.

I need some help as a college friend and his wife are coming to MN and want to fish Minnetonka. I haven’t fished that lake for about 3 years and reading some of the reports looks like the bite is “off?”
I will be taking them fishing from 6am to 10:30am on saturday. what suggestions do you have and to area – lures – and not getting run over? I plan to fish the lower lake – St. Albines Bay/Big Island/Carson Bay/ Robinson Bay/Wayzata Bay.

Any suggestion and/or advise would be greatly Appreciated. Just want to have a good time and catch/release some fish.

lots of people have been fishin’ the markers?? using what?

Thanks for any help.

The areas of the lake your referring to see HEAVY pleasure boat traffic on the weekends. However, if you’re only planning to go out until 10:30am, you should be okay and won’t get run over or washed away by the big cruisers until the afternoon. As I said, the milfoil is dying off and the water is extremely stained, so the fishing isn’t the greatest right now. Try using baits that cover a lot of water and darker colors will probably work best because of the stained water. Hope that helps!

I good spinnerbait with a twister tail trailer should put fish in your boat!!!

Thanks for the info – I’ll continue to check this form.

Would you suggest docks or outside weedlines or points?

thanks to both you and Gary
I’ll let you know how things go on the 20th of Aug.

Both. You’ll find bass in both areas. Big girls will probably be deeper but I’ve caught my share under big boat docks close to deep water. Flip the docks early and when sun gets up move to deeper water. Good luck.

We found the bigger bass under the docks with canopies in the shade in the morning and mid-afternoon…all docks were near deep water with some weeds. Carson’s Bay or Maxwell Bay is a good place to start. I couldn’t figure out the deep milfoil bit while I was up there, but good luck!

Maybe they sprayed the milfoil?

The milfoil is just plain dying. This is the first year that I have spent alot of time fishing deeper water…but one of the guys that fishes out there alot told me tonight that it is about six weeks before normal. Some nice bass are still using the deep milfoil…but I have found them to be alot less agressive. I would assume its just because the oxygen levels are lower.

Now them damn northerns…..I have had it with them!

I hear what you are saying about the deeper bass being less aggressive. Scott and I have had our best luck down sizing our baits ot there. Are you noticing more big fish showing up shallow yet?

I found one school in about 6 ft ..two weeks ago. But then again….I have not been hitting any docks. I have spent 99% of my time fishing deep.