I’m thinking about making the trip up to Minnetonka for this weekend to fish, i would be up there Thurs night, Friday, Sat, and leave Sunday afternoon. Is there too much boat traffic to fish on the weekend, and would i be better off going somewhere else? Thanks!
If it is nice out on the weekend plan on getting out there early and being done around 11 or 12 that is when the big boats and waves start or plan on taking it easy on the water after 11 and watch for large waves. I was out yesterday and had pretty good luck on the bass and even hooked about a 45 inch musky on my bass gear that came up and shook its head and threw the hook about 10 min into the battle but since it was not as nice out there was not that much traffic and we finished fishing at about 3 in the afternoon. Good Luck if you get out there.
Don’t be afraid to fish Tonka during the boat traffic. Generally, your best fishing is at early and late hours of the day, due to the clear water.
However, those fish are more than accustomed to that boat traffic. There are a TON of places to go and get away too from the crusiers…..
The great thing about Tonka is that it host quality fish of all species, from sunnies/crappies to bass/walleyes to pike/muskie. There is great structure on the lake, that during your stay you can fish true quality spots and never fish the same spot twice.
I recommend that you get purchase a quality map that has 1′ contours to truely give you the low down on the structure of the lake.
What will you be chasing?
Well mainly Walleye/Smallies/Pike?muskie (if i’m lucky). I will be fishing out of a 16ft Crestliner, and might possibly have an open seat. How big of waves are we talking here? Are they waves from 20-25ft ski boats, or larger? I’ve been in some pretty nasty wakes before, but i don’t want to get into something i can’t handle! Thanks again!
The lake is huge, don’t worry about big boat wakes. You’ll be fine!
Be cautious of the marker bouys, for where they are located is where there is rock. Also, the lake is invested with mil foil. Basically, any areas that are not rock/rubble, under 10 fow will have milfoil. Look at the rock/rubble areas that lead to deeper water access to find your better muskies, for generally, within those areas, you will find scattered cabbage mixed in with the milfoil.
Bucktails and jerk baits are hot tickets for the lake for muskies, as well at early morning/late evening topwater dog walking (vipers, docs, jackpots). Black bucktails with organge blades are very common. Also try and focus on sunfish colored bucktails too! Being the lake is more clearer water, natural colors seem to produce the best.
I’ve done very little walleye fishing on the lake, but people say late evening is the best. Most people pull a lindy rig with a good chub, which will give you a mixed bag of smallies, lg mouth, and walleyes. Focus on the deeper water and look for fish on your graph…….I’ve never pulled a walleye out of the weeds there while musky fishing. Yet I have done that on other “weedy” lakes while chasing skis……….Where weed walleyes will tag big jerk baits……
Bass fishing is relatively easy on the lake. Just use your basic bass presentations and work the docks and the milfoil. This is where you will also find some muskies and pike.
Gary, thanks a ton for the help. It looks like i will try and hit this lake up this weekend, pending the weather. I have family that live in North Oaks that i will be staying with, so hopefully the drive isn’t too bad. Thanks again!
Check out Mike Finke’s report too on the lake. He has been scoring some great bass out there as well!
I agree that the waves do not affect the fish they affect the fisherman more. I just meant you should be careful out there as with any body of water but by no means are they not manageable.
The west end of the lake has a lot less boat traffic and some of the better musky fishing. Walleyes are holding in 18 to 24ft, bass and pike are on the weed edges and I’ve been seeing a lot of muskies on shallow sand inside edges. Haven’t raised one out deep yet. If you want to target walleyes it is a low light bite either sunup or sundown. So be prepared to chase panfish, bass or musky during the midday. Wayzata Bay and Brackett’s Point are two of the better areas for walleye. Stop in at Wayzata bait and they can fill you in on the bite. Your boat is fine. The big cruisers can throw up two foot wakes but it has never bothered my fishing.
I hit tonka on sat. The Big Girls (Bass) have finally strapped on the feed bag. Hit the inside weed edges early then begin working new foil growth in 8 to 10 ft of water.
The deep bite hasn’t developed yet. I work a couple spots with spotty success.
Tonka gets busy friday nite threw sunday. But nothing that should drive you off the water. Be sure to keep your head up and eyes open when running. Many of the big rigs can’t see you when there heading across the lake. 
Don’t worry about the big waves. YOU WON”T BE ABLE TO MISS THEM!
I’ll be coming from the East, where is the best place to put in, or the best ramp that is closest to the best fishing, or has the most opportunities? Thanks!
Best ramp is Gray’s Bay.
You will have to drive a bit to get to the better fishing, but that launch is well worth the boat ride. Can’t beat it!
Grays Bay access just off Hwy 101. Get there early. Although it is the largest access it fills up. After that either North Arm or Maxwell Bay accesses but they are 15 minutes further west.Q
Tons of great info guys. Its looking like a good weekend to get out!
Great lake, like Gary said tons of good stuff to fish. I would personally stay the hell away from Grays Bay landing but I’m not as social as Gary.
One thing you might want to think about with Tonka is Milfoil..it’s everywhere and if you’re fishing during the day light hours remember a milfoil wall will create a shade line and Bass and Muskies will use that shade. Be aware of the sun and where you’re fishing is the best quick tip I can give you. Oh and I heard that they were catching fish Bass/Muskies on the rock piles in 25-30′..get a good map to find those spots
I fish Tonka often and know a few things about it…more when it comes to Muskies and on weekends my fishing schedule on that lake has become nocturnal.
Good luck and have fun.
Hey Jason;
Have you had much success out there yet this year??? I’m truly struggling on my milk run…..The fish just don’t seem to be in the same pattern for me. I’m having a heck of a time just raising fish.
I know that I haven’t been out there on “ideal weather” conditions, but dang……I’m sucking!
Well i fished Tonka last Sunday. Wow… is all i have to say. The boat traffic was incredible. The wind was really strong, but the waves from the boats were larger than what the wind would have caused. It was nice to get out and see the lake, looks like a great lake to fish when the traffic isn’t bad. I didn’t catch many fish, but i did have a larger, probably 35+” Muskie follow my lure, and saw a HUUUUUUGE ski in Grays Bay in about 4′ of water. Nice lake, but too much traffic for the weekend!
If you are going to fish tonka on the weekend you have to get there before dawn and off before 12. Ihave two more weekends on mille Lacs for walleyes then I am switching gears for musky on tonka, I can’t wait.My boss lives on the lake and he had a big musky follow last sunday, the fish came in hot but just couldn’t get the bait on the figure 8. Does anyone know the water temp?
I am going out tonight. I was out on Monday and I thought I remember seeing about 73-74 in the areas I was fishing but will look tonight.
Water temp was about 73.5 in most places on Tuesday.
Quote:
Hey Jason;
Have you had much success out there yet this year??? I’m truly struggling on my milk run…..The fish just don’t seem to be in the same pattern for me. I’m having a heck of a time just raising fish.I know that I haven’t been out there on “ideal weather” conditions, but dang……I’m sucking!
Yeah, it’s been a tougher year on that lake so far. Many sticks that are better than I are not catching fish on that lake yet. We’ve got a few in the boat but nothin compared to previous years. Fish deep for now is all I can say. Cooler temps coming this week might move them up..sounds like it already has if you guys are seeing fish in the shallows. I haven’t been out there for a week now, I will get back at it this week.
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