Before I moved to Walker living in the Mound area out by St. Boni for over 25 years only fished the panfish Tonka has tons of Eyes but they have lots of feed so I fished the gills and crappies only early ice and late fall I would fish Eyes out in the Cooks bay area as it was only six miles from my home and you could get a few before all the traffic and driving started.
Phelps Bay was one of my favorite spots for nice gills and a few crappies and big northerns up along the weed lines up by Goose island in the deep hole late before ice out good crappie fishing you can move all over that bay and find fish in the weed edges at 10 to 12ft. Also the deep hole in Phelps Bay about 25ft is good for big Gills going towards the green Bridge now I think its a red bridge there is an access close to the birdge to drive on.
Then I would run from Phelps Bay and cross the road and head to Howards Pt to fish nice crappies in the deep hole as you come over the road to Howards Pt hit the shore on the left about 20ft for big Gills.
In cooks Bay access go left to the bridge towards Black bay and the bridge fish the weed line or I should say the Milfoil weed line in 10ft to 12ft. half way to the bridge. Cooks Bay I fished alot because it was close to my farm out by Timber Creek Golf course and have won a Crappie Tourney up in another area fishing the flats and deep break in Priests bay and the shore to the west along the weeds then if I got tired of this area I would run to Halstead Bay in the winter and fish the big gills I have lots of good memories of Tonka and for panfish big gills and crappies in the winter and summer its a great Lake just live too far now to make the drive. I know every fire lane and small access on that end of the lake to get too Phelps Bay Cooks Halstead and all my favorite Panfish areas it will only get better in march.
Now if I wanted to trout fish I would head to Little long lake by Mound off county road #15 small sunnies and some big crappies if you wanted to spear Ive seen big northerns pushing 20lbs when I was site fishing trout.
I miss my old fishing area you guys close to Tonka have it made. These are some of my old spots and with all the nice panfish in Tonka its not overfished its a big lake. Did I say I miss my old stopping grounds. 
Pics of my son and nice Panfish from the Tonka area spring trip many years ago in my old stopping grounds and one of me on leech with a Nice Eye, son cant be in every one
Go gettum
Bob Auel
Leech Lake Guide
218-836-2014
Pro-Staff Strikemaster Augers
Vexilar, St. Croix Rods, Northland Tackle
