Zumbro lake

I drive over lake zumbro everyday for work. Been watching the shoreline receed everyday.

Is there a fall drawdown?

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

I drive over lake zumbro everyday for work. Been watching the shoreline receed everyday.

Is there a fall drawdown?

Yup. 2 to 4 feet until April.

Jimmy, thanks.
Why is this done?

It’s two-fold. First it allows shoreline owners to do any maintenance. Secondly, and more importantly, it is a flood control measure should an inordinate amount of spring or late-winter precip threaten to cause flooding.

Usually it’s done for some specific reason/s:

-reduce ice damage (generally done on larger lakes with permanent infrastructure near shorelines)

-develops a buffer to handle rapid spring runoff/melting

-creates a predictable timeslot to do shoreline maintenance

-helps manage certain invasive weeds that grow up shallow (exposure then freezing can slow the spread year after year)

***My relatives have an annual drawdown on a lake they live on in Northern WI and it’s generally for the purpose of giving “space” for spring runoff. With the unusually dry year their drawdown was only a foot versus the 2+’ normal. It’s also been linked to slowing some of the undesired weed growth. I’m not sure who makes the executive decision for the drawdown though???

Thanks guys. Was certainly curious why the drastic drop. Looks like some skinny water under the bridge.

On the Zumbro it also offers a time to freeze out the Zebra Mussels that have used shallower structures. Its nothing to get 20″ of ice which also helps out in the mussel endeavor.

Should probably drop the boat in there and check it out someday . Just keep going back to the river . Anyone convince me otherwise ? Half the drive .

isu22andy wrote:

Should probably drop the boat in there and check it out someday . Just keep going back to the river . Anyone convince me otherwise ? Half the drive .

No first hand evidence, but I know of people who get on crappies out there. An old coworker swore it was pretty easy to locate 10-11” crappies with little effort

I have hit it 5-6 times since October. What has worked for me is either jig trolling or finding them on the edge of the basin and drop jigging raps on em. I seem to catch bigger ones 12-13″ trolling but way more 9-11″ vertical dropping jigging raps on em. You will also find a bunch of nice striped bass mixed in and even bluegill. Love the LZ especially now with very little traffic.

It’ll be pretty tough with the levels down now and the dnr pulls the dock at the Ponderosa landing. The Fisherman’s in landing is county owned and the docks get pulled there when the water is down.

Went out on zumbro for a change of scenery yesterday afternoon. Wouldn’t recommend it unless you can push pole your boat over a mud flat. I had the prop in the mud 1/2 throttle for a bit.

North landing has gravel pile exposed. Drag a boat access only. South access is very steep but usable… pretty difficult to get to the channel though. I think the level dropped a small amount while on the water making the trip back across the mud flat quite the challenge!

Caught some little crappie.

They take it down to a maintenance level initially so people can do shoreline work. It’ll remain at that level for a while, then it’ll be brought back up to winter pool level. Fishing right now would be the pits. Drooping the lake by this much send fish into a tizzy.

In past years it has happened that ice formed before the rise to winter pool making for some sketchy access for a while when the water was brought back up. They’ve also been known to drop the water for repair purposes after the ice had formed a decent sheet and that created some interesting stuff when the level was brought back up.

When the water is brough back to winter pool level one might be able to use the Fisherman’s landing if careful. They should be pulling docks at the accesses if they haven’t already.

I’m seeing a drop of about 4 feet as of this morning. Normal winter pool is two feet below the top of the dam or thereabouts.

eyeguy507 wrote:

striped bass

Do you mean white bass? A striper in LZ would make the news lol

Like in the Mississippi River, they’re referred to as stripers because the stripes are distinct and there isn’t much white about them. White bass is what putzs north of the Cities catch.

Jimmy Jones wrote:

Like in the Mississippi River, they’re referred to as stripers because the stripes are distinct and there isn’t much white about them. White <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>bass is what putzs north of the Cities catch.

Gotcha. Thanks

Thanks Jimmy. I do remember some funky ice some 10 years when I’d go there to catch channel cats before ice went out. Could get into some nicer sized ones by fisherman’s.

I didn’t realize I don’t have it mapped on my bird. May have to get out there this fall and scan it quick if water levels allow but likely won’t make it a priority.

Appreciate you sharing what you know

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eyeguy507 wrote:</div>
striped bass

Do you mean white bass? A striper in LZ would make the news lol

striper, wiper, white bass, or whatever they are. i usually call em wipe a$$ so lets go with that. i can never keep them straight but there are some nice ones in there.

Thanks Jimmy, you must live by Rochester, hmmm.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eyeguy507 wrote:</div>
striped bass

Do you mean white bass? A striper in LZ would make the news lol

As a kid, I used to fish from one of my dad’s friends docks on Lake Zumbro – with nothing but a bare hook and catch dozens of “striped bass.” Yes, better known as White Bass, Silver Bass, etc.

My first trip to the lake was in the summer of 1961. Been fishing it ever since. Lots of change over the years, some good, some not so good.

FYI
Water level has been rising last 3 days.

Pretty close right now but it’ll need a few cold, cold days to set the shoreline ice up.

Every fall there is a drawdown so any repairs needed to the dam can be done. It also helps home and cabin owners to not be flooded in the spring.

<quote>
As a kid, I used to fish from one of my dad’s friends docks on Lake Zumbro – with nothing but a bare hook and catch dozens of “striped bass.” Yes, better known as White Bass, Silver Bass, etc.

Many years ago I got my youngest son Nate hooked on fishing down on Lake Zumbro when he was only 3 years old. Boy time flys as he will be 40 at the end of this year. The stripers back then were very nice size and tons of them in the water. We would catch anywhere between 68 to 88 fish in three hours of fishing between three of us. Thats the good o’l days when a 14ft boat with a 6hp motor and a son who was young enough to want to go fishing with dad and a buddy. Now Nate has a 20ft Ranger 620 and a Mercury 250hp Pro XS motor and a 15hp Mercury Pro Kicker motor for trolling out on Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Green Bay, etc where the big walleyes live. Yup, he’s hooked lol. And dad {me} got rid of the white 17.5 foot Alumacraft and bought a 16ft white Alumacraft with a 25hp and 8hp kicker motor for pulling live bait or crankbaits. But I do have to admit I do miss the larger boat but this one is much cheaper to toll and operate and especially when you don’t have the paycheck and are on social security. I do plan to, besides fish the Mississippi River Pool 4, fish Lake Zumbro as its only 12.5 miles from my driveway to the Ponderosa boat ramp. You guessed it, I live in NW Rochester. Being retarded, I mean retired [can never resist that one lol] I can get down there and fish during the week when the boat traffic is alot less. You guys have a great week and I hope to see you down there.

Did your son Nate go to century high school? That name sounds familiar

We never saw another boat fishing on the lake today. Wind was a factor as was the still high water. The dirty water was in Ryans bay while the channel from Fishermans to Postiers Point had cleared significantly from Tuesday’s trip.

Tons of fish out in deep water, 12-30+ feet deep, generally suspended between 6 and 10 feet deep. Again, we played the rock game today and did as good as Tuesday. Every fish came where the rock dropping down into 3 feet of water merged with about 5 feet of water. Fish shallower, no fish. Fish deeper, no fish. A few today came off vertical wood and dock struts/posts, but most off the rock.

I had one hit as soon as the jig hit the water and it was straightaway dragging pulling, then tink….cut line. Had to have been a pike but no idea of the size. I had another hit that I’m pretty sure was a carp and it got me tangled in dock posts so no idea how large.

The warmest water we could find was a 57 degree surface temp. Really disappointing that the lake can’t take on some heat and get the crappies staged a bit better, but then all that does is bring the idiots that can’t catch a crappie unless its on a bed.

I think next week we may start hitting the backwaters if the riover keeps dropping.

THANKS Jimmy for the report. That lake always seems to take longer to heat up. Its nice to see the dirty water is moving down towards the dam but it won’t move out of Ryans Bay as fast unless the dirty water is more in the open area instead of being tucked way back in. I still have some of the plastics that you use and also the jigs I bought from you years ago. But I do still love my Mini-Mites that Mike got me hooked on way back then. lol. Way back then…..gee…..you would think we were old or something. lol. Oh well, maybe older, not old, but older in body but young at heart. Especially when it comes to fishing. Thanks Bud

No, he didn’t. He went to Byron High School and then John Marshall High School in Rochester. He fished alot of walleye tournaments even back in his teens so maybe that’s where you could of heard of him. He bought his first boat even before he bought a car. He had a buddy who was a year older than him who towed the boat. lol. Its like I said, he got hooked. lol

PS. Sorry I didn’t notice your post until now. Sorry

They are lowering the water 4ft starting on October 23 this year [2023]. Time to get out fishing while the water is still up.