Zumbro muskies

Looking for Muskie waters near home .from Austin just tried French today no luck heard the zumbro has some any one have info they’d be willing to share or any other close water Muskie action ??

You might find one of the plants in the lake but it’ll be a long, hard excursion if you’re targeting the muskies. Every once in a while an incidental fish will get caught but I have never heard of a decent sized one taken in the lake proper. It seems the fish like to go over the dam and several have been taken in the river below between the plunge pool and Hammond, MN. Its been a couple years since I have heard of any muskies being caught in the river even.

If memory serves me right there was mention of a couple dozen “near adult” sized muskies having been planted there within the last year but one word on any catches. There was also a study done not too many years ago by the DNR. They shocked the plunge pool and river below the dam for a short distance and radio implanted several larger muskies, then released them back into the lake above the dam. This was done late summer/fall. By the time the dnr could drive on the ice all but three of these tagged fish were back below the dam where they were captured. Two were found in the lake and one was found just below the dam at Silver Lake in Rochester.

Not recently I managed to catch two of the muskies in the lake and it would have been tough to get 14″ out of either one. Someone with muskie experience, especially that of locating prime habitat, might want to try the lake but I think it would likely be an exercise in exercise.

THANK YOU! so best to go below the dam and try if i venture that way at all

I have fished Zumbro about 20 times. There is only one spot on that lake where I have seen / caught muskies. I gave up on that lake years ago. There are some nice fish in French. But it can be a tough lake with how green it gets. I would keep working French and get to know the lake. Good luck.

Ben Nelson wrote:

THANK YOU! so best to go below the dam and try if i venture that way at all

Do a google earth search of the Zumbro River between Zumbro Falls and Hammond to the south. There are several areas along that route that offer places to pull over, park and walk down to the river where one can wade on days like today and cast. Virtually every large muskie that I know of caught in this system has come from this particular stretch of water. Some have been in the 40-42 inch range.

There’s a canoe rental place/campground right at Zumbro Falls that will give you a lift back to the drop in location near the dam and you can float the river and find plenty of places to cast that you can’t get to otherwise. In fact you can float to Hammond where the same business has a pick-up site and ride back to Z. Falls where you’re vehicle is parked.

There are options for fishing but then muskies are notorious for being muskies. The area nearer the dam is a stellar smallmouth fishery by the way and is 100% catch and release on those fish. And since this river does drop into the Mississippi just below Alma, Wisconsin it’s not too unrealistic that one could catch sauger and/or walleye. Don’t forget pike either. Beautiful scenery is a huge plus too.

thank you for the tips ! as far as learning french i will keep trying thinking of making the drive over to fox lake by sherburn to

I have never fished lake Zumbro but have caught a nice 40 incher floating the river for smallies and walleyes. I have not fished since the floods so I am sure some of the spots have changed. It is a very nice float wear cutoff and jump out and fish. We used jig and twister ,wite fluke and caught the musikie on a husky jerk in a deeper pool. My partner caught one in same pool the year before.

Mwal