You pretty much qualify or restrict it when you said, quality fish. Oh sure there are numerous places to shore fish in and around Rochester. Silver Lake-the duck poop pond, the many reservoirs, Lake Zumbro-very few shore spots, Zumbro River and of course the Mississippi backwaters. Then of course the miles of trout streams in SE Minnesota.

All the places in the immediate Rochester area get pounded pretty hard. Lots of stunted fish, but not many if any quality fish.

Not a complete loss, depending on the time of the year.

Fall fishing can be some of the best around Wabasha and Kellogg in the backwaters for some pretty decent panfish.

Hooked on Fishing, a local bait shop stays pretty much on top of the reports and can be a good place to start. Then my friend, you are much like the rest of us, explore and just be in the right spot at the right time.

Most popular Mississippi backwater pan fishing spots.

Schmookers bridge

Pritchards

West Newton/Half Moon, both new and old

Finger Lakes/Pioneer dike and Campgrounds

Old Red Bridge

Wilcox

Wabasha Marina

Dike road/Pontoon slough/high lines

Long Walk

Alma High School

Alma Float

Moserman’s both upper and lower

Bass Camp

Yomans/poles

McNally’s

Minnesota City Marina

Bartlett Lake

Lake Winona/Huff street pier

Most popular Olmsted County/Rochester pan fish reservoirs/ponds/piers

Lake Zumbro

Foster Arends

KR-7

Cascade/Country Club Manor

Willow Creek

Game Haven

Chesterwoods Park

Silver Creek

You guys think the LX9 is something, wait until you see the LX11 coming out next year.

Gentlemen, thank you all for the warm wishes and encouraging messages.
Tom did an excellent job summing it up. Couldn’t have described it any better.
Now it is just a matter of time/rest. I have total confidence in my doctors and will try and comply with their recommendations, however, old dogs are stubborn.
Thank heavens for sites like this to occupy the time and get my mind off things.
You all stay healthy.

Yes, I admit to not having contributed much on this site as of late. However, if you check farther back in the archives you will discover I made several, in fact enough that you made me a moderator for a period of time.

Then I was demoted of that position because your panel stated I wasn’t contributing enough. Understood, no hard feelings.

My recent post was yes, a feeble attempt at encouraging others to explore. Apologies if this ruffled some feathers.

My biggest frustration with fishing forum sites is that only a small minority really participate and the majority lay in the weeds and take advantage with no regard for those who put in honest efforts.

All one has to do is view a post and see only a couple of contributors, but look at the hits……….

I will also admit I became somewhat discouraged with IDO when about a year or two ago, I sought some assistance or help with panfish locations in the west metro area.

I got next to nothing other then some generic chatter. One guy did tell me, “hey, you wanna know where the fish are, hire a guide”. Cute, real cute.

Oh well, life continues, but maybe that explains my cynicism.

Hey, good fishing…..

Whoa Jim…. take it easy. I am simply suggesting that folks take the opportunity and exert an effort at creating a better fishing experience by exploring and researching for themselves instead of relying on others.
Yes, fishing forums are created to inform.
I have given a fair share of such information with equipment tips, baits, lures and techniques.
It is very frustrating to pull up to a favorite site only to discover someone else settled in knowing full well someone else handed them the location without them having to exert some energy. Not going to bore you with such stories I have experienced with squatters.

Even tho it is late in the year, Tom has kept his inventory up there so lots to choose from. All the favorites are still in supply.
Free bait for a year to some lucky winner, now that is a sweet deal.
Stop on out and meet Tom and see what changes he has made to the shop.

Thanks James for the good news.

Yeah, ain’t that the truth. I should have gotten at least two, maybe three more.
Thanks Calvin, I was worried, since I love my LX5.

So what were the results, who did what?

Hey Bill, retirement life is great. I highly recommend it.

Fishing, oh yeah, Mike and I ventured out several times.

Overall, I would rate the icefishing as pretty good. We had a couple killer days, but for the most part, just steady and consistant.

Hate this weather, no ice, but too cold and windy to get real serious about open water just yet.

Need some 50-60 degree days, bright sunshine and no wind. That should turn the shore fishing on for sure.

Tried off a dock at Zumbro a couple times. One day you can catch a few nice crappies, the next day, zero.

Comeon warmer weather.

So is this the year you are going to teach me how to catch Walleyes?

Hey guys, thanks. Duh, guess I should be paying more attention to that tool bar and checking the options.
Great videos. Love those panny shows.

Well, we had a great time and caught lots of fish. About a third of them were keepers, however, we didn’t keep any this time.
Folks at In Towne Marina are really nice and very helpful with info.
They are to be commended for maintaining such clean shacks.
They said that this year has been the best for catching fish in the past several years.
Can only hope it stays that way for awhile.

Thanks for the info. Daughter and son-in-law live in Waconia and we are going up next week.
I made reservations at In Towne Marina for a rental shack Thursday. Daughter has never ice fished before so want her first time to be pleasant.
Would be sweet if she could catch a few sunnies using the Marcum LX5. Don’t plan on keeping any this time.
Waconia’s news is both good and bad. Good the cycle and peak are up providing some decent fishing. Bad because as you said, the meat hogs will soon deplete it and then be the first to complain when it isn’t so hot anymore.
Not sure what the answer is, other then maybe some very severe restrictions on both size and limits.

Big D, anyway possible you can email those pictures to me so I can email them out?
[email protected]

It would appear that both Gramps and the Mexicans are guilty of game violations.

Each should be addressed in an appropiate manner and fairly depending on the violation and intent.

Game violations are just that, violations. However, circumstances should be taken into consideration when delivering punishment.

In these two cases, there seems to be a difference of intent.

Gramps goes out his back door, hits a gold mine, decides to take advantage, take em home and fry em up for him and mamma bear. I can’t help but wonder if the taste was somewhat sour, knowing what he had done.

Yes, he deserves some legal attention.

Now we have some Mexican gentlemen who executed their crime in a somewhat different manner.

Some were from Mpls. and some from Milwaukee?

Awful long ways to drive for a fish dinner.

They had to research and plan this in advance, which demonstrates premeditation and conspiracy with deliberate intent. Can’t help but wonder if there was a financial incentive such as selling the catch.

Because of the area they picked, it shows it was thought out carefully because of the potential harvest as compared to many other places between here and their home towns.

They targeted where the getting was good and went way out of their way to take advantage.

Also are these people legal citizens or illegals?

I certainly don’t envy the judges in their decision.

There is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

By golly, if he is a Minnesota Judge, one would expect him to be a fisherman and violation savy.

Repeating, both deserve appropiate punishment. The problem is deciding on what is justice, fair and matches the offense.

My way of thinking would be the punishment somehow should repay and compensate the resources that were violated.

73 years old huh? Well then the guy is old enough to know better. Now should we crucify this guy and make him an example?
140 fish and he took them all home and sacked them in the freezer. Not like he was selling them on the black market.
Sounds like a greedy old guy who got caught up in his luck and wasn’t about to let any of it go to waste. That eara did have a way of thinking like that.
The sad thing here and unknown to him is the example he set for others with his greed. If he can do it, then why can’t I?
Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT a bleeding heart liberal.
This gentleman should be held accountable for his actions.
Lets put it into perspective.
Remember, there were the charges and recommended punishment.
A judge has the authority to change any or all of that.
Will this guy see jail time, NO and rightfully so. What real purpose would that serve other then to satisfy some vindictive persons. Will he pay $1,800, probably not after telling the judge a sob story, fixed income on Social Security, etc. and it will be reduced.
Can a judge return his impounded property? Not sure about that one.
OK then, what is fair and justice?
Publishing his name and a mandatory court appearance is a start for all his friends and neighbors to see. Talk about embarrassment!!!!!
Financial restitution is expected, but who can decide what a 140 fish are worth.
Sucks to be him on the equipment issue. Here today and gone tomorrow.
Since this guy, I am assuming he is retired and is healthy enough to go fishing, should probably be sentenced to some SERIOUS community service hours. I am not talking some namby pamby baby crap, rather some real time and meaningful duties.
What will be will be.
One can only hope for a positive outcome……….the light blub goes on in his head and he realizes he stole from him grandkids.
Now with that being said, sir, I recommend it doesn’t happen again or yes, you then would need to be made an example.

Went for a ride around noon to see the water. CT’s back yard used to be a gentle bubbling Cascade Creek. Looked today more like the raging Colorado.
Mike’s pictures and what I saw today couldn’t help remind me of the 78 flood which I witnessed first hand.
I just kept thinking to myself what might have been today without the flood control project? Unless you live on top of Assissi Heights, you have to admit it was probably money well spent. See big brother can get it right once in awhile.

Mr. Fischer, happy birthday my friend.

Geez Mike, if I had known, I would have baked you a cake.
Then had a dancing girl jump out and surprise ya.

Bill I managed one crappie, about 10 inches. No others.
Pictures? We didn’t have anything big enough that the camera could pickup.
There were others that did catch some and from a couple we saw, they were not bad fish.

It has been a long time since I have seen that many nice/big northerns at one time. My eyes popped out seeing them lay in the bottom of the boat.
Don’t take this wrong or as criticism, I guess I would rather pictures would have been taken and the fish released.
Are there big northersn in Lake Zumbro, oh yeah, there certainly are………..
Can’t get the image of those five hogs out of my mind.

Gentlemen, I will have you all know that I am big where it counts……………a huge heart.
Don’t even go there guys.

Whether one chooses to eat fish or not is a personal decision, each to their own. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and should be respected as such.
My personal philospphy is this: like anything in life, moderation.
Too much of a good thing is not a good thing.
I love a fresh fish fry on occasion, however, I wouldn’t want to eat it everyday. Probably get old after awhile and loose the taste appeal.
I am not so sure a bad fish will kill ya, anymore so then all the other unhealthy choices out there, such as recalled spinach, hamburger, chicken and foods imported from China.
Right now I am going through this phase of eating a lot of Famous Dave’s spareribs, talk about an addiction.
I am sure this will get old after awhile and I will search out other tasty tidbits.
One thing I do know, be it good or bad, I ain’t eating no spinach.

Hey Dan have a great day. Treat yourself, go fishing on the special day.

It was not my intention to bash Kurtkid or anyone else for that matter. I don’t know the man and he could very well be a gentleman and true sportsman who harvests carefully.
However, he did point out the fact that lurkers exist and will take advantage.
I have always wondered about a closed season on panfish, like the other game fish species have. Would it work, wouldn’t it? Protect them during the spawn when they are up shallow and easy pickins. Those are usually the big ones and the genetics that predict the future.
Old school preached that panfish were so prolific that harvesting them during their spawn didn’t hurt, rather may even helped contain the populations. Maybe time for some additional thought on this matter?
Then there is the topic of icefishing for panfish and subsequent additional pressure.
When I started ice fishing 25 years ago, only the brave ventured out into the cold.
However, today with the technology we have, warm clothes, portable lite weight shelters, underwater cameras and flashers only tips the odds in the fishermans favor.
Not sure what the answers are to assure continued success.
Just some food for thought.

Well there ya go. This Kurkkid’s attitude pretty well sums it up.
There are givers and there are takers.
Unfortunately he tells the truth.
Very frustrating for forum participants who want to contribute.
Short of starting “a secret society”, what are we to do?

The loss of a life is tragic.
However, as individuals, are we not responsible and accountable for ourselves. Can’t always depend on others or big brother to watch over and protect us. That is our own job to survive.
In so many instances, death can be avoided by thinking first.
The instinct to survive and take care of one’s selve dates back to the caveman days. Some wehere smart enough to make it and some, well, not quite so fortunate.
Play with fire, you might get burned.
Flirt with death, you may die.
Don’t we teach our children and loved ones of the dangers that exsist?
Common sense prevails.

I have some questions.
How much of an annual budget does the Rochester Park and Rec department have?
How are these monies distributed?
Aren’t some of these monies ear marked for maintenance, such as cleanup?
Aren’t there salaried Park and Rec employees that are expected to do just that, maintain and keep the parks clean?
After the intial land purchase and developement of a park, baseball diamonds, soccer fields and playground equipment, what are the expenses for maintaining parks?
Mowing, trimming and raking maybe, then what?
It is not like these properties are serviced by expensive utilities or billion dollar skyscrapers have been erected.
As well intended as some of us are in taking personal time, orgainizing groups, meeting and cleanup projects, why aren’t our tax dollars in this instance, paying for the cleanups?

Yes Mike that certainly was an adventure. For as far back as we went and all the different conditions we had to navigate, kind of like an expedition down the Amazon.
Amazing how many slab crappies can school in such a small and tight area.
It was a great day indeed and good company.

Hey Matt, thank you for organizing this. I think we made a dent out there today. Now if we could just educate the users out there.
The food/beverage was a pleasant unexpected surprise.
Thank you wife for bringing it.
Yes, you could tell the look in Mr. Fosters face he really appreciated the effort by everyone.