Yesterday was my birthday and I couldn’t think of anything I would rather do than go fishing. My buddy Ron was more than willing to share in the adventure, so a trip to Lake Zumbro was in order. We knew the stripers were really running, but our main targets were large bluegills (bullgills) and crappies.
The weather was very nice, around 80 degrees with a slight breeze. The water temp had dropped to 78, down 6 degrees in the past 2 weeks. As the water temp continues to fall, the fishing will really get even better. Late summer and fall on Lake Zumbro can provide some of the best panfish action to be found anywhere!
The stripers were difficult to stay away from and we caught plenty of them, but the bullgills and crappies were around as well. As usual, mini-mite jigs was the lure of choice. Brighter colors – orange, pink, chartreuse – seemed to produce best this day. Tipping the jigs with a waxie provided more bites, but also seemed to provide more small fish.
We caught and released lots of fish, with Ron opting to keep a meal. Most of the fish came at the 7-10 ft. level suspended over deeper water. It was a great day to be on the water! Hope you can get out to enjoy some fishing soon!
Nice fish Mike! I thought you were going to keep those hot spots a secret down there! I can tell by the pictures that you were in the same place the Official Lake Zumbro Guide took me a couple years ago.
Did you get what you wanted for your birthday and I’m not even going to ask if it WAS Ron that came out of your cake!
Great report Mike!
Brian tells me my Cat rods are done getting eyes replaced.
I hear I owe you a HUGE thank you! Brian K tells me the quality is A-1!
Thanks!
Tuck
You missunderstood me Tuck…I said the cost was $100….just make the check out to ..Briank
ps I’m using them again tonight…so let me know when you want them.
Thanks for the report and pics Bud. Nothing better than going fishing on your Birthday.
Can’t believe Brian didn’t mention purple. 
Tuck, your rods were hand delivered by me to Everts Resort a few weeks ago. If you don’t have them yet then its because Briank has been quiet about it so he can use them.
Yep, late summer and fall fishing on Lake Zumbro should be hot.
Thanks, Bill
Oh, I know where they are…
What rods do you think he was using the Sonny’s Stink bait with?
I may have been born at night
, but I wasn’t born LAST night! 
And I’ll bet Brian won’t charge you for the ”extra original smell” your rods now have either.
I now know why Brian just had to have those rods while he was still taking Deans place cause he did mention afterwards that he had been catching catfish from Everts docks. 
I’ll pick them up begore the Sturgeon Excursion ’07!
They should be aired out by then.
Not if Brian keeps using them instead of his own rods.
Maybe you need to grab them before he can use them again. 
Thanks, Bill
The toothy critters are hitting on buzzbaits there are well. Got this one that went 35″ last week. Also got a few others plus LMB & SMB on a buzzbait.
VERY nice fish.
Thanks for sharing the pic.
Thanks, Bill
Got a ton of stripers but could not find the crappies last Thursday! Where are the crappies?
The stripers were everywhere. They hit anything. Crankbait perch pattern or firetiger pattern at 3 mph, slow trolling plastics with jig, mini-mites under a float near structures too. The waters at some places were boiling with the stripers. They were not big, but were quite fun to catch, especially using the floats.
But I still want some crappies. Hehe.