I am posting this report here for Mike Smith of Hooked On Fishing…
I am going to pass along a lot of info on the various waters in and around Rochester. Be aware that I have not personally verified all of this information, but I get to talk to a lot of people from the area that have been fishing.
Chester Woods…
As stated above, Chester Woods is having a good consistent bite for bluegills. The better area of the lake is quite a walk out to near the dam and the arms close to the dam. Be careful of the ice which is very close to flooded timber as the trees absorb heat which makes the ice thinner. Water in the 25 ft. range seems to be best, and using a vex or other electronics will give you a big advantage because the fish are not always right at the bottom. The crappies are there, but don’t always bite real well during the day. I have heard of a very good crappie bite toward late afternoon into the evening. You need to be well prepared to stay out there after dark – so don’t go without making necessary preparations. The crappies will usually be suspended, so electronics will be a valuable tool.
Foster Arends…
Foster Arends Lake bite has slowed the past couple of days. There are still some trout being caught, but the numbers have decreased. The best bait had been fathead minnows, but it seems waxies have started to produce a little better recently. The fish can be anywhere in the water column, but with the water being very clear you can usually do OK fishing only 3-4 ft. below the ice. I suspect the lake will probably be stocked very soon.
Country Club Manor Pits…
Country Club Manor pits have been producing some bluegills and crappies. This body of water does not usually produce large fish, but numbers of keepers and lots of small ones. The problem with fishing there is the parking. It sounds like people have been getting ticketed in spots where I have parked previously without getting a ticket. That pretty much leaves the parking option to streets in the residential area, and then there could easily be the problem of cutting through private property. None the less, if you can figure out the parking problem, it can be a good spot. The water is fairly clear, but you don’t need to fish quite as deep as Chester Woods.
I have not heard anything about the Boy Scout Camp, but it usually produces some panfish through the ice.
Willow Creek…
Willow Creek is giving up some panfish, and from a couple of reports it seems the fish are a little bigger than what it has produced in past years. This is an impoundment with similar characteristics to Chester Woods.
Silver Lake…
I haven’t heard of anyone ice fishing Silver Lake yet, but believe it or not it does get some ice fishing over by the stone bridges on the east side. From what I’ve heard, there are some OK size crappies once in a while.
Lake Zumbro…
Lake Zumbro is producing some nice sunfish in deep water. The ice here is usually questionable until later in the season, but it sounds like several people have been going out. They are walking on by the Ponderosa camp.
Mississippi River Backwaters…
The Mississippi backwaters are putting on a pretty good bite in some locations. The nice thing about many of the spots is that they are rather shallow and easier to fish. Some of the spots that are giving up fish are Wilcox, West Newton, The Finger Lakes, The Dike Road, The Long Walk, a few spots around Nelson and Alma, several harbors and marinas all along the river.
I want to encourage everyone to share information here. There is no reason to give up more information than you are comfortable doing, so don’t feel like you need to give up any secret spots, but you also don’t need to apologize for naming spots that are already very public and well known.
I hope this info helps, and above all I want to encourage everyone to get out and enjoy what is quickly becoming some very good fishing!
Good Fishing,
Mike
——————–
Hooked On Fishing Bait & Tackle
5510 Hwy. 63 N.
Rochester, MN 55906
(507)282-4982
or
1131 3rd Ave. SE
Rochester, MN 55904
(507)287-0888
www.hookedonfishingtackle.com
[email protected]
The Country Club Manor pits have been pretty hot for me in the past couple days. Lot of little sunfish and not very many keepers,but most of the crappies are eating sized. A vexilar is key because the crappies are almost always suspeneded. The crappie action has been slow until dusk, and then it really picks up. Good luck!!
Tony
I was on Lake Zumbro on Sunday the 4th. Ice conditions were generally good from Postier’s Point north and indications that sleds and atv use was underway. There are a few permanent sheds out, but not many by comparison with other years, along the high banks. The long stairs had none and the assumption is that there are a few out from the Ponderosa and in Ryan’s Bay. This ice was consistantly 10 to 12 inches. Fishing apparently has not yet gotten good, but some craps and perch were taken by the group I had out. Lots of fish were being marked, but the hook-up was tough. Typically the Zum will have a better late-season bite and that will usually become noticeable in mid to late Feb. The best action will come from craps and those most agreeable to a single hook with a bead and minnow set under a float. Hope this will help out. T
Welcome aboard guys and ”Thanks” for the updates. Keep em coming. Thanks, Bill
The scout camp reservoir has apparently turned on a little for sunfish. I just spoke with a guy who had some very nice sunnies come to the jig yesterday and was just beginning his walk up the path from the road on the north side. According to him, the bite is picking up and not a whole lot of people are tapping this right now. “Crappies are still slow”, he said. Maybe the recent lull in the fishing activity is going to pick up, eh?