Menomin Update

Well, yesterday I dipped my boat into Lake Menomin for the first time this year. The lake is basically ice free with the cemetery still having some ice, but that’s heading out fast. Point Comfort landing was open yesterday, but froze up the day before. This wind we’ve been having is really hurting the remaining ice. I was unsuccessful in my hunt for crappies, but I think the water temp needs to rise. I had 39-41 degrees all around the lake, checking a few shallower bays I found 46-47 degree water temp, but no crappies to be found there. When the ice gets out of the cemetery and the water temp

I did notice a very large amount of dead carp, on the shores and out on the lake, I bet I counted over 15 and I wasn’t specifically looking!

Were only a matter of weeks out from some awesome crappie fishing

Unfortunately, a bit of bad news to report.
Seems that an abnormally large number of dead fish have been reported seen this year in Menomin, esp. around the cemetary. This came from some very reliable people, mainly fish seen were crappies (sorry Pete) and bluegills. Possibly these fish were trapped in the cemetary and winter killed. One person reported even seeing them scattered around the cemetary itself due to birds carrying them off. This would make sense since a ton of eagles and gulls have been hanging around the lake. One person I know of said he did contact the DNR, but I have not heard anything since.
My hope is this was just a small localized event that overall won’t hurt this years fishing, but time will tell.

There are definitely huge numbers of Gulls and Eagles in the cemetery right now. I do however recall seeing a lot of dead gills and crappies last year about this time.

Seeing alot of eagles, gulls and cranes around the lake.

Patient brought in a pic he took of a Golden Eagle from his front yard. It was taken this week, and yup, it has a dead bluegill in his talons.
Yes, it is a Golden and not an immature Bald-thing is huge.
Hope this is a blip on the fish radar, but last year we did not catch near as many gills as years past.

Went through on Sunday p.m. on our way home from Alma, only saw one boat on the lake about 2:30 p.m. Bauer/Hanson/Frigo/Leiny, was that you on the east shore just to the south of the mouth???

Oh and on the way south on Sat. night, saw beauty Lund (blue, I think with a “get bit” license plate), any of you guys, we were right behind you with the white Lund/Evenrude.

I even tried to stop by and see Widmer in Downsville and even he was gone for the Easter weekend!!! The holiday weekend did make traffic very quiet on P5.

Mark

Holy Dead Gills! Fished in the cemetary and several other spots around the lake with little luck. There are dozens of dead gills floating in the cemetary bay

Good new is it was so nice out, I fished without a shirt on most of the afternoon

Pete