Anyone have any muskie reports on the lake? Fished 6 hours Sunday,4hrs on bass, 2hrs casting big baits. Lost one mid 30’s on a double cowgirl 10 casts into the trip. Had 2 other follows both lower 30’s on Mag Bulldogs. All near same location. Didnt see anything anywhere else. I know there are 10-13 yr olds in there. Anyone ever see them? Caught numerous ski’s below the dam from 42-48″ so I would imagine there are 45-50″ up above…
There are some big girls in the lake as well as below the dam. I see one every once in a while when fishing panfish, but have never targeted them. Do hear of some over 40 inches being caught in the lake. Thanks for the report and let us know how yo do in future outings. 
Good luck with those big gals and please feel free to keep us posted on what you see and how you do. It would be very interesting to be kept up to date on the muskys down there and how many you see each outting and how the quest to catch em goes. Good luck Justin.
Thanks, Bill
I have been on the Zumbro river the past couple weekends fishing for smallies and have seen several muskies but have never been able to get them to bite. Mostly because I am not a musky fisherman and do not have the proper gear. I rarely hear of anyone catching muskies on the Zumbro and I was wondering how many people actually fish for them?
hey web i think i went to school with your little brother if you are who i think you are. If you are that person i think i owe you one. Shoot me a p.m. and i think i can help. Muskies are tough in the lake. I dont’ know how many are really in there but i know some guys go after them. It is like anything if you spend time on the water eventually you piece it together or should be able to.
ike
ike
There is kind of a whole Zumbrota connection going on with this post so I thought I better get my $.02 in as well, I haven’t seen any other than in the river, but they have to be somewhere. That’s all I got 
Not too helpful but like I said its the whole connection 
Ikeslayer, hopefully you dont owe me a swift kick in the @$$. Thats what most of little bros friends say.
Moran, how you gonna see any Ski’s in the lake if your still down at the ol’ fishen hole with a can of crawlers caught from under the railroad ties beneath the deck. Wait…maybe you caught them by sticking a metal clothes hanger in the ground and plugging in the extension cord. 
Good to hear from ya.
I can tell you what not to do on the lake to catch a muskie. I have pent alot of tuesday nights down there castin alot of different lures. No muskies or follows. I have caught and had on some northrens that were pretty impressive though.
Over the course of a year I spend a tremendous amount of time on the Zumbro and will share my observations.
I see the bulk of my muskie sightings either early spring or late fall. 99% of these fish are following a hooked sunfish or crappie. Some, in fact, will pluck the easy meal. Every once in a great while I will get one to the boat but 4 pound line is not real adequate for muskie wrangling.
Most of these fish are in the 36-39 inch range, but they fall well short of the size of the pike I have seen and caught. Almost all of these fish have come from steeply breaking shoreline. Most will be near a point of some sort and unlike the pike who will find favor with submerged wood, the muskies seem to like the open water.
I think one of the draw-backs to the Zumbro and a solid, viable, muskie fishery is the deep water element. The Zumbro simply has too much deep water as compared to good muskie habitat where catching them is more likely. The river below the dam, on the other hand, is a prime place for these brutes and they do get that way in the river.
Of the people I know personally that have gone to Lake Zumbro to specifically target muskies, all have come away with a poor opinion of the lake as being even mediocre muskie water. I think muskie anglers will get their itch scratched a lot sooner by fishing for muskies in the river rather than in the lake.
I think the deep structure of the lake will eventually benefit the muskies. I would imagine the poor opinion is because it is young yet with a low population. I hope the DNR continues to stock as it has the ingredients to grow very large fish, although I do agree it will be an open water lake with its steep shorelines and lack of points, mid lake structure, etc.
The river on the other hand seems very vulnerable for sustaining what it has. Low water and easy picken’s make me wonder if things will stay the way they are. Honestly, I have had spots in that river where I have seen 20 follows in one evening and landed 5-6 fish. Fun yes, but not good for the population when everybody finds the spots. Hopefully, those of you who know these spots also know how to land and release these fish because they not so toothy and mean once the battle is over.. Nevertheless, awesome fishery down there right now just hope it stays that way.
CT, if you ever see a 50+ after your pannies just let me know and I’ll be back to settle him down! 
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CT, if you ever see a 50+ after your pannies just let me know and I’ll be back to settle him down!
Unfortunately, I think Tom’s seeing most of those prior to the first weekend in June. 
I caught a musky in Lake Zumbro once ….oh…..wait…..never mind 
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I caught a musky in Lake Zumbro once
Long time ago eh Jake…. 
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I caught a musky in Lake Zumbro once
HAHA I remeber that Jake!
Great story too
JJ ~ I think the whole hangar in the ground was your idea I was just dumb enough to plug it in.
Now that we are older and wiser lets just hope our kids wont be as desperate for worms. I sure hope you aren’t telling people about that hot spot either, I haven’t been to wither of the two streams for a LONG time. Kline’s would probably still be fun. See ya on the Zumbro, I drive an 18′ Mirrocraft, black and red or I will be with Lowrie in his 22′ blue Rnager
Sounds good, I have a black/silver Ranger or usually dads Tuffy when Im down that way. I’m on Mille Lacs for the next few months but will be chasing Skis/Eyes down there once bow season starts. 
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