Let the fun begin… Season is now open in neighboring states and we aren’t far behind.
Post what’s working: Water temps, depth, cover, lures:
Today – 52 degree water temps, 4-6 fow, windward side of the lake was warmest, Minnesota Rig..
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Gotta ask,what’s a Minnesota Rig?
Gotta ask,what’s a Minnesota Rig?
Basically a legal version of the Alabama Rig (5 hooks)… Minnesota only allows 1 hook. I was down in Arkansas recently and variations of this rig are used a lot for Stripers, hybrids and White Bass (which I was targeting here). Its basically a bait ball that fish smash at certain times of the year. Its also kinda nice because its pretty much pike proof!
Frydog….The white bass King….
The White Bass Whisperer.
ok.I did’nt even think of the AB rig.
And people say Megabass lures are tough to lose……break off an A Rig and it’s about $50 all said and done…..
Anyone think time of day makes a difference this time of year? Gotta think a sunny day would pop the temps a few degrees-that said I like to fish in the morning, fewer people.
Nice catch FRY-leading off the season as well as the Twins.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
Frydog….The white bass King….The White Bass Whisperer.
Still my favorite panfish to both catch… and EAT!!
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Pro Stewart ringies worked on a few smallies at the croix today.
Let’s circulate info this coming week – don’t need to give lake info but would be good to know how far North or South, West, etc you are and water temps, depths, lures, etc. as they will be all over the map this year and helpful to know…
My next time out will be Chisago area on Sunday. I’ll report back. Have a tourney the next Saturday so I’ll be prefishing.
Tim- Yes I think it can help fishing later in the day. Just like crappies, find the warmest water you find the bass. Especially in the shallows.
ust like crappies, find the warmest water you find the bass. Especially in the shallows.
I agree. Although it does look like a warm week so that may certainly increase water temps some by opener. I intend to go on Saturday for a while and I’ll be looking for early weed growth and warm water.
As far behind as we were just a short time back, I think with all the Rains and Temps forecasted in the upper 70’s to upper 80’s in the forecast that we will be at near normal water conditions by this weekend. The next week or so is about as much targeted Walleye fishing I do till Fall. That said we often pick up a fair amount of Bass while targeting the walleyes as well as take a few breaks and actually target bass now that its legal on the walleye opener. This week I’m sure our main lure choice will be Jerkbaits ( Love the Rapala shadow rap ) and Lipless crankbaits ( Original Rattle Trap and Rapala Clackin Raps ) I will also probably have a spinnerbait or chatterbait tied on for when we target the bass.
Okoboji Iowa, top water temp was 60, lowest was 46, fish were up shallow in the warmer water chomping on texas rigged plastics. Nothing surprising really, where you’d expect them.
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Junk fishing was the order of the day for my opener morning. It seems like I would get a couple of bites on a lure then nothing. Try a different lure and repeat the process
I did ok this morning. Caught 8 bass and 2 <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>pike in about 3 hours. Best tactic was a bluegill colored jerk bait. Biggest largie I caught was 18 inches. Virtually no weed growth whatsoever yet. Water temp 62 north metro.
About exact same for us… 62 temp, blue/silver jerkbaits…
Fished up by Longville. 52 degree water. The pink x-rap was the ticket. Many good days ahead. Good luck.
Bass seemed to eat just about anything moving on Tonka. Temps were anywhere from 54 to 63
Opener evening we smacked Platte Lake Specials around pretty good on bluegill colored chatterbaits. I managed to get a few on top after sunset. The brother was happy. I don’t think we had a bite that good in terms of numbers all of last year when he was with me. It was great, it seemed nobody else was fishing bass in the evening. We had a whole huge bay where the fish were to ourselves. I think I’ve got to make hay when the sun shines because I’m pretty sure Platte Lake had a significant die-off this winter. Made it to a few areas that should have been on fire this weekend and it was pretty brutal. In one particular bay, there were no signs of life. No panfish, no pike, nothing and we were in there at primetime when the water should have been alive with activity. Really disheartening.
Winterkills are sad-should not have been extremely bad, but every lake and region is different-bass are more sensitive than other species too.
What really sucks is the Lake Association has two aerators. I don’t know what the deal is with the current Association President. They didn’t put them in 2018 either.
I was out Sunday and this morning on a lake I’m fishing a tournament on this weekend. I could not put together a pattern to save my life. I haven’t been out a lot yet this spring but it sure seemed like every time I’d get a fish everything in the area shut off. I’d catch one up shallow, then nothing. Move out to mid depth weeds catch one, then nothing. Then move out a little deeper mark fish and then catch dink after dink.
What are you all finding? I’ve caught most so far on the chatterbait in about 5-10 ft on weed flats/lines when I can find them. Seem to be really scattered on this lake.
What are you all finding? I’ve caught most so far on the chatterbait in about 5-10 ft on weed flats/lines when I can find them. Seem to be really scattered on this lake.
I haven’t been out since Saturday. The fish I caught were in relatively shallow water (2-6 feet). I caught a couple on a spinnerbait but the better tactic was with a jerk bait in bluegill color. I didn’t spend much time in any one specific area either, just slowly kept covering water. May not be much help, but that’s what I did for 3 hours. All 8 of the bass I caught were decent sized, but no tanks. Smallest I caught was 13 and the biggest I caught was 18 inches.
Went out Monday… not much at all in the flats. Ended up catching pre-spawners in the shallows next to brown reeds with 1/4 swim jigs. Lost a big one, but caught several others in 16-18 inch range. Everything was a light bite or just nipping at it as evidenced with all my paddletail trailers getting bit off…
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Chisago area is on fire. Killed them on a jig 2 nights ago. Had 12 fish in 13 casts. Which always makes a guy smile. If your fishing this tourney this weekend just follow my boat around and clean up shop after I go through 😆😉
Starting to see some post-spawn fish on Platte/Sullivan. Getting some fish on topwater, but the majority are coming on jerkbaits, swim jigs, and chatterbaits. What a difference a year and some high water makes. I am crushing it this year. Last year for the entire year I only caught 126 bass in my #1 Spring Spot. This year I am at 400 plus and rising fast.
Had my first tourney of the year this morning. Holy EFF it was cold. 
Couldn’t buy a bite on anything moving so switched to my ride or die the neko rig, and racked up 30 fish on the day. It was a length tourney as you can’t cull yet because the season isn’t open but had 81.5 inches. Not terrible. Only an inch out of 4th. Leader had 93 inches!
Coming into this derby I was wondering if I still knew what I was doing because it’s been awhile since I had a good day on the water. This helped a lot. First time in a solo tourney too so made me feel better about myself! Here’s my biggest, 18 THICK inches and just under 5 lbs.
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