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Area lakes fishing report
The walleye and northern pike season may be extended by a few weeks.
Fishing derbies and kids' fishing events are in the works and the weather has been super for outdoor activities. However, the fish still aren't biting.
You'd think with so much political and promotional activity going on, the angling action would pick up.
In fact, the opposite seems to be true. Pail flipper reports from around the area describe fishing as slow, poor, nothing, and "I'd be happy with the good old hit-and-miss action."
Joe's Sport Shop in Howard Lake reported: "Action has been slow and there haven't been a lot of anglers out. Howard Lake and Dog Lake have been the only lakes in the area producing fish that we have heard about. Dog is producing a few crappies and anglers on Howard are catching small sunfish on the north end."
Danny Radtke of Radtke's Bait and Tackle near Winsted reported: "I spoke with a few anglers who caught their limit of sunnies on Swan Lake near Silver Lake last week. Lake Ripley near Litchfield is producing sunfish for anglers heading onto the lake off the south access and then taking a path to the east. Anglers fishing Lake Francis north of Cokato are catching northern pike on medium-sized shiners and small sucker minnows."
Danny also noted, quite a few anglers have been heading
to Lake Ann with wax worms and fat heads and anglers should keep their
eyes on Lakes Ida and Mary. With the weather warming up, the sunfish action
on those two lakes could pick up.
Ice fishing could be extended
The walleye and northern pike season may be extended by a few weeks.
Fishing derbies and kids' fishing events are in the works and the weather has been super for outdoor activities. However, the fish still aren't biting.
You'd think with so much political and promotional activity going on, the angling action would pick up.
In fact, the opposite seems to be true. Pail flipper reports from around the area describe fishing as slow, poor, nothing, and "I'd be happy with the good old hit-and-miss action."
Joe's Sport Shop in Howard Lake reported: "Action has been slow and there haven't been a lot of anglers out. Howard Lake and Dog Lake have been the only lakes in the area producing fish that we have heard about. Dog is producing a few crappies and anglers on Howard are catching small sunfish on the north end."
Danny Radtke of Radtke's Bait and Tackle near Winsted reported: "I spoke with a few anglers who caught their limit of sunnies on Swan Lake near Silver Lake last week. Lake Ripley near Litchfield is producing sunfish for anglers heading onto the lake off the south access and then taking a path to the east. Anglers fishing Lake Francis north of Cokato are catching northern pike on medium-sized shiners and small sucker minnows."
Danny also noted, quite a few anglers have been heading
to Lake Ann with wax worms and fat heads and anglers should keep their
eyes on Lakes Ida and Mary. With the weather warming up, the sunfish action
on those two lakes could pick up.
Outdoor notes
- If you would like to attract more birds to your backyard bird feeders, add a water source. The water will attract more birds and they will pay you back with hours of wonderful entertainment.
- The Howard Lake Sportsmen's Club annual Fishing Derby is set for Saturday, Feb. 14 from 2 to 4 p.m. on Howard Lake. The grand raffle prize is a deluxe King Crow fish house. There are also many other raffle prizes and a host of contests including largest fish, power and hand augering, and oldest angler.
- The Winsted Sportsmen's Club will host its He-She Mixer Friday, Feb. 20 at the Blue Note Ballroom in Winsted. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Blue Note, Tom's Corner Bar in Winsted, and from Radtke's Bait and Tackle or from club members.
- The Lester Prairie Sportsmen's Club will hold its annual Father/Son Banquet Friday, March 20 at the Lester Prairie City Hall.
- Their will be a kids' fishing seminar on Howard Lake on Saturday, Feb. 28. Look for more details on this event in next week's column.
- Snowmobilers in the area have reported tough conditions for sledding and rough trails.
- Your 1997 Minnesota angling license expires Feb. 28, 1998. After that date, you will need a 1998 angling license.
- Anglers, don't forget about that special fishing partner on Valentines Day.
- 455,178 acres were accepted into the Conservation Reserve Program in Minnesota during the recent sign-up period. That brings Minnesota's total CRP acres to approximately 1.1 million. The recent sign-up period, which was the 16th for the program, saw the U.S. Department of Agriculture accept 87.5 percent of Minnesota acres that were affected.
- The 1998 Minnesota fishing opener is set for Saturday, May 9.
