minitakki lake

[scar]

scar
looking for any info anyone has on minitakki. i will be fishing there for the canadian opener and am aware of fish sanctuaries in the english river, rice creek and red pine bay. since those areas are of limits where might be a good place to fish?

[bosbar]

Santuraries are closed to fishing in early spring, so it depends on the dates you are going. Otherwise, the slot limit for walleye is 18-21". Three under and one over. Northern Pike, 25 1/2"-35" is the slot, three under and one over.

[MN_Moose]

Will you be fishing Minnitaki lake itself or also on Pickeral Arm? Where are you staying?

[mn_moose]

last spring i bought a place on nepawa island with 6 other guys. we are centrally located,near the rice river sactuary. we have only fished the 3 sanctuaries and humps on the big water during the summer months. have never been on the lake for the opener and since the sactuaries are not yet open i was looking for sugestions on early walley spots/methods etc.
scar

[Karl]

Minnicau (sp) Creek is THE place to be when season opens on Minnitaki Lake and the sanctuaries are still closed.

[IaDave]

I would try below Abrams Chute or Frog Rapids on Abrams Lake which is connected to Minnitaki. We always found that Abrams was better than Minnitaki that early.

[scar]

Karl and IaDave thanks for the help!
do you guys spend a lot of time up there?
anyone else out there with any info?

[IaDave]

We have been going twice a year for the past few years, once in the spring around Memorial Day and once in the fall around the 3rd week of Sept. I think Karl goes up more than that. We have been staying at Winoga Lodge on Abrams Lake. In the spring we pretty much stay at Abrams Lake because the fishing is better there that early. I think Minnitaki gets better around the first or second week of June. It all depends when the ice goes out. In the fall we concentrate on Minnitaki. I enjoy the fall much better, less boats and a chance at some monster fish. You never know what you will catch. We were fishing for walleye last fall and a guy in our group tied into a huge fish. He fought it for 45 minutes or so in 50' of water before his line broke at the reel, must of been a weak spot in the line. In describing the fight to the lodge owner, who also guides, he thought it must of been a 30# or more Laker. He said the fish probably didn't even know it was hooked. You can't go wrong at Minnitaki, there is so much water to fish.

[Karl]

25 weeks in the last 10 years. 4 weeks last year, one in May ice-out pike fishing, two weeks in early July, and the first week of August.

Tried Abram Chutes in fall 2001 (stayed at the Sioux Retreat cabin just west of yours on Neepawa Island). Trolling produced some big northern, but after loosing four jig/minnows in four casts, went to NE Bay and hammered them. Too much current and too many rocks for jig fishing at the chutes.

I agree with IaDave about Frog Rapids, though the best time is right after sunset, which leaves you with a long, dark boat ride home. If you try it, use a #9 Risto Rap. Start downstream where the swirls end and go between the two southern bridge pillars. There's a five foot or so ledge soon after you get to the Abrams side of the bridge. Quit there and repeat. You won't get a walleye every time, but the one's you get will be big.

Beautiful cabin you have. I go past it several times a year.

[IaDave]

Karl- I wish I had a cabin on Neppwa Island. I'm just a poor working stiff who spent all his money on a new boat. Try below Abrams Chute early in the spring back in the calm water. No snags and big fish. You will see the other boats. In the fall forget about it. In the fall any suggestions to the southern part of Minnitaki. We never get farther than Lyons Bay because we never needed to, but after a few years of going to the same spots we need an adventure.

[Karl]

Yes, there's a big mid-lake reef (very rocky) that comes straight up from very deep, tops off at about 10 feet (in a normal water level year), then gradually slopes west for about 75 yards. If you know where the cut-thru from Pickerel Arm is, it's 1/3rd the way across the main lake. I'd start at the 20ft depth and work deeper until I found them.

There's another dynamite reef about a quarter mile straight north of Nick's Island that tops off at about 15 feet and slopes due north. Didn't find any fish shallower than 20 feet.

Also did well trolling deep rapalas in the 20-25ft depth range along Lyons Sandbar, from the point until just past the reef that runs perpendicular to the shoreline. Got some nice northern there too. Usually when the lure crossed that narrow reef.

It's a different ballgame in the fall, and took some getting used too.

You made good distinction in that regard to Abram Chutes. I never fished it in the spring. The fall is lousy.

[johnno]

Hi there, I too will be going to fish this lake come May 17. I do have some questions to anyone who have fished this particular water, especially Abrams Chute. I drive by there very often, see the boats, drop anchor but no fish. What is the best method?size of jig?, I assume since the current is moving, that being outside of the eddy works best. The times I have tried, I snagged many rocks, so any info would be greatly appreciated.

[ohdaddy]

Well Johnno, I have fished the "chute" for a number of years now and have not been very successful. If you get some good advice....pass it along!
Whale

Keep your line in the water and your pole straight.........

[IaDave]

We fished below the chutes last year the week of Memorial Day. Everbody was pretty much anchored about 50-100 yards below the chute on the side opposite where you go thru. We had no problem with the rocks,maybe we were lucky. Used a 1/2oz white jig with minnow. After about 15 min. no fish but 2 of the boats next to us were catching them. Then we landed had a doubleheader a 23" & 24". Then 2 smaller ones. Another 15 min wait and once again a doubleheader. It was almost like the fish were going in a large circle. Once the 2 boats to our left caught some we knew it was our turn next. If you are going up the first week of the season I would try below Frog Rapids also.

[Otts]

We fished the "chute" last year over July 4th. The lakes were high then and the water was rushing through. The GPS showed that Minitakki was 4 feet higher than Abrams. So you can imagine how much water was coming through the chute. We watched one boat right up in the chute on the right side take to huge walleyes. They were casting leadheads. The problem was that they were getting snagged alot and loosing their jigs. We went with 2 oz bottom bouncers and drooped them right over the side. Then we would use the trolling motor to venture into the swirling water. Just as we got into the swirls we would hook a fish almost everytime. No snags either. Once we had the fish we would turn around and head for the calm water along the shore and then do the whole thing again. I did break my line a couple of times on fish. I believe that when I hooked them they would get caught in the current. My rod would bend right down into the water and then the line would break. It was awesome fishing. We stayed at the lodge at Frog Rapids. At night we would cross the road and fish from shore for a little while. We caught many fish from shore there. Next year I will try the rapids on the west side of the bridge. Thanks for that info.

Otts

[johnno]

thanks for the info, we are going up opening week., maybe give below frog rapids a try.

[scar]

otts-great info. what were you using on the bottom bouncers?

[Otts]

We were fishing spinners and using leeches. I don't remember a certain color.
I think one of the main reasons we might have done so well was because the 2 oz bottom bouncer was keeping us in a tight area rather than the current taking a jighead or something lighter right down stream. Also, we could feel bottom really well and then raise the rig rather than not feeling bottom and getting it snagged up and losing it.
I would agree with some that say fishing with that much weight is not much fun, but when the fish hit in this current you knew it and it was fun.
I hope it is just as much fun this year!

[Master Angler]

Well the fish sanctuary open up to be fished the day of the june 16 that includes English River and Rice River, but some of the best fishin is done on Abram lake that time of year, just in the mouth of the sturgeon river (marchington river) same place. There a quite few reefs on the way to the english that are amazing for sprintime willies. Even up in north east bay but noth east bay is very treaterous for rocks and reefs that come out of nowhere. If you had a map that I could mark out for you there is enough spots to keep you plenty busy in the spring, I always do well of third island which is the the third island out of the harveys narrows, an a few more mile down is burnt island that a bid reef that runs parralel with the island, both reefs are amazing for big walleye, white fish and even some monster lake trout. Lyons bay is phenominalfor lake trout. I have caught plenty of 25# plus trout in there in the past years. This spring off third island I caugght a 27# in 36 feet of water. And I know the boys from winoga do very well out in Minnitaki, there son is phenominal at fishing, he doesn't guide but he definitely won't turn a day down to go fishing with someone. He knows the area almost as good as his father, but he also knows areas his dad doesn't. Those would be the two guys to talk to about the area. His son does alot of smallmouth fishing to in the area, and he does very well, I guess you could say they have fishing in there blood. If you need any questions answered just ask