Minneapolis/Twin Cities Lakes (newbie)

[MinneapolisTransplant]

Living in SW Minneapolis, and have gotten back into fishing after many years away (guess COVID was good for something). I mostly fish in Bde Maka Ska (formerly Calhoun) and other urban lakes because I can get to 'em and get out on the water under pure human power (not opposed to electrics or real boats, just can't afford 'em). Most times out I'll get bass or northerns... but no dang walleye, despite all the fry that DNR pours in there. In fact, been living in Minnesota for 3 years now, and from the BWCA to the southern lakes, I have never gotten a walleye to bite, be it leech, jig, dropshot, or crankbait. Which tells me I need to quit trying on my own and get on the water with somebody who knows what they're doing.

I'm pretty flexible about timing; can even do some weekdays if we plan in advance. Would love to meet others who fish my local lakes, but at this point, I'll happily travel to learn the mysteries of the 'eyes. If you're looking for another partner or just like to spin yarns, I'll listen and bring along some brews and gas money for your troubles.

[AllenW]

Maybe look into a fishing club to gain some thoughts and fishing partners.

https://www.tcwalleyes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/mnvalleyinfisherman/

Here's a couple I belong to. fwiw

Or stop by if you get over by Lake Nokomis/the airport and I can tell ya lies on how to fish.

Al

[MinneapolisTransplant]

Thanks, Al. Will check those out! I'm still deciding how I feel about bigger in-person events but sounds like they've got a decent size social hall in Bloomington.

I'll drop you a PM about Nokomis. Been over there once, trolled around for a while in the main basin without any bites, one teensy bass over in the lagoon on the other side of the bridge. I'd explore it again. It was right in the middle of the super bad smoke and some folks thought it'd throw off the bite.

[feesh007]

I fished Harriet and Calhoun all the time from 2007 to around 2017 in my kayak. I think I got maybe 5 or 6 walleyes in that time from open water, but ice fishing for them was amazing. Getting a limit of eaters was usually not a problem in December and January, and once in a while you got a 27" or a 29". If you look at the stocking reports you'll see they've significantly reduced efforts. The last time Harriet got a good stocking was 2014 (2500 fingerlings), and you can bet those have all been caught by now. Looks like they put in 1800 in 2019 and 1700 in 2020, so it'll be a year or three before those are of any size. Gone are the days of putting in two or three thousand each year. I noticed fishing pressure ramped up significantly when I moved away in 2017 which meant lots more anglers competing for fewer fish. I went back for some ice fishing in 2019 but after getting skunked twice (the only times that has ever happened on Harriet) I decided I could get skunked on waters closer to home. I'm sure they are still in there but it probably takes some work to figure them out.

[MinneapolisTransplant]

(sigh) "Fish smarter" does seem to be the advice. Gonna have to give ice fishing a try if I can find someone to show me some of the ways of it (see Al further down, who I'll bug come January). Or change my timing. Now that it's gotten cold I'm noticing I see/hear a lot of something jumping just off the weedline around 7:30AM. Need to find some days when I can be mysteriously late to work.