In need of fishing spots near by.

[babalu]

Hello, I'm just getting into fishing again and was hoping to find some fishing spots near by. I'm in Minneapolis and most of the time my friend and I get out we only have maybe 3 hours if we're lucky. So if any of you could point us in the right direction where we might be able to catch some decent fish. He's got waders I'm limited to shoreline and docks. I'm also pretty new to fly fishing so casting around people still makes me mess up a lot, so crowded docks are quite a challenge for me...

Thank You for any insight
Paul

[babalu]

i just tried out lake calhoun, and lets just say i got pretty lucky not to hook anybody. lol oh well always next time...

[babalu]

Spent a couple hours at lake of the isles under the bridge by channel, and cedar lake boat landing. Both spots looked liked they had signs of promise, but didn't turn out much.

[ted4887]

Babalu,


You're on the right track with fishing the chain of lakes in Minneapolis. There are a ton of options available to you. Don't overlook fishing the Mississippi River, or any other lake in that area. You have hundreds of possibilities.

What type of rod setup do you have right now? Any specific species you're looking to target?

It's a good time of year to be a fly fisherman in warm water fisheries. Right now, fish are starting to put the feedbag on in shallow waters. The opportunities are there to catch walleye, pike, bass, and muskie if you're geared up for that. Also, pay attention when you're walking those shorelines for feeding carp. Carp are a lot of fun to catch, and will definitely help you hone your new fishing skill.



Also, if you're looking for nearby lakes, and public launch information check out the DNR lake finder. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html

[babalu]

we're both using Cabelas Rls outfits 8wt, and we'd like to catch pike, bass and maybe a muskie if lucky enough.

I've been using the dnr site a lot and its very useful. Also using the west metro area lakes fishing book that's pretty close to the same information.

Do you know of anywhere on the Mississippi to fish near Mpls? The only spots I've heard are good are in Monticello, and same guy said don't bother fishing the Minnesota river. I just fell like fishing is garbage right now or I'm not getting to the right spots for the fish.

Oh well I'm gonna keep trying spots till something bites.
Thanks!

[ted4887]

When it comes to the Mississippi, just find a spot and fish. Keep doing this until you find what you're looking for. Wing dams are a good start though.

One thing that can be invaluable is some sort of fishing log or journal. Use Google Earth coordinates and photos to keep track of where you have fished and if it was productive. Also keep records of the daily weather,water temp if possible, what fish you caught and what you caught them on.

The other thing I will add is that if you don't already have a sinking line or some sink tips, it would be wise to invest in some.

[babalu]

I hadn't thought of a journal but that's a great idea.
Thanks again Ted!

[ted4887]

No problem. Feel free to pm me anytime you need localized help. I'll gladly help you out with what I know.

[troutdoorsman]

Grab a map book and look for any of the parks along the Mississippi. The Rum River in Anoka and up into Ramsey has some good Bass fishing. The parks in Monticello and St Cloud and the **** Rapids Dam on the Mississippi are awesome. Calhoun has some big Muskies in it. If you have any type of a boat or canoe you can hook fish in any water in MN really.
There's a really nice fly shop in Thorne Bros up in Blaine. Check them out, they should be able to help you out as well. It's been a few years since I've been back there but if you have any questions give me a holler.

[Diver Dan]

Did this thing auto censor **** Rapids?

Oh my God it did! That's Racoon Rapids without the Ra.