Navionics Lake of the week

[site admin]

Picked a random lake from the Navionics webapp.
Keeping the name a secret until we get some discussion going. This lake is very close to a spoonplugger, and I'm waiting for them to say, "Where is that lake, I'd fish it in a heartbeat".

My thoughts to get things going...
Based on the maximum depth (32'), I'd guess water color isn't too bad, especially in the summer. I'd look for structures with the drop off around 12' to 20' range. I see several areas that are "Fishing Water".

[John Bales]

The very first thing that stands out like a sore thumb is an anchoring position, and it would only take one, will catch most anything that's worth talking about and that would be in and around the 32 ft hole. Who ever lives close to this one would be smart to be anchored there just as soon as the ice is gone and again right before ice up. Everything will be there. There should be 5 or 6 groups of fish in this lake. The largest fish should be in and around the 32ft hole. The other spots are all seperate holes and they all have features near them. This lake is a walk in the park so to speak. John

[Steve Craig]

WOW!!!!!

What a lake!

[Koz]

The dam at the bottom of pic one would indicate a flowage and potentially good water color, also the map shows no vegetation in the the shallows like other Navionics maps. The bar just above the 32' hole looks like it has a finger that breaks at around 13' directly into the deep water, if I had only one spot to choose that would be it. It looks like it has a potential area to anchor at around 9-10' and cast a bottom bumper out over the breakline at 13'.
Above that leading into the 21' hole there look like two potentially good bars off to the right that break off at decent depths.
I don't think the 14' hump would product LM bass as it doesn't go all the way but may be other species using it.

[beckman44]

I think the spoonplugger that lives near here has way to many lakes to handle by himself and needs to plan an outing here. Oh by the way I will be parked near the 32 foot hole also. Bill.

[John Bales]

Bill, You are welcome to anchor next to me anytime you want. Just jump in, grab a rod and we will go get your boat when we are done. John

[joseph radunz]

Too funny! I live about a mile from this lake as it is named after the town I live in! It has good water color most of the year even before the very heavy algea bloom that hits every summer.Mostly managed for walleye. Has largemouths, smallmouths and pike as well. Smallmouth can be had on the north side of the bar on the east side of the lake - nice breakline at 12 ft that dumps to 22. there are 2 rock piles that make fingers on the the east side of the hump at midlake. The small hump on the west side center of the lake is a rock pile with very large rock on it. It has one spot to concentrate on - a break at 14 feet that dumps to 17 feet. The deepest hole is 33 ft and has 3 bars pointing to it - one that is more productive than the others with rocks at the 14 foot breakline. Bottom consists mostly of sand that ends at or around 12 -14 feet changing into muck. Believe it or not the productive spots are the small areas of rock on structure - hmmmm. Nice walleyes can be had around the two big humps at midlake shallow up untill midsummer. Fall walleyes up untill first ice are caught in the southwest corner which is mostly mucky but serves up a very subtle channel that leads to a creek heading to another lake. There is a creek that enters the lake at dead center of the west side that can be good at night inthe fall if we get any appreciable rain and the current is decent. There are several other small features that can produce. Pike to the mid teens can also be all year if things are done right. Can be a fun lake to fish if the conditions are right, however there are so many other lakes in very close vicinity that keep a guy from tying himself to just one lake! And I'm still waiting for the other spoonplugger that lives "close" to give me a call! P.S. The dam in the map does not exist.This is a natural lake with flood control pipes and creeks running into and out of it.

[Fran Myers]

Now just a darn minute here...

First, despite spending enough money to exceed several small African countries GNP, I did NOT buy the Ranger IceBreaker Attachment.

Just to let you know (AGAIN) - I've made some big changes that drastically change my schedule so I'm going to be the one saying "Where's Joe?" Hug your wife for me and we will hit it, promise.

This is why people who ask me if I fish certain lakes and I haven't because they are more than 30 minutes away from my house. Just so much good water that I have to pass to get to them. Hell, I haven't even gotten to all the lakes in the cities...

[site admin]

Fran... I've been waiting for you to jump in!
I feel sorry for you having SOOOO many lakes available within a short drive.
After you and Joe hit this rascal, give us a full report.....!

[Fran Myers]

To be honest Jim, I haven't seen this map. If its over by Joe's house then it's in Wright County which is where Mike lives and I don't think I remember mentioning it. I still don't know what the Lake's name is or where exactly it is.

We are blessed with outstanding lakes very close to us. But we are also one of the most regulated states. I wish we could do the fishing John and Denny talk about the same day the ice goes out. But its hard to convince the DNR your fishing for crappies when you're trolling a largish bait in the shallows for Muskies or pitching and jigging for Bass. It is amazing where these guys come poping up sometimes and to tell you the truth the risk and the penalties are just not worth it. So I will go where it's leagl and play the game.

It must be very frustrating for you guys who have to drive 3+ hours one way for a day trip. My mid way fuel stop going to Chicago or John Bakes house is the exit for Patenwell I think. Hell you might as well come to my house...

[site admin]

Buffalo lake, NW of twin cities. Looks like a good one....

[Fran Myers]

Really? I have looked at a buffalo lake. I don't recall this. Drive right past it going to mikes... I may have even boated on it? Make you go Hmmm.

Pretty good that you can pass a lake like this to go somewhere else. That's how great it can be here

[Fran Myers]

Ok, this has been bothering me all day since Joe spoke about the lake and Jim said the name. In all fairness Mike said that he hadn't spent much time on the lake. I've always thought it had good color but there are a LOT of lakes in this county that have 6" or less water color. Some have Muskies, other are fantastic Bass and Pike Lakes.

I literally drive past this lake whenever I go to Mike's house (road on the top of the page). Now again when you guys see the Navionics map you guys see things I didn't - here it is:

Buffalo.jpg (145.63 KiB) Viewed 5027 times

Now after a number of years of Spoonplugging experience that I didn't have, I can certainly see why I would get excited but with this map, might not spend a lot of time on it. I'm embarassed. Well there are better free maps now but I don't remember seeing these before.

Keep it up and I start showing you some of the good ones I haven't shared...

[joseph radunz]

Fran,

There certainly are a lot of water to choose from. In my case I usually end up choosing Ramsey Lake over buffalo, the challenge of finding a school of bass usually trumps hunting down walleyes on buffalo as I probably wouldnt eat many fish from there. Ask Mike what he knows about Ramsey I have had a lot of fun on that lake and you probably drive past that one too on your way to mike's.And don't take my razzing too seriously, with two boys 2 and 4 years old I don't have a lot of extra time myself so I know how a tight schedule works! So take a zoloft and we'll hit it when we can! I still want to hit the river with you up here, those smallies are to much fun to pass up on! Looking forward to hearing from you.
Joe

[Fran Myers]

Ok pills taken. My schedule has been really frustrating to my fishing since I've upgraded to captain and my computer stuff has gotten bigger. While I'm happy that I'm on leave my computer stuff went crazy lately but I'm expecting to be able to drop it and go fishing fairly quickly.

Maybe we can get together