Tell us about your luck this weekend..

Lucky to be married to the amazing mother of my little brats, lucky to have hung out with her all weekend.

Lakes opener for me and my 13yo starts tomorrow on Grindstone chasing lakers, browns, and rainbows! Hope to have good news to report.

The bite on the Mississippi here in St. Paul has been great and that’s been keeping us busy for weeks. 55-60 degree water temps now and they are already chomping at crank baits.

How often do you fish Grindstone? It isn't too far from where I teach and I've often wondered if my typical BWCA lake trout techniques would produce. Do you fish it pretty similarly to how you'd fish Gillis or Tuscarora?

Caught these beauties just outside the BWCA.

Gorgeous fish egknuti, well done!

CRL — grindstone is tough. Very steep breaks. 1 or 2 fish is a pretty good day for me out there, lots of days nothing. I fish it maybe 5 or 6 days a year, not a lot.

Lakers— mostly trolling. Tail dancers, spoons on lead core, etc.

Browns— I have found a little spot they like to hang around and have actually done ok on live bait under a float.

Rainbows— and a tip of the hat to lundojam on this one— smallest size husky jerk dragged around on a LONG line, like 150 ft or so.

egknuti: "Caught these beauties just outside the Bwca "

Those Rainbows are gigantic. Well done.

Thanks for the Grindstone info. Nice fish egknuti!

CRL: "Thanks for the Grindstone info. Nice fish egknuti!
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You look at Grindstone just about everything was stocked in there at one time. Even the outlet at one time they were going to dam up and than siphon the water from down deep and cold and make a coldwater stream down below in the 1960's. Guess nothing happened with that plan?

egknuti: "Caught these beauties just outside the BWCA.
"

Whoa! You da man!

Pinetree: "

CRL: "Thanks for the Grindstone info. Nice fish egknuti!
"

You look at Grindstone just about everything was stocked in there at one time. Even the outlet at one time they were going to dam up and than siphon the water from down deep and cold and make a coldwater stream down below in the 1960's. Guess nothing happened with that plan?"

Yeah, dam removal seems to be more in vogue these days I guess -- I know they are currently studying removal of the Grindstone River dam in Hinckley, which would wipe out the reservoir in town.

Pinetree -- I wish I had access to the stocking records further back, that would be fun to look at. I know it's been just trout stocked for some time now, Was there ever a failed walleye stocking program in that lake? The absence of walleye is what makes this one of my favorite lakes. If there were walleye in there I think that'd multiply fishing pressure significantly.

Crane Lake. On the water @ 6:00. Had the place to ourselves til 8:00 or so. First six came quickly. Last two were tougher to pick up once the riff raff rolled in. On the trailer by 10:30. Home and limits of 15"-19" walleyes cleaned by 12:30. No big fish, but as usual, a wonderful opener with my pop.

PikeLover: " "

That's a nice 'Eye there!

From a stocked lake close to home. I was the only one out there paddling in my solo canoe with about a dozen and a half motor boats. Was in the low to mid 30s, and pretty sure I was the warmest person out there since I was actually doing something for my trolling.

Abbey: "From a stocked lake close to home. I was the only one out there paddling I’m my solo canoe with about a dozen and a half motor boats. Was a in the low to mid 30s, and pretty sure I have as the warmest person out there since I was actually doing something for my trolling.


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Nice fat bows

egknuti: "Caught these beauties just outside the BWCA.
"

egknuti you really got it going , VN !

Btw we got skunked on g-stone! Two things — I have never in my time fishing there seen so much pressure. Usually I am the only trailer in the lot, or maybe 1 other rig. TEN trailers! I know the grind gets a lot of pressure from ice guys but dang, that was unexpected. Someone must’ve said there were walleyes in there or something lol. Second— MASSIVE bait clouds everywhere! Did not see a net come out from anybody all day so I’m guessing these fish are getting fat on forage right now.