Alexandria Lakes Area
It’s been a week now since ice out and I’ve been out a few times targeting panfish. With water temps ranging from mid to upper 40s, most fish are staged in the deeper water or available weed flats immediately adjacent to known spawning grounds. The depth can range greatly based on the specific lake, but my best advice is to look for standing vegetation or the nearest break line to deeper water and start there. If you find yourself fishing in a good wind, go the the wind blown side of that bay or shoreline and you’re likely to find the fish. My go to has been a 1″ gulp minnow or hair jig in the 1/32nd or 1/16th ounce variety fished under a float so the bait can hang in their faces. Start with your bait 1 ft above where you marked fish or halfway down in water depth you’re fishing. As for color, you can never go wrong with white or pink around here.
Looking ahead to walleye opener this weekend, with another late ice out it will be very similar to last year. So if you struggled last year, try something different! The shiner spawn shouldn’t be too far away and the walleyes will likely be up shallow hunting them down. I will be targeting shallow (5-12 ft) sand and rock areas with the first emerging weed growth starting to appear. A jig and minnow worked slowly is hard to beat, but if you can’t find minnows due to the forecasted shortage, crystal/white plastics worked more aggressively will also put fish in the boat.
Have a fun and safe fishing opener!
Cpt. Tim Juba
Juba’s Fishing Adventures, LLC.
(651) 261-7129
jubasfishingadventures@gmail.com
www.jubasfishing.com