Lake Waconia Ice and Fishing Report 12/26/13

It's been a good start to the ice fishing season so far. As we approach the New Year, we continue to see more fishermen flock to the ice getting set up with permanent and portable fish houses.  Anglers are beginning to spread out to their favorite reefs, as the ice has incrementally thickened.  Our latest ice news is a similar story to what we've been preaching most of this season, albeit improved from our last report.  The key word is "varied".  While we've been comfortable driving in Waconia Bay and out to Cemetery Reef for almost 2 weeks, we have just started to head toward Center Reef with a plowed road.  The road fans out at the end just before the main group, but doesn't continue around the reef as of yet.  The reason for this is because of the variability of the ice. While you are sure to find plenty of ice ranging from 14 to 18 inches around Center, keep in mind there is also the potential to come across isolated patches of ice with as little as 7.5 inches (we found this just southeast of Center on 12/24).  If you're looking to go to Center with a big house, we suggest using our road to get near the area and do a check yourself beyond that point to get a feel for the ice in the area to plot your path.  We have not plowed toward Pillsbury Reef as of yet, due to a good-sized area of slush a couple hundred yards north and east of Harm's Point between Pillsbury and Center.  With the upcoming weekend ending with the start of another cold snap, we hope these areas will firm up so we can make it easier for you to get to your favorite honey holes.  As always, ice is never safe, but we'll do our best to inform you of the conditions so your experience can be safer.

As for the fishing, we continue to have good reports on panfish.  Waconia Bay has been producing some nice action yet, but the theme continues with a lot of little ones to sift through.  If you're looking for sunfish, 9 to 12 feet of water would be there range to find them.  Crappies are there too, but can also be found a touch deeper as well, up to 14 feet.  Northern pike have been biting on the more mild days, so get your tip-ups out this weekend before the cold comes later on Sunday.  For those going to Center Reef, we've been hearing of some good crappie action in 12 to 13 feet of water around weeds.  Between 3 to 6 pm has been the best bite for some who have been out lately.  Walleyes have still been producing action, although as expected, several reports have been of shorter walleyes under 16 inches that must be released.  Some of the reported recent keepers have been coming from Waconia Bay, Wagener's Bay and toward Pillsbury Reef in 12 to 15 feet of water.

We now have ALL 5 of our Rental Fish Houses out on the ice!  We're filling reservations during this holiday stretch, so call us now while we still have availability. If you're looking to get on the ice, and want it to be an easy, pleasant experience, try us out.  We drill the holes, and the heat is on!  All you need is a license, rods, and bait.  If you don't have some of the equipment, we rent jig sticks either individually, or in buckets for a group.  Underwater cameras are also available to rent!  We also sell licenses, bait, tackle and snacks!  Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve.

We hope to see you at the lake!

Lake Waconia Ice & Fishing Update 12/14/13

Lake Waconia's ice continues to grow in thickness, but some areas are growing more than others.  We're finding the best, most consistent ice out from our marina in Waconia Bay, out between the 2 marinas, and to Cemetery Reef.  We're measuring ice between 10 to 14 inches, with the majority of it between 12 to 14 inches in these areas.  The reason the ice is better in these spots, is because when it snowed last Wednesday the 4th, the snow got saturated here and froze, rather than drifting.  Because it's more consistent here, we opened our access the latter part of this week for vehicle traffic to these areas only.  We suggest stopping in to our shop to learn more.

Some of the spots we've checked with the least ice include parts of Center, Pillsbury, Harm's Point and "Under the Wires".  These locations also have lots of very thick ice as well (up to 14 inches), but since some of the snow never got saturated, it caused a scattered range of snow drifts that kept the ice as little as 6.5 to 8 inches under those drifts. Because of this varied range of ice, we're suggesting to wait before driving vehicles to those areas.  If you were to drill numerous holes, you'd most likely find excellent ice, but it just takes one bad spot to ruin a day.  We will continue to monitor the ice, so please call us at (952) 442-2096 for the latest ice news.

As for fishing, the past few days we have seen more and more anglers taking to the ice to wet their lines.  The action has been good, with plenty of sunfish and crappie reports. Wax worms and crappie minnows have been the most popular bait choices. Expect to do some sorting if you're looking for keepers.  Walleyes have been decent as well, with some reports of keepers mixed in amongst under-sized walleyes.  Keep in mind, walleyes must be 16 inches or over to keep on Lake Waconia.  With the temps more conducive for tip-up fishing, there have been more reports of northern pike as well.  Small suckers have been working to get those to bite.

Since we're most pleased with the ice in Waconia Bay, we've begun our Fish House Rental season!  Currently we have 3 rental houses out in 10 to 11 feet of water.  We're focusing on action for sunfish and crappies, with the potential for northern pike or even walleye.  If you're looking to get on the ice, and want it to be an easy, pleasant experience, try us out.  We drill the holes, and the heat is on!  All you need is a license, rods, and bait.  If you don't have some of the equipment, we rent jig sticks either individually, or in buckets for a group.  Underwater cameras are also available to rent!  We also sell licenses, bait, tackle and snacks!  Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve.

We hope to see you at the lake!

Important Lake Waconia Ice Report 12/8/13

The ice in front of our marina to Waconia Bay, the walleye hole and over toward Cemetery Reef seems to have the best ice.  We measured ice between 6.5 to 12 inches, with the majority of it being around 10 inches (including cloudy frozen slush ice on the surface).  It's easier going in these areas, as there are less snow drifts.

We did a more extensive ice check today, expanding out "Under the Wires", and to Center, Pillsbury and Reefs.  The ice we found in these areas was extremely varied, dependent upon where snow drifts were. On the way to both Center and Pillsbury there are numerous large snow drifts spread all over that are holding back the ice growth.  I measured thicknesses ranging from 4.5 inches up to 13 inches.  The ice that was clear "black" ice and had no snow on it, was around 9 to 10 inches, but if it had drifted up, it was common to find averages between 5.5 to 6.5 inches.  Any areas that were above 10 inches had frozen slush as part of the measurement.

What does this all mean?  If you're looking to get on the ice and portable fish, conditions are very good for that.  Walking is comfortable and generally less slippery than normal.  If you're looking to use your ATV or snowmobile, we're feeling good about that, but use caution, as we have some active springs already in the same locations out from the Wagener's Bay access, and are expecting to find more when we get out for further ice checking.  We advise against using vehicles at this point.  Hopefully the continued cold weather will help build the ice, but it may take longer than we'd like in those drifted areas.

Lake Waconia Ice Update 12-07-13

It's time to get ice fishing!  The ice on Lake Waconia has been getting thicker and thicker by the day. Thanks to the sub-zero cold, we have better ice early than we've seen in many years.  Over 80% of the lake froze over last Wednesday, 11/27, which included parts of Waconia Bay and everything north and east of it. Wagener's Bay had been frozen a few days prior to that, and therefore has some thicker ice because of it.

We've drilled a number of holes checking ice in front of the marina to Waconia Bay and also by the walleye hole between the marinas.  We've found ice ranging from 7 to 10 inches.  The variance in ice thickness is due to the snow we received on Wednesday, 12/4. Thankfully, much of that snow got saturated by water, and froze to the existing ice adding inches to our measurements. The areas with 7 inches had little to no frozen slush and were generally good clear "black" ice.  The cloudier ice is still very good, but the extra top few inches are the frozen slush.

We haven't done a thorough lake-wide check yet, but hope to do so this upcoming week.  Since the ice is increasing by the day, we're starting to see some permanent houses make their way to the lake, and people starting to use ATV's and snowmobiles.  Since we haven't been all over the lake, we stress to still use caution and pay extra attention when venturing out.

Early Season Winter Hours

12/3/13

Lake Waconia is currently locked up with ice, and has been so for 6 days. We will be opening for the season on Thursday December, 5th. Our early season hours will be 9am-5:30pm. We will be checking Ice conditions out in front of us in Waconia Bay and the "Walleye Hole" between the two marinas the day we open. The predicted cold will mean conditions will be changing daily. As usual our hours will lengthen as conditions improve.

We look forward to seeing you on the ice soon!

In Towne Marina~Fall Shop Seasonally Closes ~ Looking Forward to Opening for Lake Waconia Ice Fishing!

We're fortunate to live and work on a lake that means so much, to so many!
This season- in spite of a late April ice-out and moisture & temperature extremes-  anglers enjoyed good pan-fishing and boated their share of "trophy" fish!  Pleasure boaters, water skiers; boarders; nature lovers and swimmers had a great Summer right through Labor Day weekend!

Thank You for sharing your boating season with us~ We look forward to seeing you this Winter!!

We're wrapping up Summer at the In Towne as of Oct 7th, 2013. 

Our shop, docks & boat launch temporarily close for now, until the lake freezes & 1st walking ice firms. We'll re-open when you can safely enjoy Winter lake fun here, with us!

We're your family-friendly  "ON the lake place" to find current lake news, fishing and ice information and hot spots.  
WE:  Rent heated fish houses; sell live bait, tackle, rods & reels, beverages, snacks, sandwiches, auger & heating products and have an on-site lake access & plow lake roads! 

For 33 years, we continue to work to be your Lake Waconia shop ! 

Thank for choosing to come here, when you visit Lake Waconia! 

Watch our website for coming Winter Hours and Lake News.

Happy Fishing and Hunting this Fall!

The Mase Family

Lake Waconia Fishing Report and Marina News 8-20-13

Tim Masters with a 22" Walleye!

 So far August has been "holding it's own" in the fishing department. The fish have been cooperating on Lake Waconia this Mid-Summer. Most of the fish in the following pictures were caught in 10'-15' of water. "Fishing near the weed edge" is pretty much our standard answer when people ask- "Where should we go"? If you go out, and find some good looking weeds on one of the reefs or stretch of shoreline, you could find yourself with any of these fish.

Now is the time to get the kids out on the water before school starts. If you don't have a boat, give us a call- We can set you up with a pontoon or nice little fishing boat. If you have a boat, stop down for the latest report, and check out our boat access if you havent had a chance to yet. Either way we would love to help you get out on the water, and make some memories on Beautiful Lake Waconia.

In Towne Marina 952-442-2096

Greg Olson with a 44" Musky!

Rodney and his son Daniel with some nice Sunnies!

Grace from California with a nice Bass! 

Young Ryan with a mess of nice Sunnies!

Cabot Allen with a quality Walleye!

Lake Waconia Fishing Report and Marina News 7-23-13

It's been a few weeks since the last report, but the bite continues to be strong on Lake Waconia.  We've seen plenty of happy fishermen catching sunfish and crappies.  While we're still hearing some good action coming from both the north and south sides of Coney Island in 10 to 14 feet of water. Recently, some of the bigger panfish have been biting on the edges of the weeds in 10 to 14 feet of water on the reefs, such as Keg's Reef, North Reef and Pillsbury Reef.

Bass are continuing to bite as well.  While you can expect to get action in the shallows in the reeds on the northwest side of the lake and by the Rock Dock, the bigger largemouths are gonna be found on the reefs in or around the weeds.  Casting artificial baits like plastic worms, jigs or spinnerbaits are good options on reefs like Cemetery, North and Pillsbury.  If you're going after 'em with live bait, you can't beat a leech or a crawler.

Walleye are biting best in the evening, before and just after sunset, as well as early morning before sunrise. We're still reporting most of the action to be undersized walleyes between 10 to 14 inches (must be 16 inches to keep walleyes on Waconia), with the occasional lunker that measures in the mid-to-upper 20 inch range.  Keg's Reef, Red's Reef and North Reef are still the prime areas to target them in 12 to 18 feet of water.

It's been a wonderful stretch of summer on Lake Waconia!  We've enjoyed the heat of the season, and now we're getting into some consistent, less humid warmth.  If you're looking to get on the water, but don't have a boat, we are your place to rent!  We offer pontoons that hold up to 9 adults, as well as boats with motors that hold either 3 or 4 people.  Click on "Pontoon & Boat Rentals" link at www.intownemarina.com for prices and info or call (952) 442-2096 to reserve.

This past weekend, we had a celebration to honor the families who keep boats with us in slips and mooring buoys at the marina.  It was a great turnout of people, with plenty of food and fun had by all ages, with over 50 prizes given out.  There was also an informal fishing contest among the members, and the winners were Alex Mischke with a 4.5 oz. sunfish, local chiropracter Jeff Soltis with a 8 oz. crappie, and Chris Milder with a bass over 12 inches.  Each winning angler received a $40 gift certificate.  Thanks to all the families who have boats with us at our marina.  It's a privelege to serve your needs and make your day at the lake an easy, fun-filled time.  Here are some pics from the event...

Lake Waconia News & Fishing Report 7/1/13

Summer is in full swing, with water temps now in the upper 70's.  Whether you're water-skiing, tubing, wakeboarding, swimming, or just boating or fishing, now is the time to get on or in the lake! 

The 4th of July is fast approaching, so don't forget about the great show put on during the Lake Waconia 4th of July Fireworks Festival!  Go boating and watch the show up close, or watch from the In Towne Marina, Lola's Lakehouse, Cedar Point Park, or Lake Waconia Regional Park for the best viewing.  The fireworks are shot from Coney Island at 10 pm and last about 20 minutes!  Don't miss it!  We will have extended hours that evening until the fireworks show is over.  We will be here to help those who keep boats with us and launch with us, get safely off the lake.

Fishing has continued to be good on Lake Waconia.  The crappie bite has remained impressive!  One of the more popular spots continues to be on the north side of the island in 8 to 14 feet of water.  Worms and crappie minnows are the most common baits of choice.  The sunfish spawn is still going on, so expect to see plenty of those in the shallows, and the bite to be good.

The bass bite has still been strong.  We're hearing action in the shallows in the early mornings.  If you want to fish a touch deeper, go off the weed edges or in the weeds on reefs like Cemetery, North and Pillsbury, and  you will give yourself a chance to get a lunker.  Jigs or Texas-rigged worms are common choices for artificial baits, and leeches are a sure bet if you're a live bait fisherman.

With the rising water temps, expect the walleye action to be best fishing off reefs like Kegs, North and Red's in 14 to 20 feet..  Also, the west and east ends of the island are popular areas as well.  We're not seeing tons of eaters yet, but action has continued to be there.  Lots of catches in the 10 to 14 inch range, with some reports of big ones in the upper 20 inch range.

Muskies are still active, although the bite has naturally slowed down a bit, since it was such an amazing start to the season.  We are hearing action on the weed edges between the marinas, and beyond Lola's toward the beach.  Also, fishing around the island as well the weeds on reefs like Center, North and Kegs are all popular areas.

Take advantage of this beautiful upcoming weather pattern and join us on the lake!  If you don't have a boat, keep in mind, we rent boats with motors and pontoons.  Give us a call at (952) 442-2096 to learn about what we offer and reserve your time to enjoy a day on Lake Waconia!

We look forward to seeing you!  Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Lake Waconia Fishing Report 6-11-13

It appears the doom and gloom of this cold and wet spring is over!  We've been anxiously awaiting the return of sunshine to the lake, and the warm weather that it brings.  Already we've seen a spike in the surface water temps in the past couple of days, and as of this writing they are currently hovering in the mid-60's.

With this expected increase in sunshine and water temperature, we expect the panfish bite to continue to be strong.  This past week has been excellent crappie fishing.  Many anglers have been bringing numbers of crappies home with them after doing some sorting.  General depths of 8 to 12 feet continue to be where a lot of fishermen have found success.  Also, when boating on a calmer day, you'll often notice fish scattering along the surface as you go along.  If you see that happening and you're in the mood to have some fun, stop the boat and get your Beetle Spin out, as it's possible to catch many fish quickly!  It's worth trying the shallows too along the reeds on the northwest side of the lake.    Expect to see sunfish getting into a spawn pattern as well.  With the weird weather this spring, the normal spawn periods have been pushed back or disrupted.

Lake Waconia bass fishing has been excellent as well!  While many have found success using artificials such as spinner baits, texas-rigged worms or crankbaits, we've had several fishermen haul in nice ones on leeches, crawlers and shiners.  Again, this is the time of year you can catch them in varying depths.  Some like fishing in the shallow reed areas or by the Rock Dock, while others have targeted them either in the weeds or on the edges of the weeds in 10 to 15 feet.

Muskies, muskies, muskies!  The bite has been on!  We've seen or heard of many very large muskies being caught on the lake.  The biggest one so far was caught by 12-year old Hunter Noeldner.  He reeled in the fish of his lifetime back on the 5th of June.  His 52 incher, caught on a Bulldawg was massive, and was a reward for a full day of fishing.  Also, this past weekend's Metro Muskie Tournament, which involved over 20 metro lakes, was won on Lake Waconia again!  Matthew Finn was the big winner of the event, as he caught a 50 incher AND a 49 incher!  Wow!  In all, 4 of the 6 biggest fish of the 20-lake event came from Lake Waconia.

If you're looking to get on the lake, and don't have a boat, remember we RENT fishing boats and pontoons! Rates for the fishing boats are as little as $24 for 2 hours during the week.  Pontoons are as little as $119 for 2 hours during the week.  Gas is INCLUDED for all of our rentals!  Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve or learn about all of our rental options.

With summer seemingly upon us, we hope to see you on the lake!

Hunter Noeldner (on the right) with his 52 incher!

Lake Waconia Fishing Report 5-14-13

Another Opener has come and gone, and as expected, the weather didn't make it easy on those who hit the lake.  Strong winds surely kept many from enjoying Lake Waconia on Saturday, but for those who stuck it out, there were some fine catches.  One local angler enjoyed pulling in his monster 28-1/4" Walleye, which he released.  That was the big one reported for the day.  A long time Lake Waconia angler had a fine opener as well.  He spent the good portion of the day on the lake and was rewarded for his efforts.  He caught 3 nice keepers between 19 to 20 inches, and released a few more between 23 to 26 inches as well.  We've heard slip bobbers with fatheads have been a good approach in less than 10 feet of water.  Also, with the weeds underdeveloped at the moment, it's a good time to throw crankbaits.

For those who are looking for the Spring crappie bite, it has been picking up.  The past few days we've seen several anglers catching numbers of crappies and sorting out some pretty nice ones.  Certain days we've seen bigger ones bite in the 11 to 14 inch range.  A lot of the action has come from Waconia Bay, just out from the marina.  We expect the bite to get even better as the water continues to warm up.

Our marina hours have lengthened this week.  We are now open Monday thru Friday from 7:30 am to 8 pm, and on Saturday & Sunday from 6:30 am to 8 pm.  We are still in our construction phase of dock building this week, so we appreciate your patience as we continue building our slips.  We have not started our boat or pontoon rentals as of yet, but will be targeting Memorial Day weekend for the beginning of that.  If you are interested in reserving a boat and motor or pontoon, please call (952) 442-2096 and we'll be happy to help you reserve your day.

Here's hoping we get some more good weather as we head toward the unofficial beginning of Summer!  Happy fishing!

In Towne Marina-Lake Waconia MN Spring and 2013 OPENER NEWS

The Ice is OUT on Lake Waconia ! We're Working Fast to prepare for YOUR return!
The wait for soft water ended here with ice finally gone, around 9 am Tues., April 30th!
Our dock work began the minute the ice left & continues whenever strong storms and wind let up! As you guessed, it's been slow going but we're hard at it, to get back to boating!

We're HAPPY to announce WE ARE OPEN ALL NIGHT Fri, May 10th for your OPENER NEEDS to: launch your boat, buy live bait-tackle-licenses-snacks . We have the deepest access on the lake-well lighted, to start your year off right! 

Northern lakes may be iced over and Waconia is a great close to home destination to fish for a few hours or days.  We've "traditionally " been here overnight on Opener for more than 30 years to serve angler needs. We hope you mark us on your GPS as  your main "pit stop" to warm up, stock up- have a snack or share and photograph your catch. Join us for hot spot gossip or just to watch the water!   Hope to see you here!

SEE UPCOMING May SHOP & Launch HOURS Beginning SOON ! Weather Permitting : 

Tues May 8th: Only the SHOP is open today [sorry-NO access]   9 am-7:30 pm 

 Wed May 9th:  Begin both SHOP & Boat Access Weekday Daily Hours  9 am-7:30 pm

FRIDAY  MAY 10th Opener Night through SATURDAY MAY 11th :
OPEN @ 9am Friday and Stay Open All Night  through SAT  5/11- closing @ 8 PM

Sunday, May 12th  [Mothers Day] : Open 6:30 am- 8 pm

Longer Shop & Launch hours will Resume later this Spring-Watch Here for Updates 


We Can't Wait to See YOU- You're always welcome here! 
THANK YOU for your Cooperation & Patience as we "catch up" on dock work delayed by late ice-out, storms and wind. SORRY- No Boat Rental is Available at this time [until docks are ready].

Your Friends At the Lake,
The Mase Family & Staff   

Lake Waconia Fishing & Ice Report 2-14-13

Fishing has been good as of late. If you don't mind looking around, finding a weedline or pocket in the weeds, there is action to be had. Sunfish have remained consistent as long as yo don't mind doing some sorting. Sunfish 4 "to a pound" have been the common "keeper" size. Northern Pike have been cooperating as well. 5-8 pound fish have been somewhat common. The weedlines are still where is is at for the Pike. Sucker minnow have been the bait of choice. Medium Suckers have been hard to come by as of late due to demand, and the time of year. Like the previously mentioned species, Crappies are still being caught on the weedlines as well. A little deeper is working for some folks too. Some suspended Crappies are being caught in the 15-18 foot breaks off the reefs. Some of the bigger Crappies we have been seeing in the bait shop lately, have come from those depths.

If you have been thinking about renting a fish house this winter, the window is closing! There are only 3 weekends left for the permanent fish houses this season! Where did the Winter go? If you haven't had a chance to get out this Winter, or just want to get in that last ice fishing trip, now is the time. Saturdays are booking fast, so give us a call in the "Shop"! 952-442-2096

Here are some recent fish-

Lake Waconia Fishing & Ice Report 2-5-13

Lake Waconia has been producing well this season for many anglers.  The bite has continued this past week, although it has been a good idea to use lighter lines, smaller jigs and smaller bait for the sunfish and crappies. It has been more of what we call a "finesse" bite.  Don't just expect the bobber to go slamming under the water.  Sometimes, you will see very little movement of the bobber, and you will have a fish latched on and not know it unless you are actively working your jigs or using a spring bobber.

Since we've finally got snow, we're seeing some fishermen moving around a little more to get away from the crowds and find that new honey hole.  Having said that we continue to hear good action for sunnies and crappies coming from Pillsbury and Center Reef, although we're also getting some action in Waconia Bay.  The depth we're still finding them at is in the 10 to 14 foot range.  A few anglers have ventured to the deeper water in Wagener's Bay, but as of yet the deep bite hasn't turned fully on.  The northern pike bite has been good as well.  We've weighed several nice pike in the past week and you should still be able to find them in the areas mentioned above.  With the the temps warming up a bit this week, don't be surprised if you catch a largemouth bass or two.  Those are generally more active as the temps get in the upper 20's or higher.  Walleyes continue to be biting late night or overnight.  We're still hearing reports of undersized fish, or if they are big, they are fat.  We recommending getting away from the crowded areas for your best chance.  Places like Keg's and North Reef would be good options in 13 to 18 feet.

As far as the ice goes, we continue to be in excellent shape for the majority of the lake.  Thicknesses are over 20 inches, approaching 2 feet.  Keep in mind to watch out for any of the areas that are marked with lath board or branches with caution tape.  We recently marked a good-sized spring north of Red's Reef that you will want to stay away from.  It's best to stop in to our store and check out our map to get a better idea of where you'll want to avoid.   

We have been having a good year in our Rental Fish Houses.  If you're thinking of renting and are new to ice fishing, we have rental jig rods and rental underwater cameras.  We do most of the dirty work, drilling the holes and having the heat on for you when you show up.  We've had good action for most of the year, with a decent chance to get some keepers.  Call (952) 442-2096 for reservations!

Plenty of prizes have been given away from our FREE Ice and Dice giveaway! Don't forget to weigh in your Lake Waconia fish for a chance to qualify!  All you need is 5.5 oz. sunfish, a 10 oz. crappie, a 5# northern, or a walleye between 16 to 23 inches or over 28 inches.  The game ends after Sunday 2/17/13, so get in on the fun before it's over!

Here's a couple of the nice fish weighed in this week!

Lake Waconia Fishing & Ice Report 1-28-13

We've had a gamut of weather since the last report.  Last week's extreme cold added several more inches of thickness to the ice. As of this report, expect to find 19 to 20 inches of good ice on a lot of the lake. There is a major pressure ridge/ice heave up in the far North East corner of  Lake Waconia to report. It is in Reinke's Bay, and is quite treacherous. The area is not used by many people, so it is a good spot for a major pressure ridge if we have to have one. There have been a few more springs found on the lake in the deep water west of Kegs Reef. Please stop in the bait shop to have a look at our map for locations of these small problem areas.

The action during the cold was decent.  Then, with the more recent warm-up, we've seen the action of certain species pick up, notably the northern pike bite, with some occasional largemouth bass. We continue to see solid panfish action out on or around Center Reef.  We're still finding them in 10 to 14 feet of water. Sorting needs to be done to get keeper sunnies. We've even seen a few good sized perch, although those are generally too small. Crappies are still best after 5 pm. Despite the calendar nearing the end of January, we have yet to see the bite pick up too much in deeper water. Now that we've got some snow cover (that hopefully sticks around), we may just see the Panfish bite shift a little deeper as we get into February.

Pike are biting best on smaller sucker minnows in those same 10 to 14 foot depths that we have been talking about a lot of the winter. With the lack of snow for most of the winter, fish have stayed near the weeds in the shallows. The weeds have been getting sunlight all winter, thus putting out enough oxygen to keep the fish in the shallows. Remember, the fish go where oxygen is best in the winter months.

Please remember to Like us on Facebook. It is an easy way to get easy updates from us about the fishing and conditions on Lake Waconia!

Thanks for reading, and see you on the Ice!

Lake Waconia Fishing & Ice Report 1-16-13

The lake is in excellent shape after that warm spell late last week.  Despite the rain, the weekend was welcomed with very cold temps that quickly solidified the top of the ice.  With very little snow now, and cold nights, we're seeing thicknesses in the 15 to 17 inch range.

The best bite recently has been those going for sunfish in the daytime.  The action has been hot, with numerous limits coming out of the lake.  We are continuing to hear anglers having success in the 9 to 14 foot range with good weeds.  They are all different sizes, so expect to do some sorting for the keepers.  Crappies are biting well too, mostly in the evening.  While we expect anglers to target them deeper in the coming weeks, we're still hearing of the best bite shallower, near the weeds in the same territory as the sunfish.  Northern Pike have been getting a little more active lately.  We had one come in yesterday that was 11# 9 oz., which was the week's biggest fish.  We've seen pike ranging in all sizes this year, which has been good to see.  Small to medium suckers are working best, with the bite mostly coming in the same areas as the sunfish and crappies.  Walleyes continue to be either small or big, with the good eaters being harder to come by.  We suggest getting away from the crowded areas by fishing some of the good drops by Keg's, North or Center reefs.  Those spending the night are having the best luck in the wee hours of the morning.

We continue to have plenty of winners in our FREE Ice and Dice prize giveaway!  Don't forget to weigh in your fish during business hours to qualify for a chance to win a prize.

We've had some good success in our Rental Fish Houses so far this season.  We've had plenty of sunfish, some crappies, and a nice northern pike come out of them in the past several days.  Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve!  We'll have the heat on and the holes drilled for you!  If you're renting a house and you don't have any gear, you can rent jig sticks, as well as an underwater camera.  We're stocked with live bait for sale, licenses, tackle and snacks for your trip.

Ice fishing season is in full swing, and we've had a lot of happy fishermen join us on the ice!  We hope to see you soon!

Lake Waconia Fishing & Ice Report 1-10-13

The hot bite has continued during the past week.  We've weighed numerous nice crappies, with the biggest being 1# 12 oz. just yesterday!  We're continuing to hear the best action out by Center and Pillsbury reefs. Waconia Bay has also pumped out some good fish.  Find good weeds around 9 to 14 feet of water for the best chance.  Along with the crappies, the sunfish have been biting well too!  Expect plenty of action, but some sorting will need to be done.

If you're targeting northerns, we're getting most reported catches off of small to medium suckers in the same areas as the sunfish and crappie bite.  Since it's warmed up the past few days, we're hearing anglers having some fun catching largemouth bass, while tip-up fishing for northerns!  Not your typical winter catch, they generally bite best when temps reach 32 plus degrees.

We're still hearing that the walleyes are biting well, although size has still been desired.  We're getting plenty of reports of smaller walleyes (10 to 14 inchers) and big walleyes (over 20 inch).  We're missing the good mid-range sizes most anglers want for the deep fryer.  We recommend setting up 12 to 15 feet of water off of weeds, in quieter areas away from the large groups of houses.  Jigging with fatheads seems to be working best, although set-lines with shiners has worked well for those spending nights on the ice.

The ice has continued to build this week.  There is a little more variance in thickness due to the little snow we had from earlier.  Where the snow is undisturbed, you will find the least ice, although it is still a strong 12.5 inches.  Where the snow has been packed down, you will see ice ranging from 13.5 to 15 inches.  There are no new issues to report, and we're very pleased with quality of the ice.

With the action being so good, we've given away numerous prizes to those who have weighed their fish in our Free Ice and Dice game!  The prize giveaway goes on until mid-February, so be sure stop in and get in on the fun!

Our Rental Fish Houses are ready to go!  Call (952) 442-2096 to make are reservation.  We'll have the heat on and the holes drilled for you.  Plenty of fish are waiting to be caught!

We'll see you on the lake!

Lake Waconia Fishing & Ice Report 1-02-13

Happy New Year!  It's starting to look like winter should on Lake Waconia.  In the past several days, anglers have been bringing their permanent houses on the ice and heading out to all the normal fishing holes.

We've monitored the ice thicknesses daily, and are seeing an average of 11 to 12 inches of ice.  The quality of the ice is excellent, as it is solid clear ice in most areas.  Continue to watch out for the areas marked with lath board and caution tape, as those are marking springs.

We opened our access to vehicle traffic last Friday.  We were recommending small to medium sized vehicles at the time.  The past few days, we're seeing more full-size trucks starting to venture on the ice.  We have been driving our small truck and 1/2 ton truck, to our fish houses.

The bite has been excellent in the last week.  If you are looking for action, you should be happy!  We've had lots of fishermen reporting catches of sunfish and perch during the daytime, and crappies in the evening in Waconia Bay.  Look for weeds in 9 to 13 feet of water.  Wax worms have been working daytime, and crappie minnows during the night.  We're also hearing several good reports off Pillsbury and Center Reefs in similar depths of 10 to 14 feet.  Don't hesitate to put a tip-up out, as the Northern Pike bite has picked up in recent days.  Small to medium sucker minnows have been the bait of choice for those.

We're seeing a resurgence of walleye on Lake Waconia.  It's not uncommon to hear reports of anglers catching several a night. The only caveat is that the vast majority of walleyes are undersized (in the 10 to 15 inch range).  Don't forget that Lake Waconia has a special regulation, which states that to keep a walleye, it must measure at least 16 inches.

When you get in on the hot bite, don't forget we have a FREE Ice and Dice game.  If you have a qualifying fish, you can shake the dice to have a chance to win a prize!  We'd love to take your picture!  Check out our main website at www.intownemarina.com and click on the "Promotions" link on the left to see the game rules.

All of our Rental Fish Houses are on the ice now!  We have 5 houses to accommodate your needs.  3 are currently on weeds in Waconia Bay, while 2 are on parts of Center Reef.  Ask about our Jig Stick and Underwater Camera rental (for Fish House Renters only) if you don't have any equipment.  Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve and get in on the action!