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!
