We will be open tomorrow, 1/1/21 from 10 am to 5 pm. Saturday and Sunday we have longer hours and will be open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. During the week starting Monday we open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
We placed 2 of our rental fish houses on the ice today! Our 7’ x 14’ 6-hole fish houses #5 and #6 are in Waconia Bay within walking distance of the marina. Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve. Click here for rates and info…https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UxHHzr7rX6HPs-n7OV1YW_Eilp940Wi5/view
Have a safe New Year’s Eve night and a Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 12/30/2020
We were out on the ice in Waconia Bay today, 12/30/2020 checking the impact of last night’s snow. Thankfully we didn’t get as much as predicted. Because of that, we have decided to open our access tomorrow to ATV’s and Side-by-sides and small-to-mid size wheel houses (single-axle houses under 16 feet). Keep in mind, we are ONLY allowing use from our access to Waconia Bay. We didn’t drill as many holes today, but we found ice ranging from 9 to 13 inches in Waconia Bay, with plenty of the holes around 12 inches. However, it’s not 12 inches of clear ice, it’s 8 to 9 inches of clear ice with 3 to 4 inches of frozen white slush ice on top. East of the marina as you get to the walleye “hole” or “hump” is still not thick enough for ATV use at this time. That area you can walk to, but check ahead of yourself if you’re going further east and north as that is newer ice that is not as thick (around 4 inches in holes we drilled).
There will be areas of snow drifted up to 6 inches deep in some spots on the way to Waconia Bay so keep that in mind if you’re hauling a house out. Most of the ice has 2 to 3 inches of snow on top so it’s manageable to get around. Chains are a must on your ATV if you’re towing anything.We are not allowing people to drive on our frontage with trucks, etc… to disconnect houses to leave them on the ice in front of the marina. If you are bringing your house, be prepared to take it out to your spot right away. There is minimal area on our parking lot to leave it for more than a few minutes.
Because the ice varies so much beyond Waconia Bay and Wagener’s Bay, we are recommending you NOT use your ATV’s beyond those two locations unless you are doing serious checking ahead of yourself. We know many people want to get to Center Reef and other popular reefs to the north and east, but there are too many thinner areas outside of the bays at this point.
We’ll see you on the ice!
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 12/29/2020
As promised today, 12/29 we made a thorough check through Wagener’s bay. We drilled the south side of the bay and up throughout the deep “crappie hole”. What we were finding for ice thicknesses was very similar to the ice that we have in Waconia Bay, 8 to 12 inches of ice combined with frozen slush ice. Speaking of Waconia Bay, the ice that was layered with water last week seems to have frozen all the way through, which is excellent news. Also, ice between the marinas in the Walleye “hole” or “hump was up to 4 inches in the holes we drilled. We did check part of Pillsbury and that’s where things start to transition, so if you’re looking to get on certain parts of that reef, definitely check around a bit. Between Pillsbury and Center Reefs, extending up from Harm’s Point to the northwest side of the lake, the newer ice begins. This ice we drilled was between 3.75 to 5 inches. We have NOT been east of Center Reef yet.
Keep in mind, with the snowfall we are getting tonight, many of the transitions that have lesser ice will be hidden. That’s why it’s extremely important this year to check ahead of yourself. Many years we can mark locations with lesser ice, but there are too many variances this year to mark it.We are still only allowing walking through our access at this time. We expect to open our access to ATV and Snowmobile use soon, but are waiting to see what the snowfall brings. We’ll keep you updated when we know more.
We’ll see you on the ice!
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 12/28/2020
We took an extended ice walk today, 12/28. There is still a wide variance of ice to report. Waconia Bay continues to be the most comfortable ice to walk on that we have checked. We are finding 8 to 12 inches of ice combined with frozen slush ice in that area. We drilled more holes by the “Walleye hole” or “hump” between the marinas. The ice on that hump or “Walleye Hole” is some of the freshest ice on the lake and is between 3 to 3.5 inches. From that area we headed up towards “Under the Wires” and out toward Center Reef. On our way to Center we encountered a lot of chunk ice that is jagged where the wind blew apart the ice in the blizzard. Out near Center Reef we found some of the newer ice with expansive areas of 3” and move onto find areas of 4 or 5 inches.
We have not been to Wagener’s Bay yet, but will give you a report here when we do so in the coming days. As always use caution and drill plenty of holes. This is the weirdest freeze up that we can remember.
Thanks, and be safe
In Towne Marina
We have not been to Wagener’s Bay yet, but will give you a report here when we do so in the coming days. As always use caution and drill plenty of holes. This is the weirdest freeze up that we can remember.
Thanks, and be safe
In Towne Marina
Thursday, December 24, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 12/24/2020 - We OPEN for the season after Christmas on 12/26 at 10 am!
First things first, we will be OPENING the bait shop this Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th from 10 am to 5 pm! We will announce future store hours later in the weekend. The access will ONLY be open to walking and portables. Sorry, NO ATV’s at this time. Our Winter Season Pass is $35. If you’d like to save time, you can fill out our Season Pass form and bring it with you at time of purchase. If you choose to pay our access fee daily, it is $2 to walk out. Once we are able to drive vehicles, the fee to drive on is $3 per day Monday through Thursday and $5 per day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Holidays. Here is the Season Pass form… https://drive.google.com/file/d/15onXnmIViNRvCwtsUjkftO5gNT4DPK6e/view?usp=sharing
We took our first ice walk of the season today (Christmas Eve) and only ventured out to Waconia Bay and a little bit in front of the marina. Like many of you, we have been patiently waiting for Lake Waconia to completely freeze over. Wednesday morning over half of the lake was still open. Later in the day the blizzard and extreme cold came in with a roar and left us with a wide variety of ice out to Waconia Bay.
Despite the heavy snow and extreme wind, the ice we checked today, while varied, was in reasonable shape. However, between the marinas there is still a very large area of open water that encompasses what we refer at times to as “the hump” or “the hole” and out to Cemetery Reef. We also see open water on the west and east sides of Coney Island. There is also an area that is deep into Waconia Bay in the weedy shallows where open water existed pre-storm. Thankfully most people don’t go that deep into the bay, but if you’re coming from the park, pay attention. Other areas that we saw driving from the road appeared open in a small spot in southern part of Wagener’s Bay. Also, it’s open by Harm’s Point and going to the north past the western side of Center Reef to the northwest side of the lake. There will likely be pockets open yet on the main lake as there are plenty of ducks, geese and swans hanging around. Basically, if you were hoping to fish Harm’s Point, Center Reef or the main lake to the east, you’ll have to wait as ice is forming, but definitely in the early stages with plenty of open water yet.
Ice that we checked from the marina out to along the weed line that people generally ice fish in Waconia Bay has a base layer of 6 to 7.5 inches with a variety of snow, frozen slush and layered ice/slush on top of that base layer. To give you an idea of the variance, you could find at best ice that had a base layer of 6 inches with 4 inches of frozen slush on top for a combined total of 10 inches. Don’t get too excited by that though, as not far away you could see ice that was a base layer of 6 inches, with 5 inches of water sandwiched between a crusted 4 inch top-layer of frozen slush. It seemed clear that heavy drifting occurred, likely sinking the ice and flooding the snow. Where the snow was thicker, the ice has that sandwiched layer, which would be bad news for anyone bringing anything heavy across that area. Where the snow wasn’t as heavily drifted, as long as it saturated, the extreme cold was able to penetrate it to freeze those areas solid.
In a nutshell, if you’re looking to go fish Waconia Bay in 10 to 15 feet of water, it was good walkable ice. Of course we always advise anglers to check for themselves and be prepared with a chisel and safety picks your first time on the ice wherever you go.
Have a Merry Christmas and we’ll see you on Saturday!
We took our first ice walk of the season today (Christmas Eve) and only ventured out to Waconia Bay and a little bit in front of the marina. Like many of you, we have been patiently waiting for Lake Waconia to completely freeze over. Wednesday morning over half of the lake was still open. Later in the day the blizzard and extreme cold came in with a roar and left us with a wide variety of ice out to Waconia Bay.
Despite the heavy snow and extreme wind, the ice we checked today, while varied, was in reasonable shape. However, between the marinas there is still a very large area of open water that encompasses what we refer at times to as “the hump” or “the hole” and out to Cemetery Reef. We also see open water on the west and east sides of Coney Island. There is also an area that is deep into Waconia Bay in the weedy shallows where open water existed pre-storm. Thankfully most people don’t go that deep into the bay, but if you’re coming from the park, pay attention. Other areas that we saw driving from the road appeared open in a small spot in southern part of Wagener’s Bay. Also, it’s open by Harm’s Point and going to the north past the western side of Center Reef to the northwest side of the lake. There will likely be pockets open yet on the main lake as there are plenty of ducks, geese and swans hanging around. Basically, if you were hoping to fish Harm’s Point, Center Reef or the main lake to the east, you’ll have to wait as ice is forming, but definitely in the early stages with plenty of open water yet.
Ice that we checked from the marina out to along the weed line that people generally ice fish in Waconia Bay has a base layer of 6 to 7.5 inches with a variety of snow, frozen slush and layered ice/slush on top of that base layer. To give you an idea of the variance, you could find at best ice that had a base layer of 6 inches with 4 inches of frozen slush on top for a combined total of 10 inches. Don’t get too excited by that though, as not far away you could see ice that was a base layer of 6 inches, with 5 inches of water sandwiched between a crusted 4 inch top-layer of frozen slush. It seemed clear that heavy drifting occurred, likely sinking the ice and flooding the snow. Where the snow was thicker, the ice has that sandwiched layer, which would be bad news for anyone bringing anything heavy across that area. Where the snow wasn’t as heavily drifted, as long as it saturated, the extreme cold was able to penetrate it to freeze those areas solid.
In a nutshell, if you’re looking to go fish Waconia Bay in 10 to 15 feet of water, it was good walkable ice. Of course we always advise anglers to check for themselves and be prepared with a chisel and safety picks your first time on the ice wherever you go.
Have a Merry Christmas and we’ll see you on Saturday!
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
In Towne Marina on Lake Waconia - Closed for the summer season as of 9/30/2020 - See you this winter!
What better way to end our summer season than with a double rainbow! Our bait shop is now closed as of September 30th. The access will be closed to all now too for maintenance and dock removal. Thank you for business and patience with us during this difficult period of Covid-19. We hope many of you found Lake Waconia to be your place to escape the madness of it all. We look forward to the ice fishing season and will update our store opening hours as the ice forms and begins to thicken. Have a wonderful fall season!
Sunday, September 13, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Fishing and Lake Report - 9/13/2020
First and foremost we would like to thank everybody for the great summer! We are done renting our pontoons and fishing boats for the season. Our bait shop will remain open until the end of September. Our hours are Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to sunset and Saturdays and Sundays 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Gas pump service ends nightly at 6:30 pm.
Cool temperatures across the state in the last week signaled an early start to fall. We have been seeing water temperatures swing from the low to mid-sixties, and some of the fish have been starting their early fall patterns.
Sunfish are still biting consistently on the weedlines in 10-14 feet of water. The north side of the island and Pillsbury Reef are two areas worth checking out. Small pieces of night crawlers or wax worms are both effective baits for sunfish. This time of year, there is a deeper bite for crappies as well in 18-24 feet of water. Deeper water off the edges of reefs such as Anderson’s and Keg’s has been holding fish. Use your electronics to find a school of crappies, and it’s game on! Once located, these fish are usually very willing to eat. Crappie minnows and gulp are both good options for targeting these early fall crappies.
The bass fishing has remained good on Lake Waconia. The most consistent bite for bass is in shallower water on a variety of artificial baits. Senkos, ribbontail worms, and football jigs are all good options. The deeper weedlines off of the reefs are worth noting for bass as well. Some of the bigger bass in the last week have come from the deeper water.
Walleye fishing has stayed inconsistent, but expect it to pick up in the next few weeks. The anglers that are having success are jigging with fatheads off the edges of the reefs such as Keg’s and Anderson’s.
The musky and pike activity in the last two weeks has been the best it has been all year. Medium to large sucker minnows have been turning northern pike on the weedlines down by the swimming beach and in Wagner’s bay. Artificial presentations such as spinnerbaits will work as well. There have been lots of nice pike being caught on the lake, many in the mid-30 inch range. The musky action has really improved with the falling water temperatures. Lures such as bucktails, topwaters, and bulldawgs have raised fish. Depths from 5 to 15 feet have all been holding muskies.
We will be closed for the season after September 30. Now is a great time to get in some of the fantastic early fall fishing the lake has to offer.
See you at the lake!
Cool temperatures across the state in the last week signaled an early start to fall. We have been seeing water temperatures swing from the low to mid-sixties, and some of the fish have been starting their early fall patterns.
Sunfish are still biting consistently on the weedlines in 10-14 feet of water. The north side of the island and Pillsbury Reef are two areas worth checking out. Small pieces of night crawlers or wax worms are both effective baits for sunfish. This time of year, there is a deeper bite for crappies as well in 18-24 feet of water. Deeper water off the edges of reefs such as Anderson’s and Keg’s has been holding fish. Use your electronics to find a school of crappies, and it’s game on! Once located, these fish are usually very willing to eat. Crappie minnows and gulp are both good options for targeting these early fall crappies.
The bass fishing has remained good on Lake Waconia. The most consistent bite for bass is in shallower water on a variety of artificial baits. Senkos, ribbontail worms, and football jigs are all good options. The deeper weedlines off of the reefs are worth noting for bass as well. Some of the bigger bass in the last week have come from the deeper water.
Walleye fishing has stayed inconsistent, but expect it to pick up in the next few weeks. The anglers that are having success are jigging with fatheads off the edges of the reefs such as Keg’s and Anderson’s.
The musky and pike activity in the last two weeks has been the best it has been all year. Medium to large sucker minnows have been turning northern pike on the weedlines down by the swimming beach and in Wagner’s bay. Artificial presentations such as spinnerbaits will work as well. There have been lots of nice pike being caught on the lake, many in the mid-30 inch range. The musky action has really improved with the falling water temperatures. Lures such as bucktails, topwaters, and bulldawgs have raised fish. Depths from 5 to 15 feet have all been holding muskies.
We will be closed for the season after September 30. Now is a great time to get in some of the fantastic early fall fishing the lake has to offer.
See you at the lake!
Friday, June 26, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Fishing & Lake Report - 6/26/2020
We have a limited-time special on Night Crawlers boxed in paper (13 count)! Buy 2 packages or more for $3.99 each ($4.49 for 1). The perfect bait to keep in the cooler during this hot weather.
Sunfish and crappies continue to bite well. Sunnies are still in the shallows biting on crawlers and wax worms. Crappies are a little deeper on the outside weed lines biting on crappie minnows. Bass have been biting well too. Bigger bass have been in the deeper weeds or weed lines on a variety of artificial baits. We continue to hear of good northern pike activity. A nice range of sizes have been caught with some reports in the low 30 inch range. Again, fishing the weed edges has been productive. Walleyes have been less consistent. Those having success have been targeting them a little deeper on reefs like Kegs, North and Anderson's Reefs. Fatheads have been most commonly used, but crawlers and leeches have worked for some as well.
We still have some availability for pontoon rentals during the upcoming week to get in the water and stay cool! Give us a call at (952) 442-2096 for more information or to reserve.
We'll see you on the lake!
Sunfish and crappies continue to bite well. Sunnies are still in the shallows biting on crawlers and wax worms. Crappies are a little deeper on the outside weed lines biting on crappie minnows. Bass have been biting well too. Bigger bass have been in the deeper weeds or weed lines on a variety of artificial baits. We continue to hear of good northern pike activity. A nice range of sizes have been caught with some reports in the low 30 inch range. Again, fishing the weed edges has been productive. Walleyes have been less consistent. Those having success have been targeting them a little deeper on reefs like Kegs, North and Anderson's Reefs. Fatheads have been most commonly used, but crawlers and leeches have worked for some as well.
We still have some availability for pontoon rentals during the upcoming week to get in the water and stay cool! Give us a call at (952) 442-2096 for more information or to reserve.
We'll see you on the lake!
Friday, May 22, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Fishing and Lake Report - 5/22/2020
With Memorial Weekend here, we are now extending our bait shop hours for the summer! Hours now are Sunday through Friday from 7:30 am to 8:30 pm and Saturdays from 6:30 am to 8:30 pm. Gas service will run from 9 am to 7:45 pm every day. Keep in mind, due to Covid-19 and the restrictions given to us by the DNR, we have limited our access on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays only to those with an Everyday Season Pass ($199 plus tax). Regular weekdays we allow daily-pay access use for $7.
Water temps have remained in the upper 50’s during most of May, which has held up the crappie spawn up to this point. Also, sunfish have yet to set up shallow beds. Having said that, action has been very good! Because the water temps haven’t varied much lately, you’ll find fish in a bunch of different depths. Vary your depths depending on the day, but expect shallow panfish activity when things warm up. Bass Opener is this Saturday too! Bass have been biting well during this catch-and-release time period. Expect to find them shallow in the reeds, by Peterson’s Creek (carp trap area) and by the Rock Dock in Wagener’s Bay. We’ve had numerous reports of a wide range of sizes of northern pike recently too! As for walleyes, there have been some successful reports continuing to come from Harm’s Point, parts of Center Reef, North Reef and the Clay Banks as well as early shallower areas near Peterson’s Creek and the Rock Dock.
Our Pontoon and Fishing Boat rental season is now in full swing! Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve! Due to Covid-19, we are only able to rent to members of the same household at this time. To see our rates and policies, click here...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sfe1sknGmHxt_X0h-rtHLT6Fkkm-ZD4s/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WR5fMFRsCpnlXw36ItUnJ7_rtt9n6YM7/view
We’ll see you at the lake!
Water temps have remained in the upper 50’s during most of May, which has held up the crappie spawn up to this point. Also, sunfish have yet to set up shallow beds. Having said that, action has been very good! Because the water temps haven’t varied much lately, you’ll find fish in a bunch of different depths. Vary your depths depending on the day, but expect shallow panfish activity when things warm up. Bass Opener is this Saturday too! Bass have been biting well during this catch-and-release time period. Expect to find them shallow in the reeds, by Peterson’s Creek (carp trap area) and by the Rock Dock in Wagener’s Bay. We’ve had numerous reports of a wide range of sizes of northern pike recently too! As for walleyes, there have been some successful reports continuing to come from Harm’s Point, parts of Center Reef, North Reef and the Clay Banks as well as early shallower areas near Peterson’s Creek and the Rock Dock.
Our Pontoon and Fishing Boat rental season is now in full swing! Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve! Due to Covid-19, we are only able to rent to members of the same household at this time. To see our rates and policies, click here...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sfe1sknGmHxt_X0h-rtHLT6Fkkm-ZD4s/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WR5fMFRsCpnlXw36ItUnJ7_rtt9n6YM7/view
We’ll see you at the lake!
Friday, May 8, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Pre-Fishing Opener Report - 5/8/2020
The Fishing Opener is almost here! We are open tonight until 1 am for your Opener needs! We open back up Saturday morning at 4 am. We currently have crappie minnows, fatheads, shiners, leeches, night crawlers, angle worms and wax worms for bait. We hope to have sucker minnows later today.
According to the latest forecast on Weather.com for Waconia, winds are supposed to die down to light and variable overnight, so despite the air temps being in the low 30’s, conditions should be decent for fishing, especially with an almost full moon!
Water temps have been fluctuating in the low to mid-50’s lately. Despite the early ice out, since temps haven’t increased too much we expect walleyes to be in their usual Fishing Opener patterns. Areas like the Rock Dock on the west side, Peterson’s Creek (“the Carp Trap”), Harm’s Point, the Clay Banks, along with the shallower areas of Center Reef and Pillsbury Reef among others should all be targeted to get into walleyes. Live bait options like fatheads, shiners or leeches would be good options. There are a variety of shallow-diving crankbaits that would be worth trying for walleye success. Those trying for crappies have continued to get good numbers of fish outside of Waconia Bay in 8 to 14 feet of water.
Reminder: While we'd love to be the normal spot on the lake to sit down, warm up with a coffee or a hot chocolate and talk about your Opener catch, we cannot have seating inside or outside the bait shop at this time due to Governor Walz's executive order on Covid-19. We would still love to hear your fish story as you come off the lake and snap a picture!
Access use Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays is open ONLY to those with Everyday Season Passes ($199 + tax) due to Covid-19 limitations. We appreciate your understanding.
We are sorry, Boat & Motor and Pontoon Rental is not available at this time. We hope to be renting by Memorial Weekend.
We’ll see you at the lake!
According to the latest forecast on Weather.com for Waconia, winds are supposed to die down to light and variable overnight, so despite the air temps being in the low 30’s, conditions should be decent for fishing, especially with an almost full moon!
Water temps have been fluctuating in the low to mid-50’s lately. Despite the early ice out, since temps haven’t increased too much we expect walleyes to be in their usual Fishing Opener patterns. Areas like the Rock Dock on the west side, Peterson’s Creek (“the Carp Trap”), Harm’s Point, the Clay Banks, along with the shallower areas of Center Reef and Pillsbury Reef among others should all be targeted to get into walleyes. Live bait options like fatheads, shiners or leeches would be good options. There are a variety of shallow-diving crankbaits that would be worth trying for walleye success. Those trying for crappies have continued to get good numbers of fish outside of Waconia Bay in 8 to 14 feet of water.
Reminder: While we'd love to be the normal spot on the lake to sit down, warm up with a coffee or a hot chocolate and talk about your Opener catch, we cannot have seating inside or outside the bait shop at this time due to Governor Walz's executive order on Covid-19. We would still love to hear your fish story as you come off the lake and snap a picture!
Access use Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays is open ONLY to those with Everyday Season Passes ($199 + tax) due to Covid-19 limitations. We appreciate your understanding.
We are sorry, Boat & Motor and Pontoon Rental is not available at this time. We hope to be renting by Memorial Weekend.
We’ll see you at the lake!
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Update - Bait Shop and Access Open Thursday May 7th at 8 am. Covid-19 Rules too
The Bait Shop and Access will be open for the season tomorrow, Thursday, May 7th at 8 am until 8 pm! Friday, May 8th we open at 8 am and stay open until 1 am for the start of Fishing Opener! Saturday, May 8th we open at 4 am until 8 pm. Sunday May 9th is 7am to 8 pm. Hours after this weekend until Memorial Weekend will be Monday thru Thursday 8 am to 8 pm and Fridays, Saturday and Sunday from 7 am to 8 pm. Gas Dock Service will end at 7 pm at this time. We are sorry, Pontoon and Boat & Motor rental is not available at this time. We will announce later this month when rental will begin. If you would like to reserve a boat or pontoon for dates later in the summer, please call (952) 442-2096 for more information or to reserve.
We have specific Covid-19 guidelines that will be posted outside the bait shop. A few of these guidelines include: A maximum of 5 customers will be allowed in the shop at one time to allow social distancing. We ask, if possible, that individuals make purchases for their household groups to limit customers in the shop. Unaccompanied Children 12 and under are not allowed on marina grounds, docks and bait shop. Adult-accompanied children 12 and under are not allowed in the bait shop, unless there is no other safe alternative. Patience will be appreciated more than ever as transactions may be slower than normal to allow employee social distancing. Seating inside the shop and outside on the deck will not be available at this time as well.
Due to Covid-19, Access use will be limited on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays ONLY to those who purchase an “Everyday Season Pass” for $199 plus tax. We will offer a “Regular Weekday Season Pass” that includes access use on Non-Holiday Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for $75 plus tax. Those with the “Regular Weekday Season Pass” will NOT be allowed to use the access on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays. At this time, those who wish to pay daily can only do so on Regular, Non-Holiday Weekdays Monday thru Thursday for a fee of $6.52 plus tax per day. Covid-19 Guidelines for Access Use is provided here... https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jqC4z_1xlAt-97wx9Ww9Wr1HhtqleKVp/view?usp=sharing
For those of you wishing to purchase an “Everyday Season Pass” can speed up the process by printing the provided PDF Entry Form here...
We have specific Covid-19 guidelines that will be posted outside the bait shop. A few of these guidelines include: A maximum of 5 customers will be allowed in the shop at one time to allow social distancing. We ask, if possible, that individuals make purchases for their household groups to limit customers in the shop. Unaccompanied Children 12 and under are not allowed on marina grounds, docks and bait shop. Adult-accompanied children 12 and under are not allowed in the bait shop, unless there is no other safe alternative. Patience will be appreciated more than ever as transactions may be slower than normal to allow employee social distancing. Seating inside the shop and outside on the deck will not be available at this time as well.
Due to Covid-19, Access use will be limited on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays ONLY to those who purchase an “Everyday Season Pass” for $199 plus tax. We will offer a “Regular Weekday Season Pass” that includes access use on Non-Holiday Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for $75 plus tax. Those with the “Regular Weekday Season Pass” will NOT be allowed to use the access on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays. At this time, those who wish to pay daily can only do so on Regular, Non-Holiday Weekdays Monday thru Thursday for a fee of $6.52 plus tax per day. Covid-19 Guidelines for Access Use is provided here... https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jqC4z_1xlAt-97wx9Ww9Wr1HhtqleKVp/view?usp=sharing
For those of you wishing to purchase an “Everyday Season Pass” can speed up the process by printing the provided PDF Entry Form here...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cfq8KPuWUlAzZeCAVhyAQ13aK-9kLGCB/view?usp=sharing
Those of you with Boat Slips or Mooring Buoys, we will individually communicate with you the Covid-19 guidelines when we see you.
We will do our best to update any guidelines as we learn more and restrictions are changed. We appreciate everyone’s patience with us as we navigate into the summer season!
We’ll see you at the lake!
Please fill out all of the information asked, read and initial the information provided and sign it. Bring this form with you to the Bait Shop with cash or credit card payment and we will get you the pass at that time.
Those of you with Boat Slips or Mooring Buoys, we will individually communicate with you the Covid-19 guidelines when we see you.
We will do our best to update any guidelines as we learn more and restrictions are changed. We appreciate everyone’s patience with us as we navigate into the summer season!
We’ll see you at the lake!
Thursday, April 30, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Update: Bait Shop and Access Opens for the Season on 5/7/2020
The Bait Shop and Access OPENS on Thursday, May 7th. We will provide store hours soon. We are excited for the upcoming season and realize that boating and fishing is one of the best ways to stay isolated with your family! We will also announce Covid-19 guidelines before May 7th. One change because of the virus is that on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, ACCESS use will only be available to those with an Everyday Season Pass.
In the meantime we will continue to prepare for the season and start bringing slip member boats from our storage to the marina slips this weekend and next week. Those members who did not store with us or are new this season can contact us after Thursday, May 7th to schedule when to bring their boat at a later date. We are sorry the access will continue to remain blocked until we are open. We’ll see you soon!
In the meantime we will continue to prepare for the season and start bringing slip member boats from our storage to the marina slips this weekend and next week. Those members who did not store with us or are new this season can contact us after Thursday, May 7th to schedule when to bring their boat at a later date. We are sorry the access will continue to remain blocked until we are open. We’ll see you soon!
Saturday, April 4, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Update - 4/4/2020: Bait Shop and Access remain closed during dock installation.
Spring on Lake Waconia is here! The ice left the lake early Thursday, April 2nd. We will remain closed for the next several weeks (even though the ice is out) during dock installation. We will update any potential store opening hours as we know more. The marina access will remain closed during this time. Stay well!
Sunday, March 1, 2020
In Towne Marina is closed for the winter season as of end of day 3/1/2020. Thank you!
We are now closed for the Winter Season! Our access will remain temporarily open on Monday for those pulling remaining houses off the lake. As always, drive at your own risk.
On Tuesday, 3/3/2020 we will be closing the main access to car/truck/wheel house use because of deteriorating conditions on our shoreline. For those wishing to walk or ATV, there will be room to get by alongside our Red F-150 as you come straight down the hill.
Thank you for another great winter on Lake Waconia!
We will update you with potential spring opening hours once the ice is off the lake and we have begun installation of our dock system.
On Tuesday, 3/3/2020 we will be closing the main access to car/truck/wheel house use because of deteriorating conditions on our shoreline. For those wishing to walk or ATV, there will be room to get by alongside our Red F-150 as you come straight down the hill.
Thank you for another great winter on Lake Waconia!
We will update you with potential spring opening hours once the ice is off the lake and we have begun installation of our dock system.
Friday, February 28, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Access and Ice Update - 2/28/2020
We’ve had a lot of questions about this weekend’s warmer weather and the effect on our access and roads. Average ice thickness is between 20 to 25 inches. At this point the lake and our access are in excellent shape! The roads are a little bumpy, but have firmed up nicely. Low temps tonight are supposed to be around 10 degrees, so that helps too. Saturday and Sunday are supposed have highs around 40 or in the low 40’s. Lately when we’ve had temps like that, the access looks worse than it is. Sunday will likely be the worst of the 2 weekend days. Things will get sloppy, the roads will get bumpier and there will likely be puddles/potholes to avoid, but we don’t expect any major issues through the weekend. Of course things could always change if temps are higher than predicted. We will let you know if there are issues to mention. The daily access fee is $4.
Just a reminder, we close for the season after Sunday, March 1st. Also, fish houses must be removed from the lake by Midnight on March 2nd.
We’ll see you on the ice!
Just a reminder, we close for the season after Sunday, March 1st. Also, fish houses must be removed from the lake by Midnight on March 2nd.
We’ll see you on the ice!
Friday, February 21, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia News & Fishing Report - 2/21/2020
We’ve got 8 days left of our Fish House Rental season! We will be renting through Saturday, February 29th, so get scheduled with a rental by calling (952) 442-2096. Click on this link for prices and polices… https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UxHHzr7rX6HPs-n7OV1YW_Eilp940Wi5/view
We will be closing for the season after Sunday, March 1st. Our access will remain temporarily open after March 1st as long as it’s in reasonable condition and we don’t get lots of snow. We will not be plowing it after March 1st.
This weekend through February 23rd is the final weekend of Gamefish season, so you won’t be able to fish for walleyes, northern pike and bass until the Fishing Opener on May 9th (with bass being catch-and-release only until May 23rd).
New 2020 Fishing Licenses are now available for sale too! Keep in mind, you STILL NEED a 2019 fishing license through February 29th. The new season starts March 1st, but it’s nice to be prepared early.
Fish Houses, Dark Houses and Portables must be removed from the ice no later than midnight March 2nd.
As for the fishing, we continue to hear very good crappie reports in the deeper water of Wagener’s Bay. 20 to 25 feet of water, fishing 4 to 8 feet off the bottom has been the ticket most evenings. Sunfish are still biting, although less aggressively in 12 to 14 feet of water near Center and Pillsbury Reefs as well as into the south side of Wagener’s Bay and parts of Waconia Bay. Crappies can be found in these areas too! Unfortunately we do not have any big minnows available for the Northern Pike, but if you do have some of your own, the bite has picked up some the past 2 weeks. We are fully stocked with crappie minnows, fathead minnows, wax worms and larva!
We’ll see you on the ice!
We will be closing for the season after Sunday, March 1st. Our access will remain temporarily open after March 1st as long as it’s in reasonable condition and we don’t get lots of snow. We will not be plowing it after March 1st.
This weekend through February 23rd is the final weekend of Gamefish season, so you won’t be able to fish for walleyes, northern pike and bass until the Fishing Opener on May 9th (with bass being catch-and-release only until May 23rd).
New 2020 Fishing Licenses are now available for sale too! Keep in mind, you STILL NEED a 2019 fishing license through February 29th. The new season starts March 1st, but it’s nice to be prepared early.
Fish Houses, Dark Houses and Portables must be removed from the ice no later than midnight March 2nd.
As for the fishing, we continue to hear very good crappie reports in the deeper water of Wagener’s Bay. 20 to 25 feet of water, fishing 4 to 8 feet off the bottom has been the ticket most evenings. Sunfish are still biting, although less aggressively in 12 to 14 feet of water near Center and Pillsbury Reefs as well as into the south side of Wagener’s Bay and parts of Waconia Bay. Crappies can be found in these areas too! Unfortunately we do not have any big minnows available for the Northern Pike, but if you do have some of your own, the bite has picked up some the past 2 weeks. We are fully stocked with crappie minnows, fathead minnows, wax worms and larva!
We’ll see you on the ice!
Sunday, February 9, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Plowed Road Update - 2/9/2020
Good news! Our main plowed road coming from the In Towne Marina goes past Waconia Bay to Center Reef, Pillsbury Reef and out to the deep water of Wagener’s Bay. There is also a road that goes from Waconia Bay ending at the SW side of Kegs Reef, which we hope to expand some this week. Also, we plowed to the center of Cemetery Reef, which goes past the walleye hole between the marinas. Those with 4-wheel drive trucks can still get around off road, although it’s always good idea to be prepared with a shovel.
We’ll see you on the lake!
We’ll see you on the lake!
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Fishing & Ice Report - 2/5/2020
Conditions on Lake Waconia remain excellent. Thankfully temps cooled down nicely after last weekend’s mild weather. Sunday’s warmth and sunshine melted some of the snow and minimal surface ice on lake roads causing bumpy conditions after things re-froze. We closed part of our access Monday morning to let it heal up and have now fully re-opened it. The main lake road from the marina is also in much better driving shape after we smoothed it out this week with the V-plows.
Fishing has remained good in early February. Sunfish have continued to bite well during the day, usually in 11 to 14 feet in Wagener’s Bay, Pillsbury Reef, Center Reef and Waconia Bay. Sorting needs to be done to get keepers, but it’s still very possible to bring a nice meal home. Crappies have been found in the same areas in the evening, but have been more active deep in 20 to 24 feet in the hole of Wagener’s Bay. We’ve had some nice crappies shown to us in the 11 to 14 inch range the past couple of weeks by those qualifying to play our FREE Ice and Dice game. The game ends Sunday, 2/16, so bring your catch in for your chance to win! Northern pike activity has picked up too. Action started slow for pike, but we’ve had good reports of varieties of sizes being caught on sucker minnows near the shallower panfish areas described above. Bass have also continued to surprise in those same areas. Walleyes haven’t been as active this winter as other years. Those having success are out in the early morning hours or spending the night away from the large crowds. Don’t give up on chasing them as we still have 2-1/2 weeks left in the Gamefish season, which ends after Sunday, 2/23.
We still have some openings for Fish House rentals in February! Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve. Our houses are comfortable, warm and ready to fish with the holes drilled. All of our rentals are in good sunfish, crappie and northern pike territory in 12 to 13-1/2 feet of water. For more information, check out our Fish House Rental page here… https://intownemarina.com/fish-house-rental
We’ll see you on the ice!
Fishing has remained good in early February. Sunfish have continued to bite well during the day, usually in 11 to 14 feet in Wagener’s Bay, Pillsbury Reef, Center Reef and Waconia Bay. Sorting needs to be done to get keepers, but it’s still very possible to bring a nice meal home. Crappies have been found in the same areas in the evening, but have been more active deep in 20 to 24 feet in the hole of Wagener’s Bay. We’ve had some nice crappies shown to us in the 11 to 14 inch range the past couple of weeks by those qualifying to play our FREE Ice and Dice game. The game ends Sunday, 2/16, so bring your catch in for your chance to win! Northern pike activity has picked up too. Action started slow for pike, but we’ve had good reports of varieties of sizes being caught on sucker minnows near the shallower panfish areas described above. Bass have also continued to surprise in those same areas. Walleyes haven’t been as active this winter as other years. Those having success are out in the early morning hours or spending the night away from the large crowds. Don’t give up on chasing them as we still have 2-1/2 weeks left in the Gamefish season, which ends after Sunday, 2/23.
We still have some openings for Fish House rentals in February! Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve. Our houses are comfortable, warm and ready to fish with the holes drilled. All of our rentals are in good sunfish, crappie and northern pike territory in 12 to 13-1/2 feet of water. For more information, check out our Fish House Rental page here… https://intownemarina.com/fish-house-rental
We’ll see you on the ice!
Monday, January 20, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Fishing and Ice Report - 1/20/2020
Ice is averaging between 13 to 17 inches in the areas we have checked and have plowed roads to. We have a great road plowed from the In Towne Marina past Waconia Bay and out to Center Reef and Pillsbury Reef ending near the Rock Dock in Wagener’s Bay. The road is nice and wide and if you need to get off the road, there are plenty of areas to do so plowed by us and guys with their own plows (thanks guys) to find your own fishing spot. If you are looking to get away from the large groups of houses, it is possible to get around off-road to other reefs on the lake with 4-wheel drive. We always suggest checking ahead of yourself if you’re going to an unused or lightly-fished location.
The bite this weekend was very good for sunfish and crappies. One of the pictures below is of Don with his big 2 pound 7 ounce crappie caught on Friday night. Another pic below is of 11 year old Jaidee with her nice 11.4 ounce crappie. Both won prizes on our FREE Ice and Dice game! The bite for sunfish has generally been best during the day with anglers finding them in 10 to 14 feet of water on wax worms. Crappies can be found in those similar areas, but also have been starting to bite deeper too in up to 20 feet on crappie minnows. There has been a continued surprising bass bite at times for some who have pulled a few largemouths out while panfishing. Walleyes have been best in the late evening and overnight hours generally in quieter locations in 14 to 20 feet of water.
We are in the full swing of our Fish House Rental Season! We’ve got 5 rentals on the ice. 2 of them are 4-hole houses, 1 is a 5-hole and 2 are 6-hole houses. We drill the holes, the heat is on and ready for you too fish! They are currently located around 13 feet of water for good daytime sunfish and evening crappies! If you’d like to make a reservation, please call (952) 442-2096.
We’ll see you on the ice!
The bite this weekend was very good for sunfish and crappies. One of the pictures below is of Don with his big 2 pound 7 ounce crappie caught on Friday night. Another pic below is of 11 year old Jaidee with her nice 11.4 ounce crappie. Both won prizes on our FREE Ice and Dice game! The bite for sunfish has generally been best during the day with anglers finding them in 10 to 14 feet of water on wax worms. Crappies can be found in those similar areas, but also have been starting to bite deeper too in up to 20 feet on crappie minnows. There has been a continued surprising bass bite at times for some who have pulled a few largemouths out while panfishing. Walleyes have been best in the late evening and overnight hours generally in quieter locations in 14 to 20 feet of water.
We are in the full swing of our Fish House Rental Season! We’ve got 5 rentals on the ice. 2 of them are 4-hole houses, 1 is a 5-hole and 2 are 6-hole houses. We drill the holes, the heat is on and ready for you too fish! They are currently located around 13 feet of water for good daytime sunfish and evening crappies! If you’d like to make a reservation, please call (952) 442-2096.
We’ll see you on the ice!
Thursday, January 16, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 1/16/2020
We have been asked a lot about the ice for the upcoming weekend and the ability to bring bigger houses out to Lake Waconia. Current thicknesses we have checked range from as little as 11 inches up to 17 inches (it’s common to find ice between 13 to 16 inches). While the ice is definitely getting thicker and current conditions allow for tandem wheel houses to be brought out, our concern coming up has more to do with the predicted snow and wind event Friday into Saturday. If you are bringing a house out to Lake Waconia for this weekend, we will not be plowing until the snow stops and WIND SUBSIDES.
We will keep you updated as we know more.
We will keep you updated as we know more.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 1/12/2020
We drilled some holes today where we found some of the lesser ice the other day, and found what was once 9 inches is now at least 10.25 inches. Ice we have checked now ranges between 10.25 to 16.5 inches (keeping in mind that some of the thicker ice likely will have some frozen slush included in that number). The most commonly found ice is between 12 to 15 inches. We have not expanded our checks beyond the areas we have previously reported.
Important! Now that people are driving vehicles on the lake, DRIVE SLOW and give people space! 15 MPH or less would be appropriate. Those wanting a peaceful day or night of fishing GREATLY appreciate it.
We are now allowing tandem fish houses and 3/4 ton trucks through our pay access. As always, drive at your own risk.
We’ll see you on the ice!
Important! Now that people are driving vehicles on the lake, DRIVE SLOW and give people space! 15 MPH or less would be appropriate. Those wanting a peaceful day or night of fishing GREATLY appreciate it.
We are now allowing tandem fish houses and 3/4 ton trucks through our pay access. As always, drive at your own risk.
We’ll see you on the ice!
Thursday, January 9, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 1/9/2020
We will be extending our bait shop hours starting this Saturday, 1/11! New hours will be Saturday and Sunday from 7 am to 6 pm, and Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm.
We spent a full day on the ice today doing a thorough measuring of ice thicknesses where most anglers are fishing. What we found was promising! It is also best described as inconsistently good. We drilled and measured several hundred holes in many locations, which includes in front of the marina, Waconia Bay, “Under the Wires”, Center Reef, Pillsbury Reef and Wagener’s Bay. What we found is that there is no rhyme or reason why the ice might be 9 inches in one location and 20 feet away it could be 14 inches. We drilled in snow drifts that sometimes had more ice under them than areas that were clear of any snow nearby, which is totally opposite of what we normally see. Having said that, we are happy with what we measured.
To best describe the variance of ice thicknesses, we are choosing to give you rough percentages of what you can expect to find in the areas we checked. 5% or less of the ice we found between 8.5 to 9.75 inches. 25% of the ice was between 9.75 to 11.5 inches. 30% was measured 11.5 to 13 inches. 25% was between 13 to 14.5 inches. 15% checked was over 14.5 inches (but many times included several inches of frozen slush as part of that larger number). Keep in mind, we did mark a couple of locations to avoid, most notably a very small area north of Waconia Bay that has 3 pieces of lath board with flagging tape marking the only spot we’ve seen with layered ice (water between 2 layers of 5 inches) that hopefully will solidify together with more cold coming. There is also an area of 8.5 inches “Under the Wires” that is very very small. We also marked a small part of Center Reef that has 2 lath markers with as little as 9 inches. Other 9 inch areas we found we left unmarked as they were so small and had more thickness directly surrounding them.
What does this all mean? Well, it means we are opening our access this Friday, 1/10/19 to those of you who wish to drive your cars and small trucks (at your own risk) on to the ice. If you are looking to bring a wheel house out, we still think it’s a good idea to use an ATV or Side by Side if you have one available, but we will allow smaller wheel houses to be pulled behind a car or small truck. We are NOT allowing 3/4-Ton or larger trucks as of yet. Keep in mind, if you are driving on the ice, please drive slow! If you’d like to park on the ice in front of the marina, please spread out. Don’t fill in the spaces like you are parking in the Target parking lot. Don’t forget, we are a pay access. We ask $2 to drive on Monday thru Thursday and $4 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Winter Season Passes are $30.
We have 3 of our 5 rental fish houses on the ice in Waconia Bay within close walking distance of the marina! If you want the ease of ice fishing without worrying about finding the spot and drilling the holes, we’ve got you covered! The heat is on in the house and ready for you to fish! We currently have both 6-holers (#5 and #6) along with one of our 4-holers (#8) in 11 to 12 feet of water in a good panfish and northern pike location. Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve!
We will see you on the ice!
We spent a full day on the ice today doing a thorough measuring of ice thicknesses where most anglers are fishing. What we found was promising! It is also best described as inconsistently good. We drilled and measured several hundred holes in many locations, which includes in front of the marina, Waconia Bay, “Under the Wires”, Center Reef, Pillsbury Reef and Wagener’s Bay. What we found is that there is no rhyme or reason why the ice might be 9 inches in one location and 20 feet away it could be 14 inches. We drilled in snow drifts that sometimes had more ice under them than areas that were clear of any snow nearby, which is totally opposite of what we normally see. Having said that, we are happy with what we measured.
To best describe the variance of ice thicknesses, we are choosing to give you rough percentages of what you can expect to find in the areas we checked. 5% or less of the ice we found between 8.5 to 9.75 inches. 25% of the ice was between 9.75 to 11.5 inches. 30% was measured 11.5 to 13 inches. 25% was between 13 to 14.5 inches. 15% checked was over 14.5 inches (but many times included several inches of frozen slush as part of that larger number). Keep in mind, we did mark a couple of locations to avoid, most notably a very small area north of Waconia Bay that has 3 pieces of lath board with flagging tape marking the only spot we’ve seen with layered ice (water between 2 layers of 5 inches) that hopefully will solidify together with more cold coming. There is also an area of 8.5 inches “Under the Wires” that is very very small. We also marked a small part of Center Reef that has 2 lath markers with as little as 9 inches. Other 9 inch areas we found we left unmarked as they were so small and had more thickness directly surrounding them.
What does this all mean? Well, it means we are opening our access this Friday, 1/10/19 to those of you who wish to drive your cars and small trucks (at your own risk) on to the ice. If you are looking to bring a wheel house out, we still think it’s a good idea to use an ATV or Side by Side if you have one available, but we will allow smaller wheel houses to be pulled behind a car or small truck. We are NOT allowing 3/4-Ton or larger trucks as of yet. Keep in mind, if you are driving on the ice, please drive slow! If you’d like to park on the ice in front of the marina, please spread out. Don’t fill in the spaces like you are parking in the Target parking lot. Don’t forget, we are a pay access. We ask $2 to drive on Monday thru Thursday and $4 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Winter Season Passes are $30.
We have 3 of our 5 rental fish houses on the ice in Waconia Bay within close walking distance of the marina! If you want the ease of ice fishing without worrying about finding the spot and drilling the holes, we’ve got you covered! The heat is on in the house and ready for you to fish! We currently have both 6-holers (#5 and #6) along with one of our 4-holers (#8) in 11 to 12 feet of water in a good panfish and northern pike location. Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve!
We will see you on the ice!
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia extended ice check news coming later Thursday, 1/9
We will be doing a lengthy ice check to the most commonly fished areas on Thursday, 1/9 and will report later that day what we find.
We hope the cold weather the next 36 hours will increase thicknesses enough so we can open our access to bigger fish houses and possibly vehicle traffic by the weekend. Until then, we continue to only allow Snowmobile, ATV & Side by Side use, along with Single-Axle fish houses through the access.
We'll see you on the ice!
We hope the cold weather the next 36 hours will increase thicknesses enough so we can open our access to bigger fish houses and possibly vehicle traffic by the weekend. Until then, we continue to only allow Snowmobile, ATV & Side by Side use, along with Single-Axle fish houses through the access.
We'll see you on the ice!
Friday, January 3, 2020
In Towne Marina Lake Waconia Ice Report - 1/3/2020
We placed two of our Fish House Rentals on the ice yesterday! They are our 7’ x 14’ 6 hole, 6 person fish houses (#5 and #6). They are located in Waconia Bay in 11 feet of water in a spot that’s good for daytime sunfish and possible northern pike, and the potential for crappies in the evening. They are within walking distance of the marina. We drill all the holes and the heat is on, ready to fish! Call (952) 442-2096 to reserve. Click on our Fish House Rental page for more details… https://intownemarina.com/fish-house-rental
With improving conditions on the ice this week, we are now allowing Single-Axle wheel houses through our access with ATV’s and Side by Sides as long as you are ready to pull it out to the spot right away. Please do not leave them on the ice in front of the marina. We are NOT allowing cars or trucks. We are finding ice thicknesses ranging from 7 to 13 inches at this time, although we do have one area marked north of Waconia Bay on the way to Center that has as little as 5 inches (very small spot). We have only done checking from Waconia Bay to the walleye hole between the marinas and Cemetery Reef, out to Center Reef, Pillsbury Reef and Wagener’s Bay.
If you’re spreading out to areas away from everyone, keep in mind we still have springs on the east side of the lake (notably between Cemetery Reef and Anderson’s Reef where we have marked at least one area we found again this year). Whether going where the crowd is or off on your own we definitely recommend checking ahead of yourself to find the best path to wherever you’re placing your house as there are still some slush areas that haven’t completely healed under snow and enough drifts you’d want to avoid getting stuck in if you are hauling anything heavy. Chains on your 4-wheeler is a good idea as well.
Anglers continue to have success catching sunfish during the day in the weeds around 9 to 12 feet of water. Wax worms are always good, but we’ve had several people getting good action on larva too. Crappies have been better towards evening. They have been around the weeds too, but also a touch deeper up to 15 feet of water. With the mild weekend, it’s a good idea to set up tip-ups for northern pike in the same areas as the panfish. Don’t be surprised to get a rod-bender bass bite, as we’ve had several successful largemouth bass reports so far. Walleyes continue to be best in the evening or early morning hours before sunrise. Depth ranges between 13 to 18 feet of water near Center Reef, Pillsbury (before it gets too crowded) and the deeper fringe of Waconia Bay are all good early season walleye locations. We have a nice variety of Shiners for those of you looking for them! For those spearing, the water clarity is currently good.
We’ll see you on the ice!
With improving conditions on the ice this week, we are now allowing Single-Axle wheel houses through our access with ATV’s and Side by Sides as long as you are ready to pull it out to the spot right away. Please do not leave them on the ice in front of the marina. We are NOT allowing cars or trucks. We are finding ice thicknesses ranging from 7 to 13 inches at this time, although we do have one area marked north of Waconia Bay on the way to Center that has as little as 5 inches (very small spot). We have only done checking from Waconia Bay to the walleye hole between the marinas and Cemetery Reef, out to Center Reef, Pillsbury Reef and Wagener’s Bay.
If you’re spreading out to areas away from everyone, keep in mind we still have springs on the east side of the lake (notably between Cemetery Reef and Anderson’s Reef where we have marked at least one area we found again this year). Whether going where the crowd is or off on your own we definitely recommend checking ahead of yourself to find the best path to wherever you’re placing your house as there are still some slush areas that haven’t completely healed under snow and enough drifts you’d want to avoid getting stuck in if you are hauling anything heavy. Chains on your 4-wheeler is a good idea as well.
Anglers continue to have success catching sunfish during the day in the weeds around 9 to 12 feet of water. Wax worms are always good, but we’ve had several people getting good action on larva too. Crappies have been better towards evening. They have been around the weeds too, but also a touch deeper up to 15 feet of water. With the mild weekend, it’s a good idea to set up tip-ups for northern pike in the same areas as the panfish. Don’t be surprised to get a rod-bender bass bite, as we’ve had several successful largemouth bass reports so far. Walleyes continue to be best in the evening or early morning hours before sunrise. Depth ranges between 13 to 18 feet of water near Center Reef, Pillsbury (before it gets too crowded) and the deeper fringe of Waconia Bay are all good early season walleye locations. We have a nice variety of Shiners for those of you looking for them! For those spearing, the water clarity is currently good.
We’ll see you on the ice!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)