lispeej Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I was watching some youtube vids on yellow bass ice fishing in clear lake and spirit lake. Might have to make a trip down this year if the numbers are still great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushbutton Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Yeah, that is pretty much on my bucket list now. Ironically those lakes could end up with better ice quicker than what I have around me after the snowaggedon. Am sure there are other good outfitters out there, but the name Kevan Paul keeps coming up. Would be good to hear an unbiased report as to if their numbers are still as strong as a couple of years ago..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIvers Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Here's what I found in Clear Lake last winter, which was the first time I fished it through the ice in at least five years: http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2829369/6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Seaguar Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I couldnt tell you about Clear lake. The Spirit lake area fish got some virus and many of them died. I dont think anyone really knows yet what the population is like. Nobody cares either, as long as theres less of them. Yellow bass are one of the species with no limit on them from public water. If you go to the Spirit Lake area, get a map and fish Minnewashta. Its easy to fish, a small lake with a basin area thats deeper than the rest of it. That is yellow bass central. Minnewashta is connected to the okoboji's and the gar's. Small jig, couple of maggots, fish them like you do blugills. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Paul Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 If you guys are looking to catch some Yellows follow my clear lake report. You will not be miss lead. We caught thousands of Yellows this fall and i would expect great yellow fishing. Our crappies are on a great comeback also. We are having a Yellow Bass tournament in feb. Feel free to come down. You are always welcome to call the clear lake hatchery if have any questions . They can tell you everything you want to know about the lake. Just trying to help not steal the post. Have a happy holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lispeej Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 If you guys are looking to catch some Yellows follow my clear lake report. You will not be miss lead. We caught thousands of Yellows this fall and i would expect great yellow fishing. Our crappies are on a great comeback also. We are having a Yellow Bass tournament in feb. Feel free to come down. You are always welcome to call the clear lake hatchery if have any questions . They can tell you everything you want to know about the lake. Just trying to help not steal the post. Have a happy holidays. That's awesome! Will do. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esox_Magnum Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Not many in Spirit yet that I know of at least I havent caught one but West last year we caught alot of yellows... I'd be more than happy to show you the yellows on 1 condition you have to take all we catch... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lispeej Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 Not many in Spirit yet that I know of at least I havent caught one but West last year we caught alot of yellows... I'd be more than happy to show you the yellows on 1 condition you have to take all we catch... Sure. I will be glad to take on your request. And I will hold you to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esox_Magnum Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Deal,remind me when we get ice.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lispeej Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 Deal,remind me when we get ice.... How's the ice coming along? Itching to make a trip down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Paul Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 The ice is great on clear. People are driving all over the little lake. 11" of good ice. My guide had 200 plus yellows yesterday with 30 plus crappie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esox_Magnum Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I'll keepyou [osted havent got on any yellows yet, still chasing gills.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lispeej Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 Yes, please do. I'll wait til the ice gets thicker. I have some heavier gear and would rather drive than walk. Although I know walking is good exercise for us too . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carp-fisher Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Kevin, I'm from Iowa and have family not too far from the Clear Lake area. I fished for yellows on Clear on Christmas eve and did indeed get into some, unfortunately the were all around 6-7". Thats all the bigger I saw other people getting too (the crappies were another story). What size of yellows are you getting? Is a 7" fish a keeper? We did keep some because they were fairly thick in the back.Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Paul Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Most people like the larger ones but I like the 8-9 inchers. Like you said they are thick in the back and they do offer a good piece of meat. Yellows are adults at 7-8" long and are big when they hit 10 and are huge at 11 plus. State record is around 13 or 14 inches. How big were the crappies. If people can throw back the 9's and 10's we will have a killer crappie lake next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carp-fisher Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 The crappies were nice at 10-11” with both whites and blacks. They seemed to be mixed in with the yellows when schools moved through. The fishing was pretty good considering neither one of us had ever fished clear lake. Those little yellows do indeed make for a fine fish fry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Paul Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed them. Most people would not consider them eatible. You will have to come fish are yellow bass tournament. It's going to be a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lispeej Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed them. Most people would not consider them eatible. You will have to come fish are yellow bass tournament. It's going to be a lot of fun. Don't they just taste like white bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carp-fisher Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 The ones I had tasted just like gills or crappies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIvers Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Yellow taste quite a bit better than their cousin the white bass, IMO. I agree with the poster who compared yellow bass to bluegill. I'll happily keep yellows to eat, but I only keep white bass if I have not had fresh fish for quite a while. If do keep white bass, I only keep 10" or 12" white bass, not the bigger ones, and I still trim the red meat out of the filets. There are no such issues with yellow bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esox_Magnum Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Not yellow bass but yellow perch will have to do, wife and I managed these 39 volenteers for a hot oil bath today.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lispeej Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 That's nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrklean Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Who cleaned all of them you or the wife? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esox_Magnum Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I get the honor of filleting, she gets all the fun of catching and eating... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picksbigwagon Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Esox, was that on Clear Lake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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