Lake Minnetonka...where do I go?

[fish catcher82]

Just tried minnetonka yesterday for the first time. I just bought my first boat and decided to give it a try on the big lake. I dropped it in at Grays bay (I believe thats the name of the bay) but from there I was lost and didnt know where to head to catch some fish. I took a left, went under the channel, and started fishing all along my left side of the lake probably anywhere from 4-12 ft of water. I caught a small rock bass and a 9in black crappie. Loading in from Grays bay, is there anywhere I could go where I could have better success? I want to try the lake again in about a week or so but would like to have a better idea as to where to go. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[mrfish1991]

check out the metro lakes and rivers forum, might have better luck there

[Burnham]

i have been going out there with not much success so i cant really help ya in that department lol...but the dnr has decent maps on the lakefinder...just go to the mn dnr HSOforum, and then lakefinder, and it will give you a maps option. there probably are 3 or 4 map links, just give them a try

good luck

[wayne123]

I would get a map. When I used to fish Minnetonka I would go far up one of the narrower bays. I did it to get away from the crowds but we always seemed to find sunnies and bass.

Some maps have fishing spots on them. I have always found these helpful.

[PerchJerker]

Like the others have said, get a map so you know where you are and what you're looking at. With a lake like Tonka with so many bays and so much diversity, it really is to your advantage to focus on smaller sections at a time and try to learn them as you go ---- it can be kind of overwhelming (and counter-productive) to go out there without a plan until you start to learn a bit about it. It's a great lake, I really like fishing it.

[Daze Off]

Easy to get lost even with a map on Tonka as you seldom have a bird's eye view and it is difficult to make out the channel locations sometimes. GPS makes me feel much better about getting my bearings as I move from one end of the lake to the other. Maxwell Bay also has a good landing and better proximity to the western bays than Grey's does.

[JimBuck]

I agree with Daze....try Maxwell and build some confidence navigating that area then branch off.

[fish catcher82]

Thanks for the guidance, I am going to try it again early next week and hopefully land some fish. I will post later.

[pikedreams]

Volumes could be written on this subject. My best advice is to approach Tonka the same way you eat an elephant, one bite at a time. It's 15,000 acres and 100 miles of shoreline. You'll spend the first year trying not to get lost.

Just pick a bay any bay and learn everything you can about it. Cast it, jig it, troll it until you know it, then move on to another. It's a process and there's no shortcuts.

Good luck!