Square Lake

[waterbound]

You might want to add a piece of corn or a small chunk of powerbait to the tip-up so it's easier to explain you definitely are not fishing pike. It might help spread some scent and catch a trout, too.

[JBMasterAngler]

Also, if you put 4 or 6 pound test leader line on the tip up you'll strengthen your argument greatly

[BRULEDRIFTER]

I don't think using a tip-up for streamers is a good plan, anyway. They bite fast, and they don't hold onto a bait for long.

You may get one to hold it, but I think your odds for success are better holding the line in your fingers so you can feel them hit and hooking them instantly.

Sight fishing is the way to go! You get a sore back, but it's well worth it!

[DonBo]

Time to get Square Lake back on top. Season opens this Saturday. I'll be there, anyone else?

[MN Angler]

I will be out Sunday I have a wedding to attend Saturday or else I would.

MN Angler

[DonBo]

Was a great opener. Everyone was catching fish this morning. Those pulling "cowbells" and other such spinners seemed to be doing the best. I caught fish on rappalas near the surface and on corn right near the bottom in 40 FOW. They seemed to be everywhere.

Brought home two of the nicest fish I've taken from this lake, a 17" and an 18".

Downside? Wish I was sure, but some were catching them so quick that I don't believe they stopped at their allotted two. Watched 3 boats in particular that caught WAY more than two each and saw very few go back. Again, wish I was sure as I have no problem dialing the TIP line from my boat.

[DonBo]

Two more nice ones for the smoker this morning. 17 and 18 1/2". Pretty basic, a few kernals of corn on a gold hook and hung straight over the side of the boat. Fished in 35 FOW about 5' off the bottom. Started at 5:30 this morning, I caught one, lost two at the boat (both broke off) had one spit the hook, missed a few and at 6:30 I was on my way back to the launch with my two fish in the box.

Rumor has it there were 2000 of these fish released last fall. They are the camloops strain from the French River on the North Shore. No one knows why they were uncatchable last winter, but they have grown big and strong. Leave your 4 lb line at home and hang on!

[MN Angler]

That is great news. Was out yesterday afternoon with my dad and Fiancee and we went home with six. The two biggest were 17 inches. The rest were all around 12-14 inches. Those big ones really fight. We lost a couple big guys right next to the boat as well. I hope they continue to stock it with these in the future. Also saw a lot of jumping trout. I saw on a few instances where a trout would jump two or three feet out of the water which was a cool sight to see. I hope to get out at least one evening after work this week and possibly once again next weekend. Good luck all.

MN Angler

[DonBo]

Here's a nice 18 incher from Saturday morning.

BTW, welcome back Shiner.

[DonBo]

Lost a big one last night. As soon as he felt the hook he went ballistic! Out of the water half dozen times, tail dances, under the boat, finally got into my anchor rope and got off. Man, it was worth sitting in the rain for that show! Five minutes later I boated a nice 17 incher, he was also air born a few times. Released a smaller one earlier in the night.

From what I've heard the last two days, the bite seems to tail off around 6:00. Better fishing earlier in the day. But today's a new day and who knows?

[Nate McVey]

Quote:

BTW, welcome back Shiner.

Thanks DonBo! Looks like you've had a good couple days out there. Had plans to go this week, but ended up loosing my boat to my brother-in-law............long story, bad outcome. Oh well, off to the streams and in the float tube for me

[DonBo]

I may have an open seat Thur or Fri. Email me if interested.

[tunrevir]

Donbo, thanks for the up to date reports. I haven't fished square for a couple of years except a couple winter forays but was thinking of getting out there maybe this weekend for a quick trout fix. Nice fish in the photo! Love the way these guys fight!

Tunrevir~

[DonBo]

Here's another bit of interesting info I heard last night. While most of us simply gave up last winter after a couple weeks of no action, one older gentleman I know kept at it. Apparently he did pretty well on these bigger fish later in the season long after the rest of us headed for greener crappie pastures. Go figure...

[tunrevir]

Yep, some of the old buggers are rather cagey when it comes to a hot bite

Tunrevir~

[DonBo]

Things have slowed considerably. I'm sure a fair percentage of those fish released have already been caught. That's not to say she's dead. The guys trolling cow bells are still catching fish. Rapalas are working too.

The fish have started heading deeper. Last week I was catching them mostly over 50 FOW about 30-35 feet down.

[Fishpondc]

Went out with my dad and son today. Got out about 10:30 and fished 3 hours. Kept 4 , 45 feet of water 25 feet down on bait under bobber. The grill is warming up... awesome!

[DonBo]

Went out with my dad and son today. Got out about 10:30 and fished 3 hours. Kept 4 , 45 feet of water 25 feet down on bait under bobber. The grill is warming up... awesome!

Glad to hear they're still biting. Just did a big batch on my smoker this weekend. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Doesn't get much better than that!

[GregDuner1432405022]

Hey DonBo, can't you only keep one trout over 16 inches out there? check this out,is this right http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/eastmetro/lakes/square.html ? Don't worry I won't call t.i.p! hahahah!

[DonBo]

Wow. I'm embarrassd, I never knew that, bet no one else taking all those trout out of there this summer does either. It's not posted at the landing, it's not listed in the regs. Thanks for the heads up.

This is all the regulation book says:

Square Lake (Washington County) trout: Catch-and-release from May 15 through June 11 and from October 1 through October 31. Remainder of the summer and winter seasons the possession limit for trout is two.

BTW, you know how fishermen are always embellishing the size/number of fish caught right? That be me.

[GregDuner1432405022]

I think my regs book had that info in it, it could be a newer one than the one you had. Lucky for you I don't have cell phone reception out there, cause, I have no problem calling the TIP line from my boat( hahahahahah) J/k. I'm sure it was an honest mistake.

[Mud]

I remember when I went out for some trout last winter, didn't catch anything (of course) but I saw a single trout swimming through, it was large with big white tumor things all over it, some kind of disease? Anyways, are the trout still biting? (Not sure if the season is still in, I will check before I go)if so, what are you catching them on? I have never been there during the summer, and only once during the winter.

[tunrevir]

Welcome Mud to the forums. I can't specifically comment whether or not the bite is still going on down there as I haven't fished it for a few summers myself. When I used to fish it we would motor out over deeper water and drop a line to where we graphed fish and use corn or a worm on a hook. Some guys troll and use small minnow baits like raps and do okay others use cowbells(an inline set of spinners and beads) with cranks or worm harnesses and do okay. On the northern trout lakes alot of folks soak crawlers just off the bottom with a bit of air in them and a lindy type sinker and just wait for the trout to swim by. Donbo fishes this lake fairly regularly and has done well out there and would be a good resource.

Tunrevir~

[DonBo]

Wish I could add more. I haven't been out there for several weeks now. The advice tunrevir gave is spot-on. I have often used corn as bait and done good well into the summer. Trolling with cowbells (most tip them with worms) always seems to put fish in other boats, I've never tried it.

You best bet is to get over 40-50 FOW till you mark fish at probably 30-40 feet down, drop an anchor, throw a few kernals of corn on a hook and drop it down to that depth, wait for a tap, set the hook and game-on. These fish are a blast to catch!

If early or late in the day you see fish on the surface hitting bugs, try trolling a small rappala or spinner right near the surface.

Good luck at be sure to tell us how you did.

[JBMasterAngler]

Any recent reports? Gonna give it the ol' college try sometime this week.