Minnesota River report

[mfreeman451]

I know a lot of people have been complaining about the high water and having a tough time finding fish, but we've been doing quite well lately on the Minnesota , with this dandy 40lb coming off a fresh, lively bullhead. We're using mostly bullies but sometimes creek chubs and changing them up a LOT. Seems like the fish really want the ones making the most noise down there..this one was caught down by the trestle in Carver, but we've done quite well in the shakopee area by valleyfair recently as well.

[Mr Special]

congrats and thanks for the report. now if i could just sneak out!

[aanderud]

I gotta get out more. That big gal looks like it's on a post spawn bite! Might as well hit them eh? Nice report.

[motownmasher]

nice to see they can still be caught. it's been pretty tough in our area (near franklin). catfish derby days is this weekend in franklin and all are hoping it has picked up by then. nice catch!! looks like that one had been bit up. is that what it looked like to you?

[mfreeman451]

I'm no expert, but I believe those are spawn marks, indicative of the post spawn phase that appears to be going on, at least on certain parts of the Minnesota River.

[mfreeman451]

BTW I had another one on that night that was full of water fleas or some sort of parasites and it was really beat up, the barb by the dorsal was all chewed up and mangled, looked like rotten flesh!

[Larry FlatCaster]

BTW I had another one on that night that was full of water fleas or some sort of parasites and it was really beat up, the barb by the dorsal was all chewed up and mangled, looked like rotten flesh!

Interesting observation.... I'm curious and wondering if a stationary cat is more prone to pick up the parasites, being locked on a nest vs. roaming free. We caught a cat last week that had a few of the critters on it. It was a beat up male channel that looked like it had been through the grinder.

I'll start checking a little more close this season.