bass ponds

[wren]

have the dog fish started biting down by the bass ponds under the cedar bridge.

[Teagan]

I know where it is but i didn't know there was dogfish there. If anyone else knows Anything about this place please shar with us.

[This message has been edited by Teagan (edited 04-25-2004).]

[TYMAN]

where are these bass ponds? what are they for?

[Roughfisher]

There are gigantic bowfin in the Bass Ponds. I have seen them, and they are huge.

[TYMAN]

where are the ponds!? what are they for?

[Lost]

Bass ponds? Where? I need directions!

[TYMAN]

what size fish Mao what?

[ricqik]

My bad, (MOA)Mall Of America. Size of fish, well that depends, anywhere from little 3" orangespotted sunfish to gigantic carps and buffalo. How'd the fish get there, well floods during some of spring seasons brought in a variety of fish from the MN river. If you catch a musky around 40", it's probably the same one I caught and release. If you catch a 5lb largemouth, it's probably the same one too. Same for the 38" northern. But ofcourse that's 3yrs ago and if they survived they're probably bigger now. Oh the waters sort of dirty so think twice if the thought of table fair ever cross anyones mind, though the co that's comes by every now and then says it ok to keep a few small sunnies and crappies. Otherwise have fun.

[TYMAN]

could u get me a mapquest map of it? also is there a lot of pressure? how big/close together are the ponds?

[ricqik]

Very few people fish down there. The ponds are about 20-30ft apart.

here's the mapquest link

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?ed=E8yDvep_0TrGhypbY.NF9wQQhQ--&csz=bloomington+MN&country=us&new=1&name=&qty=

[TYMAN]

whats an average day of fishing? how big are the ponds?

[Lost]

Would you access these off of Old Cedar?

[ricqik]

the small one is about 50ft across, the second one is about 1/4mile long by about 100'across on one end and about 200' on the other end, the 3rd one is more natural looking and have good weeds and clearer water. I can't say the averge catch is because that depends alot on time of year, size of bait/lure, but there's plenty of sunnies. I watched a father and son pulled out a 14" crappies from the cleaner third pond. I don't want to give you the perseption that it's hitting left and right though it has happen and there are also days where it's just dead. I usually take my kids there to catch sunnies and have fun. It's more design for kids but there's some trophies in there too. Just think of it as a backwater of the MN river so it'll have a decent variety of fish. It's best if there's was a flood so new and bigger fish can replenish the ponds. This yr we didn't get any.

[TYMAN]

u said something about big bowfin or carp? also what baits work for what species and could i use a canoe? how clear is the clean one?

[This message has been edited by TYMAN (edited 05-16-2004).]

[ricqik]

It's located just southeast of MOA in the MNWR. It consist of 7 ponds of which 3 are fishable or atleast has fish anyways. The water is basically storm runoffs. You see more trash debri here than any other lake or pond.

[ricqik]

From cedar, you want to go north on old shakopee to 86 st, take a right into a deadend road and the entrance is on the left with a sign "bass ponds". Park in the lot and walk down to the ponds about almost 1/4mile. The 3rd cleaner pond has a clearity of about 4-8ft depending on weather and season but usually about 6ft clearity. For bowfin I usually use 3-4 fatheads on the bottom or suspended on a bobber. Corn and worms work fine for carps. Largest bowfin I've seen was suspending just below the surface, I guess it to be about 34-36" long, easily beating the state record. Quite a few carps, many sizes to them. It also has good bass and northern. My largest fishes I've caught from there are 20" bass, 33" carp, 40" musky, 38" northern, 24 channel, 8.5" sunny, 14" crappie, 14" yellow bullhead, 11" perch, 25" walleye, 29" bowfin and some other fishes. Food source in the ponds are minnows, crayfish and shads. It a wildlife refuge so no boats/canoe at all. There's very few people fishing down there at all due to the dirty water that scares them off. Even though I'm giving away a place for all to see and fish I doubt man would return to this place. It's funny how many angler cringe at the thought of fishing dirty/polluted water. Go in with brand new clean white fishing line and come back with stained new fishing line.

[mnfisherman]

You said there are buffalo in there? Do you know what kind they are? The two different kinds are smallmouth and bigmouth.

Have you caught any there before?

[TYMAN]

what kinda species is easiest to catch? what is the one u catch most often?

[ricqik]

They are bigmouths. I haven't caught them intentionally but accidentally when my lure snags them, usually on their dorsal fin.

Because of my kids, they catch alot of sunnies. I go for bass, bowfins and northerns. They northerns are more willing to bite so more northerns it is.

[ricqik]

It also a good idea to throw some zara spooks in Long Meadow Lake. Northerns, bass and bowfins. Alot more carps in there too. It very shallow so cast as far as you can.

[Riverfisher]

I just got back from the bass pond, I fished for northerns in every pond, I couldn't buy a strike. I also tryed long meadow by where that fenced off hole is and saw someone snag a couple carp. Then I went to the clean pond I cat alot of sunnoes and little bass.

[TYMAN]

anyone going this weekend? i am so i wanna meet up since its my first time

[jonny_redhorse]

i noticed you guys mentioned buffalo fish ....there's a lake here (iron range area)that has buffalo's in it..."lower panaca"...close to calumet Mn...i've come across them many times on my outings looking for crappies but never actually fished for the big black behemouthe critters.lol!...matter of fact every year during the hot weather of summer i noticed they seem to lay just beneath the surface with their fins sticking out as if sunbathing...they do this every year usually laying in the matted thick vegetatation..i even hit a couple with my canoe when i wasn't expecting it...just a sudden "bump" and an immediate explosion as they thrashed and dived.....these are some big fish!..bet they pushed 20 pounds!...anyway wonder what they eat?...never caught one.....caught everything else in that lake even dog fish (bowfin)but never a buffalo...jonny

[TYMAN]

any1 going to the ponds this weekend?

[ricqik]

I might be going there after work if it doesn't rain today.