Courthouse Lake

[Farley]

Lots of people, not alot caught is right. Although we stuck it out till 1 and around 11:00 the guys next to us started hitting them, they had 7 when we were leaving. We got sunked.

[HossFisher]

Maybe we'll actually be able to catch trout in the coming weeks because not all of the 1 million people out there were able to take there limit.

[tweedlap]

Holy Snikes !!!!!!

Courthouse looked more like a refugee camp than a lake.

I will try to post a couple of pictures later.

West Metro Fisheries thought that the Oxygen may be getting a little low on Courthouse. This could be part of the reason for the slow bite. The lake has been snow covered since ice up.

Stocking was about 1000 less trout, this fall, as well.

Much more challenging.

tweed

[tweedlap]

Sunday Update:

About 20 portables out this morning.

Fishing was slow to ok.

Three of us fished for 4 hours and caught 5 fish.

One was caught on a bobber and waxie.. 1' under the ice.

Two on a Kastmaster.. 4'-5' down

Two on a Moonglow- green and 2 waxies... 4'- 5' down

tweed

[HossFisher]

Thanks for the report tweedlap, hope you dont mind me asking but what depth were you fishing?

[tweedlap]

Bassboy,

We were in 7'-8' of water.

tweed

[HossFisher]

thanks!

[lucy1205]

Dudes, There was like 300 people there. Are u down right mad? No wonder no one was catching anything. Everybody last year got there limit and then they fished out the poor trout pond. Yes its stocked but with crowds like that I wouldent even think of getting trout much less limits, there aint even that many trout in that darn pond. Last year they were gettin em on big baits this year the trout were barley letin ya know they were on the other end of the line. Seriously folks take a long hard look at the future of fishing and apply your knowledge of the trout pond to the equation. Them trout aint even the right color.

[Andrew Erickson]

its always that busy on opener down there,and usually everyone gets there limit.Its because of the low oxygen levels in the lake this year

[Sonicrunch]

 Originally Posted By: RincRat78

its always that busy on opener down there,and usually everyone gets there limit.Its because of the low oxygen levels in the lake this year

I do not think so. I think the lake was stocked with considerably less trout this year.

What were the numbers? Does anybody know?

[Andrew Erickson]

i did hear that to but i heard it was mostly about the oxygen but i dont know i could be wrong

[Sonicrunch]

It also may be that the lake got hit hard before the close of the season last year.

I'm not sure about the oxygen theory. Those fish cam e out of the hole with a lot of energy.

Nevertheless, that was the 2nd worst courthouse opener ever.

[FishingPops]

Maybe due to the flooding of the trout hatchery in SE MN this year there aren't as many trout available to stock? I didn't hear or read anything, it is just a guess.

[Sonicrunch]

That'd be my guess too.

[twon]

The pressure from the crowds out there had to have something to do with it. I could only imagine what it looked like under the ice. I still managed to get a couple though!

[walleyeking]

I don't think the pressure of the fisherman had anything to do with it. I've been there for the opener the last 4 years, and there have been just as many people each year. It's never been a problem in the past.

[Sonicrunch]

 Originally Posted By: walleyeking

I don't think the pressure of the fisherman had anything to do with it. I've been there for the opener the last 4 years, and there have been just as many people each year. It's never been a problem in the past.

Agreed. It is a put and take lake. Get over it.

[AceintheHole]

This is the DNR stocking report. For what I have seen going back to 2000 -2006 they have put thousands and thousands of trout in there. This is 2006

Rainbow Trout - 7,996 yearlings weighing 4,810.6 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 10 adults weighing 58.1 lbs.

Brown Trout - 364 adults weighing 1,796.5 lbs.

Brook Trout - 152 adults weighing 138.5 lbs.

Brook Trout - 182 adults weighing 272.9

This is 2005

Carver County

Courthouse - 10000500

Rainbow Trout - 6,012 yearlings weighing 3,673.5 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 38 adults weighing 111.8 lbs.

Lake Trout - 6 adults weighing 37.5 lbs.

Brown Trout - 10 yearlings weighing 4.2 lbs.

Brown Trout - 432 adults weighing 920.2 lbs.

Brook Trout - 28 adults weighing 50.2 lbs.

This was 2oo4

Carver County

Courthouse - 10000500

Brook Trout - 35 adults weighing 50.0 lbs.

Brown Trout - 87 adults weighing 295.6 lbs.

Lake Trout - 10 adults weighing 56.4 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 35 adults weighing 116.7 lbs.

Brown Trout - 1,796 yearlings weighing 934.8 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 5,905 yearlings weighing 2,709.7 lbs

2003

Carver County

Courthouse - 10000500

Brook Trout - 467 adults weighing 665.5 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 3,500 yearlings weighing 1,574.2 lbs

2002

Courthouse

Courthouse - 10000500

Brook Trout - 23 adults weighing 38.8 lbs.

Brown Trout - 12 adults weighing 42.3 lbs.

Lake Trout - 4 yearlings weighing 0.8 lbs.

Lake Trout - 10 adults weighing 125.3 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 32 adults weighing 72.7 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 4,008 yearlings weighing 2,149.0 lbs

2001

Courthouse - 10000500

Rainbow Trout - 3,000 yearlings weighing 1,444.6 lbs.

2000

Courthouse - 10000500

Rainbow Trout - 3,013 yearlings weighing 1,743.0 lbs.

Rainbow Trout - 13 adults weighing 186.0 lbs.

Lake Trout - 24 adults weighing 130.0 lbs.

Brown Trout - 13 yearlings weighing 4.8 lbs.

Brown Trout - 514 adults weighing 2,259.0 lbs.

Brook Trout - 52 adults weighing 92.9 lbs.

Thats alot of trout over the years

[Sonicrunch]

They do, and 95 percent of them get taken. I see nothing wrong with that. I only get 5 per year.

[AceintheHole]

How deep do you guys fish this lake in the winter?

[walleyeking]

I'd try anywhere from 4-15 feet.

[Sifty]

Alot of guy's sight fish it.

Most of the trout I've seen are only a couple of feet under the ice.

Sifty

[AceintheHole]

Thanks for the info it gives a guy a place to start. Tricky little guys to find sometimes

[lucy1205]

I understand that it is a put and take lake but if everyone only kept half there limit instead of all of it there would be more for next time. AS IN WE NEED A LITTLE MORE PUT AND A LOT LESS TAKE. Then the DNR would be more willing to do more stocking there. Them trout last a weekend and then the seasons done just like on x mas. Im no preacher but it only makes since.

[lucy1205]

judging by that stocking report im sure everything but them babies gets hatvested.