Bone Lake Polk County

[Buck_Hunter04]

Hows the perch bite?? Haven't heard much on Bone this year. Thinking about making a trip up this weekend. Hows the Ice conditions and how thick is the ice. Any information greatly appreciated.

[B-man715]

I haven't been out there for a couple of weeks, but the perch are there (eater size crappies as well). Fish off the main lake points or out on the mud flats near groups of shacks. The ice is in nice shape, i'd say at least 16" and probally much more than that by now. The snow on area lakes isn't bad at all, but still wouldn't hurt to have a 4x4 truck. When I was out, there pickups were driving all over.

As always stay away from the creek, and springs along shore on northern half of the lake. Good Luck!!

[FishyScent]

What size perch we talking about here. If they are nice it might be fun to give it a shot.

[B-man715]

smaller than average, catch 10 and keep one. Not a trophy lake but lots of numbers, I would keep a 9"er on that lake. Nothing spectacular, but can be fun

[lawman]

I am planning on fishing Bone during the first week of October. Have not fished the lake for 7 years now. How is the water level this year? Any places to stay on the lake?

[kenais]

Its low but better than most area lakes. Watch your motor on the south landing.

Probably can rent a cabin from a private party on vrbo. Not sure if Wilkins Resort does short term RV camping. I think Restpoint is selling all of their RV spots. There is a motel in Luck and also camping next to the golf course by Big Butternut. Closest places I can think of.

[lawman]

Is this lake pretty green with algae right now? It usually is. I want to fish it when the bloom clears.

[B-man715]

I was out there last week and she was dirty as all hell.

[kenais]

I was out there yesterday and its very green with algae and the weeds are starting to die off. I think we will need the weather to cool down before it gets any better.

[Da_Bearded_One]

Going to Bone Lake in two weeks to my fiancee's friends cabin wondering if there is any walleyes in Bone or are there any good lakes in the area?

Thanks

DBO

[Walleye Guy]

Bone Lake has very few walleyes if any. Its a good bass, muskie and panfish lake. There are also some pike too. Fish early and late in the day as it is a very heavy recreational lake. The boats and jetskis are out in full force on any nice weekend day.

[kenais]

Try Big Butternut, Big Round or Balsam Lake. All are close to Bone and are popular walleye lakes.

Talk to the folks at Northbound Sports in Mlltown for the current fishing reports.

[trro0901]

I'm trying to plan a trip with the girlfriend to Bone lake, guess she use to go there often when she was younger. Are there any problem areas for trucks/wheel houses to watch out for? Thanks for any tips.

[Nick Kuhn]

I'll confirm this when I get a chance but I do not believe there are any trouble spots on Bone (except maybe in front of Fox Creek), but the rock piles may stick through the ice. I would check with a bait shop and confirm conditions though. There's one access in the very southwest corner and one on the very north end.

[Walleye Guy]

Unless you are OK with driving on 10 inches of ice I would leave the truck on shore. I was up there last weekend and never found more than 10 inches of ice.

[trro0901]

Thanks for the updates guys. I called the Wilkins Bar and Grille and they said that I should be good to go this weekend. So I'm hoping for the best. Heard there is a tournament on the north end of the lake so the ice should be plenty "safe" this weekend. If you see and red truck, black topper and an green castle stop by and say hi. Thanks again.

[Jarrid Houston]

good luck, and make sure to come back and post how you did!

[B-man715]

Make sure to take a couple limits of crappies while you're out there too!

Bone Lake is filled with untold numbers of eater sized fish. It is a very underfished lake in the winter.

There are many spots to go, but I always do well half way between the big island and western shore (30-35' deep), south of the big island (30-35'deep) and out in front of Wilkins in the same depths. You can literally catch all of the fish you want! Though a 10" fish is a big one, there are all of the 8-9" crappies you would ever want (and of course baby fish too.)

They bite all day and night, but night fishing is generally better because the trillion smaller perch tend to go to sleep

When fishing during the day, a small jig free falling with a minnow catches the bigger perch and crappies too. Waxies seem to attract only the little ones.

A camera is a blast on the lake, and allows you to select only the bigger fish (during the day).

Minnows and waxies perform equally well at night on a small glow demon. Some days you could probally catch them on bottle tops

The problem with this lake is that they are underfished, and become perpetually stunted. I wish more people fished it, in hopes of bringing the average size back up to what it was 15 years ago.

For pike the north bay (by the landing) is always a good spot, as is the narrows between the small island and shore. Fishing for them can be slow, but the average pike pushes 8 pounds!

Good luck and catch some fish!!

[Volkan]

Bone Lake was really busy this weekend due due Luck High School fishing tournament but it was really fun. Ice is over 23" where we were fishing fish are in deeper water. It was like a Christmas tree between 25' and 35'. It was not too cold but fish quit biting after 8pm. Minnows and artificial lures worked perfect. My next update will be in two weeks.

[MN-Norsk]

Anyone been out the last few days? Thinking about taking my old man out there around 3 this afternoon and fish into the evening based on hearing about the evening bite.

Any pointers for a guy that hasn't fished Bone through the ice before? Also, we have to walk out, so wondering about which launch we should go from. Is Big Round worth a dump in the winter?

Thanks!!

[Walleye Guy]

Many of the lakes in Polk County have major slush problems. I haven't been on Bone Lake personally but I talked with a bait shop owner today and he said that travel was brutal on most area lakes. Some are better than the other. I have a place on the north end of Big Round and I am up there right now. There are 8 fish houses on the lake that I could see from the north side. Normally there would be 50 or more. Three weekends ago I attempted to take my ATV out on the lake. Big mistake. I got stuck three times within 100 yds of my shore. Deep drifts and slush.

Conditions are tough. The fish are there to be had. Take a snowmobile if you have one.