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A beginner's guide to shore fishing in /St. Paul Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs of the Minnesota Depart­ ment of Natural Resources is available to all individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Discrimination inquiries should be sent to MN-DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4049, or the Equal Opportunity Office, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.

© 1992 Minnesota Department of Products and retailers mentioned in this Natural Resources guide are included solely to inform anglers of popular options and not as an endorse­ Produced by the Division of Fish and Wildlife ment or recommendation by the DNR. Illustrations by Jeff Tolbert Contents

What kind of fish is it? 2 Fishing licenses 4 Shore fishing equipment 4 How to fish from shore 6 How to use the MTC to fish 8 Are fish safe to eat? 9 Catch-and-release 9 Fishing from wheelchairs 10 Kids' fishing ponds 10 Catching BIG fish 10 Bait shops I I

The Lakes 1. Battle Creek Lake 4 2. Bennett Lake 4 3. Bryant Lake s 4. Lake Calhoun s 5. Cedar Lake 6 6. Lake Como 6 7. Lake Harriet 7 8. Hiawatha Lake 7 9. Hidden Falls (Mississippi River) 7 10. Island Lake 8 11. Islands of Peace (Mississippi River) 8 12. Keller Lake 9 13. 9 14. Medicine Lake 20 15. Lake N okornis 20 16. Owasso and Wabasso lakes 20 17. Lake Phalen 21 18. Pike Island (Mississippi River) 21 19. Powderhorn Lake 22 20. Shady Oak Lake 22 21. Snelling Lake 22 22. Tanners Lake 23 23. Wirth Lake ~ ',, 23 Other fishing information ~.~ 24

I I I f you haven't discovered all What kind of the good shore fishing right fish is it? I here in the Twin Cities, this booklet is for you. ith this guide, you can Within just a few miles of the W learn to tell one type of IDS building or the State Capitol, fish from another. Here are the you can catch crappies, catfish, most common species caught in walleyes, sunfish, northern the Twin Cities lakes and rivers: pike, muskellunge, catfish, bass, carp, and more. SUNFISH (also called or pumpkinseed) You don't need a boat to Round, catch these fish. This guide will flat body show you how to catch them from shore. It tells how and where to fish the 23 best fishing waters closest to downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis. You can get to most of these waters by bus, bicycle, or walking - CRAPPIE so even if you don't have a car you (two kinds: white and black) Round and can still go fishing anytime. flat body Anyone can use this guide, but it's mainly for beginning anglers who want to find a few nearby places to catch fish here Black 6-12 inches in the Twin Cities. spots or lines on sides long

l WAI.I.EYE Bigmouth Round, long body

Green color, with dark line along sides 6-23 inches long Large, glassy eyes Pale green body, white belly 10-30incheslong CARP Pale gold Big scales PERCH Round, long body

Whiskers on Black bars suckerlike mouth 12-36 inches long on yellow body 6-14 inches long

CATFISH NORTHERN PIKE (channel and flathead) Sharp teeth Very long, round body Long, smooth- skinned body

White marks on black body 12-42 inches long Whiskers Stiff spine in top fin MUSKEl.l.UNGE and side fins 10-40 inches long Sharp teeth Very long, round body

BUI.I.HEAD (brown, black, yellow) Long, smooth- skinned body Black bars on light body 12-45incheslong

GO THIS WEEKEND! Learning to fish is easy. Whiskers Plan to give it a try next Stiff spine Saturday or Sunday. in top and side fins 6-14 inches long

3 Fishing Reel-The easiest ones to use are called spin- licenses cast reels. efore you can fish, you Spinning reels B need a Minnesota fishing are popular, license. Buy one from,any store but they are that sells fishing tackle or bait, a bit harder spinning reel such as K-Mart, Target, or to use. Holiday. Also, ask for your free If you use DNR fishing regulations. a cane pole or Yearly licenses cost $14 for a stick, just tie adults. Kids age 15 or younger the line to the end. can fish for free. A senior's yearly Line-Line is sold according to fishing license costs $5.50. its strength (called "test''), which ranges from 2-pound test up to Shore fishing more than 30-pound test. A good all-purpose line is 8-pound test. equipment Note: Only one line is allowed f you haven't done much per person in the summer. I fishing before, don't worry. It's not hard. Bait fishing To catch fish, all you need is a Hooks-Any type of hook will fishing license, a rod, a reel, some work. But treble hooks or lures, a bobber, a few hooks are illegal sinkers, and a container of bait. in Minnesota You'll also want to know the unless they are basic fishing laws and a few part of an artificial lure. simple things about where fish The smaller the number, the live, what they eat, and when larger the hook. Look for hooks they are hungry. These are in sizes 4-10. Hooks with a long explained on pages 6-8. "shank" (the part between the eye and the barb) are easier to Equipment remove from fish with small Rod-Almost any type will mouths, such as sunfish. work. The basic fishing rod is Use a hook that fits the mouth 6 feet long and has a medium of the fish you want to catch. "weight" (which means it's a Size 8 and 10 hooks are best for good all-purpose rod). A cane crappies, sunfish, and carp. pole or even a long stick will Size 4 and 6 are good for wall­ work for crappies and sunfish. eyes, catfish, and northern pike.

4 Sinkers-Also called split-shot, these lead balls keep your bait down near the lake or river bottom, where most fish swim. For most shore fishing, pinch on one or two small weights the size of a BB, about JO inches up from your hook. Use only enough to sink the bait. If the fish feels too much weight it will drop the bait before you can set the hook. Robber-Usually the smaller and thinner bobbers work best. person selling the bait. But don't use one so small that Take along a needle-nosed the weight and bait pliers to remove the hook from sink it. When the the mouth of any fish you catch. bobber goes under Note: Worms, minnows, and the water surface, nightcrawlers die easily, and you know that a fish when dead they will no longer has taken your bait. A bobber attract fish. also adds weight to the line to Keep worms and night­ help you cast farther. crawlers in a cool, moist place, out Bait-There is a lot to choose of the sun. Put minnows in a from. For most fish, the best all­ bucket with a few small holes around baits are nightcrawlers, punched in the sides and keep half a nightcrawler, or worms. it in shaded water nearby. To Waxworms work well for keep water from spilling out, sunfish. To catch carp, try a transport the bait bucket in a kernel of canned corn. Catfish are larger bucket. partial to a piece of turkey liver. Minnows are great fish­ Lures getters. Try tiny (1-inch-long) Of the hundreds of lures on the minnows for crappies and larger market, the most popular are (2- to 6-inch-long) sucker and spinners (such as Mepps or fathead minnows for walleyes Rooster Tails), crankbaits (such and northern pike. as Rapalas), and jigs with If you don't know what type feathers or rubber bodies of minnow to use, just ask the (such as Mister Twisters).

5 Jig-This is simply a hook with they don't move around enough. a lead ball near the eye. Staying in one spot is fine if you Retrieve a jig by want to relax or just take a nap. bouncing it along But don't expect to catch many the bottom of the fish that way. lake or river. Fish usually don't swim Spinners-These lures vibrate around too much. They like to when retrieved through stay in one place for much of the the water, attracting day. The trick is to keep casting fish. They are easy to your lure or bait to different spots use and will catch a as you move along the shore until wide variety of fish. you find a fish. Spoons-These heavy lures can Note: Wading is a good way be cast far out into a lake or river. to reach fishing spots along the Spoons are shore. Wear tennis shoes to mostly protect your feet. If you don't used for swim well, wear a life preserver. northern pike and muskies. And don't wade in big rivers, C:rankbaits-More expensive where the fast current can knock than other lures, crankbaits you off your feet. are excellent for walleyes, pike, ~ Where to fish muskies, ~ Fish anywhere along shore and bass. ..-- ~~ where there is shade or cover. Fish are afraid of people, birds, How to fish and sunlight, so they swim to the darkest hiding spots they can from shore find. Try casting to water below ost information in fishing overhanging trees or bushes, books and magazines is under boat docks or fishing piers, about fishing from a boat. Fishing near lily pads, below bridges, or from shore is different. anywhere else you find shade. In many ways, shore fishing is You'll also find fish in deep easier than boat fishing. You water near shore. Since the water don't need as much equipment, is shallower near shore than it is it's cheaper, and usually there are in the middle of the lake or river, restrooms and places to eat there usually are only a few deep nearby. spots close to the bank. Some One of the mistakes beginners good spots to try are: anywhere a make when fishing from shore is culvert or a stream flows into the lake or river, under bridges, and from being hit by lightning. near steep shorelines. Also, try Usually, the worst time to fish fishing near "Warning, Deep a lake is in the middle of a hot Water" signs. summer afternoon. Take a nap then, and fish later in the evening when the sun is lower in the sky. Season-More fish are caught per hour in the spring than during any other season. Fish are hungry after the long winter, and the water is warm­ ing, which makes the fish active. Also, fish are near shore laying their eggs, which makes them easier for shore anglers to catch. Spring fishing for sunfish and crappies begins as soon as the ice has melted off the lakes, usually about the first week in April. Fish also stay close to objects, The season for walleyes and such as underwater boulders or northerns doesn't legally open logs. Try casting to any big rocks until mid-May. The bass season or trees sticking out of the water. usually begins in late May or early June. When to fish Shore fishing in the summer is Time of day-In the summer, tougher. By mid-June, the under­ fish in the early morning and in water plants in many lakes get the evening just before sunset. too thick near shore for fishing. That's when the sun is low and Also, the water heats up and won't spook the fish, which fish head to the deeper waters to usually avoid bright sunlight. find cooler temperatures. In the spring and fall, you can In the summer, the trick is to often fish any time of the day. locate deeper waters without too The sun warms the shallow water many underwater plants, and near shore, attracting fish. then fish in the morning or Cloudy days are usually good evening when the air and water times to fish, and rainy days are are cooler. even better. However, if you hear Note: Rivers usually have thunder or see lightning, stay great fishing in hot weather away from the water to keep because they have fewer under-

1 water plants and stay fairly cool. worms. For wintertime crappies, Also, many fish such as carp, fish at sundown. Sunfish will bite bullheads, and catfish actually at any time of day. prefer the warm water and are Note: The legal opening date more likely to bite in the middle for each fish species is in your of hot days. DNR fishing regulations. Fall is a great time to fish. When the weather cools in September and October, fish start .. ~-.w to use the gobbling up food to prepare for winter. And because the water is MTC to fish cooler, fish swim closer to shore. usses are an easy way to Another nice thing about fall B get to and from fishing is that underwater plants begin to waters. Listed next to each lake die, opening up more water to on pages 14-23 are the nearest shore anglers. bus routes. To find which bus to If you want to fish in the take from your home, call the winter but don't have an auger MTC information line at 827-7733 (drill) to drill holes in the ice, look and tell them where you are and for holes drilled by other anglers where you want to go fishing. the day before. Usually you can Here are a few things to break through the ice that formed remember when fishing by bus: overnight with a hammer and a • Make sure your rod is broken chisel. down and held together in a Ice fishing is usually best for bag or case or with rubber crappies and sunfish, so bring a bands. Keep hooks and lures bucket of minnows or some wax- ina box.

8 • Carry minnows in a bucket Catch-and-release that has a tight-fitting lid. This will keep the bait cool and ome anglers let some or all prevent it from spilling. Sof their fish go. That way, • When carrying fish on the bus, they might get a chance to catch make sure they are in a plastic the fish another day. bag of some sort. The MTC To release a fish the correct asks that you don't bring way, follow these steps: stringers of fish onto a bus. • Let the fish go at once. Don't keep it on a stringer or in a bucket and then decide to Are fish safe release it later. The fish will to eat? probably die. • Try to release the fish while it ish ar~ not ~ways s~e to eat. is still in the water. FHere IS a grnde to eating fish caught from Twin Cities waters. • Don't hold fish by the eyes Lakes-Women who are or gills. pregnant or are planning to have • Don't throw the fish back in children, and kids under 6, should the water. Slide it in gently. not eat carp, large walleyes, or large • If the hook is deep inside the northern pike. throat, don't yank on it. Cut Others should not eat carp, the line. The hook will large walleyes, or large northern dissolve in a few days. pike more than once a week Note: It is illegal to leave any It is safe to eat , fish, even roughfish such as carp, crappies, small walleyes, and suckers, and drum (sheepshead), small northern pike. on the bank to die. If you catch a Rivers-Women who are fish, you must either take it pregnant or are planning to home or put it back in the water have children, and kids under 6, you caught it from. should not eat any fish from Metro Also, you can't dump leftover rivers. minnows into a lake or river. Others should not eat any fish from these rivers more than once FISH.SAFELY! a month. Note: These are only general It's safer • and \,lsllallx ,} guidelines and are based on a more fu.n 0tege» more-detailed report from the fis.hing '!~t~~ ~· state Department of Health. For buddy o~t\'l(!.• more information, call 627-5423. wheelchair users may require help getting to the water. Poor-Steep or uneven ew metro areas in the. shoreline is difficult to traverse in country have as much wheelchairs. wheelchair access to good fishing Note: The DNR has special as the Twin Cities does. fishing licenses for some people Fishing piers, paved paths, with physical, sensory, or mental and lots of water give anglers disabilities. To see if you qualify, with any type of disability plenty call the DNR Information Center of opportunities to go fishing. (see page 24). Each of the 23 waters listed in this guide is rated on the follow­ ing scale for people with physical disabilities: ach spring, the DNR stocks Excellent-Wheelchairs have 24 small ponds in the Metro complete and easy access to the area with sunfish, crappies, and water's edge. A fishing pier or bullheads. Although these ponds deck is available. are legally open to anyone with a Fair-Hard, level grass or dirt fishing license, they are intended bank leading to the water's edge. for kids. Depending on their ability, some Several of the lakes in this booklet (Bennett, Powderhorn, and Wirth) are part of the DNR' s Kids' Fishing Ponds program. To find out the names of the other ponds and when the stocking takes place, call the DNR' s recorded message at 296-9131.

f course, catching a lunker takes more time than catching a small fish does. One reason is that a lake or river has lots of little fish and only a few big ones. Also, one reason fish get big is because they were smarter L______~_=_~ ______than other fish and avoided lures

10 and baited hooks. MAPLEWOOD Larry's Live Bait Although it might take a 2626 White Bear A venue while, you can catch some huge Phone: 777-1731 fish from the lakes and rivers listed in this booklet. A few Martin Sporting Goods 2720 Maplewood Drive examples from recent years: Phone: 483-4132 • 16-pound northern pike, Lake Nokomis, 1990 RICHFIELD B & DBait e 33.5-pound tiger muskie, 1308 East 66th Street Lake Calhoun, 1991 Phone: 866-5640 • 54-pmmd flathead catfish, Mississippi River, 1990. PLYMOUTH To catch big fish, cast a big Harty' s Boat and Bait 1920 E. Medicine Lake Road bait or lure to the deepest water Phone: 546-6711 you can find. Fish the first month of the fishing season or in the fall, Outpost Hunt and Sports 11124 Highway 55 when the water is cooler and Phone: 544-7376 more lunkers swim near shore. Keep at it. Eventually you'll catch MINNEAPOLIS a big one. Tackle Plus 332 East Lake Street Phone: 827-4031 shops Bryn Mawr Phillips 66 and Sport Center ou can buy fishing licenses, 328 S. Cedar Lake Ro~d lures, line, and equipment Phone: 377-4743 at sporting goods stores and ROSEVILLE department stores such as Target, Lake Owasso Marina Holiday, and K-Mart. But only a 2774 Victoria St. few places in the central Metro Phone: 481-9722 area sell bait: OAKDALE ST. PAUL Blue Ribbon Bait and Tackle 1985 Geneva Ave. Joe's Sporting Goods Phone: 777-2421 935 Dale Street North Phone: 488-5511

High Bridge Bait 350 Water Street Note: There may be additional Phone: 290-0026 bait shops in the central Metro area besides the ones listed here. Gimp's Live Bait For more listings, see the Yellow 1239 Rice Street Phone: 487-9801 Pages under "Fishing Bait."

I I Minneapolis/St. Paul

L ..... lslaJ~J

11 ;hore Fishing Hotspots

This map will give you a general idea of where to find good fishing lakes and rivers within the Twin Cities. To get to a fishing spot, you'll probably need to use a road map with more detail.

There are actually more lakes in the Twin Cities than are shown here. The ones on this map are those within the Interstate 494-694 loop that have the best access to shore fishing and are the easiest to reach by bus.

13 Fishing pier: Yes. Comments: This lake is known for its northern pike and bull­ Species code: heads. Walleyes.and largemouth bass have been stocked in recent BLH - Bullhead Carp -Common carp years, so don't be surprised if CTF-Catfish you land one of those species. (channel or flathead) The entire shoreline is C-Crappie marshy, so the only good place to Drum - Freshwater drum fish is from the pier. The lake gets (sheepshead) too weedy to fish from mid-June LMB - Largemouth bass M(HYB) - Tiger muskie to mid-September. It's a good M-Muskie one to try in the winter, when NP - Northern pike you can walk to anywhere you P-Perch want on the lake. (This lake is S-Sunfish aerated to prevent winterkill.) WB - White bass W-Walleye Other - Mooneye, gar, or bowfin 2. Bennett Lake*

Note: Lakes with a * sign are also location: Roseville, off Lexing­ kids' fishing ponds. Most lakes have wheelchair-accessible restrooms. ton Ave. between Cty. Rd. B2 and Cty. Rd. C. Species: S, BLH, M, CNP, LMB. Wheelchair access: Excellent. I • Battle Creek Lake MTC bus: Route 33 goes within 4 blocks. Location: In Woodbury's Park entrance fee: No. Menomin Park, just south of Restrooms: Yes. Interstate 94 and east of County Parking: Good. Road 120. Picnic:: Yes. Species: NP, S, C P, BLH. Playground: Yes. Wheelchair access: Excellent. Agency: City of MTC bus: None nearby. Roseville, 490-2289. Park entrance fee: No. Fishing pier: Yes. Restrooms: Yes, satellites. Comments: This lake is great for Parking: Fair, only six spots. shore fishing. It has a pier and a Picnic:: No. paved trail that goes around the Playground: No. entire lake. Agency: City of Woodbury, Bennett Lake is also good for 731-5788. summer fishing, because it

14 doesn't get too weedy. In July way. From June through Septem­ and August, fish the south side, ber it's usually too weedy to fish. where trees shade the water. A In the summer, you'll need to cast nearby pond to the southeast is far to reach the deep water off filled with tiny sunfish. shore. Use new, 4-pound-test line to increase your casting distance.

location: Minneapolis, approxi­ mately 3 blocks west of Lake St. and Hennepin Ave. spe4mm LMB, NP, C, S, M(HYB), leave. W,P,Carp. Wheelchair access: Excellent. The paved trail ringing the lake gives access to several grassy 3 areas along the water. MTC bus: Routes 6, 28, and 12 location: Eden Prairie, near pass within two blocks of the lake. Interstate 494 and Hwy. 169. Park entrance fee: No. spe1m~s: M(HYB), S, C, NP, Restrooms: Yes. BLH, P, Carp. P~1l"ki1na! Yes. Wheelchair access: Fair. There is Picnic: Yes. 150 yards of mowed lawn up to Pl:::ltvam-n1L111ut! No, but there are the edge of lake. three swimming beaches. MTC bus: None nearby. n.ad:i.ne"v! Minneapolis Park and Park entrance fee: Yes. Recreation Board, 348-5406. Restrooms: Yes. Yes. P~r·kino! Yes (fee). Comments: This is a prime lake Picnic: Yes. for muskies, bass, and walleyes in Pl::11vot"o111rut! No, but there is a early summer and fall. The swimming beach. channel leading into Lake of the A.2~eincv: Hennepin Parks, Isles is a good spot. And the pier 559-9000. lets you cast to deep water. No. To catch walleyes, try fishing at Comments: This clear, shallow sunset in late June. Cast a fathead lake is best fished in spring or fall minnow hooked 24 inches below a when there are fewer underwater bobber into 8 to 10 feet of water. plants near the shore to get in the Rental canoes are available.

15 A concession stand, open every crankbait to water near over­ day during the summer, sells hanging branches, lily pads, or food and drinks, but no bait. underwater plants.

5. Cedar Lake 6. Lake Como

Location: Minneapolis, just south Location: St. Paul, at Lexington of I-394 and east of Hwy. 100. Ave. and Como Ave. Species available: LMB, NP, C, S, Species available: LMB, S, M(HYB), P, Carp. BLH, W, Carp. Wheelchair access: Excellent. Wheelchair access: Excellent. Pavement along part of the lake There's a pier, and level.grass gives access to several grassy areas run along much of lake's areas along the water and to a shoreline. fishing pier. MTC bus: Routes 12 and 5 go to MTC bus: Routes 1, 17, and 9 all within 2 blocks. run within a few blocks. Park entrance fee: No. Park entrance fee: No. Restrooms: Yes. Restrooms: Yes. Parking: Yes. Parking: Good. Picnic: Yes. Picnic: Yes. Playground: Some nearby. Also, Playground: No. lots of room to run around. Agency: Minneapolis Park and Agency: St. Paul Parks and Recreation Board, 348-5406. Recreation, 488-7291. Fishing pier: Yes. Fishing pier: Yes. Comments: Lots of deep water Comments: Good bass fishing in near shore makes this a good lake June. (Note: Como has special to fish all year- even in mid­ regulations for bass. Signs are summer. Anyone willing to posted at the lake). In mid­ bushwhack along the brushy summer, when underwater banks can find some good plants grow thick, try casting largemouth bass fishing along and retrieving a weedless lure the lake's north shore. Cast a (ask for one at a bait shop or tackle store) across the fop of the vegetation at dusk. Como also has many small sunfish. Weekly summer concerts in the lakeside pavilion add a musical touch to evening fishing.

16 8. Hiawatha Lake

Location: Minneapolis, off Minnehaha Parkway, between Cedar and Hiawatha avenues. Species available: NP, C, S, P, Carp. Wheelchair access: Excellent. 7. Lake Harriet MTC bus: Route 19 stops within 2 blocks. Location: Minneapolis, 1 mile Park entrance fee: No. west of Lyndale Ave., just north Restrooms: Yes. of 50th St. Parking: Good. Species available: W, S, C, BLH, Picnic: Yes. M, P, LMB, Carp. Playground: Yes, and Wheelchair access: Excellent. a swimming beach. There's a pier, many grassy areas Agency: Minneapolis City Parks near the water, and a paved trail and Recreation Board, 348-5406. that rings lake. Fishing pier: Yes, on the south MTC bus: Routes 28 and 4 pass side. within four blocks of the lake. Comments: Good fishing all year Park entrance fee: No. long. The pier is a convenient Restrooms: Yes. place to catch crappies. Lots of Parking: Good. northern pike and carp move in Picnic: Yes. and 01.~t of the lake through Playground: Yes, and a swimming beach. To catch the lake's bullheads, Agency: Minneapolis Park and use a worm on a hook a few feet Recreation Board, 348-5406 below a bobber. Cast anywhere. Fishing pier: Yes. Comments: Great shore fishing for muskies, bass, sunfish, perch, 9. Hidden Falls, and walleyes. The lake has boat Mississippi River rental and a concession stand. In late fall, you can catch big Location: St. Paul, at Hidden walleyes at dusk by casting a Falls Regional Park, just south of large minnow hooked on a Ford Parkway. floating jig about 15 inches above Species available: W, CTF, C, S, a slip sinker. (Ask someone in a WB, SMB, NP, LMB, Carp, Other. bait shop or tackle store to show Wheelchair access: Fair to Poor. you this rig.) If the water level is high (spring),

17 anglers can fish from the grassy Parking: Good. picnic area. But if it's low Picnic: Yes. (summer), you must descend a Playground: No. steep bank to reach the water. Agency: Ramsey County Park MTC bus: Route 9 passes within and Recreation, 777-1707. two blocks east of the park Fishing pier: Yes. entrance. Comments: This lake has lots of Park entrance fee: No. fish and shoreline. Try the Restrooms: Yes. channel under the freeway. Parking: Good. Anglers in wheelchairs can fish Picnic: Yes. either from the pier or from the Playground: No, but lots of room bridge on the service road that to run around. goes over the channel. Agency: St. Paul Parks and Recreation, 488-7291. Fishing pier: No. Comments: This is an excellent summer fishing spot. Fish with corn or worms to catch carp and drum. Several good fishing I I • Islands of Peace, locations are upstream from the Mississippi River parking lot. Cast to where the river's current is slowed by rocks, Location: Fridley, just off East logs, or underwater humps. Use River Road. enough weight to hold the bait Species available: W, CTF, C, S, down on the river bottom in the SMB, Drum, Carp. strong current. Wheelchair access: Excellent. Note: Check the fish MTC bus: Route 27 stops one consumption advisory, page 9. block from the park Park entrance fee: No. I o. Island Lake Restrooms: Yes. Parking: Good. location: Shoreview, near the Picnic: Yes. intersection of I-694 and Playground: No. Victoria St. Agency: Anoka Species available: LMB, C, S, County, 757-3920. Wheelchair access: Good. Fishing pier: No. MTC: bus: None. Comments: This is the best Park entrance fee: No. fishing spot on the Mississippi Restrooms: Yes. River for people with mobility

18 impairments. Several paved I 3. Lake of the Isles decks go to the water's edge. There is some excellent Location: Minneapolis, just south backwater carp fishing here in of Franklin Ave., one mile west of May. Look for swirls or bubbles Hennepin Ave. made by feeding fish. Cast a Species available: S, C, LMB, M hook baited with corn or a (HYB), NP, BLH, P, W, Carp, doughball to the fish. Use as little Other. weight as possible. Wheelchair access: Fair. There's Note: Check the fish some grassy shoreline, and a consumption advisory, page 9. paved trail rings the lake. MTC bus: Routes 1and12 go to within two blocks of lake. I 2. Keller Lake Park entrance fee: No. (East shore) Restrooms: Yes (satellites). Parking: Fair, on city roads near Maplewood, near location: the lake. Hwy. 36 and Hwy. 61. Picnic: No. S, C, LMB, Species available: Playground: No. BLH,Carp. Agency: Minneapolis Fair. Level Wheelchair access: Park and Recreation mowed grass goes up to the edge Board, 348-5406. of the lake in many spots. Fishing pier: No. MTC bus: None within walking Comments: Try fishing for distance. sunfish in May. Look for schools No. Park entrance fee: of spawning sunfish in the Yes. Restrooms: shallows. Stay low and move Good. Parking: slowly so they won't spook. Yes. Picnic:: Cast a small jig (1/64-ounce) past No. Playground: the school and then retrieve it Ramsey County Park Agency: into the fish. Use light line and Recreation, 777-1707. (4-pound test). Fishing pier: No. Comments: This is a great lake for kids. There's lots of shoreline near picnic areas and loads of DON'T KILL FISHI sunfish. Few underwater plants Unless you plan grow near shore, so the fishing is to take them home to good all year long. Try fishing eat, release fish alive the east shore early, before the back into the water. sun shines down on the water.

19 14. Medicine Lake Restrooms: Yes. (Clifton E. French Parking: Good. Regional Park) Picnic: Excellent. Playground: Yes, and a Location: Plymouth, north of swimming beach. Hwy. 55, west of Hwy. 169. Agency: Minneapolis Park and Species available: NP, S, C LMB, Recreation Board, 348-5406. BLH, W, Carp, Other. Fishing pier: Yes, on the north Wheelchair access: Fair. side of the lake. MTC bus: None nearby. Comments: This is one of the Park entrance fee: Yes. best crappie lakes in the Twin Restrooms: Yes. Cities. In the spring, fish the Parking: Yes. north shore. Because it gets more Picnic: Yes. sun and warms up quickly, the Playground: Yes, and a water here attracts fish. From the swimming beach. fishing pier, cast a small minnow Agency: Hennepin Parks, hooked 2 feet below a bobber. 559-9000. Fishing pier: Yes, but the fishing is good from here only in the BOATS NOT spring. NEEDED I Comments: This shallow lake is In 1991, the state best fished in June by wading. record :n.s-pound Cast crankbaits, jigs, or spin­ tiger muskie was ners for bass. The channels on caught from the shore the north side attract northern of Lake Calhoun. pike, sunfish, and carp.

I 5. Lake Nokomis I 6. Owasso and Location: Minneapolis, south of Wabasso lakes Minnehaha Parkway, between Cedar and Hiawatha avenues. ,Location: Shoreview, near Rice Species: NP, C, S, M(HYB), Carp, Street and I-694. BLH,P, W. Species available: NP, CS, Wheelchair access: Excellent. M (special regs), LMB, BLa Fishing pier, paved ring path, W,Carp. and accessible shoreline. Wheelchair access: Poor. Steep MTC bus: Route 19 passes within and weedy banks. two blocks to the east of lake. MTC bus: Route 35N passes Park entrance fee: Yes. between the lakes. lO Park entrance fee: No. Fishing pier: Yes. Restrooms: No. Comments: Phalen is an excel­ Parking: Fair, on a busy road. lent shore fishing lake that has Picnic: No. 4 miles of fishable shoreline. Playground: No. The fishing for walleyes, sunfish, Agency: Ramsey County Park and carp is usually good all and Recreation, 777-1707. season long. Fishing pier: No. Comments: Lake Owasso has excellent muskie and carp / numbers, but the fish are hard to catch from shore. You can get to a small bay on the southeast side of the lake by hiking in on the railroad tracks (keep an eye out for trains!) from Rice Street. In the spring, the shallow wat~r I 8. Pike Island, in the bay warms early and Mississippi River attracts fish. Location: St. Paul, at Ft. Snelling I 7. Lake Phalen State Park where the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers meet. Location: St. Paul, near the Species available: W, WB, C, intersection of Larpenteur Ave. SMB, Drum, Carp, CTF, Other. and Hwy. 61. Wheelchair access: Poor. There's Species available: W, Carp, NP, a dirt trail along river and steep S, C, LMB, M(HYB), P. banks down to the water. Wheelchair access: Excellent. MTC bus: None There's a pier and plenty of Park entrance fee: Yes, if by car. mowed grass shoreline. Restrooms: Yes. MTC bus: Routes 14 and 10 Parking: Yes. passes within 4 blocks. Picnic: Yes. Park entrance fee: No. Playground: No. Restrooms: Yes. Agency: Ft. Snelling State Park Parking: Excellent. (Minnesota DNR), 726-9247 Picnic: Excellent. Fishing pier: No. Playground: Yes, and a Comments: Good early-season swimming beach. walleye fishing. The fish move Agency: St. Paul Parks and upstream to spawn below Ford Recreation, 488-7291. Dam. Try fishing where the

21 channel north of Pike Island 20. Shady Oak Lake meets the Mississippi River. In mid-summer, the fishing is good Location: Hopkins. for carp, drum, catfish, and Species available: S, C, LMB, smallmouth bass. BLH,NP. Note: Check the fish Wheelchair access: Poor (rough consumption advisory, page 9. dirt banks along the shoreline). MTC bus: None nearby. Park entrance fee: No. 19. Powderhorn Lake* Restrooms: No. Parking: Good. Location: Minneapolis, at 36th St. Picnic: Yes. near Portland and Cedar avenues. Playground: No. Species available: Goldfish, BLH, Agency: Hopkins /Minnetonka C,S. Recreation Dept., 939-8203. Wheelchair access: Excellent. Fishing pier: No. A paved trail follows close to the Comments: This lake has clear water's edge. water and 100 yards of good MTC bus: Routes 14 and 5 go to shore fishing along an aban­ within 4 blocks. doned railroad grade. Park entrance fee: No. Restrooms: Yes, in the recreation center. 2 I • Snelling Lake Parking: Yes, and on city streets. Picnic: Yes. Location: In St. Paul at Playground: Yes. Ft. Snelling State Park near where Agency: Minneapolis Park and the Minnesota and Mississippi Recreation Board, 348-5406. rivers meet. Fishing pier: No. Species available: LMB, C, S, NP, Comments: The DNR stocks Carp, BLH, Other. sunfish here in the spring, Wheelchair access: Excellent. making this a great place to take MTC bus: None first-time anglers. Park entrance fee: Yes, but only if by car. Restrooms: Yes. IT'S CHEAPI Parking: Excellent. Compared to other hobbies, Picnic: Yes. fishing is inexpensive.· All Playground: Yes. you need is a license, a line, Agency: Ft. Snelling State Park a hook, and a worm. (Minnesota DNR), 726-9247. Fishing pier: Yes.

11 Comments: Most of the shoreline is marsh and brush except for a 100-yard stretch on the east end where a road follows the lake. A culvert under the road here connects the lake to a pond, which has good fishing in the spring. The area around the pier anglers can catch bluegills, perch, is weedy by early summer, so to and northern pike throughout catch bass you'll probably need to the summer. By July, the fish will use a weedless topwater lure be cruising the deep edge of the (available at any bait or tackle underwater plants. shop). To reach good fishing water, try wading along the shallow water near shore, casting as you go. 23. Wirth lake* Location: Minneapolis, in Wirth ll. Tanners Lake Park, just south of Hwy. 55. Species: C, S, NP, CTF, W, Carp, Location: Oakdale, east of BLH. Hwy. 120 and north of I-94. Wheelchair access: Excellent. Species: C, S, LMB, NP, W, The lake has a good fishing pier. BLH,P. MTC bus: Routes 34 and 9 go Wheelchair access: Fair (a fishing right past the lake. pier). Park entrance fee: No. MTC bus: Route 3 passes to Restrooms: Yes. within a half-mile to the east. Parking: Excellent. Park entrance fee: No. Picnic: Yes. Restrooms: Yes. Playground: Yes, and a Parking: Excellent. swimming beach. Picnic: Yes. Agency: Minneapolis Park and Playground: Yes, and a Recreation Board, 348-5406. swimming beach. Fishing pier: Yes. Agency: City of Oakdale, Comments: This lake is near 739-5086. many inner-city neighborhoods Fishing pier: Yes, but the ramp and is stocked with catchable­ leading up to it is a bit rough and sized bullheads and crappies. steep for most wheelchair users. Catch them from the pier on the Comments: The fishing pier east side of the lake or from the extends out past the edge of a shoreline just to the north of the sharp weedline. From the pier, fishing pier. 13 Other information Fishing books and magazines To learn more about catching fish Fishing Licenses from shore, look for these and other DNR License Bureau publications in your local library, 500 Lafayette Road bookstore, or bait shop: St. Paul, MN 55155 Phone: 296-4506 Books • Twin Cities Fishing Guide General by Sybil Smith. Information • Ron Schara' s Twin Cities DNR Information Center Fishing Guide 500 Lafayette Road by Ron Schara. St. Paul, MN 55155 • The Art of Phone: 296-6157, Freshwater Fishing 1-800-766-6000 by Dick Sternberg. Telecommunications for • Walleye Wisdom the Deaf: 296-5484 by In-Fisherman. Reporting Fishing • Fishing for Buffalo Violations by Rob Buffler and Tom Dickson. Turn in Poachers (TIP) has a 24-hour hotline. Callers • Panfish don't need to give their names. by Dick Sternberg Cash awards are given for and Bill Ignizio. tips leading to arrests. Phone: 1-800-652-9093 Magazines Lake Maps • "In-Fisherman" Minnesota Bookstore • "Minnesota Sportsman" 117 University Avenue • "Fishing Facts" St. Paul 55155 Phone: 297-3000

MinnAqua This free DNR* program teaches kids and adults about fishing and water ecology. Call 297-4919.

* Portions of MinnAqua are carried out in cooperation with the U of M Extension Service, Hennepin County Parks, and other agencies. 14 This beginner's guide to shore fishing in the inner Twin Cities area (within the Interstate 694-494 loop) was produced by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife in cooperation with the Trails and Waterways Unit.

Its purpose is to introduce shore fishing to beginning anglers living in the inner St. Pat;il/Minneapolis urban area.

This publication is a pilot to a comprehensive map of more than 180 shore fishing access sites in the entire 7-county Metro area, to be produced by the DNR Trails and Waterways Unit by the fall of 1992. That map is part of a project funded by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources to identify, inventory, and improve all Metro shore access sites.