brinker lake

[schuttlr]

Has anyone fished here recently? Heard the crappies might be biting. Just curious how deep i need to be or at least a range would be nice

[curtist]

look in about 20-25' of water during daylight.  In the early morning or evening look shallower.  I was out Friday evening and Sunday morning and caught quite a few.  Sorting is required to get some good ones to take home but they are there.  Jig and waxie is all I was using, didn't try any minnow.  Hoping to get out again this week after work. 

[russjess]

when are you going thought maybe i could join ya if you want company i got everything just new in the area and looking for places to fish just let me know

[schuttlr]

tried it their on wednesday morning...caught a few small ones but it definetly not worth the walk to the deep hole...especially when i saw people just fishing by the bridge..better luck next time hopefully

[FISH-MITS]

A buddy of mine told me a story and goes a little something like this. "A buddy of ours went out to Brinker fishing a couple of weeks ago and ran into another individual fishing. With our buddy being the socialite he is - he asked the typical...how's the fishing? The individual responded not like it was 2 years ago and proceeded to talk about how he had iced a 1000 crappie a year when things were good. I think then the individual even proceeded to talk about his buddy/buddies did more of the same". Now I tend to take things with a grain of salt... but if the stories true however? My opinion - its pretty damn disgusting. I've read the posts on thoughts with limits - this is the example as to why there necessary. I've heard the stories of Upper Red and the Indians pulling tons of fish out that lake before it came under scrutiny - the bottom fell out of it and its just now becoming the fishery it once was. So the comment, "Not like it was 2 years ago". I wonder why? What do you do with a number of fish like that? Crazy. We'll never have anything nice when you have individuals like this running around. If in fact the stories true of course.

[KrappieSlayer]

A buddy of mine told me a story and goes a little something like this. "A buddy of ours went out to Brinker fishing a couple of weeks ago and ran into another individual fishing. With our buddy being the socialite he is - he asked the typical...how's the fishing? The individual responded not like it was 2 years ago and proceeded to talk about how he had iced a 1000 crappie a year when things were good. I think then the individual even proceeded to talk about his buddy/buddies did more of the same". Now I tend to take things with a grain of salt... but if the stories true however? My opinion - its pretty d**n disgusting. I've read the posts on thoughts with limits - this is the example as to why there necessary. I've heard the stories of Upper Red and the Indians pulling tons of fish out that lake before it came under scrutiny - the bottom fell out of it and its just now becoming the fishery it once was. So the comment, "Not like it was 2 years ago". I wonder why? What do you do with a number of fish like that? Crazy. We'll never have anything nice when you have individuals like this running around. If in fact the stories true of course.

I'd be pretty skeptical about that one.. 1,000 crappies out of brinker kind of makes me laugh, but I suppose it prolly could be done if you spent enough time.  I fish brinker more then any other lake in the world and if someone is icing that many crappies even for 2 years ago, they're full of shrimp. 

Brinker is a very tough nut to crack.  I've seen lots of huge fish come out of that lake and know they are in there but you gotta spend a lot of time out there.  I've generally had the best luck on the south end of the lake, but it's definetely hit or miss.  I haven't done a whole lot of fishing in the AM there but I can tell you that the night bite tends to be non-existant the later the season, ecspecially after lights out.

[FISH-MITS]

Part of the issue with Brinker is the flooding. It seems like just as soon as it starts to get hot - it floods. Now it could flood for the better or worse. I've spent my time out there and I'd say it floods for the worse. I'm with you Slayer - I hope the story isn't true. Regardless the slot limit even on a lake this big in my opinion is a good thing and if for nothing else just as a safeguard against hypotheticals.

[curtist]

Limits are only valuable if there is someone around to enforce them.  I have been fishing lakes within george Wyth park my whole life, summer and winter.  I have been checked for anything a grand total of 0 times.  Whether in my boat or from the bank, it simply doesn't matter if there isn't anyone to check or enforce regulations. 

[KrappieSlayer]

Limits are only valuable if there is someone around to enforce them.  I have been fishing lakes within george Wyth park my whole life, summer and winter.  I have been checked for anything a grand total of 0 times.  Whether in my boat or from the bank, it simply doesn't matter if there isn't anyone to check or enforce regulations. 

I think you might of been lucky thus far.  I've been checked twice in the last 3 years for license and fish all while ice fishing.  DNR seems to be out on Brinker a lot in the summer when the boaters come in. 

On a side note.. any of you picked up any eyes on Brinker yet?

[curtist]

Lucky?  Maybe, maybe not.  Either way, if no one checks creels there is no point to the regulation.


I have picked some smaller 'eyes during the summer.  Nothing in the winter yet.

[curtist]

Don't get me wrong though.  I am in complete favor of the limits on panfish.  My only concern is that the limits will not be enforced.  I also understand that not every angler can or will be checked. 

[Bull_Gill_Mike]

By keeper size fish I'm referring to 14" and above, with the biggest I caught being around 15, which were all released.  The sign your referring to encourages the release of all walleyes and any tagged walleye caught to notify the dnr and release immediately.  I've yet to come across a tagged fish yet, wish I could say I have caught healthy 18" tagged fish but no such luck yet. I'm not sure if there is still any kind of stocking program in place.  IMO the constant flooding there probably is what makes it so hard to establish a fishable walleye population there.  

[FISH-MITS]

Any one driving out on Brinker?

[curtist]

Yes, people have been driving on Brinker.

[KrappieSlayer]

I've caught smaller eyes out of there during the winter, no keepers however.  Last year I caught about a 6-8inch eye, no tag though.  We have never caught a tagged fish out there and we've caught lots and lots of eyes out of there.  I know of one person that caught a 8+llber out of there a few years back.  If I remember correctly the walleye club stocks it regularly with the last time being this summer.  They do have a website. Last summer the biggest we caught was about a 4 1/2 llb eye, lots of dinks and a quite a few 14-16"ers.  If you can find the trick you can catch a lot during the summer.

[HANDLINE2]

Yes, the Cedar Valley Walleye Club is still stocking Brinker. There were 1500 or so don't know exactly put in late Oct or early Nov. There fish were of the 4-6" size and we freeze brand every one of them. We have never put any tags just brands. If you catch one look on the side of the fish near the dorsel fin and you will see a scar. Some were branded with a small circle and some with a single or double bar. As they grow the scar my become hard to tell bar or circle but if there is a scar it's a branded fish. We just ask people to release them to help provide a place to at least catch some. RH

[FISH-MITS]

Brinker really does have the potential to be a good fishery. Once they get the other lake opened up it'll be nice. I heard the new portion of the lake is going to be no wake which would be awesome for the fisherman. Brinker has the holes to hold some monsters but its just the frek'n flooding which ends up being the lakes demise in my opinion. Catch and release is always good practice. I'm an advocate but at the same time if I catch a couple of unmarked 14"rs or better and its been awhile since I've had a little Walleye to eat - the fish are going to end up in my fryer...rest assured. To be honest I'm just glad to here some individuals have some passion about this lake. In the end we all have some stock in responsibility to our local fishery's.

[whitetail1001]

im new to the area and havent fished there yet.  I looked at a map and looks like it would be a good walleye lake.  any reproduction or is it all stocked fish?  does anyone know if they have done any netting to see what good the stocking has done.  plan on getting out there soon if anyone wants to point me in the right direction.  thanks

[HANDLINE2]

Lots of members from the club including myself have caught eyes with brands of all sizes but you also catch quite a few with no brands. That's about the only way we have gotten information. The DNR does sample the fish population but I don't think they ever see many walleyes. I do know there is a very healthy bass and rough fish population in there.

[KrappieSlayer]

The rough fish population is definetely ridicolous, but I guess flooding with the river has its benefits and downfalls.  I wonder how many fish make it back and forth during flooding, it seems to happen a couple times a year.  This lake is one of those lakes that is very ellusive.. most of the time you get disappointed but sometimes you just sit there and can't believe your eyes.  Last year using the ole trusty fish tv we seen quite a few suprises.. changed my whole attitude about that place for the better and worse.  Something about seeing recliners and trash all over the bottom makes ya wonder though.