I walked around Courthouse Lake last week. Unfortunately, I saw many dead trout. The lake surface was calm but I did not see any signs of feed fish.
The oxygen was very low going into the winter. I think we were lucky to get some fish on opener. I never caught another trout after, about, January 20th.

The Lake will be stocked this spring. The trout will be the standard 1/3# stockers.

The DNR is hoping to install a type of aereation system this fall. It will attempt to oxygenate the lake before freeze up.

tweed

Thanks for the report, ya i was a very very tough winter out there for almost everybody including myself.

So whose going to be down there on opener this year?

How was it?

I went walleye fishing on Prior & got skunked (on walleyes at least).

Shoulda gone trout fishin'.

Terrible trout fishing, the water looked like sewer scum...looks like people may have left a lot of gutted out fish parts. My line is now stained brown scumed color.

I tried for a couple hours Saturday morning with no bites. I saw a couple fish caught around me but not a lot. Also, it didn't seem as packed as last year. Not a lot of surface activity either compared to last year.

I agree that the water had a lot of scum on the top, the water was always so clear other years. I always enjoyed just sitting there even if I wasn't catching fish. Not so nice to sit next to now. Anybody have any ideas how the water could change so much and is there a chance it can clear up this summer?

Was out on saturday and caught 2 on spinners. saw a guy with his limit, he was on wax worms and a slip approximately fishing 10 fow. Yeah water is kinda weird looking. My question is do they allow canoes on Courthouse? Because I saw a canoe out there and the guys were hammering them on spinners! just wondering.

I haven't been down there for a while, but one of the guys who hit both Courthouse and Cenaiko on Saturday said that the sign prohibiting inflatables/canoes/kayaks/etc. had been removed.

Some old timer told me told the end of last year that the city and the state came to an agreement to allow carryins onto the lake. Its scary to think of how many boats could be out there if this was widely publicized.

Green scum = lawn fertilizer
Brown scum = dead fish

maybe combination of the two....

I heard the same....that canoes were ok. But..I don't have a canoe...=(

How big are the trout a guy gets in this lake only about 20 min away from my house just curious ive caught rainbows with a buddy in SE minn but they were only like 13 inches

I wouldnt expect anything too much over 13" if it had a total winterkill this year. I know that they were some problems with the oxygen levels in the lake and some fish died. Previous years you always had the shot at some real nice fish. That brown in my profile pic came from down there and i also got a 24" rainbow down there last year! This year it looks like were going to be catching all stocked yearling.

The DNR planted a bunch in there last week before opener - I heard it was on Thursday - They are mostly 10 to 12 inches - I caught a few on spinners on Sunday & Monday - Didn't see anybody else catch one over 12 inches either.

Has the water cleared up at all yet?