# Prairie Oaks Metro Park lakes open?



## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Wanted to get some fishing in today while the weather was still beautiful, but rivers are all blown up around me, does anyone know if the three Prairie Oaks Metro Park Lakes are ice free?


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## Mr. Basskisser (Oct 18, 2005)

I gotta believe everything is ice free.


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## Dylanmw7 (Feb 22, 2018)

I was out there yesterday morning in the rain- no ice! Saw good sized schooling fish. Geese are staking out nesting territory, so keep an eye out.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

I ended up not going Tuesday because I wanted to take my Kayak out , but it was too damn windy to yak in a open lake like that, so I ended up fishing from the shore at Antrim , ended up doing pretty good with the trout. Can't wait to get my Yak out on a large pond or small lake like the ones at Prairie Oaks to target those pre-spawn largemouths.


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## Citadel (Feb 20, 2018)

I went there Tuesday and caught my PB Largemouth there! Yes it doesn't have ice and I plan on going back there soon when I have time especially for some pre-spawn action!


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

I think you meant to say you caught nothing but dinks and it wasn't worth yours or anyone else's time.


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## Citadel (Feb 20, 2018)

Hehe now I realized what you meant.....lol yeah no one come here! Not worth your time!!!


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## Dylanmw7 (Feb 22, 2018)

Waiiiiit, Antrim and trout? Did they stock already? I fished there all summer and never saw one so figured they were only there right after a spring stocking. Now I gotta go see.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Dylanmw7 said:


> Waiiiiit, Antrim and trout? Did they stock already? I fished there all summer and never saw one so figured they were only there right after a spring stocking. Now I gotta go see.


Stocked right around Thanksgiving I believe.


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## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

I know they do a release around April. Not sure if they still do two releases though. There are a bunch of trout in Antrim. They release a thousand or so every year. Could only imagine float tubing the middle of that thing in the deeper/cooler water I would think there are some real nice ones in there.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

I stand corrected, they do release in April and have been doing so for last few years. So the ones I caught have been surviving in that lake for at least one year. 

-I don't know if they do this anymore , but they used to stock a few of the big breeders in Antrim along with the thousands of small ones. If you do a search on this site you will find some old pictures of guys and girls catching monster brown and rainbow trout out of Antrim.


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## hoffman24 (Jan 26, 2011)

Govbarney said:


> I stand corrected, they do release in April and have been doing so for last few years. So the ones I caught have been surviving in that lake for at least one year.
> 
> -I don't know if they do this anymore , but they used to stock a few of the big breeders in Antrim along with the thousands of small ones. If you do a search on this site you will find some old pictures of guys and girls catching monster brown and rainbow trout out of Antrim.


 I have heard many stories of those big fish. I believe they have gotten rid of releasing breeders and only do rainbows though.


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## walleye24 (Jul 29, 2008)

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walleye24


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Many moons ago... But a few big breeders I landed years ago. The one I mounted was a PB 11LB monster...

ONDR stopped putting the big breeders in Antrim Lake several years ago. It was a circus when they were stocked but many good memories landing those brutes on light line.... ONDR found a cheaper way to due their breeding & stocking programs around the State...


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## walleye24 (Jul 29, 2008)

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walleye24


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Nov 24, 2010


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## bobcatbasser (Sep 20, 2014)

Odnr stocked 300 surplus rainbows right around thanksgiving in a handful of normally spring stocked lakes including Antrim. This is not a typical occurrence, and was due to better than average production (hatching and rearing success). Antrim receives right around 3k trout annually in late March or April (2018 stocking dates should be posted soon on odnr website).


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Tuesday afternoon I took my kayak out on Beaver lake in Prairie Oaks, skunked but to be honest I spent more time playing with my new fish finder then fishing, and I was only out for about two hours. I will say the water was very muddy. 
Question, Is there always a chain up preventing people from backing up all the way the lake on the boat ramps?


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## Millertime4242 (Aug 22, 2012)

Govbarney said:


> Tuesday afternoon I took my kayak out on Beaver lake in Prairie Oaks, skunked but to be honest I spent more time playing with my new fish finder then fishing, and I was only out for about two hours. I will say the water was very muddy.
> Question, Is there always a chain up preventing people from backing up all the way the lake on the boat ramps?


Yup


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

Millertime4242 said:


> Yup


Well that sucks , they allow you to paddle , but don't allow you to use the ramp, what sense does that make...?


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## bobcatbasser (Sep 20, 2014)

Govbarney said:


> Well that sucks , they allow you to paddle , but don't allow you to use the ramp, what sense does that make...?


It’s very frustrating because shoreline access is severely limited by all the brush/trees on beaver. Keep going there though, it is worth it if you’re after monster bass. Pre-spawn and spawn bite on beaver and the other ponds is usually the best bite of the year before they head deep or start following baitfish.


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## float4fish (Feb 15, 2017)

Great little lake there. Fished there for many years, and have pulled several over 4. Ignore the brush, find the old “road beds”. The clear water there keeps the biggest fish deep. Senkos or jig and pig have been my best producers there spring through fall.


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