Eager Fish in Otter Tail Lakes Country
The fish around Otter Tail Lakes Country can’t wait to get on your line! The late-spring fishing in Lakes Country is continuing to progress.
Sunfish are on beds across the county and the walleye aren’t far behind. If you’re trying to catch walleye are getting beat up by bluegills, try using some Gulp on your spinners or jig heads, try large minnows (red tails or suckers), or try Jig n Raps.
I’m also seeing plenty of Mayflies where ever I go. They are sitting on power poles, the plastic toilets at the landings, on the docks and on lake-side gas pumps. In most cases, I don’t get too worked up about the hatch. In fact, I usually welcome it as it seems to stimulate fish feeding in the lakes. However, if the lakes go through intense hatch periods for a day or three, it may affect your angling progress. Walleye, in particular, seem to swing quite a lot during intense hatch periods. Common symptoms are “easy-to-locate” fish (you can easily mark them on graphs etc sitting in elevated large groups), but they won’t feed, and won’t stay in one spot—what I consider to be “boat shy.” The only cure is to find different groups of walleye that might be less affected by the hatch—either on the same lake, or on an entirely different lake.
Crappie are beginning to show signs of Summer patterning, finally, after a long post spawn break. You should be able to find them over tall weed stands on islands and shoreline drop offs in and around tall weeds. Use jigs up to 1/16 with twister tails, blades, live bait or Gulp. Cast and retrieve them—try and keep them in the top-half of the weeds and even above the weeds. Crappie are aggressive feeders in the Summer and will move up and out of immediate cover to grab your bait.
Bring lots of sunscreen along when you fish this week—it’s going to be nice! Enjoy the lakes and good luck!
By Ross Hagemeister, meisterguideservice.com