The Dog Days Just Keep Coming!
Hello fishermen from every where – and especially those who are on their way to Otter Tail Lakes Country!
The Dog Days just keep on coming! It’s August now and there’s no getting away from the summer’s heat – which means: the lakes are warm. The water temperatures in the morning are staying steady in the mid 70’s. Panfish continue to bite around the county; try trolling deep weed lines and even as deep as the bottom of the drop off with night crawlers and spinners. I believe this is the best way to locate large sunfish, bass, some crappie and even an occasional walleye right now. Look for northern in deep water or on drop-offs near the deep water and cabbage weeds. Walleye are feeding well around Otter Tail County, but it is necessary to put some time in to create a pattern. Once you have the walleye patterned, then things will begin to get easier and more consistent. The key to good summer fishing is devoting a pattern. Once you get things figured out, then the fish will be consistent and relatively easy to find and follow until the late August.
Use night crawlers and leeches for walleye—on spinners, floaters, Lindy Rigs and/or bottom bouncers for live-bait rigging. Crank baits are good options in the late afternoons and into darker hours for walleye. I like to throw small-sized crank baits over cabbage weeds near drop offs to search for crappie. Once you find them, and they quit biting on the crank-bait, pitch small jigs tipped with Gulp fry or crappie minnow under slip bobbers to keep the crappie coming.
Good luck fishing this week in Otter Tail Lakes Country! Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Ross Hagemeister
