Tullibee or not to be in OTC

Fishing in Otter Tail Lakes Country just got white again. Winter arrived late this year, so our “spring” ice fishing season has been temporarily delayed. None the less, it’s a great time to be on the ice.

I spent some time fishing tullibee this week, and had a fun time. Tullibee are a suspending schooling fish and can be found in many of the lakes in Ottertail County. They are a great sport fish and because they suspend (usually about 1/2 way down) they are pretty easy to locate with electronics.  When my fishing partners (my son/daughter) and I fish for them, I drill the holes and the kids follow me with a Vexlar. Once we find some I auger a concentrated group of holes and fish quickly. Wax worms and small spoons, or large flash lures and a drop line and hook and waxy are all you need. For technique, keep your bait in motion. Tullibee are hyperactive fish and seem to need a bait moving to draw their interest. I like to catch tullibee for the fun. We catch and release most of them and save a few to smoke. They are oily critters so they don’t pan fry like most other species.

Panfish are still biting but the patterns are a bit flat–same fish same spots as last week. Once we get a few good warm melting days and the ice begins to decay, then ice fishing gets exciting again and it seems like finding larger panfish gets to be easier. For now, give tullibee a try–they’re a lot of fun and very abundant in lakes country.

By Ross Hagemeister, meisterguideservice.com