Simply Good Fishing
Hello fishermen from everywhere!
Fishing is good in Otter Tail Lakes Country! We’ve finally reached one of the most reasonable times of the year here in West Central MN. The ugly repercussions of spawning have finally come to an end, the fierce, bone-chilling north winds are gone until autumn and the May Fly hatch is fizzling out, no longer holding the fish hostage. It’s finally just fishing—no interruptions.
Active walleye can be found feeding in good numbers all around Lakes Country. In fact, walleye anglers can find them shallow, deep, on weed lines and even suspending on some lakes – so there’s something for every walleye angler right now. They can be caught on minnows and jigs, leeches and Lindy’s, crawlers and bottom bouncers, or on crank baits—and bobbers always work.
Northern are spending more and more time near weeds and schools of panfish, and if you seek them out they will bite. I’ve been pulling crank baits on weed edges for my northern pike fishermen and we’re catching a lot of them of all size ranges. Crappie are finally beginning to establish summer patterns, and can be found between cabbage stands near shallow flats and deep water. You can catch crappie on small crank-baits, Beetle Spins, and 1/32 or 1/16 oz jigs tipped with Gulp.
To find sunfish, troll leeches and worms along weed lines on almost any lake in Otter Tail Lakes Country and you should get a bite. It’s summer now, so don’t worry about going too slow to get a sunfish bite—they’ll chase your bait till they get it! For good fishing, get to Ottertail Lake this week. The fish are entering summer patterns and the bite is strong!
Don’t forget to drain the water and clean the weeds off you boat and trailer when you’re fishing this week. Let’s all help keep invasive species out of Otter Tail County Lakes. Good luck!
Ross Hagemeister, meisterguideservice.com