Spring Might Finally Be Here to Stay.

Spring might finally be here to stay.  By mid-week last week the panfish were still nearly impossible to find.  They had completely retracted out of the shallows.  The water temps in shallow bays late last week, in Otter Tail Lakes Country, were a mere 45 or 46 degrees.  Those temps are only a few degrees warmer then if the ice had just come off!  Ouch!  It was certainly symbolic of how chilly mid April was in lakes country!  Things are moving forward, however.  By Friday afternoon, water temperatures had crept up to nearly 50 degrees and shallow bays around the county were beginning to show signs of small and medium sunfish and a few small bass.  By Saturday afternoon the water temps were in the low 50’s and by Monday the water temps were in the mid 50’s on smaller lakes and crappie and sunfish, both, were making noticeable migrations into shallow areas.  Keep your eyes open for lakes that have stained water, and that have shallow areas with dark bottoms and vegetation like bulrush zones, and lily pad-choked bays.  If you can find timber and deadfall along shallow weedy or soft bottomed shorelines you’re in good shape too.  Choose a quiet approach.  The fish are just arriving and don’t like too much commotion.  I found anchoring to be a strong technique the past few days, so the fish would get used to the boat and we talked quietly and all but eliminated heavy splashy bobbers, because they seemed to spook the fish.  Panfish in shallow water are very cautious about over-head shadows and splashing—it’s instinctive for them to hide and not feed when there’s commotion in shallow water.  Sunfish bite nicely on Gulp and other similar baits, but crappie might still need a bobber and crappie minnow—depending on how clear the lake is and how sunny or overcast it is.  Have fun fishing in Otter Tail Lakes Country this week!

By Ross Hagemeister, Meister Guide Service