FISHING UPDATE 5.9.14 Otter Tail Lakes Country The water in the back bays of the smaller lakes is approaching 60 degrees when the sun is out, dropping to roughly 54 degrees at night and when its cloudy. A few of the clearer bays recently produced good numbers of panfish; if you don’t find fish within 10 minutes, they’re probably not there just yet. Early in the season be sure to use light 1/32- or 1/64-ounce jigs, as well as a slow approach. One method that has proven very successful over the last few days has been a white 1/32 once hair-jig tipped with pink Gulp fry. Over the opener this weekend, check out the warmer waters where the walleye and northern pike will have completed their spawn first. Instead of being focused on reproduction, they will be concentrating on feeding! Walleyes that have spawned even 3-4 days before other walleyes will be much more likely to eat. Shiner minnows should be your number one bait on most lakes in the county, especially on those larger than 1,000 acres. Be aware, however, that not all lakes have lake shiners so the fish may not recognize them. If this is the case, especially on the smaller area lakes, then nightcrawlers are a good choice. You may also want to bring along some leeches. Jigs and lindy rig style presentations should both work well. One recommended approach is to troll a lindy rig with a 5 foot leader until you get a bite or catch a fish, then switch over to jigs. Keep boat speeds to a minimum. Opening weekend is a perfect time to use blue, chartreuse, glow, pink, or florescent green. 800-423-4571; ottertailcountry
Posted on: Fri, 09 May 2014 13:36:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015