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Island Lake

awkwardjim
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bluewater2 Collaborator

bluewater2

Posted
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We use to go to a resort on that lake for about 10 years. It was great fishing (Walleyes and Northerns)and a great time.

For many resons, we stop going there about 7 years ago.

About 2 years ago we stopped and tried fishing for a few hours and all we caught were small mouths.They put a slot limit on the lake for Walleyes and I think Northerns.

The lake has a few Resorts on it.

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awkwardjim Enthusiast

awkwardjim

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im staying on the north side of the lake for the next 2 days.. havent had a single bite and wondering what im doing wrong!?

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bluewater2 Collaborator

bluewater2

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We use to fish in front of Sleepy Hollow Resort in 18' to 23'.

Out in front of the resort there is a bar that runs north-south.

Try using Raps. but use a bottom walker to get it down.Try both side of the bar.

The bar is usely weedy if you get to shallow, good luck.

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fivebucks Mentor

fivebucks

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The lake can be hit or miss for me. We have a cabin on other side from you. Fished Saturday and caught 10 eyes (could keep 3) and went back to same spot on Sunday and not a bite. On the east end of Elmwood Island there is a long bar that comes to the north. It has a good break from 10-17'. I would try there with jig and minnow. I fished in 10' of water on Saturday but it was windy. I don't fish the north end of lake very much but just have found over the years that a lot of the structure holds fish. Good luck.

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  • 2 weeks later...
nmotel Newbie

nmotel

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smile I had some friends up fishing at my resort on Island lake and had some great walleye action. That was the weekend of Sept 29th. We were fishing 8 to 12 feet of water. My friends did grumble about throwing back a bunch of

19" to 22" fish but they mostly had smiles on their faces. The trick was the knowing how to use a jig and minnow because the bite was light. I do admit that these guys are a little better than me. It seem like every time this one friend would pass my boat he would smile at me and set the hook. That's a little hard to take when you have the home field advantage! I did go out two days ago in 26 feet of water and had a really heavy eye on but she bent my hook straight. Happy fishing!!!

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DaveZman14q Community Regular

DaveZman14q

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What depths would you start with this upcoming weekend. They still up shallow in/near the weeds or are they out deep? We got 1 day to duck hunt, grouse hunt, and catch some fish... want to maximize my time on the water!

If they are 14 feet or more, my plan is to vertical jig with an assortment of minnows, if they are still shallow I was thinking about long lining some stick baits near the weeds.

Plan to at least cruise over the couple deepest points of the lake to see if they are down there, otherwise not too sure.

What would you do?

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fivebucks Mentor

fivebucks

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I am done fishing there for the year and haven't been on Island for a couple weeks. If I were to head out tomorrow I would fish jig and minnow in 8-14' and see what works. Good luck.

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DaveZman14q Community Regular

DaveZman14q

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You think they are going to be on steep breaks, or near some gravel/rock points that have weeds on top of them...

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fivebucks Mentor

fivebucks

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Never know this time of year. There are alot of breaks on the lake. I would start on the top of the break in 8-10' and if no bites work deeper. If you get some wind better chance for shallow but if no wind then deeper.

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  • 2 months later...
Drake Veteran

Drake

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Hey jonneygogo, the majority of our anglers going for walleyes are heading up to Upper Red right now because the bite is going very well (daylight hours in the deeper 11-13' depths, once the sun goes down moving to the more shallow 8 to 10' depths). I just called a guide friend to see if he has hit Island and he said try hitting the 14-18' depths as the sun goes down, he's had better luck out there in the evening than during the daylight hours. Good luck to you and let us know how you do!

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  • 4 weeks later...
jonneygogo Contributor

jonneygogo

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We did really well. The perch where really nice 15 of them where 13 inches. Only 12 walleys most where slot fish but one was 28 inches. thanx for the tips drake

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Drake Veteran

Drake

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Hey Jonneygogo, you'll have to be heading back up, just got a buzz from a local friend that said he was out on Island (took the sled just in case cause of the drifting snow) said travel wasn't too bad, and with 30 degree temps and a wind that was 5 to 10mph a pretty decent day to be out on the ice. He did catch & release on the walleye (of which three would have been keeper walleye) and kept a dozen perch that were 11-13" (looking for just enough for a few meals).

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  • 2 weeks later...
Drake Veteran

Drake

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The guys yesterday just drug their portables out on the ice; they said that you could tell that there had been some slush under what was frozen thanks to the below zero temps the last few nights. They were getting quite a few lookers but not a lot of takers on the bait, and they too were doing weeding out of the little ones to get a few larger ones. Hopefully with the steadier temps & pressure to come in the bite will turn on good

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  • 1 month later...
DaveZman14q Community Regular

DaveZman14q

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Any guesses on Ice out for Island? Think I'll be able to get the boat out the weekend before Memorial weekend?!?

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fivebucks Mentor

fivebucks

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Talked to my neighbor that lives by my cabin the other day and there is still too much snow to use the ATV in the woods. They had ATV's on the lake and they were getting stuck in some areas with drifts. Still lots of ice. I am planning to go up and open the cabin this weekend and do some May ice fishing (never done that before). I think there will be ice for opener but you should be good the next weekend. I will post what it looks like after this weekend if I end up going up.

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fivebucks Mentor

fivebucks

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Got to the cabin on Island this past weekend. Only got the ATV stuck 1 time on our trail in to the cabin due to snow drifts. Still have a 3 foot drift in front of the cabin. Tried walking out to do some ice fishing but it wasn't worth the hassle. Some areas were OK once you got away from shore and the slush and water but then you would hit an area where you would keep breaking through the slush layers. Once I went over my rubber boats I said enough. I could have ice fished in May but choose not to. Hiked in the rain instead and played Yatzee. My call is that Island Lake will NOT be ice free for opener. I just don't think there is any chance with the forecast we have. They would need 70 degrees and lots of rain for there to be a chance. I already made the call to make my "opener on Island" the weekend of the 18th and I hope the ice if off by then. I think it will be but not by much.

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  • 1 month later...
DaveZman14q Community Regular

DaveZman14q

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Anyone having any luck on Island as of late? What depth are they at this time of year? Never have too much luck around the 4th...

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fivebucks Mentor

fivebucks

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I was there the Saturday before the 4th and it was a tough bite. I was able to scrap up a meal in 5 hours of fishing but it has been an off year for me there. I was finding some in the 14-17' breaks. Good luck.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

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