So slow it hurts.

[live4chrome]

What slot fish?

I just fished thurs-sunday and no one in our group of 4 houses saw a single slot fish.

[JbuZZo]

Here's a slot fish... Caught it two days ago... Wish I was catching more... 

 

Fish on! 

[jigemup]

I have had zero trouble getting a good bite are their ups and downs with weather yes but the fish are their biting do I get pinned down by a wheelhouse beer and satellite tv no I am portable and moving until good bite is found have had some phenomenally fishing this season you get out of it what you put into it

[Big A]

2 hours ago, jigemup said:

 you get out of it what you put into it

I certainly know a heck of a lot of people who have put in a heck of a lot more... And have the experience on this body of water to boot... Who are beside themselves with absolute disgust and dispair at the condition of this fishery. Ups and downs. Lows and highs. Things are being wrecked.. solid wrecked... URL 2.0

[Big A]

On 1/12/2017 at 11:51 AM, walleye42 said:

Guys complain about only catching 20-25.  20-25 is not a bad day, that is decent action. 

I've read this thread and dozens of others between the LOTW AND URL forums. I do not see anyone complaining about only catching 20-25. Looks to me like people would be overwhelmed with sheer joy to be catching 20-25 in a day! That's not just decent action, it's a purple unicorn with a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow!

[CANOPY SAM]

Really, Big A?  In complete honesty I'd say I come up with those numbers (or markedly better) probably 3 out of 4 times I fish LOTW.

 

If the majority of people you know, or fish with, are really struggling to catch 10-20 fish per day on LOTW, I'd wager they may be doing something wrong.  I don't mean that in a derogatory, sarcastic, or demeaning way at all.  I'm simply saying that perhaps they are using too heavy of line, maybe something stinky on their fingers, or their bobbers are a little too big?  I don't know for sure.  Just kind of thinking out loud.

 

It is a very rare occasion when I fish Lake of the Woods and don't catch a bucket full of fish, or at least catch enough for a nice meal for my family.  If the fishery was REALLY struggling the summer launches wouldn't be bringing in limits of fish for every angler virtually every day.  I truly believe, if the fishery was really in trouble, our DNR would be making a bit more noise about it.

 

I do have days when I simply can't make the fish bite, but like I said, that's typically only 1 out of maybe 4 or 5 trips, and usually on those trips I'm still seeing them on my electronics.  They just aren't feeding.  It happens.  But frankly, if you aren't consistently catching at least a handful of fish out there, you probably are doing something they don't like.

 

That being said, I typically ONLY target the lake during times of the year when I KNOW fish are biting pretty well.  Early spring, late fall, first ice, and last ice.  I intentionally avoid the "dog days" of summer, and winter, because one can expect that fishing these times will be tough.  Additionally, as it pertains to this discussion, we are right now in the "dog days" of winter.

[tipupsonly]

Off topic a little but how about the sauger population. They are thriving and look how hard they get hammered in the winter. Most of the guests at resort are filling their limits with those versus walleyes, especially when the fishing is slow.  It's just interesting how that population is doing so well and being harvested so hard too. Not to mention all the saugers  that are thrown back from 30-35' of water that die from being reeled up too quick. 

[Big A]

I fish LOTW consistently 3-4 per week from late Dec - Feb and then another 5-6 trips before ice out in March and April if weather permits. No argument that historically certain times of year are better than others. But so far this season, I have not witnessed or caught even one limit amongst my group. None. Zero. Just a few fish here and there. Maybe a dozen combined here and there. And that's a very healthy amount of experience on the ice also, hundreds of years combined and decades for myself. I'm not a wheelhouse, I move, I CPR the rare fish caught, and hope sincerely that people will begin being honest with themselves about what is being done. It isn't like we have seen this type of thing before, once, twice, oops nope... It's three times now. 

 

I suppose I will re-invest in my love of pizza rolls. Cuz the only fish I'm eating come on a bun I guess..

 

Things are not what people claim they are.. but I get it. From here on out I will claim I'm absolutely hammering fish on gold and pink or a plain red Hook and sit back and watch everything continue as is and just expect nothing will change. Worked for several other lakes didn't it... NOPE

[jigemup]

Had another great weekend moved seven times this weekend but found a solid steady bite and it wasn't in the mud fish are much more structure related right now

[Big A]

A certain fast food giant has 2 for $5 crispy fish fillet sandwiches! All problems are solved!