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What's Sand Lake like for walleyes and other fish?


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Four of us retired old boys from the Des Moines area will be fishing Sand Lake [next to Bowstring]. The resort owner has told us to bring plenty of green [not chartreuse] leadheads, 1/16 to 1/4 ounce and says we'll be tipping with smaller leeches. Any thoughts on this?

In general, is Sand a pretty decent lake for walleyes, northerns, bass etc.? We've been thinking about perhaps doing some evening and night fishing for walleyes, anyone out there with night fishing experience on Sand or for that matter any info at all will be appreciated.

I've been up to Kabetogama twice this year, fishing was good but I'm not to fond of their slot limit plus with the water level being so low, Shield lakes like Kab are dangerous as all get out with lots of rocks just under the surface. I never felt very comfortable going anywhere on that lake.

Fished Bowstring last year. Darndest thing, we caught zero walleyes but did get a limit of northerns by the marked rock pile every day.

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Sand can be good for walleye. On bigsand the flats on the south side of the island, the horseshoe just west and a little south of the island are a couple of good spots,but there are many more. Little sand is also very good just off the weed line 10'to 12' of water.It seems like the fish like it simple,hook,splitshot,leach. Night fishing is not that good seems like the best bite is durring the day.

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Willowcat, thanks for your reply. I appreciate the info. When you say horseshoe, are you referring to underwater structure in that shape?

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Sand lake can be very good for Walleyes, the northern are thick and the perch fishing is great with nice fish The SW end of the island is full of little sunken humps and as you go out the channel there is a huge sand flat there are some humps on the east end of the island also with lots of structure on the shoreline try the west end shoreline too I never have jigged with a leech though I always use minnows. Hope that helps alittle
Jason

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fishing fever guide service
fishingminnesota.com/fishingfever/
phone 218-327-2191
e-mail [email protected]

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Yes,the horseshoe is a long somewhat "V" shapped hump that comes up out of 18'to 20' of water and top out to 12'to 14'. It cuts out from the island and runs to the SW to the shore line, then cuts back out along a point back out into the lake. I've been fishing it for about 8 yrs. and found the best way to find it is to run along the west shore line just past the island,until you come to the deepist spot close to the shore. You'll have to stay out on the edge of the weedline and fallow it in. I hope this way works for you,if a problem maybe the lodge owner or someone staying there can help you out.GOOD LUCK!

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Again Willowcat thanks for your reply, we will try to find the horseshoe you refer to.
Have you been fishing Sand recently? The resort owner says fishing was not so good last week with the stormfronts and mayfly hatch on.

Jason, thanks for your reply as well. Do you like to troll with a jig tipped with a minnow? Do you have a color preference? You mentioned a channel with a large sand flat, not having fished Sand before, could you tell me where it is?

We're due up there this Saturday, staying at Chapel Hill, the owner Mark sure seems like a nice guy. I'll be fishing out of a Ranger Pro Crappie boat. Most of you fellows with the nice Lunds get a chuckle out of a boat with a Pro Crappie name on the side. If you see me out there come on over, if you keep from laughing I'll buy you a cold one and make a friendly wager on the Gophers against the Hawkeyes in football this fall.

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The reason he said to bring a lot of green jigs is because the little northerns just love them. Any time you get close to the cabbage weeds you won't be able to keep them off. I was out last weekend with no luck for walleye. Last year though around the big hump in the center of the lake we did really well in July, so who knows. Good luck!!

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The big flat is out the channel from the P.A. right when you hit the main lake The backtrolling with minnows is what I do I have no real preferance in jig color but I do like alittle blue in mine.good luck fishing and we dont all have Lunds some of us have real boats Alumacraft and we dont even laugh at crappie killer boats
Jason

------------------
fishing fever guide service
fishingminnesota.com/fishingfever/
phone 218-327-2191
e-mail [email protected]

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have the recent rains brought the lake level up at all? It looked like it had only come up about 3" by July 4.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • leech~~
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