Orwell dam

[Guest]

Is there open water at Orwell dam and/or the dam above it (can't remember the name). Has anyone fished it in the winter? if so, what seems to work?

[Gissert]

I would bet the water below the dam is open, as the current is quite strong there.

About half of the reservoir behind the dam is off limits to fishing/hunting, as this is part of the wildlife refuge. In open water periods, this line is marked with bouys.

[Guest]

I was also wondering about the hydro-electric dam upstream from Orwell, just can't remember the name of it

[Guest]

yeah, I've been there a few times, I was just hoping there'd be open water there now, think I'd have any luck catching anything?

[Gissert]

Maybe, I have never fished there this time of year.

Not much in the way of perch or panfish there this time of year, I would think.

[Guest]

I've heard of people catching crappies down there, If the water is open far enough from the ****, to create some slack water, I'm thinking the bass might be a possibility. Those nasty dogfish gotta still be in there, too. Man I caught one of them last summer, didn't know what the hell it was, thought it was a half northern half catfish, scary little ****s, actually this one ran 30+ inches so it wasn't exactly little.

[Gissert]

When I was a kid, I remember catching crappies under the highway bridge at Orwell in the spring. There is a new flood control structure just below the dam now that I caught some smallies and catfish on last fall. Hopefully, the mandatory catch and release on those smallies is going to make for some nice sized fish soon.

Dayton was always fun for carp. I would take an ultra light rig and catch them on the concrete apron below the spillway and then hang on. The skeeters can really be a pain at both places.

Post how you do if you go there soon, I am curious at to how the fishing is this time of year.

[Gissert]

That is Dayton Hollow. Water will be open downstream of that one too. The land to the west side of the dam is private, IIRC.

From the south, you may be able to walk in. There is a gate across what used to be an entrance to an old park. I think that land is owned by Otter Tail Power. It is about a 1/4 mile hike in from the gate.

[Biggestfish]

Just a couple of updates. The Dayton Hollow Dam above Orwell is owned by Otter Tail Power comany and it is not open to the public. At one time there was a park down there, but it was closed due to vandalism.

------------------
Just having Fun.
Love to Fish.

[Scoot]

I've hear about the Orwell dam many times on this forum and from my cousin, but never been there. Where exactly is it?
Scoot

[Guest]

Scoot check this out, this should help.

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.asp?S=12&T=1&X=896&Y=6402&Z=14&W=2

------------------
Backwater Eddy.......><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
Ed Carlson
(701)-281-2300

http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[rhski]

Scoot... I live only a few miles south of Orwell Dam, I used to fish it a lot as a kid 'cause it was close. It is about 8 miles southwest of Fergus on the Ottertail river. From below the dam you could float it all the way to Breck. thru the flatlands of nowhwhere. WE used to shorecast daredevils for northerns and catch a few, mostly we bow hunted for carp, redhorse and suckers, wading in the slack pools below the dam. I hear now that there are a good number of smallmouth in there also some walleye etc. I haven't fished it in years so can't vouch for what is going on now. I just have too many good lakes within 30 mins. east of me to try. By the way I caught your post on Devils Lake and also wonderwhat is going on up there. My last four trips up there have been mostly a bust. What are your thoughts on that ? We used to really get into the perch but I wonder if they just pig out on the shrimp. We fished all the same areas you mentioned and more but can't seem to find biters....just lookers mostly. We do need to meet up sometime am going to LOW Sun. The 24th thru Wed. Staying at Morris Point resort as usual and fishing out from there. Is your Dad close By? Be good ...Fish Hard!

[Guest]

Gissert mentioned that "about half of the reservoir behind the dam is off limits to fishing/hunting...the line is marked with bouys". Which half is open to the public? Is there an access? Boat ramp? Would float tubes be an option?

Also, there must be a stretch of river below Dayton Hollow dam that could be fished (with access?) in waders. If so, does this stretch contain smallmouth also?

Thanks & Happy Saint Patrick's day!
FLB

[Gissert]

There is an access on the north and south sides. The sanctuary portion is the western part of the reservoir.

Apart from the old channel, the basin is pretty featureless.

The north access is probably the better of the two. I have only launched duck boats from them, but the north one had concrete bunks and a dock the last time I used it. You should be able to get a boat upstream towards Dayton Hollow, just jook out for rocks.

I imagine there will be smallies in this stretch, since they are in the river east of Fergus, too.

[Scoot]

Bob (aka Rhski),

I don't know what to say about Devil's Lake- my guess is that we've been in the right places at the wrong times. Typically, when I hear of people doing poorly at Devil's Lake it's been because they've set up their house and sat in one spot for a long time. I definitely didn't do that- we punched a bunch of holes and moved a lot. We did hear that the bite the night before we got there was great for walleye- "Shoulda been here yesterday"...
As for LOW I wanted to get up there this coming weekend, but it doensn't look good. If the river is open my did will be up there somewhere. Stop in at Ballards Resort and ask for him- they all know him up there.
I visited with Esther this past weekend and mentioned that I'd bumped into you here. She says your a nice guy and told lots of stories of you and many of the rele's.
I hope to bump into you sometime soon.
Scoot

[MJCatfish]

Scoot,
I know someone with a canoe and a couple of cold ones that you can fish with at Orwell and on the river. Give me a call and WE WILL go. It's a lot of fun. Can be tough if the water is high and fast, but a great float on a nice day.
MJ

[Scoot]

If you provide the canoe I'll provide the cold-ones (seems like a raw deal for me given that you only need one canoe, but I'll need Lord knows how many beers to keep you happy!)
You're on. I told Slevy about the spot and he's hot to trot about it too. Of course he's heavy on ideas and short on time in the summer.
I can't wait for April- it should be a fun trip.
Scoot