need help on ottertail

[Guest]

We have not caught a walleye yet on ottertail this year. We are right by otter tail beach resort (the saddle) and would like some tips on where to fish and what to use. Last year we did great in July and August, but we just do not have the early season down yet. We have been trolling using hatchet rigs with either shiners or fatheads and only have got rock bass and perch. Any thought anyone.

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insane4golf

[This message has been edited by insane4golf (edited 05-29-2002).]

[Guest]

Also where on ottertail is a good spot for northerns this time of year and what are they using.

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insane4golf

[Guest]

Move around a lot, when you find a ridge that goes from deep and climbs to that 10 - 12 feet mark. Drift it or troll the slower your moving the better you'll be doing.

use shinners lindy rigs (6 - 8 foot)
When you get one check your dept and hang in that dept for a while. We also anchored on the edge of a drop and cast our lidy rigs (shinners) out towards the deep side and reeled in really slow. Good Luck..

[fishermatt]

Insane4golf,

You can't help but catch a few walleyes on Ottertail lake if you can fish in 18-25 feet of water using a 6 foot lindy rig with a 1/2 ounce sinker, plain hook and a shiner or leech. Look for breaks that are not too steep and you'll get some.
What did you use in July and August last year that worked really good? Also, what's a "hatchet rig"?

[Guest]

If you really want to catch walleye's on ottertail then you should hire a guide.
wait my dad is a guide so if you want to catch a bunch of walleye's and he will even fish for northerns but he knows all the spots. Just look for Walleye Hunter Guide Service
He know where the Walleye's are.!!!

Josh Johnson

[Rainman]

I was up on ottertail a few weeks ago. You don't need a guide. Just a little knowledge. It was the very first time I fished the lake and caught around 130 to 150 walleyes in 6 days of fishing. I caught fish in 10',20', 30',40',50' on crawlers, minnows, and leeches. They are everywhere in that lake.

[Guest]

I have found that Ottertail has been really slow this year. Even for the experienced OT anglers it has been tough....Rainman, you must be a pro! That's a lot of fish.

[Rainman]

CD,

I am not a pro, I just fish a heck of a lot.

Rainman

[Guest]

Rainman, do you guide? I'll bring the boat and beverages!

I guess I just hit the "slow" days when I hit OT. One of these days I'll get into them!

[Havin' Fun]

Hey CD,

Let's talk Saturday night about Ottertail down on Minnewaska. I might be able to help you a little. I haven't fished her much this year, but could either give you some ideas or we could meet and go together.
Hammer

[Rainman]

CD,

I don't guide yet, but, I will have to see what the future has in store for me. Someday I hope I will be able to.

Rainman

[fishlakeman]

Went out on Otter Tail on the 12th and 13th. Only fished about 4 hours. Worked on the cabin the rest of the time. Caught 7 walleyes. 3 Keepers- an 18in, 19in, and 16in. Released 2-12in,a 13in and 14in. Caught them in 9-18 feet in the morning and night.

[Guest]

i still think that you should get a guide
my dad caught like 50 walleye's in 4 hours today. fishing is awesome. you peeps are missing out on a ton of fun :eek

[jt24]

Well a guide is fine maybe if you dont know the lake, dont have a boat or dont know how to fish walleyes but if you know where to look and can operate a boat which i think most can although i have seen so real dandies, catching walleyes on ottertail is not real hard. Now catching walleyes with some size is alittle more challenging but if you know where to look or are maybe just lucky you can easily catch your limit. Those 11,12,13" are real common but not something i like to keep.

[Guest]

Hey WALLYJSH what is your dads name and number. I was lookin for a guide on OT. How many years has he fished the lake. Thank you.

[Guest]

Try fishing it at night. Now, when I say night I mean start at 10pm. I'll fish it sometimes during the day, but I catch a lot more and bigger fish at night. Go 8-12 ft. with Taildancers and suspending Shad Raps on the flats and troll at 1.5-2 mph. I rarely come off the lake without a couple 23-24's, and I've caught then all the way up to 8 lbs. The numbers are good too. Over the fourth we went out twice and caught 18 and 16 in 3-4 hours, and that felt a little slow. But it is a little difficult to stay on the flats edge, which seems where most of the fish are caught, but practice makes perfect. Give it a try it's fun, and you'll have that whole big lake to yourself.

[Guest]

What is a taildancer and is a floating Shad Rap the same as a suspending shad rap?

Have you ever used a lindy hatchet rig at night on the flats. I had great luck last year with these.

[B mac]

Crankbait:

I have to admit, I've found a similar presentation to work for me on Ottertail and other area lakes. However, I do have a question if you don't mind expanding upon your original post. When you speak of "flats" on Ottertail, where would you be referring to. This lake has so much varying structure all throughout, that there really are no mid-lake flats (that aren't 30-70 ft.), as you would find on Mill Lacs or Lake of the Woods. I've always keyed in on a "hump" and circled it using a similar presentation. The only flats on the lake that come to my mind are around the outer edge of the entire lake. Thanks for the info.

[Guest]

insane4golf:

Small world,we are about a nine iron away from Ottertail Beach Resort.I also agree with crankbait,but would include the 5 to 7 foot waters with a Rapala floating minnow.I have had some luck with the new casting minnow also.Taildancer is a rapala lure introduced last year.Nice lure.

[Shwangman]

I agree that you don't need a guide unless you plan on only being on the lake for a day. We had very bad weather the last week in June and the mayflies were all over the water and I think we ended up catching 22 for the week. Heading up 1st weekend of September to check out some more of the lake.

[Guest]

Hey guys, I'm heading out to Ottertail tomorrow for the first time. I was just wondering if you guys would have anytips on catching walleyes, where to go and what to use. Seems my family has put the responsibility on me for finding out all the fishing info and for once I'd like to go out there and actually catch something and not get skunked, otherwise my little brother starts complaining. Anyways, where is a good place to put a boat in? Also a good bait shop in the area to pick some bait up at? Where should we go and what to use? What depth are they catching them at? Sorry for all the quesitons but after just moving down here, we've tried lake to lake and basically all we catch are rock bass and some northerns from here to there, rarely we catch walleyes and tomorrow, i'd like to catch a few, along with my family. Thanks!

[Dano2]

Ah Yes, the great Ottertail.
I love that lake, I rent there every summer at Barkeys, but not the last 2 anyway.
have been going there for about over 20 years now, but just in the last couple have gotten more interested in trying to catch them walleyes, so I am by NO means a pro at it.
But yes, the night fishing with cranks in the shallows works well,
I usually use the shollow ones, 8-10 ft.
the greatest flats you will find I think would be the Amor flats, roughly on the north side of the lake and staying to the west of the major point.
get the locator out, you cant miss it.
But I have also had luck just pulling cranks back and forth from about Zorbas and then up to the camp grounds, it seems that there are many good areas fishing at night if they are hitting them cranks.
The thing I need help with is the live bait presentation, and then just catching them sneaky suckers with live bait.
A guy I work with has a buddy that is a guide as well out there, so I may go with him one day, hell, I have worked with this guy for 8 years and he wont even take me for FREE,, LOL.
Anyway, to the guy that has a dad that guides out there on ottertail, whats his name and contact info. and most important, what are the rates? I would like to compare,
, thanks

[Shwangman]

Hey nofrills, are you still looking for a guide? Vacationland resort has one for weekends I believe and he seems to know what he is doing and I have seen plenty of proof in pictures if you still interested in one.

[Guest]

Hey Shwangman, thanks I will give them a call.