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I checked out the west side this morning, and there is three to three and a half inches out in front of Graystone. It looked like some pushes were starting about a mile and a half out.

I drove over to the Pier, and I could see a pretty good size chunk of open water on the north side.

That wind is probably going to mess it up good today.

In front of my house on South Turtle, I have six inches, but I can see big pieces of open water by the access and a couple of other leads opening up.

Maybe next week......

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Hi Gissert, I'm an local angler from who just moved into Underwood on Bass Lake. I was checkig the forums and I read your post and I was curious about what part of South Turtle you are on because my family has had a cabin on Turtle for at least the last 30 yrs or so. I was also looking to chat with you about some of the other lakes around. I do put all my spare time towards fishing some of the better fishing that our area has to offer but I feel that no matter how many years and how much you know already a person can always use a little more wisdom. I was driving to Fergus the other day and seen quite a few peple out on the ice in portables and on the ice. I imagine that the pike and the perch are going good. Well I thought I drop a line in hopes to maybe finding a local angler such as myself to maybe change stories and strategies and such with. If that is something you'd be interested in then give a reply. If not then I'll understand that too! Thanks for your time, Burt, Fisherman For Life!!!

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Hello locals!
I recently moved near Battle Lake and just wanted to share my observations. Looks like the wind really messed up the really good start to good ice for the year on some lakes.
Fortunately, where I fish on West Battle I have 6" of ice and put my permenant shack out yesterday. Couldn't get a fish to bite last evening, but will be out as much as I can in the upcoming days.
Anyone else been out?

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CD -

I got out on Cliterall on Saturday afternoon. There were a few small perch that cooperated.

Right at prime time, 5 pm, two yahoos decided it would be a great time to tramp all over the ice and bang some new holes with a spud bar. The few fish that I was marking were soon gone, and did not return. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR! After 40 minutes of these guys messing around, I bailed.

I saw how messed up West Battle was. The goldeneyes were still hanging in that open patch.

The west side of Otter Tail appeared to remain intact after that big blow we had on Friday. I did not get a chance to scope out the east side.

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You fished Clitherall on Saturday? Practically the whole lake was wide open and I must have seen 100 ducks in the middle! Goldeneyes and possibly some bills, amazing!

West Battle is pretty messed up, all over, except for where I am on the far south shore. I scooted around in my little boat and found there was small open pockets of water scattered about on Sat., with 8"+ of ice surrounding the pockets of open water. Weird. Everything is shifting out there and is not a good start for the season after Friday's wind. The ice looks terrible until you actually get close to realize that it's an illusion, it's perfect, clear ice in most spots.

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I was out on Ottertail every day this past weekend. Talk about the walleyes just going nuts. Fished the first break in front of the Pelican Bay access and did great. Over the weekend a total of 4 fish over 20 inches and many eaters that we took home to the fryer. At sunday night there was a solid 5 inches of ice on that side of the lake. I would assume that this cold weather has made much more. Helped my buddies drag there spear houses out too. This weekend there will be lots of houses going out i can feel it. I know my spearer and angler are both going out. Anyone is welcome to hit me back with comments and talk about the ottertail rush and battle lake area. Im out there every weekend and once christmas vaction roles around everyday. Love to hear from everyone. Ty

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Where I have been on West Battle average of 8" of ice. This does not apply to the west/NW (near town) 1/3 of the lake that opened up from Friday's wind. That freshly froze over again and likely thin ice.
I also had took my ATV on the ice when it was 6-7" thick and the ice did not like that, it was cracking a lot and I quickly backed off. Last night it was fine and the ice is growing about 1-2" per day with this weather.

Anyone have any new reports on Otter Tail? I am interested in hitting some areas out in the middle of the lake (western basin), but I don't know if that is a good idea yet?

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Heading out to Ottertail tommorow morning in front of the Graystone. What is the ice conditions?

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I was out on ottertail all weekend long and boy is there lots of ice. 9 inches at the least out in the middle. WE moved out spear houses and a few large houses. Trucks are already driving on the ice off pelican bay access. The walleye bit was exceptional. Friday and saturday night both two of us kept at least 8 walleye 14-19 inch range. Lots and lots of small ones but at least it was action. Speared saturday morning and hit two pike a 5 and 4 pounder saw many tulibees and quite a few walleyes. Fish are active and feeding on ottertail. Get out and getcha some. Tight lines!!!!

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Hey, Currdogg.

Can you recommend an access to go off of that would be resonably decent for a guy walking out to fish. I don't own a 4-wheeler and don't quite have the guts to drive yet. I did a drive-by on Sunday and took a peek at the North access off of County 1. I saw plenty of houses going out, but everyone had 4 wheelers. This is where I've always fished, but it's a bit too far to walk out pulling a 150 pounds of gear!! Sounds like you had some nice action...good for you! Would you mind sharing the depth you found them in? I can throw out my email if you'd rather go that route. I may have a few ideas to share as well! Thanks.

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B Mac

Walk straight out from Graystone on the west end. The first break line is just 200-300 yards from the shorline. It goes from eight feet to thirty quickly. I have caught first ice walleyes there, along with pike. If you go out another couple hundred yards from there, there is a nice hump that holds fish also.

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Thanks for the information. I've always concentrated my efforts on the East side of the lake. I'll likely give the Greystone spot a try this weekend, and I'll let you know how I do. Hopefully this weather won't do too much damage to the nice set of ice we already have.

I'm guessing the 15-17 ft range is the hot spot out there this time of year.

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Out in front of graystone can be a great spot for walleyes. That end of the lake is like a mountain range full of structure and nice walleys to go with it. Last weekend we caught our best walleyes in around 18 feet of water on a nice point and a few humps in the 20 foot range. Shiners seemed to be working best for us last weekend, jiggin spoons with just a minnow head were killer last weekend. It shouldnt be long before the lake is covered with trucks and plowed trails. Gotta love MN winters. Tight lines TC

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A friend of mine attempted to put his house out on OT last weekend in front of Greystone and he found about 3" of ice about a mile out (probably the area that blew open around Thanksgiving and froze). Be careful way out in the middle of the lake, especially with the warm weather!

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I stopped in at Ken's Tackle last Saturday. he said there was good ice out to the first humps on the west end, but no one had ventured beyond them at that time.

Looking east from Graystone, there was a series of small pressure ridges. Those were there on December 1, and the ice sheet looked intact as far out as I could see at that point.

Ken said there was a good stretch of open water along the north shore in the Amor Point area after that big blow.

We are heading to LOW tomorrow, but we plan on fishing the west end of Ottertail on Sunday and Monday if this warm weather does not mess it up.

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OtterTail is becoming unsafe more and more as this warm front eats away at the ice. Be careful, I just talked to a guy that was trying to cross over the ice heav in front of the Pier. Be careful, there is alot of thin ice.

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