Otter Tail

[PC Rider]

Seven days and counting until my son and I head to the Big "O" - it is getting harder to sleep at night! Have had some great experiences there over the last couple of years, particularly watching my son come back after a half day with a local guide, all on top of becoming aquainted with some great people. His group brought back a nice bunch of eaters, but also came away with a new found appreciation for fishing for the eyes, and a little knowledge to boot. I will admit that fishing with him after his guide experience has been even more enjoyable.

Well, on to my inquiries:
1) Is the water level increasing at all on OT? How about current water temps?

2) Is anyone having any luck crankin' at night? And if so, what kind of presentations, depths, and line(s) seem to bring success?

3) Last year, there was a walleye tourney that occured, I think during the first week of June. Is the event scheduled again? If so, where can one obtain info for it?

Hey, thanks everyone in advance for your responses and tight lines to all.

[ChuckN]

Hi PC, and welcome.

To answer your questions...

The water level has increased in the last 3 weeks, not a lot, but good enough for me to launch easily. Surface water temps were around 58-60 degrees mid-week.

Not much crankin at night so far, but I can't say it won't produce. I'd say we need a bit warmer weather to get the bite really going for that night bite. All I can say is right now, live bait rigs (long snell, plain hook) with shiners are the best choice for getting fish. I've been going relatively deeper water too, like 20 feet.

I haven't heard of any tournaments on the lake this early in the season. I know of some in July and for sure in August.

Good luck!

[PC Rider]

Thanks Chuck!

Remembering last spring, our successes began with live bait rigs using shiners and also had some success with slip bobbers using shiners/leeches, anywhere from 12'-24'. I will say that our biggest mistake was that we probably needed to slow our presentations down a bit when we did troll.

As far as the tourney last year, I want to say it was a Berkely event, leading to qualifying for the fall tourney at Okoboji and was run and set up near Greystone (if that is the right place or name??).

Anyhow, good to hear about the water levels moving up a little and the temps rising a little. This next week will be tough and probably wont get any eaiser until we 29 north. Good Luck back at ya!

[Shane]

Just got back..

Absolute excellent fishing. The last five days between two of us we ended up with over 90+ eye's. Largest was 28", otherwise 15"-20". These were all taken during the day.
The shiners are running now, so shiners matched with a lindy and it's hammer time.
Depending on clouds or sun, we had the best luck anywhere from (cloudy)15' to (sunny)45'.

Good luck!
Shane

[PC Rider]

Thanks for the report Shane! I am not surprised by the numbers, nor the size as I know that is all very possible at OT. And, 5 days - 2 persons...an average of about 20 or fewer fish a day...very possible. Glad to hear the shiners are running, but would like to know how long they typically run? Also, at the close of their run, is there a transition to a new or different food source?

Thanks!

4.5 days and counting...oh, the pain in waiting

[rwestb]

Five days fishing 90+ walleyes between 15" and 28" on ottertail lake? I think you better check your measuring device. I can believe the number of fish but don't expect us to believe the size.

[Shane]

Shiners typically run up to the 1st or 2nd week of June.
A good place that's been producing well is the break right off of Amor flats.
For bait, hit Ken's on the south side, he's about the only one in the area that sell's Shiners by the scoop instead of dozen.

Good Luck!
Shane

[This message has been edited by Shane (edited 05-24-2004).]

[This message has been edited by Shane (edited 05-26-2004).]

[PC Rider]

Yup, Yup, nice fish Shane...looks like it was a cool and cloudy day. Thanks for the info on the shiners. As far as the tape measures go, some of them are made in China and Korea...and they build 'em that way on purpose. Atleast that's what a handful of framers tell me.

Shane are ya hittin' OT again anytime soon? Good Luck back at ya.

PC

[mr. fisherman]

It is good to hear about the fishing. Ottertail can be alot of fun this time of year. The big thing is to be mobile. The fish are everywhere. Once the shinners are finished up then I switch to crawlers. I will be makeing a trip back to Ottertail this weekend myself since my father decided to book me for the weekend to take some gentlemen out fishing. See you on the water.

[NorthsideNorm]

Just returned from OT and 4 days of fishing that can be only decribed as torturous.
We fish almost exclusively on the western half and usually off the Amor flats.
The water temperature has cooled to about 53F and the wind howled out of the E/NE/NNE almost the entire time. The waves were just short of surfable.
When we did get on the lake the action was slow and the bite was really light. The eyes would mouth the bait constantly but did not really want to attack it. Our best luck was drifting (wind sock a must) in 18-23 feet using a plain hook and shiner minnow.
The fish we caught were on average the smallest we have seen in the last dozen years.
We caught fewer perch than ever before.
Shiner minnows can be found on Amor flats but usually only on sunny days.
If your lucky enough to be there on a nice day, I really think the fishing will be good.

[PC Rider]

Well, by the sounds of things, it appears that the weather there has been much the same as here. We have had an abundance of rain over the last week, but more significant are the inconsistent temps. After already experiencing the lower to mid 90's early in April, we now find ourselves experiencing more normal temps and some even lower than normal. The winds have been relentless as well.

I certainly hope that we do get some of the nice days while up there. But, then again, my outlook is that it will have to be pretty nasty out to keep me off of the water!

Thanks for the report Norm!

Tight lines and lottsa sunshine...

PC

[PC Rider]

Thanks Paul! Looking forward to seeing you and the gang, especially the new addition to your family! Should arrive sometime mid afternoon on Friday. Glad to hear the fishing's good...and I will keep the better weather in my prayers.

Pat and family

[Juice]

Sorry 'your resort'! I praid for wind when ice was still on the lake and i guess it was finally answered a few months later! Oh well, fishin for me has been kinda slow but ive just been fishin the river. Been pulling up a few eyes but alot of suckers down there though! Had a few friends out there and they speared like 100 suckers out of there. And its still kinda thick! Bunch of nice northerns in the river though a few 5-6 pounders. Well have a good weekend of fishing and hopefully it doesnt rain!

[PC Rider]

Hey Juice...

Not being from the area, I can only guess you are speaking of the OT river??? If not, which one because catching 5-6 lb northerns is fun and my boys will love it. Are there any public access places and if so, general location would be appreciated. We caught some nice 5+ northerns in Walker last year, did not keep any but took nice pics. We also caught a few at the bridge, and another couple smaller ones at Phelps Mill.

As always, all info is appreciated and valued.

1.5 days....yehaa

[eelpout#1]

We just fished "o" last night. We just about froze until the wind died about 7:45. The water temp is 49.3, which is about a half degree colder than opener. We fished shallow water with NO success until about 7:30 and then switched to a shore point. When the wind died, the fishing picked up. In an hour and a half, we caught 7 walleyes. 5 of them were between 16 and 17 inches with a 29.5 inch kicker. All in all it was worth freezing over. One of the other league boats reported catching a lot of little fish in the upstream Ottertail River mouth. They said it picked up about 8:45 and of couse we weigh in at 9. The weather has not been good, in fact as I write this its thundering outside right now. If you plan on fishing the weekend, pray for stable weather. On a side note, the Ottertail River inlet mouth on Rush lake has been producing some nice fish also. Just another option. Pray for good weather and warmer water temps. Bait shop buddie said the week before opener that water temps were in low 60's. No wonder the fish are confused sometimes.

fish on

[Mark Christianson]

49 frickin degree water temps????????????

Holy **** .

[yourresort]

PC Rider,

Fishing has been good, weather has been bad! Pray for rain, get rain. Pray for Sun! (Who prayed for wind???)

The tournament you were asking about was the Grand National Walleye Cup. Last year was the first year. They loved Otter Tail Lake and applied with the DNR to have it here again. They were denied because there were already 2 tournaments in June on Otter Tail. They moved the event to Rush lake on June 6th.

Good Luck this next week!

------------------
Paul Ness
Three Seasons Lodge on Otter Tail Lake

[deacon]

Da water is warming up. Thursday night is was in the mid to upper 50's. Caught a number of fish once the sun hit the tree line. Size was on the small size, largest was 18".

Craziest thing fish were feeding on the surface. Should have done it right away, but put on a floating rapala and fished the surface, what a surprise a 14" walleye on first cast, wish would have done sooner. All fish caught on fatheads except for one on rapala.

Good Luck to All

[ChuckN]

I was out on OT last evening and water temp was in the 55-57 degree range. It was a tough bite as there wasn't much wind out there. I found some fish in 11 feet of water with shiners and then the bite died. Pulled out the cranks and planer board and that was fun.