Lake Osakis Next Weekend and I need your help to catch the big onw

[Nickthenug]

Hey guys. I'm going to be heading up to Osakis next weekend and I was wondering if anyone has any tips! I just got my pole strung up with some 15 pound test smoke firewire, and I was wondering what you would reccommend to fish with and what kind of setup to use ( lindy rig, bobber, etc.) Any thing helps, thanks guys!

[TOP FIVE]

It all depends on the wind. Last years tourney the wind was coming out of the south for 5 straight days and then the day of the tourney it came out of the north. The middle of the lake sut down. Middle structure we found small eye's. The larger ones are in the weeds, tough fishing not many people like it because you are alway clean off weeds. If the wind is out of the north I would try the south part of the lake in the weeds. That is where the winner brought in the big ones. Good Luck.

[fishinbum]

If you don't mind me asking, how did they catch fish in the weeds and how deep? I've heard of people catching fish in the weeds but haven't really tried that. I have a cabin up north with a lot of weeds in our lake and would like to give it a try there.

Thanks in advance!!

[joman13]

The tourney was won in 6-8 ft of water simply slow trolling a crawler and spinner. It is alot of work. But it can pay off.

[TOP FIVE]

There are many ways to fish the weeds.

First method is slip bobber and live bait. Comb the area and look for pockets that have limited weed growth with surrounding growth. Pitch the slip bobber into that area.

Second method is also slib bobber and you adjust the weight and hook to go just above the weeds. Normally use this when windy and let the bobber come back to the boat.

Third method is to rip through the weeds. Take a pointed weight and attache a weedless jig or hook to the end. Use strong fire line and cast through the weed growth. Please note this is not good during heavy weeds. You are looking for light weeds cabbage weeds.

Fourth method is to use a light jig, cast into the weeds as it falls it should stay on top of the weed growth. Slowly jig it off the weed unto the next weed. Tricky but worth the effort.

Last method is to get as close to the weed line as possible. You can use spinners or lindy, but this is the thoughest because half the time you will be getting weeds, but once you get the hang of it you will like it.

Hope these standard methods help.

If anyone else has tips please feel free to add to my list of methods.

Good Luck!!

It will be frustating the first couple of times.

[schr0563]

A great method that works for me is to troll either a crawler or leech on a plain snell, usually 5-6 feet long, with a 1/8 ounce weight (don't use more than this). This should be done in 6-8 feet of water in the weeds. The key is to set your speed so that your bait moves above the weeds and doesn't sink into them. It's tricky to get the hang of this, but once you do it can pay off big time. The other benefit to this is that you are typically moving too fast for small fish to steal your bait. This is the method we use to catch big fish up on Leech. Small fish will hang on weedlines, but we get the big girls right in the weeds with the method described above.

[fishinbum]

Thanks for all the info. I just have a couple of quick questions in regards to your advice. What would be the best option for searching for walleyes in weeds? The cabin is on a bigger lake so I wouldn't know where to start. Are the walleyes grouped up so when you catch one that area should hold quite a few more? I've heard of trolling a night crawler with a split shot thru the weeds and putting air in the crawler and ripping it thru the weeds, do you troll this with long line and your trolling motor? If I was to use a spinner, how big of a spinner, how fast do you go and how long of a snell?

Thanks for the info!!

[TOP FIVE]

For finding walleyes, you can eliminate half the lake by finding which way the wind is blowing. I know it is rough but the end which all the wind is blowing is the best spot to start. Please note that the wind should be blowing in this direction for about 2-3 days. You have to think like a fish, where would you go if you were hungry? Where the bait fish are, if you find bait fish the Walleyes will not be far behind. They normally say that walleyes travel in packs, so once you mark one continue in that are for others.

Some use markers, but that can also tell others that you are catching fish.

As far as the size of spinners. You have to experiment on what size is working at the time. They always say to use fast presentation to cover water fast and then when locating fish and they are not biting to slow down the presentation to get the bait right in front of them.

Please note there is not an exact science in fishing for Walleye's or it would be called catching instead of fishing.

Time and practice will help you locate, present and catch fish.

If you like to read I would suggest In-fisherman's Walleye series called Critical Concepts. It is a five part book series that goes over Walleye fundamentals, location, presentation, advance presentation and putting it all together.

Good Luck!

[bigbucks]

I'm sorry, but I gotta ask: Which half of the lake do you eliminate if it's virtually dead calm?

[Hoyter]

This is a trick question! I've had a cabin on Osakis for about 8 years now and IT'S NEVER DEAD CALM! (Except for Friday nights before I can get on the lake.)

[TOP FIVE]

Big Buck is right. I have rarely seen calm weather on Osakis. Watch the weather patterns. Chances are that there will be wind and once you get on walleyes, you can return to some of your previous spots to try during calm period. One other note, that if Osakis is calm, the bite will slow way down, due to the fact that the clarity is about 11ft, which will turn off the bite for a day or so.

If you need help finding spots, I would recommend paying $8.00 and getting a HOT MAP, the information in these are normally from locals and guides. But as an avid fisherman you will be able to know these spots by looking at a regular lake map. HOT MAP's help when you are beginning to fish a new lake and want to find out where the locals fish.

Good Luck

[FZ]

What dates are the Osakis's tourney this year?

[TOP FIVE]

i think it is next weekend June 16th and 17th.

[sniper9]

It gets to be a long day but if you want a few nice walleyes I would throw rattle traps around the weeds in the southwest side youll catch alot of northerns but you will catch a few nices eyes thats what I did last year and they were really nice fish not the little dinks youll catch out on the humps.blue and silver!!!

[bigbucks]

Yes, it is the 16th & 17th.

It does get dead calm at times & unfortunately that usually happens on a very hot, bright sunny day. Those are tough conditions on Osakis for sure.

[fishinbum]

Thanks for all the advice on weed walleyes. Does anybody know the water temp of Osakis now? Is it warmer this year at this time than last year or is it colder?

Thanks!

[Sportfish1850]

I was out in the dead calm of yesterday afternoon catching bass and northerns. Water temp was 67. Got a couple decent walleyes on Saturday night slip bobbering leeches on the bars along with about a dozen of the largest rock bass I ever caught. Then a bug hatch hit hard and things shut down fast.

[fishinbum]

Sounds like the night bite is better than the day. Is 67 normal for this time of year on Osakis or is that unusually warm?

Thanks!

[StrosLit31]

yeah the night bite is definatly better than the day bite. Seems like at night you can go any where on the lake and catch some walleyes. But they will bite all day long too, you just need to find them.

I think the water temp seems about average or normal for this time of year. Usally the windy days keeps the water temp lower and if you get the calm sunny days like last weekend it raises up. We had a surface water temp of 62 Sat. morning and on sunday afternoon we had 75, but that was surface temp.

[Sportfish1850]

The other thing I noticed was the increase in algae in the water. This lake always dirties up and gets pretty green in July and August from algae. It was gin clear two weeks ago now the clarity is starting to drop as it usually does. In a few more weeks it will get pretty soupy looking.

[bigbucks]

We're there with the soupy stuff, it will probably get worse, but if you have a walleye on your line he's 3-4' from the surface right at the boat before you can see him. The bloom has started.

[FZ]

We had very good walleye fishing this year, but where is sunny? We fished Saturday evening just off the week line, caught about 7 walleyes, 3 pikes, and many smaller perch and walleye, not a single sunfish.

[bigbucks]

Right now they in the weeds & outside the weeds, anywhere form 5-12 feet I'd say, but mostly on the shallower side.