2020 Detroit Lakes-Pelican Rapids Fishing Reports - Lake Conditions

[SJMyers32]

I was fishing a wind blown shore today and the northerns were going nuts. Im not a big fan of catching small northerns but ten in an hour kept me happy. Jigs, crankbaits, all worked in four to eight feet of water. I left to get some minnows thinking walleyes werent far away, came back and everything shut down including the wind! Ive fished the lakes for a few years now and havent seen northerns as agressive as they have been this year. Im thinking a trip to Melissa is in the near future, Im in need of an esox fix.

[kingr]

Now that I finally get to get back out fishing this weekend, I am wondering what depths and bait presentations have been working the last couple weeks for the elusive walleyes. Just to get an idea of where I should start. On opener dad caught them in 30ft of water...I doubt that is the case. I'm assuming that they have moved up into the 18-20 edge of weedlines?

Thanks

[TylerS]

I think its all kind of a gong show right now. On opener I was catching them in 21-28 FOW. In the same tolken, I heard people having good luck rip-jigging in 8-12 FOW. I've also heard that some walleyes already are biting on midlake structure such as humps and sunken islands.

My synopses? Try 'em all. As a rule I usually start where I can feel weeds on my sinker and the move deep. Once I find that transition zone, I'll stick there for some time unless I don't get bit. Then I go deeper until I find the fish. If you get to 30 FOW without bites, head shallow and set up for slip bobbers or rip-jigging.

That's about as good advice as I can give anyone right now. Everything is lake-to-lake. Some places its shiners, others its leeches.

One word: Experiment.

[Cicada]

Fished Lida this afternoon. Not good for me. A few northerns, perch, largemouth, and smallmouth, but no walleyes. There were mayfly bodies all over and I always struggle when that happens. Did talk to a guy at the ramp and he caught some walleyes in 6 feet of water, but nothing in the slot.

[SJMyers32]

Had a hay day in the Cormorant area fishing today with a longtime fishing partner before she moves. Followed my trend this season and threw jigs and gulp minnow grubs right to the shore or reeds. Seemed to catch everything that swam in the lake, must have caught 40 fish in a couple hours. I guess that pink rod of hers does have some luck in it! Ate dinner and went back out for walleyes before dusk and they were very active. Leeches on lindys in 20 feet of water gave us three of four walleyes for the freezer. Thinking fishing would be slow after the cold front sure proved me wrong it was an awesome night on the water!

[Cicada]

Took my mother out fishing today. We hit Lida and caught enough fish for it to be a fun day. I think my depth finder issues have been resolved, so looking forward to getting out again. We caught three walleyes, half dozen northerns, a couple of largemouth bass, rock bass, and 8-10 smallmouth bass. Biggest walleye was 19" and biggest smallmouth was 18". Lindy rigs and leeches or crawlers most of the day. Showed Mom how to catch smallies on spinner baits.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Tried out a little lake close to the house last night, it was fun and relaxing. I caught a ton of northerns, 7 crappies and 2 walters! All I did was fish the cabbage, I didn't even move from the little bay no more than 200 yards across. Tossed 1/8 oz. Lindy Max Gap jigs/Gulp 3" minnows over the tops of the cabbage and reeled them in slow with an occasional twitch. I'd get hit every other cast.

Heard a loud "roar"?!?! about 15 minutes before dark not far down from the landing, I never heard that noise before out in the brush. Kind of sounded like a bear but not sure.

[fisherdog19]

Got out on Big/Little Detroit to looking to find fish for the upcomeing Lion's tournament next Saturday. Ended up finding fish in a couple new spots, got two nice 22-24" eyes and a couple 14"ers. Missed a lot of fish as well, pitched shiners with 1/16 oz jigs in the cabbage. Picked up a few surprise crappies that were awfully small to eat my 4" shiner.

[auggie78]

Fisherdog19, what is the deal with that tourney? Is it open to anyone?

[auggie78]

Make it out today for about an hour and a half between rain showers. I caught a couple northerns then 3 walleyes, 18, 18, and 19 inches. All in 12 to 14 FOW with a lindy rig and leech. Was a pretty fun trip for how short it was.

I put the rain suit on and was going to brave the rain until i heard the first clap of thunder. That got me off the water fast

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Me and Jr. fished out on South yesterday form 10 AM to 1:30PM and caught 2 walters a dozen or so bass and a few snot rockets. Jigs and leeches in 14feet along the weeds.

[fisherdog19]

Open to anyone that want's to enter.

[paceman]

Made it out for a few hours last night on Sallie, lindy rig-leech in 16' on mid-lake humps = 25" and 17" eye plus a big pike that bit me off as I tried to net it.. Last Thursday evening in the rain I took a novice out to big floyd. This guy hasn't fished in about 15 years so I went after action. We caught a bunch of bass, northerns, sunnies, crappies, and a perch. Really fun night. Lindy rig with leechs/crawlers along the weedlines.

[bigbass01]

Buddy and I went out to Big D.L. on Sunday evening and just had a blast. We fished in about 14-18 fow and vertical jigged on the breaks in the middle of the lake. Caught 8 eyes ranging from 15" to 27". All went back in the lake. Forgot my fillet knives!

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Nice job Bigbass01 Sounds like a heck of a night!!!

[fisherdog19]

Lions tournament was cancelled, anyone have some suggestions where I can get me 5 year old into some decent eye action for a few hours Saturday morning. Need to find him and easier way to fish, it's tough for a little guy to pitch jigs and shiners in the cabbage.

[Redranger]

It take a Kid Fishing on White Earth this Saturday

[bcifish]

I had my 4 year old grandson prefishing with me for the pelican tournament last weekend fisherdog taught him how to cast put on his own bait and catch walleyes under a float while I pitched jigs.

[Paul]

Fisherdog, It is a bit of a treck and can be tough if it is windy, but the eyes on Ottertail are starting to school up on the humps and gravel bottoms.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Me and Jr. went out and found the crappies last night, it was a bit cool and windy for June but they were stacked up next to the cabbage weeds. Easy as tossing a 1/16 oz jig and a minnow out and reeling it back in. Some big gals mixed in with a bunch of 10 to 11" keepers.

[rooster_1]

Fishin been very good since opener.No more spawn in the crappies and there back in their summer haunts,15-20 in the salary patches.GOOD LUCK

[Jim Panfish Uran]

I'd agree, fish the outside edge of the cabbage, if they aren't there move to a different patch and try it!!!

[paceman]

With the cold rain finally starting to head out of here this weekend should be really good.

[auggie78]

How do you think the cold rain this week will affect the walleye bite for this weekend? I hope paceman is right and the bite is really good

[Jim Panfish Uran]

I think this weather is great for walleye fishing, I wish I was out there right now!! After it passes and get's blue again is when the fishing get's tough.

[dairyman]

just got back from a local lake and picked up a couple of crappies--they're still spawning --both had eggs. picked up about 5 or 6 bass too--kept one and returned the rest. all picked up on fat heads

[Cicada]

Got out this morning about 9:00 and finished at 2:30. Fished Lida and found the walleyes wanted to play. Caught about a dozen and six of them were under the slot. Leeches in 22-25 feet of water. Got schooled by another fisherman when the wind went down. Leeches didn't interest them anymore, but minnows did. Fisherdog, forgot to tell you about the one I got over 10lbs. If I had remembered though, I'd have had to tell you it was a sheephead.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

I was invited to fish with fisherdog on Lida yesterday, but I promised the kids a trip out for some crappies and I couldn't let them down. I'll have to make it down that way sometime, sounds like great fishing. All my outings lately have been for crappies. The last couple evenings I've spent out on South Twin playing with the slabs. Caught as many as we wanted to catch, kept 14 the first night and 11 last night. The kids had a blast last night, that's for sure.

[auggie78]

Looks like you found some good crappie action for the kids Leechbait.

I went fishing with the old man this weekend. Lots of action dragging lindy rigs with leeches in 14' of water. 22" and 20" were the biggest walleyes with some nice eaters mixed in. The northers were going crazy too which made for lots of action.

I did make the mistake of suggesting we try another lake after catching a few walleyes this morning. Should have stayed put!

Also when I was walking out of quality bait this morning I saw Cicada's mug on the wall. Looks like he caught a really nice walleye on opener if i remember the date right.

[paceman]

Went with a buddy to an area lake Yesterday afternoon. Caught eyes in the weeds. Fishing 8-10 ft of water with a small bullet sinker, 4-5 foot snell, crawler. Drag the rig on top of/thorugh the weeds and the eyes would come out and pound the bait. Pretty fun but a bit challenging to work the rig through the cabbage.