2020 Detroit Lakes-Pelican Rapids Fishing Reports - Lake Conditions

[SJMyers32]

Walleye fishing has been terrible for me the last couple weeks, only a few fish caught. Luck changed tonight just south of DL. 4 eyes caught and a few missed right at five. All came in 14 fow on the deadstick with fatheads and a red #4 hook. Very aggressive fish! Hope this bite lasts a couple more weeks!

[Cicada]

Went to Lida yesterday. Fished an area I haven't been in before. 15fow, about 30 bluegills, 11 of which I kept between 8.5" and 10", one nice 13" crappie, a largemouth bass (released), two northerns (released), a few tiny perch (do I ned to say,... released), and one bite-off. The fish were pretty aggressive, chasing the bait up several feet and usually hitting.

[Bass Whacker]

It sounds like we are going to have a great stretch of weather comeing up here, so I'm planning on spending wed, thurs, and saturday up on tamarack chasing the big gills around again. I saw on the dnr site that theres some eyes in there, and I'm wondering if it would be worth trying for them? I spent quite a bit of time up there this year and never heard of anyone catching them, so a little reasurance from someone would be nice. If anyone else is up there stop by and say hi. I have a one man clam with a red boat seat on it, and probably the loudest jiffy on the ice(its pretty tough to miss).

[Jim Panfish Uran]

So you are the guy with the loud Jiffy!! JK, they are all pretty loud. I was out there a couple of weekends ago and they guys I was fishing with caught 3 eyeballs.

[Bass Whacker]

yeah my jiffys a bit louder than normal. I tore the engine down and ported it to help with some running issues when it was given to me, and to make it run right after the engine was rebuilt I had to build a pipe for it. I could have just about bought a auger at this point but man dose it cut and cut fast especially for a 10 inch. Its turned into a fun little project now, alot of guys come ask what I did to the thing when it starts throwing ice 10 feet from the hole. But it sounds like I might have to chase a few eyes around this week. Thanks Leach

[SJMyers32]

Sounds like a heckuva machine you have there basswhacker! I made it out yesterday and picked up a couple delicious eyes around three oclock. Tried moving three feet deeper and nothing. 14 to 15 fow seems to be the ticket for me, and golden shiners.

[Bass Whacker]

Well I made it out as planned today and the sunnies and crappies were eating plastics really good right away, but as soon as it started snowing the bite shut down big time and the only thing they would even look at was waxies. All the fish were caught suspended over 16 feet of water. Heres a couple of the nicer ones, both were right about 9 3/4".

[SJMyers32]

Monster walleyes and northens are showing up on shallow flats on many area lakes pounding suckers. Northerns bite until the sun goes down then its eye time. Bigger the minnow the bigger the fish! Id tell you the name of the lakes but that would take away from the whole fun of fishing.

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Let's see some pics of them badboys

[Bass Whacker]

I fished a small lake, about 50 acres, over near osage today. I Found crappies right away but it was a very tough bite. they would justt sit there and stare at the minnow and then out of no were they would just about rip the rod out of your hand. The fish were in about 38 feet of water, suspended anywere from 15-22 feet down. They all wanted a minnow under a bobber, if you moved your bait at all the fish would bolt. The two biggest of the day were both a bit over 13" and I caught a few in the 10-12" range.

[Guest]

Little adventure today. On the lake at 1pm, driving off at 3pm with limit of Crappies. Few pics showing my setup and a couple of the "catch of the day" coming threw the holes. Most on waxies, 2 on minnows.

[Bass Whacker]

was this the lake we talked about this morning?

[Bass Whacker]

I hit 6 lakes between friday and saturday, and I caught alot of fish nothing huge but I did get a few gills right around 9" and and one crappie that went just over 13". Most fish came on a frostee spoon tipped with as many waxies as I could pack onto the hook.

[Cicada]

Went to Many Point this morning chasing a crappie rumor. Only caught one crappie, although it was 13", a bunch of bluegills, two largemouth bass, and a northern. Tried 26 feet of water with both crappie minnows and wax worms. Quite a bit of snow, so a four-wheel drive in mandatory.

[dwacker8]

Anyone know of tullibies biting in the detroit lakes area.

Any info would be appreciated may head to leech tomorrow to try our luck.

[SJMyers32]

Hows the ice in the area, havent been out since gamefish closed. Sorry Leechbait im very reluctant on what i post on here. The last thing i need is some B%$=H loostening bolts on my trailer cause he doesnt like what i post on the internet. Guys who know me from the forum know im a pretty straight shooter. Hey Cicada if you want to find them crappies after ice off id be more than happy to take you to them.

[Cicada]

Hey SJM, your boat or mine? I'd be up for that if we can find a time that I can get away.

[Bass Whacker]

The lakes look pretty rough, any reports on the ice. Is there even a lake with in an hour that has fishable ice, walking of coarse. I was hopeing to wet a line on my day off tommorow.

[Cicada]

Saw one guy had gone out on Lida this afternoon. Hope he came back. The only other lake I saw ice fishermen was on Little Pelican. I think they accessed through private property though.

[perch_destroyer]

Any small lakes open yet?

[paceman]

I think Little Detroit will open tonight or tommorrow.

[fish stalker]

boyer lake west of detroit lakes is open.

[perch_destroyer]

Thanks boys! Any word on Leaf (Lief) or Meadow?

[bak2MN]

Meadow is open Praire is a big wid will change the look on alot of them

[perch_destroyer]

Thanks!

[Bass Whacker]

Any reports from the weekend? I'm hopeing to spend next weekend with the wadders on looking for crappies. So I'm wondering if the fish will be moved up enough to be accessible on foot.

[kingr]

Cotton Lake opened up Saturday.

Round Lake also opened up Saturday. I have to beleive all the lakes are open by now...

[dairyman]

if they're not ---they will be after this wind

[Bass Whacker]

I threw on the waders after school today and hit a lake just outside of town. I ended up finding a few crappies on a isolated clump of old reeds in about 6 feet of water. I also found some nice sunnies chaseing minnows in about a 2 feet of water. On the walk back I threw out to another clump of reeds and caught these 3 bonus bass. All the fish came on a white flu flu with a crappie minnow.

16"

18 1/2"

17"

[Jim Panfish Uran]

Been taking the kids to the same lake since the fish are biting, catching small crappies every night and that's enough to keep them enjoying it. I am planning a trip to a lake with a little bit better sized crappies this weekend, depending on the weather.

Should be a good time. If anyone wants to get out anytime give me a hollar.