Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

2020 Ottertail-Battle Lake-Perham-Fergus Falls area Fishing Reports


Recommended Posts

Dang Nels I probably wont get out until New Years weekend this year. I just dont know I will trust putting the house out till then. Even though with 40 degree days I guess its not really needed. While its nice not having the snow from the past years we really have not gotten a real good cold snap. Keep us updated on the conditions. Let me know if things drastically improve.

Later

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A friend of mine has been fishing Ottertail for the past week. 8 inches of ice. They have been getting plenty of walleyes and lots of dink perch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

lots of houses out, especially on the west side which is unusual considering you can move anywhere on the lake with no snow.

how's everyone doing? ill be out thur-sunday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A wheeler went in near Rivera access, and any pressure ridges should be eyed with great caution. While it is easy to move about, there are spots that should be avoided and they can change rapidly.

I saw pressure ridges on North and South Turtle this weekend that were pushing a lot of green water this weekend. With the warm winds and surface water on monday, look out for scour holes.

Monday really did a number on the lakes. There are spots, especially if there was a house there, that went from being just fine in the morning to dangerous by sundown.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

me and a buddy are heading up to west battle lake for the week and are wondering if people have been having much luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been sticking pretty close to home with the iffy ice - if you stop at the local bait shop, they should have some advice on where to go and current ice conditions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Impressive is right. That is an incredible fish. Congratulations to whom ever caught it. Must have been fun getting it through the hole in the ice. I think I would have been SHTNG a brick when it got close to the top of the hole.

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is one thick walleye! It's not even like it has a huge gut, it's just built like a tank. Congrats to the angler!

I'd also like to know the proportions of that beast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't heard a peep on how the fishing has been in the OT area for a long time. People still getting out or has everyone taken up knitting?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hit a small lake all weekend and caught some gorgeous crappies. Not huge numbers, but got to go home with a limit of 12 to 13 inchers. Hit O.T. on the way home and caught a pile of dink perch like everyone else has been doing. One eye that was an eater. Weeded out the dinks and brought home 11 eater perch. Love Otter Tail county. BC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so im hearing reports of great walleye bit on ottertail, but I see on here its slow and I only caught 2 on sunday. weird, any news out there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It has been very slow, I am out from Amor and it has really slowed down. I have even moved around a bit t try and find a hotspot again but no luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am by no means an expert on Ottertail fishing, but by this time of the year I have had my best luck fishing the steep breaks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fishing has been tought for me too, I have fished many different spots, different depths, and pick up 1 here and there. I think the good reports you may be hearing are people claiming the small walleyes as eaters. I talked to a couple last night on the ice they said fishing was great and when I looked in there bucket they had 10 fish and not 1 of them went 13 inches. Combined weight probably 6 pounds if lucky, please let the dinks go so we can enjoy them in a few more years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I agree with Maverick, sharp breaks are where it is at. If there is a big flat I put a tip-up about 20 yards away from the base of the break. When the flag goes I know it won't be long before the action picks up in the area. Between the tip-up and the break I will have punched 4-5 holes. I will bounce between them. The break activity usually hits at sunset, not a big surprise there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

spent all day sunday out on ottertail.

Riveria in 27feet , caught perch all morning until 1,2pm took home about 20 average perch (10 incher's) and 1 walleye (apparently friday they caught 10 walleyes, but were all too small.

west side of lake in afternoon was dead'sville. not even perch.

moved to 11 foot hump way out in middle at night and ended up with only 3 walleyes, 14-15inchers.

pretty dead, but what the heck, we ate fish!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

another sunday, another long day on ottertail.

riveria still getting lots of nice 9-10 inch perch (after you catch 100 of them!), and even 4 walleyes in 22 ft ( 1 was 20")

zorbaz had 2 16 inch walleyes and small perch

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Its really a shame everybodys keeping 10 inch perch out there. They oughta be throw"n em back. Then they could restore sum of the 13 inch jumbos it use ta have 10-15 years ago. thought folks woulda learned the first time when they fished everything down ta 7 inchers. some people just dont beleave a fish will grow bigger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tried Ottertail on Sunday afternoon with my wife and dad. Wind was stiff out of the northwest, and our trolling motor battery died after a couple hours. Day started cloudy and cool, and all we could catch trolling the first breaks were a bazillion perch and pike.

Dad also caught a big rockbass that put up quite the fight.

Once it warmed up a bit and the sun peaked out, the walleyes got hungry. Because of the useless trolling motor, we were relegated to motoring up to the shallows and drifting out to deep water. This technique actually worked really well, and my wife limited out on 15-20 inch eyes. I have no idea what she did that we didn't but the men in the boat had a heckuva time catching keepers. Seemed to be that all the 10-inch perch and eyes loved our shiners, but the big eater eyes preferred my wife's presentation.

I also caught a 32 inch northern, which went straight into the livewell and will be pickled shortly. Didn't weigh it -- I gauge my pike on pints, not pounds -- but it was fat, and had a little 10-inch walleye digesting in its belly.

Dad took off around 3, but the wife and I stuck it out for another few hours after a quick bait run to Ken's. We quit at 7 p.m. after our bait ran out again. Grand total was 8 walleyes between 13.5 and 20 inches, a 32 inch northern, and two gut-hooked perch. I did wind up catching my second walleye on a leech when I was waiting for my wife's last shiner to get bit. Might be an option out there for some people, although it seems pretty early for a leech bite.

Anwyay, all fish except for one were caught on shiners with 5-foot snells and a plain hook, drifted over the first breaks in anywhere from 10-27 FOW. Lots of little hungry eyes, too, which means the future looks bright.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Similar Content

  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
    • Wanderer
      Kinda depends on if you want magnification or quick target acquisition.   More magnification options and better accuracy with a scope.  You get what you pay for too so get comfortable with a budget for one.  Tasco and Bushnell work but I find they lose their zero easier, have low contrast and don’t gather light well in low light conditions.  That said, I’m still using one I haven’t replaced yet.  Vortex has been the hot brand for the past several years for bang for the buck.  Good products.  Nothing beats Swarovski though.  Huge dough for those.  Burris is another decent option.   There are some specific models for shotgun/slug hunting in the economy brands and bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticles.  Based on experience I’d recommend not falling for that marketing ploy.   Red dots are usually lower magnification and easier to get on target.  Reasonably accurate but don’t do well with definition, like searching the brush for your target.  I put a HAWKE red dot on a .22 for squirrels and it’s been good.  For turkey, that’s probably the route I’d go.     If your slug shots are normally not too far and too brushy, I’d think a red dot could work there too if you’re only buying 1 scope.  You’ll be better off dimming the reticle to the lowest setting you can easily use to not over shine the target and get a finer aim point.   If you don’t have a slug barrel, you might appreciate one of those.  I had a browning with a smoothbore slug barrel that shot Brenneke 2-3/4 inch well.  The 11-87 would well fitted with a cantelever rifled barrel. 
    • 11-87
      Looking for recommendations on scope or red dot    I basically hunt turkey and whitetail, live in southern MN. So it’s all deer/ shotgun    looking to add a scope/ red dot as my eyes don’t work like they used to to with the open sights.    my gun options are 11/87 12. Browning BPS 12    not looking for the most expensive or the cheapest    pros and cons of one over the other
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.